Late Spring "Flash Forward" on 2010 Big 12

[Jim]

Here is my early take on where I think things will finish up with the Big 12 in 2010. A lot of talk has been directed at Nebraska and I think they are actually for real. They will have some close games and will stumble but once in my current assessment. That will be the week before they host Texas. KSU has always given Nebraska a tough game. KSU will be looking for that marquis signature win.

Texas’ lone loss will be at Nebraska. Texas A&M, even with their blowout loss to Georgia in the Independence Bowl, showed they have the muscle when they played Texas and rocked Texas Tech. They fell apart against Kansas State and Oklahoma during the regular season. Texas Tech, under Tuperville, will require a couple of years to be totally transformed. They will have an excellent season during this “learning” year.


Oklahoma, who survived in 2009 with their defense, now has a depleted defense and is still without an established OL. Expect basically a repeat of 2009 with OU losing two games in Norman.


Colorado, Kansas and Iowa State will finish out the bottom of the Big 12 North. That seeming success seen in 2009 in Ames will be shunted as the Cyclones play at Oklahoma and at Texas this year – back to back. Have to play at Iowa and will not rise to the occasion when they host Utah. Missouri will have a run going and then meet up with the meat of their schedule spending most of October looking up.


Anyway, having said all of that here is what I see happening (at this time) …


Big 12 North - Nebraska

:) Nebraska (7-1/11-1) - they will defeat Texas in Kansas City for the Big 12 title and meet either Alabama or Ohio State for the national championship in Tempe.
:) Kansas State (5-3/8-4) – Will hand Nebraska its lone defeat. Because they travel so well they will be invited to the first Pinstripe Bowl in New York City to play a Big East opponent.
:rolleyes: Missouri (4-4/8-4) – lose to A&M, OU, Nebraska and Tech. Head to the Insight.Com to face Big Ten.
:p Colorado (2-6/4-8) – Keeping Dan Hawkins isn’t going to buy much.
:( Kansas (1-7/3-9) – KU lost its mainstays and Turner Gill will require some time to get things in order.
:( Iowa State (1-7/3-9) – A very tough schedule this year with no breaks.

Big 12 South - Texas

:mad: Texas (7-1/11-1) – Will once again win the Big 12 south with Nebraska being their only conqueror (twice).
:o Texas A&M (6-2/9-3) – A complete turnaround from what we’ve seen lately. Lose final two games.
:mad: Texas Tech (6-2/10-2) – “Learning Curve”? Lose to A&M and Texas. San Diego in the post season.
:eek: Oklahoma (5-3/8-4) – OL/DL must form early. Upset loss to FSU and then to top three in Big 12 south.
:confused: Oklahoma State (3-5/7-5) – Will be better than 3-5 implies. Their future will be brighter.
:( Baylor (1-7/4-8) – Its not that Baylor isn’t better under Briles. Its that everyone else is even better.

Bowl Scene ...

Insight.com vs. Big Ten - Missouri. Big Ten will send a 7-5 team
Texas vs. Big Ten NO QUALIFIER
Alamo vs. Pac Ten Oklahoma - First trip to San Antonio.
New York vs. Big East - Kansas State- KSU travels very well
Holiday vs. Pac Ten - Texas Tech vs. - Cal, Oregon State, USC
Dallas vs. Big Ten - Oklahoma State - Closer to Stillwater
Cotton vs. SEC - Texas A&M vs. LSU, Auburn or Tennessee
BCS vs. BCS - Texas vs. BYU, Utah or Boise State
National Championship - Nebraska (12-1)vs. Ohio State or Alabama

[ZOOMBAG]

Here is my early take on where I think things will finish up with the Big 12 in 2010. A lot of talk has been directed at Nebraska and I think they are actually for real. They will have some close games and will stumble but once in my current assessment. That will be the week before they host Texas. KSU has always given Nebraska a tough game. KSU will be looking for that marquis signature win.

Texas’ lone loss will be at Nebraska. Texas A&M, even with their blowout loss to Georgia in the Independence Bowl, showed they have the muscle when they played Texas and rocked Texas Tech. They fell apart against Kansas State and Oklahoma during the regular season. Texas Tech, under Tuperville, will require a couple of years to be totally transformed. They will have an excellent season during this “learning” year.


