Big 12 preview thread 2022 (AKA: Never listen to the hecklers)

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

So now I have a heckler on my previous thread calling me out. But you know what? I won't even acknowledge this guy.

Let's get to more important stuff, as this thread is all about the Big 12. And yes, last year I got mad about Oklahoma and Texas leaving the conference, so I didn't preview them. But let's let bygones be bygones... unless those 2 schools did something else stupid.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Texas

The first preview segment for the Big 12 Conference: The Texas Longhorns

Last season: So the Longhorns, looking for a spark to get them ready for their move to the SEC, hired Steve Sarkisian to be their head coach. And in Year 1 of his tenure he gives them... a 5-7 record?! And, and their defense sucked? AND it included a 6-game losing streak AND a loss at HOME to KANSAS?!
Okay, okay, I said I would let bygones be bygones after last year, but this is just too funny!

Good news: Okay, in all seriousness, Steve Sarkisian needed a great offseason to wash away that awful 2021 campaign. And he got it! A Top-5 recruiting class, getting Chris Peterson to help coach the defense (along with several other new assistants), and bringing in former Ohio State QB Quinn Ewers. As for the returning players, there's a lot of experience returning to the offense that points to a fine improvement.

Bad news: Most of the pressure is on the line play; the defense needs to get a better pass-rush, and the O-line really sucked last year. Oh, and the kicking game will be mostly run by freshmen now that Cameron Dicker is gone.

Key games:
9/10 vs. Alabama (Most are calling this "a preview of life for Texas in the SEC". I call it a HUGE man-hood game for the Longhorns; the new QB's AND the lines has to be ready for war.)
10/8 vs. Oklahoma [from Dallas] (The last 9 games of this rivalry has been brilliant! Trouble for Texas is, they've only won 2 of those 9 games.)
10/22 @ Oklahoma State (This ends an important October for the Longhorns; West Virginia and Iowa State are also on the docket for that month. And Texas will be hoping for better luck against the Cowboys than they got last year.)
11/26 vs. Baylor (You just know that Baylor's marvelous run to the Big 12 title last year really stung for Longhorns fans. This Senior Day game could be very emotional.)

Bottom line: Steve Sarkisian had the offseason from heaven last spring; that great recruiting class, the hiring of a ton of new, smart assistants, and Oklahoma losing Lincoln Riley to USC. With all of that going for them, Texas is hoping that they can get back to competing for the Big 12 title this season. But God help this coaching staff if things go south again.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Kansas

Preview segment: The Kansas Jayhawks

Last season: Yet another miserable year in Lawrence, Kansas as the Jayhawks went 2-10. At least with Lance Leipold as the coach, Kansas weren't destroying themselves. That's a step in the right direction.

Good news: 17 starters from last year's team are back, including a offense that is getting deeper and has QB Jalon Daniels throwing for them.

Bad news: The defense still needs a lot of work, especially against the run.

Key games:
9/10 @ West Virginia (A tough way for Kansas to start Big 12 play, going to a West Virginia team that'll either be happy or despondent after the "Backyard Brawl".)
9/24 vs. Duke (Hey! Here's a winnable game for Kansas to take advantage of.)
10/1 vs. Iowa State (See above game.)
11/26 @ Kansas State (Kansas is STILL hoping to snap a skid in the "Sunflower Showdown". But that won't be easy to do against a team that could have one of the best rushing attacks in the country.)

Bottom line: In Lance Leipold's 1st year at Kansas, the team was a bit more competitive. Now it's time for Kansas to enact Step 2 of their grand plans for revival: Win some actual games. The Jayhawks should win more than 2 games this season, but they're staying in the basement of the Big 12 until further notice.

 

[Gator]

Keep on posting! It might be hard to do but just ignore him. I don't know him but he seem to only post mean "angry" stuff. People read that garbage and decide not to return. Those types of people tend to destroy sports boards if they are not policed carefully.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Kansas State

Preview segment: The Kansas State Wildcats

Last season: Another OK season for Kansas State as they won 8 games including the Texas Bowl. It's just that they didn't do so well against the tougher teams on the schedule (like Oklahoma, Iowa State, etc.). Maybe it was that slow offense that did it.

Good news: This season, K-State should have one of the best rushing attacks in the country. They have RB Deuce Vaughn, and they added running QB Adrian Martinez in the offseason. The Wildcats defense should continue to make big plays...

Bad news: ...but this defense isn't too experienced. Oh, and there's no go-to WR at the moment.

