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The Texas Longhorns (1-2, 0-0) will face the Iowa State Cyclones (2-1, 0-0) on Thursday evening in a prime-time matchup scheduled to air nationally on ESPN. The meeting is the 15th between the two schools, with the Longhorns holding a 12-2 record all-time against the Cyclones. Texas looks to carry momentum from a disappointing 27-24 overtime loss to USC two weeks ago and win its second straight game as conference play begins at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames. Iowa State boasts a 2-1 record after winning its opener against Northern Iowa, followed by an overtime loss to in-state rival Iowa and throttling Akron 41-14. . Last season Texas defeated Iowa State 27-6 in Austin to snap a 3-game losing streak. In their most recent trip to Ames (2015), the Cyclones shut out Charlie Strong’s Longhorns 24-0 Texas Longhorns vs. Iowa State Cyclones Date: Thursday, September 28th, 2017 Time: 7:00 PM CST Television: ESPN Venue: Jack Trice Stadium Location: Ames, IA Relevant Articles and Information: Stock Report on the Longhorns – Week 3 Quarterback controversy in Austin? Are you #TeamEhlinger or #TeamBuechele? Get to know Iowa State: Offense Get to Know Iowa State: Defense/Special Teams Game Preview – Texas vs. Iowa State Longhorns & Cyclones – Staff Predictions on the outcome of the game

Connor Williams, PJ Locke, Naashon Hughes, and Michael Dickson will represent Texas later this month.

I keep hitting refresh, hoping for more recruiting news and items to read. The calm is deafening. lol SO, lets play predict the 2017 season in the Big 12. Shall we? 1. Kansas State – I think the old man has got everything he needs to make a run. And when that situation exists, he usually makes the best of it. He may even retire after this season. 2. Oklahoma – Heisman QB candidate, decent OL, solid defense. Where's the problem? Nothing comes back at RB or WR. Its all new and unproven. Who else makes plays besides the QB? Hence, the potential problem. Texas wins the RRR. 3. Texas – Yes, that's right. What Herman does with the talent on hand will make everyone question what the heck Charlie was doing. Texas will win a game it shouldn't early in the season, and at that point, the momentum will begin. 4. Oklahoma State – No team has as much talent at QB-RB-WR in the conference like this team does. Trouble is – that OL. One OL in the 2017 class. OL assistant fired after NSD. It all starts up front and that's why I have them at 4. 5. TCU – QB shows much promise one week, then much disappointment the next. Can Kenny Hill make himself consistent? However this goes, so goes TCU. 6. Baylor – Welcome back to the middle of the pack, Baylor. So many have them picked higher. I don't see it. While the new HC will inject some positive things into the program, the recruiting pause will begin to really show its ugly head this year. 7. West Virginia – Who's afraid of Virginia Wolff? lol I don't know what it is, but disappointment seems to find Holgerson any time he's on the brink of something good. The wheels come off this year and Holgerson will do good to survive it. 8. Kansas – Go ahead, rub your eyes. The Jayhawks escape the cellar, finally. Good things are happening at KU and the fruits from their hard work begin to show. Beating Texas was a very big deal. 9. Iowa State – Despite a new HC and a decent recruiting class, the Cyclones lose almost their entire OL. Again, it all starts up front. 10. Texas Tech – I don't think Kingsbury survives the season. Awful defense will probably be worse, if thats possible. Decent QB comes in to replace Jimmy Football, but the OL is hurting and the WRs are rather average for Tech.

Interested in the Big 12 Conference and its future expansion plans? @Big12Fanatic has you covered with analysis of G5 options and the ramifications of adding teams. This multi-part series will take a look at it from many angles; Brand & Culture, Grant of Rights, Media Contracts, and more. It's worth a read and follow! http://big12fanatics.com/expansion-project-preface/ Building a Foundation http://big12fanatics.com/expansion-project-building-foundation/ Brand & Culture http://big12fanatics.com/expansion-project-brand-culture/ Buyouts & Buy-Ins http://big12fanatics.com/expansion-project-buyouts-buy-ins/

Everyone knows by now, Horns @ Jayhawks kicks off at 2:30 p.m. I'll be in Lawrence by 9:30 a.m., parked in lot 54 with beer in hand by no later than 10 a.m. Who else will be making the trip? I know I had another topic started months ago about this and some of you commented/confirmed you'll be there. Since it's game week, I figure I'll ignite that convo again. Who is gonna be in Lawrence to watch Texas become bowl eligible?