Oklahoma, who survived in 2009 with their defense, now has a depleted defense and is still without an established OL. Expect basically a repeat of 2009 with OU losing two games in Norman.


Colorado, Kansas and Iowa State will finish out the bottom of the Big 12 North. That seeming success seen in 2009 in Ames will be shunted as the Cyclones play at Oklahoma and at Texas this year – back to back. Have to play at Iowa and will not rise to the occasion when they host Utah. Missouri will have a run going and then meet up with the meat of their schedule spending most of October looking up.


Anyway, having said all of that here is what I see happening (at this time) …


Big 12 North - Nebraska

:) Nebraska (7-1/11-1) - they will defeat Texas in Kansas City for the Big 12 title and meet either Alabama or Ohio State for the national championship in Tempe.
:) Kansas State (5-3/8-4) – Will hand Nebraska its lone defeat. Because they travel so well they will be invited to the first Pinstripe Bowl in New York City to play a Big East opponent.
:rolleyes: Missouri (4-4/8-4) – lose to A&M, OU, Nebraska and Tech. Head to the Insight.Com to face Big Ten.
:p Colorado (2-6/4-8) – Keeping Dan Hawkins isn’t going to buy much.
:( Kansas (1-7/3-9) – KU lost its mainstays and Turner Gill will require some time to get things in order.
:( Iowa State (1-7/3-9) – A very tough schedule this year with no breaks.

Big 12 South - Texas

:mad: Texas (7-1/11-1) – Will once again win the Big 12 south with Nebraska being their only conqueror (twice).
:o Texas A&M (6-2/9-3) – A complete turnaround from what we’ve seen lately. Lose final two games.
:mad: Texas Tech (6-2/10-2) – “Learning Curve”? Lose to A&M and Texas. San Diego in the post season.
:eek: Oklahoma (5-3/8-4) – OL/DL must form early. Upset loss to FSU and then to top three in Big 12 south.
:confused: Oklahoma State (3-5/7-5) – Will be better than 3-5 implies. Their future will be brighter.
:( Baylor (1-7/4-8) – Its not that Baylor isn’t better under Briles. Its that everyone else is even better.

Bowl Scene ...

Insight.com vs. Big Ten - Missouri. Big Ten will send a 7-5 team
Texas vs. Big Ten NO QUALIFIER
Alamo vs. Pac Ten Oklahoma - First trip to San Antonio.
New York vs. Big East - Kansas State- KSU travels very well
Holiday vs. Pac Ten - Texas Tech vs. - Cal, Oregon State, USC
Dallas vs. Big Ten - Oklahoma State - Closer to Stillwater
Cotton vs. SEC - Texas A&M vs. LSU, Auburn or Tennessee
BCS vs. BCS - Texas vs. BYU, Utah or Boise State
National Championship - Nebraska (12-1)vs. Ohio State or Alabama

OU won't go 8-4. But they will have and upset loss, OOC, but it won't be to FSU....

[Jim]

So your heart wants to say that loss will be to Air Force? More likley at Cincinnati but I feel this won't be the case. So do you see OU at 9-3 since you said they'd not be 8-4?

[kocurt]

Jim, when it comes to OU you are always overly pessimistic and I am overly optimistic. OU will NOT lose at home. They just dont do that. They are the most dangerous team of all time at home. FSU will be better this year, but they wont be 'beat OU in Norman" better. heck, nobody in college football will be THAT much better.
OU was an injury bug away from playing in the BCS last year. They lost more starts to injury than the other teams in the conference COMBINED and the STILL were only a field goal away from beating 4 of the five teams they lost to. This year, they actually will have some consistency from that O-line, DeMarco Murray will have a bigger role in the offense. (If you watched the spring game, there are some big things coming on that side of the ball again). The defense will be down a bit, but only down for OU. They will still be a top 25 defense in the country. Probably a top 10 one.
I think OU probably drops a game they shouldnt, to Texas or A@M, but they run the table otherwise, finish up at 11-1 regular season and end at 13-1 after a BIG 12 championship and BCS bowl win.

