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When this year runs up, I am not renewing it. Once all those writers got fired, content sucks. Today was the 1st day in months since I have been on ESPN page. Anyway
Steele: Projecting the Big 12 standings
Can a team from Texas challenge Oklahoma this season in the Big 12? It won't come easy for the Sooners.
Here are Phil Steele's projections for the final standings for the Big 12:
Editor's note: This article was adapted from Phil Steele's college football preview magazine, which is available here.
T1. Oklahoma Sooners
Phil Steele ranks all the best units in college football
Our all-encompassing landing page for all of Phil Steele's preseason college football material.
Lincoln Riley has guided three high-octane offenses, but each had Baker Mayfield at the controls. Still, the Sooners should have a stronger defense and a potent offense. They do have to face Texas, TCU and West Virginia away from home this season, and those three figure to be the main contenders in the Big 12. Most of my power ratings have Oklahoma at the top, but it will be a dogfight this season for the Sooners.
T1. Texas Longhorns
Texas was much better than its 6-6 regular-season record in 2017. With three net close losses, the Longhorns were three plays away from being 9-3. They are the third-most experienced team in the Big 12 and have two veteran quarterbacks. They will get much more production from the run game, and they have my No. 2 defense in the Big 12. My main set of power ratings has them winning the conference in Tom Herman's second season as head coach.
3. TCU Horned Frogs
TCU loses five starters from the defense, but I have it with the No. 1 defensive line, No. 1 linebackers and No. 1 defensive backs in the Big 12 -- and you know defense wins championships. TCU has a young quarterback and offensive line that will face Ohio State and Texas in back-to-back weeks in September. The Horned Frogs got to the Big 12 title game last season, and even though they rank No. 120 on my experience chart, head coach Gary Patterson will get the most out of this team and TCU could return to the title game again this season.
T4. West Virginia Mountaineers
The Mountaineers return quarterback Will Grier, basically two 1,000-yard wide receivers and a veteran offensive line. After having just three starters back on defense over the past two seasons, they have five starters on that side in 2018. West Virginia has five Big 12 home games and will surely be ranked to start the season. It will be a legitimate contender in the wide-open Big 12.
T4. Oklahoma State Cowboys
The Cowboys rejoiced when both quarterback Mason Rudolph and wide receiver James Washington turned down the NFL in 2017. Oklahoma State had its third straight 10-win season and was 6-3 and plus-142.4 yards per game in Big 12 play. But those two are now both in the NFL, and the Cowboys are just No. 119 on my experience chart. The running backs, wide receivers and defensive line are all among the top three in the league, and Oklahoma State will remain strong.
T4. Kansas State Wildcats
The Wildcats might have five Big 12 road games, but in the two years in which they faced the exact same nine-game league schedule, they finished 9-4 both times with fewer returning starters than the 13 they have this season. Kansas State has two solid, experienced quarterbacks and all five starters back on the offensive line. The defense had 51 percent of the tackles back in 2017 and now has 52 percent back. I learned my lesson long ago when it comes to head coach Bill Snyder: Wherever my computer picks his Wildcats, rank them a spot or two higher.
7. Iowa State Cyclones
Last season, the Cyclones were an underdog in seven of their nine Big 12 games, but they learned how to win and finished in a four-way tie for fourth place at 5-4. This season, they could be favored in as many as five Big 12 games. Head coach Matt Campbell is doing a great job, but they have a lot of signs pointing down this year, including being just No. 94 on my experience chart and rating minus-5.0 in my stock-market indicator.
8. Texas Tech Red Raiders
Head coach Kliff Kingsbury will always have a potent offense, but this season the defense has 10 returning starters and will be the best Texas Tech has had this decade. The Red Raiders have the same tough schedule they had in Kingsbury's two non-bowl seasons, but this team is capable of overcoming it. The Texas Tech offense is always successful, even with first-year starting quarterbacks, and I can see the Red Raiders finishing higher than this in the Big 12 standings.
9. Baylor Bears
The Bears went through an offseason of turmoil, but they opened 2016 at 6-0 and No. 8. The Bears then lost 14 straight regular-season games and beat only Kansas in a one-win 2017 season. Matt Rhule stepped into a tough situation last season, and he will have one of the most improved teams in the country. When I talked to Coach Rhule, he thought the Bears could get to a bowl. Four of my nine sets of power ratings agree with him.
10. Kansas Jayhawks
There are a lot of signs pointing up for Kansas this season after it was just minus-17 in turnovers and had very poor yards per possession in '17. The Jayhawks were No. 83 on my experience chart heading into last season, and they now top the chart at No. 1 with 91.1 percent of their yards, 81.3 percent of their lettermen and 86.6 percent of their tackles returning from last season. Still, Kansas is just 1-26 in Big 12 play under head coach David Beaty, and I will wait until it starts winning games until I call for it to escape the basement of the Big 12.