Key games:
9/10 vs. Missouri (A fun reunion should be had, as K-State welcomes a former Big 12 school to Manhattan.)
9/24 @ Oklahoma (The last 3 meetings between these schools has been great. In fact, K-State WON the last time they went to Norman.)
10/29 vs. Oklahoma State (On the contrary, Chris Klieman is still looking for his first win over Oklahoma State.)
11/5 vs. Texas (This is a perfect chance for the Wildcats to snap a 5-game losing skid against Texas.)

Bottom line: Kansas State is my "wild-card" of the Big 12 this season. Oh, there are holes that need to be fixed (the passing game being one of them), but there are veteran leadership all over the team. If things break the right way, K-State will find themselves in the Big 12 title discussion.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Oklahoma

Preview segment: The Oklahoma Sooners

Last season: Okay... When Oklahoma and Texas announced they were leaving the Big 12 last year, I got mad. I'll admit it; I WAS gonna make Oklahoma my national champion and inflict Alabama with my "runner-up curse"... until Oklahoma and Texas made the announcement. So I flipped it around and cursed Oklahoma.
Oklahoma felt the curse immediately when they had a close game against Tulane. But they fought it off. Through close game after close game, the Sooners refused to die and they started 9-0. Then they lost to Baylor and lost their national title shot. No big deal.
But then... my curse bore sweet fruit! They suffered a rare loss to Oklahoma State, and then Lincoln Riley shocked Norman when he left to coach USC. POETIC JUSTICE!!

2022 X-factor: New head coach Brent Venables- Okay. In all seriousness, 2021 is over and I'm no longer angry. It's time for the Sooners to reboot. And their new head coach is a first-timer in Brent Venables. However, Brent has 29 years of coaching experience and has won EIGHT national titles as an assistant at various schools. Maybe Oklahoma can just pick up where they left off with him in charge.

Bad news: Depth at wide-receiver could be a problem, but line play is the big worry. The O-line is being shuffled, and Jalen Redmond is the only guy I trust right now on the D-line.

Good news: Other than that, the cupboard is still pretty full for the Sooners. The Sooners have a proud secondary, and they got QB Dillon Gabriel from the transfer portal (who should be the next in a long line of proud Sooners QB's). Also here are proud WR's like Marvin Mims.

Key games:
9/17 @ Nebraska (This will be the first big test for Brent Venables as a head coach; Nebraska will be DESPERATE for a big win for their school.)
9/24 vs. Kansas State (Oklahoma's Big 12 opener will be a tricky one... more so if they underestimate Kansas State's rushing attack.)
10/8 vs. Texas [in Dallas] (As I mentioned earlier, the last 9 games in this series has been brilliant. But Oklahoma's luck in this rivalry HAS to run out at some point.)
11/5 vs. Baylor (People are saying that Dave Aranda and his Baylor Bears will soon become the flagship program of the Big 12. Guess how much Oklahoma wants to prove those guys wrong?)
11/19 vs. Oklahoma State (Last year's game between these two will be more than enough to set up this year's installment. You really don't need anything else.)

Bottom line: With all of this "curse" talk and the "Lincoln Riley leaving" SportsHoopla, it's easy to forget that Oklahoma went 11-2 last year. And that this year, Oklahoma will have most of their hard games at home. AND that hopes are high that Dillon Gabriel will be a Heisman contender in 2022. Plus, the new coach has a lot of "buy-in" from the players.
In 2022, the childish games are over. Oklahoma is ready to work. And if Brent Venables gets going right away, the Sooners will return to the Big 12 title game and the national title discussion.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Texas Christian

Preview segment: The TCU Horned Frogs

Last season: I was shocked when Gary Patterson was fired by TCU in the middle of the 2021 season. But after TCU finished their season (at 5-7), we all took a step back and realized some things. No bowl game since 2018, a defense that was once awesome but have now become s--t, a lack of urgency in some games... Yeah, it's now easy to see why TCU wanted to make a change.
So now they have Sonny Dykes (who they brought in from the county right next to Fort Worth!) to steer the ship.

Bad news: Both of the lines are in a state of transition, plus the new defensive coordinator needs to find a pass rush and quick. Oh, and the QB duel between Max Duggan and Chandler Morris is still going on as we speak.

Good news: But at least TCU can win with either Duggan or Morris at the helm. And also, the skill positions look very good.

Key games:
9/2 @ Colorado (The Sonny Dykes era is beginning with a road game at a "Power 5" school? I hope the QB's for TCU will come to a peaceful compromise in time for this.)
9/24 @ SMU (Just know that Sonny Dykes will be facing his former school... who has beaten TCU 2 straight times now.)
10/22 vs. Kansas State (A "swing-game" for TCU's postseason chances.)
11/12 @ Texas (The hardest part of TCU's schedule will come when they visit the rival Longhorns...)
11/19 @ Baylor (...and the rival Bears in consecutive weeks.)

