2006 Big 12 Preview

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Philadelphia, PA (My Sportsbook) - Last season the Big 12 Conference not only was the home of the national champion Texas Longhorns, but also recorded the best non- conference record at 31-5. The Big 12 also tied the ACC for top honors in bowl games with a 5-3 mark. The top story, though, was the Longhorns, who defeated Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout for the first time this decade and went on to stop USC's 34- game winning streak with a 41-38 win in the Rose Bowl.

Vince Young has since moved to the NFL (Tennessee), while two freshmen, Colt McCoy and Jevan Snead, will take over the highest scoring team (50.2) in the nation. Will the Big 12 title remain in the state of Texas? Which team will be the best in the North? The conference preview has all the answers along with odds to win the BCS Championship:

BIG 12 South

1) TEXAS TECH (100-1): The Red Raiders had their best record (9-3) since 1995, including a win over Oklahoma the last week of the regular season. This is the fourth straight year that Texas Tech will begin the season with a new quarterback and the first time that it won't be a fifth-year senior. However, sophomore Graham Harrell is T-Tech's highest recruited QB this decade, so the offense with eight starters returning, could be the most potent it's been in the coach Leach era. Defensively, only five starters return, but Texas Tech gets two players back who started back in '04 and who missed last season with injuries. The '05 defense was the Red Raiders best in a long time and they even allowed fewer points per game in conference play than the Sooners.

ANALYSIS: This might come out of left field, but Texas Tech will be just as good as Texas and Oklahoma. The Red Raiders could be 10-0 outside of the two games vs. the aforementioned clubs and with serious question marks surrounding both of those teams, could steal the show at a 100-1.

2) OKLAHOMA (13-2): By the end of the year, the Sooners might be the best team in the country. But with four new starters on the offensive line, don't expect them to be undefeated heading into the second half of the season. Oklahoma is also the youngest team in the league with more sophomores than seniors in the starting lineup. With games at Oregon and vs. Texas, there's a good chance "Okie" could be 3-2 after its first five contests.

ANALYSIS: The Sooners will have a healthy Adrian Peterson this year and a much improved defense that could be their best ever in the coach Stoops regime. Unfortunately, 10 wins will not get the job done, especially at the low price of 13-2.

3) TEXAS (12-1): Last year's champs would have been the favorite to repeat if Vince Young did not forego his senior season. Now, the team will be led by two freshmen that have yet to throw a pass on the college ranks. Still, the Texas powerful ground game will more than help out the inexperienced quarterback play. Also, seven starters return from a defense that finished in the top 10 in the nation in scoring, passing and total defense.

ANALYSIS: Texas is 12-1 to repeat, but must do so with a freshman under center. That is not the formula for winning the national title. Pass.

4) TEXAS A&M (100-1): The Aggies (5-6) finished under .500 for the second time in the last three years. Back in 2003, they went 4-8, but rebounded to win seven of 11 games the following season. Last year, Texas A&M ended up 5-6 mainly due to its passing defense which ranked 117th in the country. That fact will be remedied by its joke of a schedule that could have A&M 8-1 heading into November.

ANALYSIS: With seven returning starters on each side of the ball, combined with the easy schedule, the Aggies could be the most improved team in the country. However, they don't have the talent that Texas Tech possesses and at the same 100-1 odds, the Red Raiders are by far the better choice.

5) OKLAHOMA STATE (500-1 or higher): Much like Texas A&M, Oklahoma State finished under .500 last year after a 7-5 record in '04. The club failed to fire in head coach Mike Gundy's first season, finishing dead last in the conference in passing, and was the only Big 12 team to allow over 200 rushing yards per game. A minus 15-turnover differential did not help either. On the bright side, highly touted QB Bobby Reid, who was banged up for most of the year, had a solid spring and should improve immensely.

ANALYSIS: With a senior-laden defensive front four, the rushing defense will show dramatic improvement. The Cowboys will not be a cakewalk for the rest of the Big 12 South this season as they get back to respectability.

6) BAYLOR (500-1 or higher): One has to feel for the Bears. If they were in the North division, they might be able to reach .500 for the first time since 1995. A 5-6 mark last season, plus eight returning starters on offense are reasons for optimism in Waco. However, the defense which allowed a decade- best 26.5 ppg in '05, will be taken apart this year as seven of the top nine tacklers depart.

