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Our Big 12 Preview thread for 2018 (with extras included!)

7Samurai13

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Righteous!!
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Deep Creek

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10 teams in the Big XII & 14 teams in the BigTen. Proof neither conference can add correctly.
They can't count correctly either.
 

Dolgevillefootballfan

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Texas Christian

Preview segment: The TCU Horned Frogs

Last season: Hmm... it turns out that in my haste to finish the Big 12, I've been taking care of all the Texas teams today. So I might as well finish up today's ramblings with the most successful team from the state of Texas last year, which was Gary Patterson and the TCU Horned Frogs again.
Thanks to Kenny Hill and a good O-line coming through, the Frogs found themselves in the reinstated Big 12 title game. And then after a thrilling Alamo Bowl, TCU had Bryce Love's head on the wall and a 39-37 win that put them at #9 in the final AP poll.
And even though TCU lost some key players, why am I seeing them in that Big 12 title game again?

2018 X-factor: QB Shawn Robinson- Now that Kenny Hill is gone, his backup Shawn Robinson will finally get a chance to shine. He certainly looks the part, but accuracy might be a concern, so we'll see how he handles the starting role.

Bad news: And let's hope Shawn stays healthy; his two backup's have little to no game experience. The O-line must replace 3 starters, too.

Good news: Luckily for TCU, team depth is at an all-time high, so finding new starters shouldn't be too hard. Besides, TCU is loaded at the skill positions (Jalen Reagor led the team in TD catches last year... as a freshmen). And the defense is (once again) loaded with playmakers, with DE Ben Banogu being the biggest one.

Key games:
9/15 vs. Ohio State [at Arlington] (With Nick Bosa raring to go on that Buckeye defense, TCU fans are DAMN SURE hoping that their O-line stays together.)
9/22 @ Texas (Same thing as the above game, but substitute Gary Johnson for Nick Bosa and the Longhorns for the Buckeyes.)
10/11 vs. Texas Tech (The biggest hurdle for TCU in this Thursday night game will NOT be overcoming the Red Raiders...)
10/20 vs. Oklahoma (...but rather trying to avoid the look-ahead to this monster encounter.)
11/10 @ West Virginia (The Mountaineers could steal TCU's spot in the Big 12 title game if the Frogs aren't careful.)

Bottom line: It's not safe to EVER sleep on TCU; their offense will need some work, but they have the manpower to fix it. So if Shawn Robinson (or [heaven forbid] someone else) steps up at QB, we might have a sense of deja-vu when the Big 12 title game comes around this December.
 

Dolgevillefootballfan

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Oklahoma

Preview segment: The Oklahoma Sooners

Last season: All you need to do is look at the resume of Baker Mayfield. That'll show you how well 2017 went for Oklahoma. The Sooners now have a 3rd straight Big 12 title, a HUGE surge upwards in terms of recruiting, and bragging rights in the conference board room. Now they can say "Hey! See that guy getting beat up in Cleveland right now? He went #1 in the NFL Draft... and we helped him get there!"
But I'll bet Oklahoma is still upset over losing that epic Rose Bowl to Georgia last January. They're now thinking "Did we let a national title slip away?"

2018 X-factor: QB Kyler Murray- With Baker gone, there's now a rush to replace him. And on Monday during Big 12 Media Days, coach Lincoln Riley confirmed that the fight is still waging on. Most people are pointing towards Kyler Murray to step up, as he has a good move-set and can run fast. But here's the catch: Next year Kyler will most likely be on the Oakland Athletics in the MLB. This could be a situation that'll go on all year in Norman.
Or maybe Lincoln will say "Screw him", and go with sophomore Austin Kendall. Again, that'll be a situation worth watching.

Bad news: Baker's not the only star player from the 2017 team that went bye-bye; Ogbonnia and his 20 career sacks are gone, too. So are people like safety Steven Parker and linemen Orlando Brown.

Good news: Long a worry at Norman, the Sooners D-line could be strong as hell in 2018; Lincoln's been praising people like Kenneth Murray and Amani Bledsoe [who are underclassmen]. And there's no denying that the Sooners running game has a chance to be lethal; just ask people like Rodney Anderson.

Key games:
9/8 vs. UCLA (Here's the big Week 2 matchup for the Sooners, and it looks a LOT easier than going to Ohio State at this time last year. But they WILL be dealing with Chip Kelly, so I don't know.)
9/15 @ Iowa State (This is more for a psychological boost than anything else. Making the Cyclones pay for what they did in Norman last year will work wonders for the Sooners offense.)
10/6 vs. Texas [in Dallas] (No further explanation needed for this one; this game always delivers.)
10/20 @ TCU (Maybe the hardest game Oklahoma will have all year. But they DO get 2 weeks to prep for it, at least.)
11/10 vs. Oklahoma State (Apologies to the West Virginia game, but this one looks slightly bigger to me. Plus, the Cowboys could be rolling by this time.)

Bottom line: With all that talent still in Norman [including that running game], Oklahoma's a shoo-in to return to the Big 12 championship game. Anything beyond that, however, will depend on a few intangibles, like "Will the new QB's get along all right?" and "Oh, wait! Without Orlando Brown around, who's gonna protect us now?!"
 