WHO: Texas Longhorns 4-4 (2-3) vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders 4-4 (2-3) WHEN: Saturday, November 5th 2016 at 11AM CST WHERE: Jones AT&T Stadium, Lubbock TX (FS1) ODDS: Texas -3.5 The Good: The offense in Lubbock is still operating “business as usual” for the standards of the Red Raiders. Though he’s been banged up through the last few games, Patrick Mahomes is still playing at a high level. The junior passer is averaging 440 yards per game with a 28/7 touchdown to interception ratio. Mahomes is a dual threat passer, and although his rushing stats aren’t gaudy he’s accounted for 10 touchdowns with his legs. Tech’s offense seems to have no trouble replacing productive receivers, and this season is no different. Mahomes utilizes a number of different targets, but Jonathan Giles is the biggest threat on the field. Giles is 73 yards short of 1,000 through just 8 games, and he’s accounted for 11 of Mahomes’ 28 touchdowns. Former Texas commit Keke Coutee provides another deep threat for Texas to worry about. Tech’s receiving corps goes even deeper when you consider the contributions of players like Ian Sadler, Reginald Davis, Cameron Batson, and Justin Stockton. The Bad: The defense in Lubbock is still operating “business as usual” as well. Never known as a stalwart defensive team, the Red Raiders are giving up an average of 518 yards per game, including 213 rushing yards per game. Outside of a strong performance against TCU last week, they’ve been pretty poor at stopping teams from scoring. The Red Raiders will face an offense led by D’Onta Foreman who already has over 1,000 yards rushing. The Uncertain: Both teams seem pretty even on paper, but Tech will be dealing with injury and disciplinary issues. Mahomes’ shoulder injury is reportedly hampering his full potential, though it didn’t stop him from totaling 800 yards of offense against Oklahoma. Mahomes was forced to exit the TCU game after possibly re-injuring his shoulder, and is questionable to play against Texas. Other starters marked questionable for Saturday’s game include D’Vonta Hinton and Derek Willies along with Dylan Cantrell, Devin Lauderdale, and Gary Moore who are dealing with disciplinary punishments. What’s at Stake: Both teams are fighting for bowl eligibility, and even though Kliff Kingsbury’s seat isn’t as hot as Charlie Strong’s, he still needs to string together some wins. The Longhorns are still seeking their first road victory of the season, and looking to keep hope alive after a big win over Baylor. If Texas can go into Lubbock and overturn their road woes they have a chance to run off a strong end to the season in an effort to save Charlie Strong’s job.

Who: Iowa State Cyclones 1-5 (0-3) vs. Texas Longhorns 2-3 (0-2) When: Saturday, October 15 2016 at 6PM CST Where: Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium (Longhorn Network) Odds: Texas -13.5 The Good While there isn’t a lot to love from the scoreboard this year in Ames, the Cyclones are showing improvement under first year coach Matt Campbell. After dropping games to Northern Iowa and Iowa, the Cyclones played tough against TCU before the Frogs pulled away. Following their first win of the season over San Jose State, Iowa State suffered narrow losses to Baylor and Oklahoma State. Iowa State’s star runner Mike Warren started the season off slowly, but he’s tallied 378 yards in his last 4 games. Longhorn fans will also remember quarterback Joel Lanning, who was incredibly effective in a shutout victory over the Longhorns in Ames last year. The Cyclones aren’t asking Lanning to do a lot, but he’s taking care of the ball and still making some plays with his legs. His top target in the passing game is Allen Lazard who is currently averaging 14 yards per catch. On the defensive side of the ball linebacker Reggan Northrup and defensive back Kamari Cotton-Moya lead the team in tackles. Defensive back Jomal Wiltz has been very strong against the pass as well. The Bad The Cyclones have struggled on the road this season on both sides of the ball. The Cyclones rush defense can only be described as porous. Through 6 games the Cyclones are giving up an average of 235 yards per game including 469 yards to Baylor. Matt Campbell’s team is also dealing with some injuries that are depleting depth. Linebacker Bobby McMillen and defensive back Kamari Cotton-Moya are both questionable for Saturday’s game, while offensive lineman J.D. Waggoner is also expected to miss the game with an undisclosed injury. The Uncertain While Iowa State is clearly trending up in improvement there is still a large disparity of talent on the field. While that didn’t really matter last year when the Cyclones blanked Texas in Ames, it still has to be accounted for. The Longhorns are going to be a team playing for their coach, and they will also be looking for a small measure of revenge after the embarrassing defeat they were dealt last season. On paper this looks like a matchup Texas should dominate, but that hasn’t been the case in this matchup during this decade. What’s at Stake The Longhorns are looking for anything to get them back on track after a three game skid that has many questioning Charlie Strong’s job security. While a win over Iowa State won’t silence the critics, a loss might remove any existing doubt. For Iowa State they are looking to build upon their near wins by finally finishing a game against a power 5 team on top. The Longhorns aren’t playing at the standard established for this program, but a win over Texas is always special for a team like Iowa State.

