The Big 12 was very strong last year as they sent Oklahoma to the College Football Playoffs (and deservedly so), however, this year they might not have a representative from the playoffs as other conferences have seemingly gotten even stronger. But, this conference is ultra-competitive and that is always fun to watch. And with the new conference realignment as there are no more divisions, things could get even more interesting. With that being said, lets take a look at the teams in the conference.
Baylor
Baylor seemed like they were becoming a powerhouse school, then everything came crashing down last year as they were an abysmal 1-11. This program once produced a Heisman Trophy winner in Robert Griffin III, and now they are in the position of trying to get back to relevancy. However, they have nowhere to go, but up. They may not have a winning season in 2018, but they should make some strides.
Iowa State
Well last year was a major step in the right direction as they won a bowl game after they had won only 11 games in the past four years. Now the Cyclones will need to take giant step forwards if they want to compete for the Big 12 championship. There was a few games last year they should have won especially with the experience they have, but if they turn those losses into wins in 2018, watch out Big 12.
Kansas
The Jayhawks are a basketball powerhouse. Let’s just get that out of the way. And let’s get something else out of the way, Kansas is going to struggle this year as some in the conference essentially will look at this as a “bye” week. But they don’t have anything to lose, so trying to be as competitive as possible might be beneficial and maybe they can pull off an upset in order to throw the race towards the championship out of whack. That being said, there is talent on this team like Khalil Herbert and Steven Sims, so don’t underestimate them.
Kansas State
The legendary coach of Bill Snyder is still going at it and why not. He is still an excellent coach. He will retire eventually, but just as long as he can continue coaching and stay in good health, take advantage of that as much as possible. There is some talent on his team though and he always has a competitive squad. But the defense will be good and the offense has a lot of potential potency, Kansas State might be fighting for the conference championship when it’s all said and done.
Oklahoma
The Sooners will have to adjust to life after Baker Mayfield left for the NFL Draft, but getting back to the College Football Playoffs has to be a must. While they lost a lot of their starters, they had tremendous depth and they hope the guys who backed up the starters from last year are just simply guys who are just the “next in line” players. The Big 12 is not as strong as last year, so expect the Sooners to take the crown.
Oklahoma State
The Cowboys have been a model of consistency in the Big 12 as they keep winning 10 games every season it seems like. There is a lot of talent here that might be good enough to be a top ten team when it’s all said and done at the end of the season. But will they win the Big 12 Championship? Only time will tell.
TCU
The Horned Frogs are arguably the second best team in the entire conference and they also boast a lot of talent. They could potentially upset Oklahoma for the Big 12 Championship as they have some great talent and they could benefit from all the experience they have although they do have a new quarterback, but keep a close eye on these guys.
Texas
The Longhorns used to be the model of a top football program, but ever since the Colt McCoy days went away, they can’t seem to be a strong contender for the National Championship anymore. But the recruit class from 2018 was incredibly good and they may be on their way to becoming a strong contender soon. College Football would benefit greatly from a strong Texas team.
Texas Tech
Kliff Kingsbury is a great coach and the offense should be explosive, but they do play in a tough conference. Can they take advantage of it this year though? Only time will tell. Their receivers can rack up a lot of yards and it will be fun to watch this offense, however they are stuck behind so many programs that are better. It will be a long season for the Red Raiders most likely.
West Virginia
It might be weird to see the Mountaineers in the Big 12 because of where they are geographically, but they are a strong program as they are trying to become a powerhouse team. Their offense is a high octane style and they have a lot of experience, so you could see them making a run at a Big 12 Championship. Besides, its time for the Mountaineers to show how good they really are.
Predictions
James Rowe: I have Oklahoma beating TCU in the championship game, but I cannot see them making the College Football Playoffs.
Thomas Martin: It will be a Oklahoma and West Virginia championship game. Oklahoma also is the winner.
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