Dolgevillefootballfan

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Iowa State

The final preview segment for the Big 12: The Iowa State Cyclones

Last season: You really couldn't blame Iowa State fans for being so damn giddy after the 2017 season. It was Matt Campbell's breakthrough season as the Cyclones racked up these victories: A home win over #4 TCU, their first-ever win at Oklahoma, and that Liberty Bowl win over Memphis to finish 8-5.
Wanna know how bad it had been for Iowa State until 2017? Sorry, you'll have to go to Winsipedia.com for that info; Iowa State's looking ahead to the future.

2018 X-factor: The offensive line- That unit had been performing below average for quite a few years in Ames, but the coaches are expecting a good improvement from that area this year.

Good news: If the O-line does improve, it'll work wonders for a stud RB like David Montgomery and a resourceful QB like Kyle Kempt. The D-line could be a position of strength, which is rare for the Cyclones.

Bad news: However, the defense lost a few key players including Joel Lanning. Kicking might also be an issue early on.

Key games:
9/8 @ Iowa (The last time Iowa State visited their in-state rivals, they lost 42-3. I don't think that's gonna happen on this trip to Iowa City.)
9/15 vs. Oklahoma (This game was CLEARLY put on the Week 3 schedule so that FOX can have a marquee matchup. Nothing wrong with that.)
9/29 @ TCU (You know what IS wrong? Forcing Iowa State to face another pissed-off Big 12 rival soon afterwards.)
10/13 vs. West Virginia (In 2017, the Cyclones rose all the way up to #15 in the AP poll... before Will Grier and West Virginia put a end to the party 20-16.)
11/24 vs. Kansas State (On Senior Day, the Cyclones will look to avenge that 1-point loss K-State laid on them.)

Bottom line: The Big 12 Championship game is still just a distant dream for Iowa State. But Matt Campbell is building depth over in Ames, and in a year or two maybe that dream could be attainable. But for right now, Iowa State will be just fine with another bowl berth... and maybe another stunning upset win. TCU, West Virgina... you better be careful!
 

Dolgevillefootballfan

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Big 12 predictions

Hey! I actually did it! 10 team previews in a span of 3 days. And now, let's see who'll be on top of the Big 12 in 2018:

1. Oklahoma (Conference champs, maybe playoff)
2. TCU
3. West Virginia
4. Oklahoma State
5. Texas
6. Iowa State
7. Kansas State
8. Texas Tech
9. Baylor
10. Kansas

And stay tuned! Later today, I'll have previews for a couple of independents: Army and BYU. Hey, I did say there would be extras on this thread, right?
 

Scapegoat

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Oh, you

Big 10 2-1 vs Big 12 last year. Iowa had a monster year. Beat Ohio State and the team that beat Oklahoma. And Maryland beat Texas.


One time I knew someone that knew someone that did something I couldn't do.
 

Dolgevillefootballfan

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Army-West Point

Preview segment: The Army Black Knights

Last season: As I mentioned earlier, Iowa State was a great success story during the 2017 season. But right behind that was the run that Army went on. I mean, these guys took the Commander-in-Chief's trophy for the first time since 1996... which was also the last time they had a 10-win season before last year.

Bad news: Last year Army had one of it's best O-lines in decades, but most of that is gone. So is QB Ahmad Bradshaw and some key players on the defense.

Good news: Army's new QB can just hand it off to a proud rotation of fullbacks that should give us a Top-10 rushing attack again. And the defense still has some good players left; the secondary is experienced and so are the linebackers.

Key games:
9/1 @ Duke (This series is actually pretty even. Let's hope that Army's new O-line is ready for a strong offense right off the bat.)
9/22 @ Oklahoma (Maybe the biggest mismatch Army will deal with in 2018. But then again, Oklahoma doesn't have too much experience with defending triple-option attacks.)
11/3 vs. Air Force (The Air Force academy have dominated this rivalry. So that was why last year's 21-0 win was such a breakthrough for Army.)
12/8 vs. Navy [in Philadelphia] (Can we get another snow-filled game in this rivalry, please? Army had a great time last year in their 14-13 win.)

Bottom line: From 1997 to 2015, Army only had 1 winning season. Now Jeff Monkin's team is favored by some people to retain the Commander-in-Chief's trophy, which really shows how far this program from West Point have come. Another 10-win season is not likely, but Army definitely should start making plans for another bowl trip. And how sweet would it be if the Black Knights find a way to beat Navy again...
 

Dolgevillefootballfan

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Brigham Young

Preview segment: The BYU Cougars

Last season: With Ty Detmer on the coaching staff, Kalini Sitake as the head-man, and Tanner Mangum as the QB, we expected the Cougars to make another bowl trip... just like they ALWAYS seem to do. So BYU goes out and gives it's fans...
a 4-9 record?! WHAT?! That's a COMPLETE reversal from the 2016 season! Jeez, was Kalini just cruising around on Bronco Menderhall's leftover players in 2016, or was it all Detmer's fault (BYU's offense ranked 118th in 2017)? Either way, fans are REALLY hoping that 2017 was just a abnormality.