By Mike Roach Who: #22 Texas Longhorns (2-1, 0-0) vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys (2-2, 0-1) When: Saturday October 1st at 11AM Central Where: Boone Pickens Stadium – Stillwater, OK (ABC) Odds: Oklahoma State -2.5 The Good: The Cowboys still know how to play offense. Mike Gundy’s unit is averaging nearly 40 points per game, and 475 total yards per game. Quarterback Mason Rudolph has been strong for the most part driven by 61% completion and 324 yards per game. The Junior passer is also taking care of the ball for the most part, though his turnovers have come at the most crucial moments. Cowboy wide receiver James Washington is the big play threat on the field, and he’s been sensational on the year. His banner moment was a 296 yard game against Pittsburgh in which he totaled 2 touchdowns. The running game got going last week against Baylor, and Justice Hill appears to have some big play potential. The Cowboys defense has been able to slow down some high powered offenses. While they’ve had to replace some guys on the front line due to the NFL draft, they haven’t experienced much drop off. The names to know on the defensive side of the ball include linebacker Jordan Burton, defensive back Jordan Sterns, and defensive tackle Vincent Taylor. The Bad: The Cowboys came into the season with great expectations, and thus far they’ve experienced disappointment. Lost in the controversial upset at the hands of Central Michigan was the fact that the Cowboys had trouble on the defensive side of the ball. The Cowboys also dropped the conference opener to Baylor in a game where they showed a real inability to slow down the same offense they will see on Saturday. It’s well known that Mike Gundy and Boone Pickens don’t have the best relationship, and a 2-3 start could start the wheels in motion on replacing him now that Les Miles is available. The Uncertain: This game has been one of the more bizarre matchups in recent years. The home team has not won this game since 2008, and a few of them ended in controversy. In 2012, Texas running back Joe Bergeron appeared to fumble the ball on the winning score though it wasn’t called. Who can forget last year’s matchup when the referees were heavily involved in the Oklahoma State victory. This is not quite a “throw the records out” matchup, but it’s starting to develop into one. What’s at Stake: Both teams are looking to get their season back on track following disappointing losses. If Texas can pull out a victory in Stillwater, they should have some positive momentum rolling into Dallas for the Red River Rivalry. Oklahoma State cannot afford to enter conference play 0-2 if they hope to accomplish their goal of winning the Big 12 this season. A win over Texas could point them in the right direction as they head into a softer spot in the schedule.

When I received my credential to the Big 12 Media Days, they enclosed a preseason All Big 12 ballot. 2 important things to know... 1) I find preseason rankings of any type pretty much worthless 2) I believe in transparency and being held accountable. So with all of that said, I present my preseason All Big 12 ballot. Standings 1. Oklahoma 2. TCU 3. Oklahoma State 4. Texas 5. Baylor 6. Texas Tech 7. West Virginia 8. Kansas State 9. Iowa State 10. Kansas Thoughts: Oklahoma is the run away leader for me. With most of their team returning, and a lethal offense under Baker Mayfield and Lincoln Riley on campus it would be tough to pick against them. TCU and Oklahoma State are a coin flip for me. It will come down to the effectiveness of Kenny Hill and the ability of TCU to replace key players. I think they will have the top defense in the country. Oklahoma State returns a ton of talent, and Mason Rudolph will look to build on a big season. The next four teams (Texas, Baylor, Texas Tech, and West Virginia) are all about the same to me. They could finish in any order, and Baylor is the toughest to predict with all of the issues surrounding their program. West Virginia and Texas Tech are primed to explode, but defense will always be an issue with those two teams. Kansas State is just a cut below that group, with Iowa State and Kansas bringing up the rear. Offense: QB - Baker Mayfield - Oklahoma RB - D'Onta Foreman - Texas RB - Samaje Perine - Oklahoma FB - Elijah Wellman - West Virginia WR - KD Cannon - Baylor WR - James Washington - Oklahoma State WR - Shelton Gibson - West Virginia TE - Mark Andrews - Oklahoma OL - Connor Williams - Texas OL - Kyle Fuller - Baylor OL - Patrick Vahe - Texas OL - Tyler Orlosky - West Virginia OL - Orlando Brown - Oklahoma KR/PR - KaVontae Turpin - TCU Thoughts: The battle at quarterback came down to Baker Mayfield and Patrick Mahomes, and while I really like what Mahomes brings to the table, I gave the edge to Mayfield. Running back was a tough choice that really came down to D'Onta Foreman, Samaje Perine, Mike Warren, and Shock Linwood. I think Foreman has the most ability out of the group,and Perine will be in the best situation. It was a bit of a down year at the receiver position, and if I had another slot I would have probably considered John Burt. Texas has two guys on the offensive line which is notable, and KaVontae Turpin is an absolute ninja on the field. Defense: DL - Josh Carraway - TCU DL - Noble Nwachuku - West Virginia DL - Charles Walker - Oklahoma DL - Demond Tucker - Iowa State DL James McFarland - TCU LB - Jordan Evans - Oklahoma LB - Malik Jefferson - Texas LB - Elijah Lee - Kansas State DB - Holton Hill - Texas DB - Jordan Sterns - Oklahoma State DB - Davante Davis - Texas DB - Denzel Johnson - TCU DB - Steven Parker - Oklahoma P - Michael Dickson - Texas PK - Ben Grogan - Oklahoma State Thoughts: TCU has two killers on the defensive line, and Charles Walker is one of the best players in the conference. Demond Tucker represents the cyclones on the first team, and Nwachuku is my dark horse for POY honors. A stacked linebacker group is headlined by Malik Jefferson and Jordan Evans. My defensive back group reflects how bullish I am on the Texas corners and their potential for this year. Denzel Johnson, Jordan Sterns, and Steven Parker are legit playmakers that can alter a game plan in the secondary. Offensive POY - Baker Mayfield - Oklahoma Defensive POY - Josh Carraway - TCU Newcomer of the year - Shane Buechele - Texas My decision for Offensive POY came down once again to Mahomes and Mayfield, but again I leaned slightly towards Mayfield. Malik Jefferson figured into my DPOY decision, but the safe bet was Carraway. If Shane Buechele can be somewhat effective in this offense he's an easy bet for newcomer of the year IMO. Thoughts?