[Jim]

Kocurt, as always you are correct in your assessment of my outlook vs. your outlook regarding OU. We must keep in mind that much of the defense, even as good as it will be in 2010, was lost. Experience and maturity matter when your back is against the ropes like it was in 2009. Had we not lost Bradford and Gresham I think we'd have beaten BYU. Miami, Texas and Nebraska. Unfortunately the Tech game was going to happen. OU at 13-1 last year with a win over TCU in the Fiesta Bowl. The Big 12 with two entries would have allowed for just the one non-BCS participant and TCU was the highest ranked.

This year's OL/DL will get a breather with Utah State. But Florida State has offensive weapons, Air Force knows how to run the ball with a possession offense and Cincinnati will be their first road test and they are a pretty good team. Then, without a break, they travel to Texas.

[kocurt]

so it looks like we agree.

OU will lose 2 games, finish up at 10-2 and win the Cotton Bowl. :)

[ZOOMBAG]

So your heart wants to say that loss will be to Air Force? More likley at Cincinnati but I feel this won't be the case. So do you see OU at 9-3 since you said they'd not be 8-4?

10-2

[Hero1957]

Too high on Nebraska and too hard on Oklahoma.

The things I told you before the season last year that would hold Oklahoma back have turned from negatives to positives.

Zoom's 10/2 looks very achievable.

[MasterBevo]

Texas also has a lot of new faces this years.... especially, at QB. We're saying we want to run the ball more, but don't really have an established RB. The O-Line should be pretty good.. several returning starters, and some top-notch recruits. But, we don't have anyone who'll be mistaken for Ingrahm.

I think, our defense will be pretty solid. Lots of new faces, but. the key to our defense is having a good secondary, since they are asked to play a lot of man to man. With all due respect to INSIDE99's rankings, I think our secondary will be second to none this year. We lost Earl Thomas, and yet.. could actually be BETTER this year.

Fortunately, our schedule is still not TOO difficult. I am, though, worried about the early games vs UCLA and @ Tech. If we somehow lose those two before going to Dallas to play OU.... things could be uglier in Austin than they've been in a LONG time. I don't THINK that'll happen.. but, we could easily be 1-1 out of those two games.

A&M is getting better, but I still don't see them as having their stuff together.

Nebraska will win the North.. by default. But, they won't beat whatever South team makes it to the CCG.. IMHO.

[ZOOMBAG]

Texas also has a lot of new faces this years.... especially, at QB. We're saying we want to run the ball more, but don't really have an established RB. The O-Line should be pretty good.. several returning starters, and some top-notch recruits. But, we don't have anyone who'll be mistaken for Ingrahm.

I think, our defense will be pretty solid. Lots of new faces, but. the key to our defense is having a good secondary, since they are asked to play a lot of man to man. With all due respect to INSIDE99's rankings, I think our secondary will be second to none this year. We lost Earl Thomas, and yet.. could actually be BETTER this year.

Fortunately, our schedule is still not TOO difficult. I am, though, worried about the early games vs UCLA and @ Tech. If we somehow lose those two before going to Dallas to play OU.... things could be uglier in Austin than they've been in a LONG time. I don't THINK that'll happen.. but, we could easily be 1-1 out of those two games.

A&M is getting better, but I still don't see them as having their stuff together.

Nebraska will win the North.. by default. But, they won't beat whatever South team makes it to the CCG.. IMHO.

Yea, they will. they should have done that last year.

[Coach 3]

....i am also not tooo high on the huskers....also have a keen interest in whether or not Leach can keep those staggering offensive numbers going....

[GatorGrad]

....i am also not tooo high on the huskers....also have a keen interest in whether or not Leach can keep those staggering offensive numbers going....

Leach?

[Coach 3]

..iam getting old...complete brain fart regarding leach....alas, red raiders willl be yawn inducing withpout that insanely entertaining basketball on grass leach system...someone has got to take a chance on this guy in a year or two...he'd be a fun successor to freidgen here in md.whowilll be done in a year two...