Good news: I'm sure Ty Detmer is a nice guy, but he simply had to go. And replacing him as offensive coordinator is former LSU assistant Jeff Grimes, who is expecting better execution from a talented array of skill players. The defense looks to be better, with strong leadership in the secondary.

Bad news: Tanner Mangum is coming off an ACL injury, so he might get replaced by any one of 3 QB's. This could cause instability at the QB position, which is NEVER good.

Key games:
9/1 @ Arizona (Yet another front-loaded schedule awaits BYU, so it goes without saying that they must get off to a great start. But can they stop Arizona's own Khalil Tate?)
9/15 @ Wisconsin (This is the hardest road trip BYU will take this season. But if their QB's play well, maybe they can exploit Wisconsin's secondary.)
9/29 @ Washington (Wait. I take that back. THIS will be BYU's hardest road test of the season.)
10/5 vs. Utah State (And after a hard September ends, will BYU have enough energy left to stop in-state rival Utah State?)
11/3 @ Boise State (Last year, the proud QB duel between Tanner Mangum and Brett Rypien didn't materialize the way I wanted it. Maybe we'll get that duel this year!)
11/24 @ Utah (YES! The "Holy War" is ending BYU's regular season, just like it's supposed to be.)

Bottom line: Yeah... Seeing how 5 of the 6 games I mentioned are on the road, clawing back upwards will not be easy for BYU. So I think the fans in Provo will be just fine with bowl eligibility in 2018, as Khalil Sitake and his revamped coaching staff tries to repair the program.
 

Scapegoat

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Oklahoma beat tOSU. Iowa beat tOSU. Oklahoma = Iowa.


I don't like comparing teams that way. The only way to compare teams is if they played each other. The whole this team beat that team that beat that team just doesn't work.

Using your logic. Penn St beat Wisconsin and Penn St beat Indiana. Wisconsin = Indiana.
 

kburjr

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I don't like comparing teams that way. The only way to compare teams is if they played each other. The whole this team beat that team that beat that team just doesn't work.

Using your logic. Penn St beat Wisconsin and Penn St beat Indiana. Wisconsin = Indiana.

Nobody beat Wisconsin in the regular season last year.
 

7Samurai13

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I don't like comparing teams that way. The only way to compare teams is if they played each other. The whole this team beat that team that beat that team just doesn't work.

Using your logic. Penn St beat Wisconsin and Penn St beat Indiana. Wisconsin = Indiana.
Iowa beat Iowa State
Iowa State beat Oklahoma
Iowa > Oklahoma
 

Scapegoat

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Nobody beat Wisconsin in the regular season last year.

I just picked some teams to make the point that it's stupid to compare teams in that manner.
 

Scapegoat

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Iowa beat Iowa State
Iowa State beat Oklahoma
Iowa > Oklahoma


So?
Baylor sexually assaulted people
MSU sexually assualted people
Baylor sexually assualted MSU?
MSU sexually assualted PSU?
 

7Samurai13

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So?
Baylor sexually assaulted people
MSU sexually assualted people
Baylor sexually assualted MSU?
MSU sexually assualted PSU?
Well pretty sure MSU sexually assaulted Baylor.
kickerblammo.0.gif


Obviously Oklahoma is better than Iowa. It’s proof as to why you can’t use the transitive property as absolute fact.
 

Dolgevillefootballfan

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FCS Predictions

Hey, everyone! I'm back from Maine! And while I was there, I reached a decision: I will NOT be picking out people for the Heisman this season.
But I WILL dive into the depths of the FCS, and give you some teams to watch out for in 2018:

Idaho: Huh. It turns out that Idaho is the first team ever to drop down from the FBS to the FCS. I thought someone else had done that already. Anyway, now that they're back in their old stomping grounds in the Big Sky, we'll see how they do in this bloated 14-team league.

Howard: I've been having great luck with my "Celebration Bowl" picks; I correctly predicted the first 2 winners, and I was REAL close to having Grambling make it 3-for-3 last year.
Now in 2018, I'm harboring fate that Howard (led by Cam Newton's younger brother) can take the MEAC and ride that success all the way to Atlanta.

Delaware: After getting snubbed for a playoff spot, Danny Rocco will have the Blue Hens fired up for this season. And I think they can challenge in the CAA; James Madison is replacing a lot of pieces.

Kennesaw State: In only it's 3rd year of existence, the Owls have turned themselves into a national contender. With Byson Armstrong and more good players returning to this Georgia school, expect the school's ascension to continue.

Austin Peay: A true Cinderella story in 2017, as the Governors went from a 29-game losing streak to being on the verge of a playoff berth. Maybe in 2018, Austin Peay can get Jacksonville State out of that OVC throne room.

North Dakota State: :sigh: Why fight it? With Easton Stick, Bruce Anderson, and a tough defense it REALLY looks like NDSU is just gonna saunter in and win yet another FCS championship.

...And I'm done! Now I'm off to try to understand what the PAC-12 Conference is gonna do this season...
 
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