This morning Chip Brown released a report that Baylor Regents have decided to fire Kenneth Starr. Chip Brown also reported that Art Briles will remain the Head Coach of Baylor football "barring any evidence turning up that Briles was engaged in a coverup." Sources close to the situation told me that this scenario could be closer than many believe. There appears to be a future publication coming from Texas Monthly that could be damaging to not only Baylor, but Briles as well. According to another source, Baylor appears to be aware of this and has begun the process of protecting themselves. I'm being told that Baylor is keeping in touch with a coach from the Art Briles coaching tree in case a move needs to be made.

In tis week's edition of the 4th and 5 Podcast, host Will Baizer is joined by his friend Allen Kenney of Blatant Homerism to talk about the hot topic of expansion within the Big XII. They discuss the challenges of the Big XII Conference and address the issue of expansion and adding a conference championship game. They also answers the following questions: How does the conference save itself? Are Bob Bowlsby and the other Big XII heads looking at the problems correctly? How much expansion is necessary? Could it be 16 teams or could it be no new teams? What happens if there isn't expansion? Where do Texas and Oklahoma go if the conference crumbles? Is the Big XII beyond saving?

The recent ESPN prediction of OU winning the Big 12 title by a 65% chance (highest among the power 5 conferences) got me to thinking of how I might see it play out. We've got months to go until kick off, so why not? 1. OU will not win the conference. One of TCU-Baylor will. 2. OU will lose to Texas, again. It is ironic, to say the least, that OU has become what Texas once was. The softer of the two teams . . . AND, the team that seems to get its act together predictably after the RRS each year. 3. TCU will surprise a lot of folks. Hill won't be Boykin, but he'll drive their bus fine. And thats all they really need to make that offense work. Defensively, they could be the best in the conference. 4. Texas will be in the conference title chase until late in the season. I think we we'll prolly lose the opener in heartbreaking fashion, but it will serve notice that Texas is back. 5. Despite predictions to the contrary, Tech's defense will still be everybody's best friend. They'll make a bowl and win a game or two they weren't supposed to though. 6. OSU beats some of the lower feeders on its schedule, but their OL will cost them. 7. West Virginia will make things interesting this year. They have an MO of starting strong then fading. They're loaded this year so we'll see if they can avoid injuries enough to keep momentum. 8. KSU, as much as I love Snyder, I think his spinning of straw into gold will hit a wall this year. Lower middle of the pack this year. 9. Kansas. No, not this year. 10. Texas may end up being the most complete team in the conference by season's end. Some of these predictions are brash and depend on some things going a certain way, such as the Texas QB position. However, I have some faith in Gilbert's ability to parlay what he has into a successful, point-producing O. I think the talent he has right now is at least as good as what he had at Tulsa by modest standards. If you saw the Tulsa-OU game last year, you have to be very encouraged.