ANALYSIS: Last year should have been Baylor's coming out party. If head coach Guy Morriss had played QB Shawn Bell the entire season instead of running in Terrance Parks, the Bears could have been 7-4. With only four starters back on defense this year, Baylor will not improve on its 5-6 mark.

BIG 12 North

1) NEBRASKA (75-1): Year three of the Bill Callahan era will be the Cornhuskers return to national glory. They went from 5-6 to 8-4 in year two and are the most talented team in the extremely weak Big 12 North. The defense will dominate and the offense gets TE Matt Herian back from a broken leg. Nebraska faces its first test at USC on September 16, but may only lose one more game the rest of the season if the Trojans prevail.

ANALYSIS: This season the Cornhuskers avoid Oklahoma and Texas Tech, but will have to face one of them in the Big 12 Conference championship. At 75-1, Nebraska is the most viable longshot in the field besides Texas Tech.

2) KANSAS STATE (500-1 or higher): For the first time since 1989, Bill Snyder will not be roaming the sidelines for Kansas State. Ron Prince, who was Virginia's offensive coordinator the last three years, takes over and will immediately install the West Coast offense. K-State returned only 10 and 7 starters the past two seasons but has 17 coming back this year. More improvement on both sides of the ball is expected.

ANALYSIS: Last year, three of the Wildcats six losses came by three points or less. If the offense gets acclimated to the new passing attack, coach Prince will be looked upon as a miracle worker. They won't threaten the top teams of the conference, but will be one of the most improved squads in the country.

3) MISSOURI (500-1 or higher): Quarterback Brad Smith departs as the school's all-time passing and rushing leader. Despite his brilliant career, Missouri was only 25-23 in his four seasons under center. How the team responds to a new leader will determine its fate. Sophomore Chase Daniel will take over and if the Iowa State game last season is any indication, the Tigers will be fine. Daniel replaced an injured Smith and led Mizzou to a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns and the overtime win.

ANALYSIS: The Tigers returned only four defensive starters last season and allowed 29 ppg after giving up only 19.5 in '04. This season seven starters come back to Columbia so an improved defense is expected. Missouri should be 5-0 heading into Texas Tech, but the second half of its schedule is brutal with Tech, A&M, Oklahoma and Nebraska ready to take on the Tigers. A .500 season is likely.

4) KANSAS (500-1 or higher): The 7-5 Jayhawks enjoyed their first winning season in 10 years. How will this year play out? Well, there are both positives and negatives to the '06 campaign. On the plus side, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State and Baylor replace the much tougher Texas, Texas Tech and Oklahoma, and seven starters return to an offense that averaged 30 ppg in its last four contests. On the other hand, only three starters return to a defense which ranked third in the nation against the run and 11th overall. There will also be a new QB running the show in redshirt freshman, Kerry Meier. That might not be a bad thing as the combo of Swanson, Barmann and Luke were less than stellar the past two seasons.

ANALYSIS: The positives will certainly outweigh the negatives as Kansas reaches its second straight bowl game. If the young defense can hold its own, the Jayhawks will surprise.

5) IOWA STATE (300-1): The Cyclones offense is in great shape with 10 starters returning to a squad that blitzed its opponents for 28 points per game. However, that number might drop as the three teams they will face from the South go from Baylor, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M to the big three of Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Texas. Iowa State allowed only 19 ppg on defense, its top mark since 1980, but only four starters return and seven of its top 10 tacklers are gone.

ANALYSIS: With Nebraska and Iowa also on the schedule, Iowa State could go from 7-5 to 4-8.

6) COLORADO (200-1): The Buffaloes called on former Boise State head coach Dan Hawkins to bring the team back to national prominence, but his first season in Boulder will be a work in progress. Colorado scored a grand total of 16 points in its final three games and rushed for a paltry two yards per carry in its last four contests.

ANALYSIS: The Buffaloes won the Big 12 North with a 5-3 mark, but only out- gained their opponents by 10 yards. Stay away from Colorado this season, but in two or three years, coach Hawkins will have this team back in the hunt.

Click Below for More 2006 College Football Previews:

2006 Sun Belt Conference Preview
2006 Pac 10 Conference Preview
2006 ACC Conference Preview
2006 Big 12 Conference Preview
2006 Big 10 Conference Preview
2006 SEC Conference Preview

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