Bottom line: Man. EVERYTHING is new around the TCU campus. TCU televised it's spring game for the first time in forever. Fans can now attend practice. Fort Worth reporters can now interview not only the head coach, but members of his staff. A new wind is really blowing through this program.
But in my opinion, I think TCU will be OK with just returning to a bowl game in 2022, as everyone will be adjusting to all of the newness around here.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Baylor

Preview segment: The Baylor Bears

Last season: After a terrible 2020 season, coach Dave Aranda decided to say "Blame it on COVID!" and danced away, hoping for a better 2021. And they got it! Baylor would have a perfect home record, won the Big 12 title, and silenced Ole Miss's offense in the Sugar Bowl. Hooray for Aranda and his team! Hooray!
And even more "Hoorays" could be in store for the Bears this season.

Good news: Baylor's defense returns 7 starters, including a stout line and people like Al Walcott in the secondary. The O-line looks great as well, and so does WR Gavin Homes.

Bad news: Gavin is the only skill player that stands out at the moment on offense; who else will step up to the plate? Oh, and the defense must find some new leaders.

2022 X-factor: QB Blake Shapen- He showed some flashes of brilliance in his freshmen year, as he filled in for an injured Gerry Bohanon late in the season and eventually became the MVP of the Big 12 title game that Baylor won. The Baylor coaching staff are very hopeful that Blake can continue to do good stuff during a full season.

Key games:
9/10 @ BYU (When Baylor faced BYU last year, it was all about their coordinators going up against their former school. This year, it's simply about who can win this gritty-looking contest.)
9/24 @ Iowa State (This Big 12 opener looks tricky for the Bears...)
10/1 vs. Oklahoma State (..especially when you consider that Baylor has to face the Cowboys the following week. Don't forget: When Baylor and OK State met in the Big 12 title game, it came down to a few inches.)
11/5 @ Oklahoma (One of Baylor's best performances from last season came when they stopped undefeated Oklahoma 27-14.)
11/26 @ Texas (A in-state rivalry game... on Rivalry Saturday? You just KNOW that people will want to see that. Even more so if both the Bears and Longhorns are in the Big 12 title race.)

Bottom line: After the great turn-around that Baylor did last season, people are now saying that Baylor could be a force for many years to come. And in 2022, Baylor has a veteran team that could get them a repeat Big 12 championship. But the schedule is harder than it was a year ago, and some new players at RB and WR has to be found. Good luck, coach Aranda!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Iowa State

Preview segment: The Iowa State Cyclones

Last season: With Brock Purdy, Breece Hall, and a proud defense at their disposal Iowa State was expected to make the Big 12 title game again. But, too bad! They just couldn't do it as the Sooners, Cowboys, and Bears all finished ahead of them in the conference. And now both Breece Hall and Brock Purdy are now in the NFL, so Iowa State is in a whole new world this season.

Bad news: Replacing Hall and Purdy won't be easy, especially if the new QB Hunter Dakkers struggles. Linebacker is another area of concern, as people like Mike Rose are gone. Oh, and the kicking game is wide open.

Good news: Thankfully for Iowa State, their defense still has a lot of veterans (including NFL Draft prospect Will McDonald) that can carry the load. The WR position and the interior of the O-line should help carry the offense.

Key games:
9/10 @ Iowa (The Cyclones hasn't beaten Iowa since 2014. And last year's loss in the rivalry had to REALLY sting for Iowa State. This trip to Iowa City will be the final exam for Hunter Dakkers as ISU's new quarterback.)
9/24 vs. Baylor (When Baylor defeated Iowa State last year, it helped launch their run to the Big 12 championship. Iowa State is hoping to return the favor this year.)
10/15 @ Texas (It's "good news/bad news" time for the Cyclones here. The bad news is, they must go to Austin. The good news is, they'll get Texas right after the "Red River Rivalry".)
11/12 @ Oklahoma State (Same situation here [well, almost]! The bad news is, ISU must go to Oklahoma State. The good news is, they can catch the Cowboys looking ahead to the "Bedlam Series" game against Oklahoma.)

Bottom line: Last year, Iowa State made their 5th bowl appearance in a row, which is a program record. Trouble was, they couldn't get close to the Big 12 title game. And now with so many new faces on the team, coach Matt Campbell (who turned down other job offerings in the winter) will have his hands full. The Cyclones should be able to make a 6th-straight bowl, but they won't do anything big unless that young offense surprises.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Texas Tech

Preview segment: The Texas Tech Red Raiders

Last season: So Texas Tech finished with a 7-6 record, including a Liberty Bowl win over Mississippi State (led by former TTU coach Mike Leach). That's actually pretty good when you look at what happened during the season; the school fired head coach Matt Wells... while he had a winning record! And now they have a former Baylor assistant in Joey McGuire leading the squad.