The stage is set for the 2016 Big 12 Men’s Basketball Tournament in Kansas City. Here, HornSports’ Chris Flanagan breaks down his tournament predictions. The Favorite Kansas Jayhawks The Jayhawks are on a hot streak and it seems like they cannot be stopped. An 11 game winning streak and essentially a home court advantage when they play makes them the favorite to win the Big 12 tournament. Not to mention that Kansas has won 9 tournament titles and hasn't won it since 2013. Darkhorse Oklahoma Sooners The Sooners are set up nicely for at least a Big 12 tournament championship appearance. They split the season series with Iowa State and they swept West Virginia during the regular season (assuming the Mountaineers can get past their Quarterfinal opponent). Then (assuming things fall into place), they would play Kansas who the Sooners played well against in the regular season. It wouldn't be a shock to see the Oklahoma Sooners hoisting the Big 12 championship trophy on Sunday. Upset potential? Texas Tech over West Virginia Texas Tech is a clear bubble team. While their bubble is much stronger than other teams given their #1 ranked strength of schedule, it's still tenuous at best. However, a win over the Mountaineers will secure Texas Tech's bid into the NCAA tournament. This will be a fun game to watch. Flanagan's prediction of the Big 12 tournament Wednesday Kansas State over Oklahoma State The Wildcats are an average team and the Cowboys are just trying to end their season with some dignity. Kansas State has a shot at the CBI tournament but that likely won't save Bruce Weber's job. However, he will have at least a Big 12 tournament win to add to his average resume. This might be the "who can stay on the job longer for one more day" game. Texas Tech over TCU Texas Tech must beat TCU to stay off the bubble. TCU will put up a fight but end their season on a losing note (which will end Trent Johnson's tenure at TCU). Thursday Texas over Baylor This one could go either way depending on which Texas team shows up against the Bears. The Longhorns will look at tape from the last time the two teams matched-up and improve on mistakes from the loss. Shaka Smart will have his playmakers ready and the ‘Horns will notch the win. Kansas over Kansas State The dagger for Bruce Weber's career will be from his in-state counterpart. This game won't be close. Texas Tech over West Virginia The first upset will happen at this point. West Virginia must be a good team to finish 2nd in the conference, but I have not seen anything elite from this team. This will ensure the Red Raiders' place in the NCAA tournament. Oklahoma over Iowa State (barely) Iowa State fans will fill the arena and likely could upset the Sooners easily. However, the Sooner seniors will be focused on the task at hand and will handle the hostile environment. Friday Kansas over Texas While Shaka Smart has rejuvenated the Texas fanbase, there is no substitute for the lack of size in the low post. Perry Ellis will continue to destroy the Longhorn defense and Kansas will walk into the championship game. Oklahoma over Texas Tech Sorry Red Raiders, I can't see a way you beat Oklahoma especially after beating them by two points just a few weeks ago. Championship Game Kansas over Oklahoma The Jayhawks will continue their hot streak and enter the NCAA tournament on a high note after beating Oklahoma. However, bad news for the Jayhawks. 3 out of the last 4 national champions did not win their conference tournament. Big 12 Tournament Winner: Kansas Jayhawks Complete Big 12 Tournament Bracket

Alright, just about that time..

When the big 12 expands most people are trying to decide which 2 teams to add but my view is 6 teams need to be added since other leagues will go to 16 most likely at some point. big 12 could go west and add byu, boise st.,colorado st.,then add houston,memphis,cincy. these schools would add new tv markets and expand recruiting except houston but would give big 12 new games in houston . memphis could be replaced by central florida or south florida, colorado st could be replaced by san diego st or air force. league could have north of byu,boise,wvu,colorado st,kansas,k-state,iowa st,and cincy then south with Texas,ou,osu,tech,tcu,houston,baylor and memphis . or could do east/west alignment or could go to 4 team pods. adding byu and boise would be good for football. anyone else have thoughts on possible teams

submitted in Texas Longhorns Football By Chris Flanagan 10. Kansas Jayhawks 9. Texas Tech Red Raiders 8. Iowa State Cyclones 7. Kansas State Wildcats 6. Oklahoma State Cowboys 5. West Virginia Mountaineers 4. Oklahoma Sooners 3. Texas Longhorns #2 Baylor Bears Preview: In the interest of full disclosure, I had the Baylor Bears ranked #1 prior to the release of the recent Texas Monthly article. Subsequent outrage as a result of the article and intensified scrutiny on the Baylor football program has clouded that prediction. Baylor has the talent, there is no question about it. But the scandal is sure to effect Art Briles and his team in some form or fashion. A relaxed early non-conference schedule could help them get through the season unscathed, but the clean, moral program which many thought Baylor University was is not as it seems. There must be an awakening in our society. Do we value wins more than the bodily integrity of our citizens? I hope not, but with Penn State and Baylor, I cannot say that our society does. Maybe it's the true realization that nothing in the world is quite what it seems. I digress. The Bears return eighteen starters on both sides of the ball, including preseason Heisman contender Seth Russell at the quarterback position. With the entire starting offensive line returning, the offense should plug and play just fine with Russell at quarterback. I doubt we see Jarrett Stidham play much, if at all this year, but it's certainly possible. Sophmore wide receiver KD Cannon surpassed the 1000 yard mark in receiving yards last season and will be a be a strong candidate to take home the Biletnikoff award in January. The defensive front should be stout with Andrew Billings at defensive tackle and Shawn Oakman at defensive end. I expect Billings to have a nice season. The corps of linebackers and the secondary are areas of concern due to inexperience and lack of depth. Baylor's offense will propel the team to many wins but their defense will inevitably let them down in in a couple of close contests. Season prediction: 10-2 (7-2 Big 12)