Steele: Projecting the Big 12 standings
Can a team from Texas challenge Oklahoma this season in the Big 12? It won't come easy for the Sooners.
Here are Phil Steele's projections for the final standings for the Big 12:
Editor's note: This article was adapted from Phil Steele's college football preview magazine, which is available here.
T1. Oklahoma Sooners
Phil Steele ranks all the best units in college football
Our all-encompassing landing page for all of Phil Steele's preseason college football material.
Lincoln Riley has guided three high-octane offenses, but each had Baker Mayfield at the controls. Still, the Sooners should have a stronger defense and a potent offense. They do have to face Texas, TCU and West Virginia away from home this season, and those three figure to be the main contenders in the Big 12. Most of my power ratings have Oklahoma at the top, but it will be a dogfight this season for the Sooners.
T1. Texas Longhorns
Texas was much better than its 6-6 regular-season record in 2017. With three net close losses, the Longhorns were three plays away from being 9-3. They are the third-most experienced team in the Big 12 and have two veteran quarterbacks. They will get much more production from the run game, and they have my No. 2 defense in the Big 12. My main set of power ratings has them winning the conference in Tom Herman's second season as head coach.
3. TCU Horned Frogs
TCU loses five starters from the defense, but I have it with the No. 1 defensive line, No. 1 linebackers and No. 1 defensive backs in the Big 12 -- and you know defense wins championships. TCU has a young quarterback and offensive line that will face Ohio State and Texas in back-to-back weeks in September. The Horned Frogs got to the Big 12 title game last season, and even though they rank No. 120 on my experience chart, head coach Gary Patterson will get the most out of this team and TCU could return to the title game again this season.
T4. West Virginia Mountaineers
The Mountaineers return quarterback Will Grier, basically two 1,000-yard wide receivers and a veteran offensive line. After having just three starters back on defense over the past two seasons, they have five starters on that side in 2018. West Virginia has five Big 12 home games and will surely be ranked to start the season. It will be a legitimate contender in the wide-open Big 12.
T4. Oklahoma State Cowboys
The Cowboys rejoiced when both quarterback Mason Rudolph and wide receiver James Washington turned down the NFL in 2017. Oklahoma State had its third straight 10-win season and was 6-3 and plus-142.4 yards per game in Big 12 play. But those two are now both in the NFL, and the Cowboys are just No. 119 on my experience chart. The running backs, wide receivers and defensive line are all among the top three in the league, and Oklahoma State will remain strong.
T4. Kansas State Wildcats
The Wildcats might have five Big 12 road games, but in the two years in which they faced the exact same nine-game league schedule, they finished 9-4 both times with fewer returning starters than the 13 they have this season. Kansas State has two solid, experienced quarterbacks and all five starters back on the offensive line. The defense had 51 percent of the tackles back in 2017 and now has 52 percent back. I learned my lesson long ago when it comes to head coach Bill Snyder: Wherever my computer picks his Wildcats, rank them a spot or two higher.
7. Iowa State Cyclones
Last season, the Cyclones were an underdog in seven of their nine Big 12 games, but they learned how to win and finished in a four-way tie for fourth place at 5-4. This season, they could be favored in as many as five Big 12 games. Head coach Matt Campbell is doing a great job, but they have a lot of signs pointing down this year, including being just No. 94 on my experience chart and rating minus-5.0 in my stock-market indicator.
8. Texas Tech Red Raiders
Head coach Kliff Kingsbury will always have a potent offense, but this season the defense has 10 returning starters and will be the best Texas Tech has had this decade. The Red Raiders have the same tough schedule they had in Kingsbury's two non-bowl seasons, but this team is capable of overcoming it. The Texas Tech offense is always successful, even with first-year starting quarterbacks, and I can see the Red Raiders finishing higher than this in the Big 12 standings.
9. Baylor Bears
The Bears went through an offseason of turmoil, but they opened 2016 at 6-0 and No. 8. The Bears then lost 14 straight regular-season games and beat only Kansas in a one-win 2017 season. Matt Rhule stepped into a tough situation last season, and he will have one of the most improved teams in the country. When I talked to Coach Rhule, he thought the Bears could get to a bowl. Four of my nine sets of power ratings agree with him.
10. Kansas Jayhawks
There are a lot of signs pointing up for Kansas this season after it was just minus-17 in turnovers and had very poor yards per possession in '17. The Jayhawks were No. 83 on my experience chart heading into last season, and they now top the chart at No. 1 with 91.1 percent of their yards, 81.3 percent of their lettermen and 86.6 percent of their tackles returning from last season. Still, Kansas is just 1-26 in Big 12 play under head coach David Beaty, and I will wait until it starts winning games until I call for it to escape the basement of the Big 12.
