7/25/2011

2011 Big XII Predictions

Welcome to the new Big XII, or as I like to call it, the Texa$ Ten.  No more divisions, no more championship game…a round robin schedule of 9 games too.  The conference was on life support last year and may not be out of the neck of the woods yet with the rumblings going on in Norman, Austin and College Station about the new ESPN juiced LongHorn Network.  Somehow the conference has 9 bowl tie-ins for 10 teams.  That’s gonna change soon, and how did the Holiday bowl slip to #5 in the pecking order.

The conference, in my opinion won’t be around like it is come 2015 but that’s the future.  Let’s talk about this year:

The conference will be split into 3 tiers, the top will be very good, the bottom very bad, and the middle average.

The Conference Championship (and one half of the National Championship) is determined on Nov 5 in Norman when the Sooners host the Aggies. 

Texas will be better than last year but will not move into the elite of the top 3.

Baylor’s record could easily flip flop if Robert Griffin III gets hurt, and they will score the upset of the first week when the Bears beat TCU.

Iowa State record won’t be great but they have a stud on the OL in Osemele, and the new scoreboard is going to be a nice addition to Jack Trice Stadium.

The state of Kansas will continue to be under a heat wave in the college season as the coaches seats will be getting warmer.  I think this is Snyder’s last year at KState and will select his successor and Turner Gill needs to win next year or he will be done at Kansas.

Now for the picks…Norman, Oklahoma should be happy.


BIGXII PREDICTIONS
Oklahoma                         9-0                 12-0              National Championship Game vs Alabama
Texas A&M                       8-1                 11-1              Fiesta Bowl vs Wisconsin
Oklahoma St                     7-2                 10-2              Cotton Bowl
Texas                               5-4                  8-4               Alamo Bowl
Baylor                               5-4                 8-4                Insight Bowl
Missouri                            5-4                 7-5                Holiday Bowl
Texas Tech                        3-6                 6-6               Texas Bowl vs Michigan State
Kansas                              1-8                 3-9
Kansas State                     1-8                 3-9
Iowa State                         1-8                 2-10

BIG XII AWARDS
Coach of the Year – Bob Stoops : Oklahoma
Player of the Year – Landry Jones : Oklahoma

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