submitted Today, 11:35 AM in Texas Longhorns Football By Chris Flanagan In anticipation of the 2015 football season, Horn Sports is ranking all ten teams in the Big 12 based on the anticipated finish of each school. 10. Kansas Jayhawks 9. Texas Tech Red Raiders 8. Iowa State Cyclones 7. Kansas State Wildcats 6. Oklahoma State Cowboys 5. West Virginia Mountaineers #4 Oklahoma Sooners Location: Norman, OK Stadium: Gaylord Memorial Stadium (Capacity: 82,112) Returning starters: 14 (8 off, 6 defense) Recruiting class ranking: 15th nationally, 2nd Big 12 (247Sports) 14th nationally, 2nd Big 12 (Rivals) Preview: Boomer gloomy - that's the way Sooner fans felt after last season. Not only was 2014 another season that started with high expectations for the Sooners that ended in mediocrity, it also ended in embarrassment with a 40-6 loss to Clemson in the Russell Athletic Bowl. The Sooners haven't competed for a national title for quite some time. The fan base is starting to grow weary of Bob Stoops, who doesn't seem interested in stepping away from the team gracefully. Unfortunately for the conference, the Sooners aren't likely to rebound anytime soon. OU has the best rushing attack in the Big 12: Sam Perine returns for his sophomore year, plus Joe Mixon will play for the Sooners this season (which is likely going to be a lightening rod for controversy). However, the quarterback is a massive question mark. Trevor Knight is hit or miss and Baker Mayfield is an unknown in the Sooner offense. This will be the issue that sinks the Sooners' Big 6 bowl chances. Oklahoma will win 9 games this season, but will lose a crucial game against the 3rd place team that gives that team a foundational victory in their pursuit to regain greatness. Predicted record: 9-3 (6-3 Big 12)

Cotcher, Carrara and a side of Roach are on-hand in Dallas for 2015 Media Days. The lineup for Day 1 (Monday, July 21st) is as follows: Kansas Jayhawks Head Coach - David Beaty DE - Ben Goodman TE - Ben Johnson OL - Jordan Shelley-Smith Kansas State Wildcats Head Coach - Bill Snyder DB - Dante Barnett DB - Morgan Burns WR Stanton Weber OL - Cody Whitehair TCU Horned Frogs Head Coach - Gary Patterson QB - Trevone Boykin OL - Joey Hunt S - Derrick Kindred DE - James McFarland Texas Tech Red Raiders Head Coach - Kliff Kingsbury C - Jared Caster DL - Branden Caster RB - DeAndre Washington West Virginia Mountaineers Head Coach - Dana Holgorsen S - Karl Joseph LB - Nick Kwiatkoski OL - Tyler Orlosky RB - Wendell Smallwood Stay tuned to this thread for coverage of all-things related to Big 12 Media Days in Dallas.

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Picked 2nd in the 2014 preseason Big 12 Media Poll, Baylor's Art Briles and Bryce Petty are ready for the 2014 season. WIRE POST - http://www.hornsports.com/forums/blog/1/entry-22-media-days-briles-petty-ready-for-2014/

