The Big 12 has always been full of teams with Offensive Powers. This years team such as West Virginia, Kansas, Kansas State, and Texas Tech all have new Head Coaches for this upcoming year. The Big 12 is a different conference from a year ago. No more Kyler Murray, Will Grier, Bill Synder, Kliff Kingsbury, Dana Holgerson, and Marquise Brown. Will teams rise up and try to knock off Oklahoma as Conference Champions? Is Texas really back yet? All of these questions will be answered soon.
**I have gone in order of which each team finished in Conference play last year.**
Kansas
Head Coach: Les Miles
Prediction: 4-8
Indiana State W
Coastal Carolina W
Boston College L
West Virginia L
TCU L
Oklahoma L
Texas L
Texas Tech W
Kansas State W
Oklahoma State L
Iowa State L
Baylor L
The Jayhawks should improve with Les Miles. They have a stud Running Back in Pooka Williams who is suspended for the opening game vs Indiana State. Kansas will need to win two conference games to gain respect in the eyes of College Football fans.
Oklahoma State
Head Coach: Mike Gundy
Prediction: 7-5
Oregon State W
McNeese State W
Tulsa W
Texas L
Kansas W
Texas Tech W
Baylor L
Iowa State L
TCU L
Kansas W
West Virginia W
Oklahoma L
This is a must win year for Mike Gundy, his job depends on it. The Cowboys will have their third QB in three years.
Texas Tech
Head Coach: Matt Wells
Prediction: 3-9
Montana State W
UTEP W Arizona L
Oklahoma L
Oklahoma State L
Baylor L
Iowa State L
Kansas L
West Virginia L
TCU L
Kansas State W
Texas L
This will be an off year for the Red Raiders. With first year Head Coach Matt Wells who came from Utah State,do not expect much. Give it time and allow Wells to bring in his recruits to build the team.
Kansas State
Head Coach: Chris Klieman
Prediction: 1-11
Nicholls State W
Bowling Green L
Mississippi State L
Oklahoma State L
Baylor L
TCU L
Oklahoma L
Kansas L
Texas L West Virginia L
Texas Tech L
Iowa State L
With Kansas State finally without Bill Synder, they will see a year of turmoil with new Head Coach Chris Klieman. Klieman who came from the FCS Powerhouse South Dakota State will experience a losing season. I can see Kansas State being a great team in the Big 12 in years to come but not now.
Baylor
Head Coach: Matt Rhule
Prediction: 10-2
SFA W
UTSA W
Rice W
Iowa State W
Kansas State W
Texas Tech W
Oklahoma State W
West Virginia W
TCU W
Oklahoma L
Texas L
Kansas W
Baylor can be a sleeper team this year in the Big 12. They have Charlie Brewer back for his Junior year who can have a big year. Baylor does not have a very tough out of conference schedule compared to other teams in the conference.
TCU
Head Coach: Gary Patterson
Prediction: 7-5
Arkansas Pine-Bluff W
Purdue L
SMU W
Kansas W
Iowa State L
Kansas State W
Texas L
Oklahoma State W
Baylor L
Texas Tech W
Oklahoma L
West Virginia W
TCU is a team you can never predict in the Big 12. It seems like every other year they are contenders for the Big 12 Championship. When they were contenders they had a stable QB such as Kenny Hill and Trevone Boykin and a great defense (for Big 12 Standards). This could be Gary Patterson’s last year in Fort Worth.
West Virginia
Head Coach: Neal Brown
Prediction: 4-8
James Madison W
Missouri L
NC State L
Kansas W
Texas L
Iowa State L
Oklahoma L
Baylor L
Texas Tech W
Kansas State W
Oklahoma State L
TCU L
A new era is in Morgantown. No more Dana Holgerson, Will Grier, David Sills, and Gary Jennings. Neal Brown will be bringing in a new culture and West Virginia will struggle his first year. As of now, Brown has not named the Starting QB for Week 1 vs JMU. We will see if it will be former Oklahoma QB Austin Kendall who starts Week 1.
Iowa State
Head Coach: Matt Campbell
Prediction: 10-2
Northern Iowa W
Iowa W
Louisiana-Monroe W
Baylor L
TCU W
West Virginia W
Texas Tech W
Oklahoma State W
Oklahoma L
Texas W
Kansas W
Kansas State W
Iowa State has the chance to be in the Big 12 Championship this year. They have Brock Purdy again this year but lost David Montgomery and Hakeem Butler. If they can build off of last season, they can be a sleeper pick for the Big 12.
Texas
Head Coach: Tom Herman
Prediction: 9-3
Louisiana Tech W
LSU L
Rice W
Oklahoma State W
West Virginia W
Oklahoma L
Kansas W TCU W
Kansas State W
Iowa State L
Baylor W
Texas Tech W
Are they back? Well according to my prediction sort of. They do lose to LSU, Iowa State, and Oklahoma. Oklahoma is just to good for Texas to beat them this year. A lot of team might be coming for Sam Ehlinger because of his overconfidence and cockyness for his expectations on the team.
Oklahoma
Head Coach: Lincoln Riley
Prediction: 12-0
Houston W
South Dakota W UCLA W
Texas Tech W
Kansas W
Texas W
West Virginia W
Kansas State W
Iowa State W
Baylor W
TCU W
Oklahoma State W
Oklahoma can go undefeated in the regular season this year. They have a QB who has played in multiple National Championships in Jalen Hurts. They have an easy schedule with their toughest competition coming in Texas and maybe Houston. They are just too good not to run away with the conference this year.
Big 12 Championship
Oklahoma vs Iowa State
44-37 Oklahoma
Big 12 Player of the Year: Brock Purdy
Big 12 Coach of the Year: Lincoln Riley
Final Standings:
Oklahoma 9-0
Iowa State 7-2
Baylor 7-2
Texas 7-2
TCU 5-4
Oklahoma State 5-4
West Virginia 3-6
Kansas 2-7
Texas Tech 1-8
Kansas State 1-8
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