Good news: The Texas Tech offense looks to be it's old, explosive self with Zach Kittley returning to the school (as the offensive coordinator), some strong runners, and 3 QB's that has their strong points. The secondary looks to be set as well.

Bad news: All of the handwringing in Lubbock are all about the Red Raiders' offensive line; 3 starters from last year's unit are gone, and now it's being filled up by transfers and 2nd-stringers. If it fails, who knows what could happen to the TTU offense?

Key games:
9/10 vs. Houston (Houston and Texas Tech will meet again in another big in-state battle. If Texas Tech holds strong at home, it'll be a good sign for the new head coach. If they LOSE, however...)
9/17 @ NC State (Just a straight-forward challenge game for the Red Raiders, as they visit a NC State team dreaming of big things.)
9/24 vs. Texas (Man, September is gonna be a busy month for Texas Tech this year, isn't it? Hopefully the Red Raider defense won't give up 70 points against the Longhorns... like they did last year.)
10/29 vs. Baylor (Maybe TTU can catch Baylor looking ahead to their game with Oklahoma.)

Bottom line: In Athlon Sports' preseason magazines, anonymous coaches told them that they didn't like how Texas Tech fired Matt Wells and brought in McGuire. Well, what's done is done, and the school is hoping they made the right call. But Texas Tech will struggle to return to a bowl game in 2022, especially if their O-line stinks.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Oklahoma State

Preview segment: The Oklahoma State Cowboys

Last season: As hard as it might be, let's forget what happened in the Big 12 title game and focus on the great stuff that Oklahoma State did in 2021. They defeated Oklahoma! They won the Fiesta Bowl after a wild comeback! And they got a 12-win season for only the 2nd time in program history!

Good news: QB Spencer Sanders led that great comeback in the Fiesta Bowl, and he's back for one more go-around. Despite losing their top receiver, the WR corps still has a lot of talent. And the OSU pass-rush should be one of the best in the nation once again.

Bad news: The defense lost 7 starters AND their coordinator (Jim Knowles is now at Ohio State), so Derek Mason (the new coordinator) has his work cut out for him. Depth and consistency are BIG problems on the O-line; spring ball was really bad for those guys. And let's hope Spencer doesn't get injured; at the moment there are only 2 QB's behind him on the depth chart.

Key games:
9/10 vs. Arizona State (ASU might be turning into a dumpster fire, but who cares? This will be a good test for the Cowboys' new O-line and new secondary.)
10/1 @ Baylor (Here we go! The rematch of last year's Big 12 title game! The game that came down to just one stinking yard! ...And OSU will get a bye week to prep for this one.)
10/22 vs. Texas (Of course, Oklahoma State can't forget about those darn Longhorns.)
11/12 vs. Iowa State (The Cowboys will seek revenge against the team that gave them their only regular season loss last year. But they can't get TOO fired up...)
11/19 @ Oklahoma (...because the "Bedlam Series" is right afterwards.)

Bottom line: Mike Gundy is about to get his 150th win as head coach, the Sooners are in a state of transition... life is good right now in Stillwater, Oklahoma. But the Cowboys can't rest; they need to repair their O-line and get the defense back up to speed... and they need to do so quickly.
Expectations are all over the place for the 2022 Cowboys; Lindy's has them winning the Big 12 again, while Athlon has them finishing 3rd. Regardless, OK State will be a factor with Spencer Sanders and Mike Gundy still here.

 

[tabascojet]

No one is here anymore to read these walls of text. You're better off joining instaface or tic tac and posting their.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

West Virginia

The last preview segment for the Big 12: The West Virginia Mountaineers

Last season: The Mountaineers were able to make a 2nd straight bowl in 2021. Sadly, their offense would let them down (like it did a few times earlier in the year) and they would lose the bowl 18-6. Now fans in Morgantown are getting antsy for Neal Brown and his team to return to Big 12 title contention.

2022 X-factor: QB JT Daniels- In the offseason, West Virginia found a solution to their QB problems when JT Daniels came to them from the transfer portal. When he is healthy, JT is excellent. But can the Mountaineers make sure he STAYS healthy?

Bad news: If JT struggles or gets hurt again, none of the other QB's that West Virginia have inspires confidence. On defense, the secondary is missing 4 of 5 starters from a year ago.