Baylor with the weakest schedule of all. Rinse, repeat. At some point this is going to cost them. Texas with the toughest in the conference. ESPN really thinks Tennessee is going to be something next year. http://espn.go.com/blog/big12/post/_/id/96095/ranking-2015-big-12-non-conference-schedules Following a year of compelling Big 12 nonconference matchups that featured the likes of Florida State, Alabama and Auburn, the league collectively has scheduled down in 2015. Oklahoma State, Kansas State and Baylor (again) won't face a Power 5 conference opponent. Texas is the only one that will play two such teams. Still, that doesn't mean every Big 12 nonconference game will be a bore. Texas goes to Notre Dame. Oklahoma travels to Tennessee. Texas Tech returns a trip to Arkansas. But which team has the toughest nonconference slate? And which has the softest? The rankings are below, going from most difficult to least (*denotes FCS opponents): 1. TEXAS: at Notre Dame (8-5), Rice (8-5), Cal (5-7) Opponents’ 2014 combined winning percentage: .552 Toughest opponent: Notre Dame Weakest opponent: Rice 2014 bowl teams: 2 Quick take: The Longhorns continue their recent trend of challenging nonconference schedules, opening with a trip to South Bend. The Fighting Irish were up-and-down last year, but they finished with a victory over LSU in the Music City Bowl. Even though it didn't make a bowl, Cal was one of the most improved teams in college football last season, going from 1-11 to 5-7 in Sonny Dykes' second year. Rice is a solid non-Power 5 opponent. It won't take long to find out what Charlie Strong has in Year 2 in Austin. 2. KANSAS: *South Dakota State (9-5), Memphis (10-3), at Rutgers (8-5) Opponents’ 2014 combined winning percentage: .675 Toughest opponent: Memphis Weakest opponent: South Dakota State 2014 bowl teams: 2 Quick take: David Beaty will be baptized by fire. The Jayhawks have a tough nonconference slate, including South Dakota State, which made the second round of the FCS playoffs last year. Memphis is coming off a 10-win season; Rutgers on the road will be a big challenge, as well. This is a brutal early series of games for a program transitioning to a new coaching staff which will have the fewest returning starters in the Big 12. 3. OKLAHOMA: Akron (5-7), at Tennessee (7-6), Tulsa (2-10) Opponents’ 2014 combined winning percentage: .378 Toughest opponent: Tennessee Weakest opponent: Tulsa 2014 bowl teams: 1 Quick take: The Sooners face potentially the toughest nonconference game of any Big 12 team with a road trip to Tennessee. The Vols have struggled in recent years, but could be on the verge of turning the corner after a series of elite recruiting classes. The Vols also return an SEC-high 18 starters, including Joshua Dobbs, who is one of the up-and-coming quarterbacks in college football. The Sooners will have to play well -- and much better than they did toward the end of last season -- to prevail in Knoxville. 4. TEXAS TECH: *Sam Houston State (11-5), UTEP (7-6), at Arkansas (7-6) Opponents’ 2014 combined winning percentage: .595 Toughest opponent: Arkansas Weakest opponent: Sam Houston State 2014 bowl teams: 1 Quick take: The Razorbacks smacked the Red Raiders around in Lubbock last year. The return trip to Arkansas is a game the Red Raiders can win. But they have to hold up way better in the trenches. Tech struggled with UTEP last year, too, foreshadowing struggles the rest of the season. The early tilts against Sam Houston State -- a quality FCS program -- and UTEP figure to serve as a harbinger again. 5. WEST VIRGINIA: Georgia Southern (9-3), *Liberty (9-5), Maryland (7-6) Opponents’ 2014 combined winning percentage: .641 Toughest opponent: Maryland Weakest opponent: Liberty 2014 bowl teams: 1 Quick take: After playing the toughest nonconference schedule in the Big 12 last year, the Mountaineers have a more manageable slate this time around. Still, it's not a cupcake one. Georgia Southern won the Sun Belt last year. Maryland, once again, will be one of the pivotal games on West Virginia's schedule. If the Mountaineers can beat their Atlantic rivals, they should head into Big 12 play with a boost of momentum. 6. IOWA STATE: *Northern Iowa (9-5), Iowa (7-6), at Toledo (9-4) Opponents’ 2014 combined winning percentage: .625 Toughest opponent: Iowa Weakest opponent: Northern Iowa 2014 bowl teams: 2 Quick take: The Cyclones are actually capable of winning all three of these games -- and losing all three, as well. Iowa State has dropped its last two openers to FCS opponents, including two years ago to Northern Iowa. QB Logan Woodside is back to lead a Toledo offense that ranked 15th nationally last year. The Cyclones have had success against Iowa under Paul Rhoads, but the Hawkeyes will be out for revenge after losing on a last-second field goal. This stretch will determine whether the Cyclones will have a shot at getting back to bowl eligibility. 7. TCU: at Minnesota (8-5), *Stephen F. Austin (8-5), SMU (1-11) Opponents’ 2014 combined winning percentage: .447 Toughest opponent: Minnesota Weakest opponent: Stephen F. Austin 2014 bowl teams: 1 Quick take: Minnesota surprisingly became a quality nonconference victory for TCU last year. A win at Minnesota, which has 13 returning starters, could be an even better win in 2015. At least the Horned Frogs better hope so. The rest of the nonconference schedule will do little to help TCU's strength of schedule résumé. 8. OKLAHOMA STATE: at Central Michigan (7-6), *Central Arkansas (6-6), UTSA (4-8) Opponents’ 2014 combined winning percentage: .459 Toughest opponent: Central Michigan Weakest opponent: Central Arkansas 2014 bowl teams: 1 Quick take: After opening with defending champion Florida State last year, the Cowboys have dialed down their nonconference slate in 2015. The opener at Central Michigan could be a little tricky; the Chippewas qualified for the Popeye's Bahamas Bowl, and almost rallied to stun Western Michigan with a 34-point fourth quarter. But the rest of the schedule should be a mere warm-up for the Cowboys for Big 12 play. 9. KANSAS STATE: *South Dakota (2-10), UTSA (4-8), Louisiana Tech (9-5) Opponents’ 2014 combined winning percentage: .395 Toughest opponent: Louisiana Tech Weakest opponent: South Dakota 2014 bowl teams: 1 Quick take: After facing Miami and Auburn in recent years, this schedule is more reminiscent of the early Bill Snyder nonconference slates. Louisiana Tech is decent. But this schedule should give the Wildcats time to adjust after losing so many key starters from last season's team. 10. BAYLOR: *Lamar (8-4), SMU (1-11), at Rice (8-5) Opponents’ 2014 combined winning percentage: .405 Toughest opponent: Rice Weakest opponent: Lamar 2014 bowl teams: 1 Quick take: Once again, Baylor's nonconference schedule is miserable. Then again, Rice would've destroyed anyone Baylor faced last year, so at least it's an upgrade. If the Bears get into the playoff mix again, their nonconference schedule could come back to haunt them. Again.