Good news: Luckily for JT, the people around him on offense looks great; there are playmakers at WR, a new coordinator, and a loaded and deep offensive line. The D-line should also be a strength as well.

Key games:
9/1 @ Pittsburgh (Yes! It's the grand return of the "Backyard Brawl"! Trouble for West Virginia is, this edition is at Pittsburgh. And also, Pitt is fresh off an ACC championship.)
9/22 @ Virginia Tech (Oooo... And the Mountaineers must play Virginia Tech again, too? And the game's in Blacksburg?! Maybe this is why everybody in Morgantown is so anxious right now.)
10/13 vs. Baylor (These teams have split their last 4 meetings.)
10/29 vs. TCU (A swing game for West Virginia's postseason chances.)
11/19 vs. Kansas State (See above game.)

Bottom line: With a former 5-star QB and a lot of good pieces now on the offensive front, West Virginia is hoping to get more than 6 wins this season. But if the Mountaineers struggle once again, Neal Brown deserves to be on a very hot seat come 2023.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

No one is here anymore to read these walls of text. You're better off joining instaface or tic tac and posting their.

Actually, I have a Facebook group that has more than 700 members. These posts go on there as well.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Big 12 predictions

So on this thread I got not one, but two hecklers questioning my work. Maybe I'll have better luck with my SEC thread that starts on Monday. But until then, here are my views on the Big 12 in 2022:

1. Oklahoma (Conference champs, "New Year's Six" bowl)
2. Baylor (Maybe "New Year's Six")
3. Oklahoma State
4. Texas
5. Kansas State
6. West Virginia
7. Iowa State
8. TCU
9. Texas Tech
10. Kansas

But it's not over just yet over here! Tomorrow, the BYU preview will be up here.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Brigham Young

Preview segment: The BYU Cougars

Last season: Yep, I was one of those guys who thought BYU was bluffing when they said "We're not rebuilding, we're reloading" after the 2020 season. I thought, "Yeah, right", believing that BYU would be in real trouble without Zach Wilson there.
And now, a list of what BYU did in 2021: Another 10-win season. A 5-0 record against the PAC-12. The emergence of Jaren Hall as their next great QB. And they received an invite to join the Big 12 starting in 2023.

Bad news: As for the 2022 season, BYU will have to go without RB Tyler Allgeier. Also, the defense got gutted with injuries during last season.

Good news: But at least that defense returns mostly intact, and BYU has one of the best kicker-punter tandems in the country. On offense, a deep O-line should keep QB Jaren Hall healthy this time, and the receiver group is quite deep.

Key games:
9/10 vs. Baylor (See my Baylor preview.)
9/17 @ Oregon (A serious contest on the West coast. Oregon's defense looks tough, so can BYU break it?)
10/8 vs. Notre Dame [from Las Vegas] (Seems strange to have this contest in Las Vegas, but oh well. The Cougars will be aiming for their first win over the Irish since 2004.)
10/15 vs. Arkansas (This is Arkansas' first time dealing with the BYU Cougars. Plus, the game's in Provo! Can BYU spring another surprise?)
11/5 @ Boise State (This is simply a "revenge game" for the Cougars, who last year lost at home to Boise State while they were ranked in the Top 10.)

Bottom line: BYU is preparing themselves for their move to the Big 12; they've created new positions on their staff, they have a QB that's becoming a star, and their schedule remains pretty tough. Trust me, BYU WILL knock off a few more heavyweights and ride into 2023 with a good deal of momentum. I don't know if BYU will get another 10-win season, but they've made us look dumb once before...

 

[Angry red]

So now I have a heckler on my previous thread calling me out. But you know what? I won't even acknowledge this guy.

Let's get to more important stuff, as this thread is all about the Big 12. And yes, last year I got mad about Oklahoma and Texas leaving the conference, so I didn't preview them. But let's let bygones be bygones... unless those 2 schools did something else stupid.

The Big 12 sux. All the teams are garbage.

 

[navamind]

The Big 12 sux. All the teams are garbage.

I agree. Nebraska should go back to where they belong.

 

[Angry red]

I agree. Nebraska should go back to where they belong.

You wouldn't get the billion dollar media contract. And Nebraska shouldn't have to share a 1997 national title with Michigan.

Michigan wouldn't have beaten a Peyton Manning led Volunteers let alone the Huskers.

 

[navamind]

You wouldn't get the billion dollar media contract. And Nebraska shouldn't have to share a 1997 national title with Michigan.

Michigan wouldn't have beaten a Peyton Manning led Volunteers let alone the Huskers.

Lol. No wonder your program sucks, you guys still think it's 1997.