FIRST-TEAM OFFENSE: Center: B.J. Finney, Kansas St., 6-4, 303, Sr., Andale, Kan. Offensive line: Le'Raven Clark, Texas Tech, 6-6, 313, Jr., Rockdale, Texas; u-Spencer Drango, Baylor, 6-6, 310, Jr., Cedar Park, Texas; Mark Glowinski, West Virginia, 6-5, 312, Sr., Wikes-Barre, Pa.; Daryl Williams, Oklahoma, 6-6, 329, Sr., Lake Dallas, Texas. Tight end: E.J. Bibbs, Iowa St., 6-3, 264, Sr., Chicago. Receivers: Corey Coleman, Baylor, 5-11, 190, So., Richardson, Texas; Tyler Lockett, Kansas St., 5-11, 175, Sr., Tulsa, Okla.; Kevin White, West Virginia, 6-3, 210, Sr., Plainfield, N.J. Running back: u-Samaje Perine, Oklahoma, 5-11, 243, Fr., Pflugerville, Texas. Quarterback: u-Trevone Boykin, TCU, 6-2, 205, Jr., Dallas. All-purpose: Tyreek Hill, Oklahoma St., 5-10, 185, Jr., Pearson, Ga. Kicker: Josh Lambert, West Virginia, 5-11, 215, So., Garland, Texas. SECOND-TEAM OFFENSE: Center: Joey Hunt, TCU, 6-3, 295, Jr., El Campo, Texas. Offensive line: Tayo Fabuluje, 6-7, 360, Sr., Euless, Texas.; Quinton Spain, West Virginia, 6-4, 332, Sr., Petersburg, Va.; Tyrus Thompson, Oklahoma, 6-5, 336, Sr., Pasadena, Texas; Cody Whitehair, Kansas St., 6-4, 309, Jr., Abilene, Kan. Tight end: Jimmay Mudine, Kansas, 6-2, 240, Sr., Denison, Texas. Receivers: John Harris, Texas, 6-3, 223, Sr., Garland, Texas; Curry Sexton, 5-11, 183, Sr., Abilene, Kan.; Sterling Shepard,5-10, 194, Jr., Oklahoma City. Running back: Shock Linwood, Baylor, 5-9, 200, So., Linden, Texas. Quarterback: Bryce Petty, Baylor, 6-3, 230, Sr., Midlothian, Texas. All-purpose: Tyler Lockett, Kansas St., 5-11, 175, Sr., Tulsa, Okla. Kicker: Jaden Oberkrom, TCU, 6-3, 187, Jr., Arlington, Texas. FIRST-TEAM DEFENSE Defensive line: Andrew Billings, Baylor, 6-2, 300, So., Waco, Texas; Malcom Brown, Texas, 6-2, 320, Jr., Brenham, Texas; Shawn Oakman, Baylor, 6-0, 280, Jr., Landsdowne, Pa.; Emmanuel Ogbah, Oklahoma St., 6-4, 270, So., Houston. Linebacker: u-Paul Dawson, TCU, 6-2, 230, Sr., Dallas; Ben Heeney, Kansas, 6-0, 230, Sr., Hutchinson, Kan.; Pete Robertson, Texas Tech, Jr., 6-3, 236, Longview, Texas; Eric Striker, Oklahoma, 6-0, 221, Jr., Seffner, Fla. Defensive back: Sam Carter, TCU, 6-1, 215, Sr., New Orleans; Chris Hackett, TCU, 6-2, 195, Jr., Tyler, Texas; Zack Sanchez, Oklahoma, 5-11, 179, So., Fort Worth, Texas; Orion Stewart, Baylor, 6-2, 200, So., Waco, Texas. Punter: Trevor Pardula, Kansas, 6-5, 212, Sr., San Jose, Calif. SECOND-TEAM DEFENSE Defensive line: Chucky Hunter, TCU, 6-1, 305, Sr., West Monroe, La.; Ryan Mueller, Kansas St., 6-2, 245, Sr., Leawood, Kan.; Jordan Phillips, Oklahoma, 6-6, 334, So., Towanda, Kan.; Cedric Reed, Texas, 6-5, 272, Sr., Cleveland, Texas. Linebacker: Dominique Alexander, Oklahoma, 6-0, 227, So., Tulsa, Okla.; Bryce Hager, Baylor, 6-2, 235, Sr., Austin, Texas; Jordan Hicks, Texas, 6-1, 234, Sr.; Cincinnati; Jonathan Truman, Kansas St., 5-11, 219, Sr., Kechi, Kan. Defensive back: Quandre Diggs, Texas, 5-10, 195, Sr., Angelton, Texas; Karl Joseph, West Virginia, 5-11, 196, Jr., Orlando, Fla.; JaCorey Shepherd, Kansas, 5-11, 195, Sr., Mesquite, Texas; Nigel Tribune, Iowa St., 5-11, 185, So., Jacksonville, Fla. Punter: Spencer Roth, Baylor, 6-5, 220, Sr., Knoxville, Tenn. ___ Offensive player of the year — Trevone Boykin, TCU. Defensive player of the year — Paul Dawson, TCU. Offensive newcomer of the year — Samaje Perine, Oklahoma. Defensive newcomer of the year — Taylor Young, Baylor. http://collegefootball.ap.org/article/2014-ap-all-big-12-team-list

3 Big 12 teams in the top 10, most of the conferences. 1. Bama 2. FSU 3. Oregon 4. TCU 5. Baylor 6. Ohio State 7. Zona 8. Mich. St. 9. KSU 10. Miss. St.