2007 Big 12 College Football Predictions
June 5, 2008
The two teams that have the best chance of winning the tough Big 12 conference in our opinion will be Texas and Oklahoma. Most teams go as their quarterback goes, so we will give the Longhorns a slight edge over the Sooners. Quarterback Colt McCoy is healthy and looking to pick up where he left off last year. The middle of their offensive line is gone, but experienced tackles will continue to give McCoy the protection he needs to be effective. Texas reloads every year with the best teams in the nation, largely due to the recruiting ability of head coach Mack Brown. The Longhorns will remain the class of this league.
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Oklahoma is loaded with playmakers at running back, receiver and in the secondary. The offense will likely be led by a freshman quarterback in Sam Bradford. If he can step in right away and be successful, the Sooners will have a chance to win the Big 12. There is a lot riding on this freshman’s shoulders though. The defense has many holes to fill in the front seven. The uncertainty at quarterback keeps the Sooners from being tagged as a favorite.
The next three teams in line to contend for the Big 12 title in our eyes will be Texas A&M, Nebraska and Missouri respectively. After these three teams, the competition drops off dramatically. The Aggies have a veteran quarterback in Stephen McGee and talented running backs that will work behind an experienced line. Texas A&M will be able to run the ball against anyone this year, but McGee needs to improve his passing to get the Aggies over the top. Nebraska’s transfer in Sam Keller should ease the loss of All-Big 12 QB Zac Taylor. If Keller is as good as advertised, the Huskers should repeat as Big 12 North champs. The Missouri Tigers will pile up the points with QB Chase Daniel leading the way. Daniel is every bit as good as McCoy of Texas, but doesn’t have the pieces surrounding him to be as effective. The Tiger defense will make or break this team, but Missouri has enough offensive firepower to be a factor in the North race.
Oklahoma State and Texas Tech are in a dead heat for the sixth and seventh positions in the Big 12, but we will give the Cowboys a slight advantage. Quarterback Bobby Reid, running back Dantrell Savage and wide receiver Adarius Bowman are the biggest trio threat in all of the Big 12. These guys will put up numbers never seen before in Oklahoma State football. The Cowboys have not finished higher than 74th nationally in total defense since 2002, and this will likely be their downfall once again in 2007. The Red Raiders can expect big production out of QB Graham Harrell and RB Shannon Woods. But three WR’s and four offensive linemen must be replaced, and their defense remains shaky at best.
Colorado and 2nd-year head coach Dan Hawkins should make some noise in this conference despite us taking the Buffaloes to finish eighth. They return nine starters on an offense that ranked 22nd nationally in rushing last year. They now need to get more out of their passing game and the coach’s son will be counted on to get it done. A tough non-conference schedule will be the difference in a bowl bid or lack there of. Iowa State football takes up our ninth spot in the Big 12 due to three of the most elite players in this conference. Seniors in QB Bret Meyer and WR Todd Blythe form a deadly combination in the red zone, and Alvin Bowen led the league in tackles at linebacker with 155 takedowns last year. First-year head coach Gene Chizik has the experience after coming over from Texas and Auburn to make a difference right away.
Kansas State, Kansas, and Baylor take the role of the bottom feeders in this conference. Ron Prince’s seven wins for the Wildcats were the most by a Big 12 first-year coach since 1999. The defense has a new coordinator and the offensive line remains a puzzle. Seven wins again in 2007 would be an accomplishment for the Wildcats. Kansas ranked last nationally in pass defense last year, but the defense should be improved as a whole, and the pass defense obviously can’t get any worse. Young QB’s in Kerry Meier and Todd Reesing show potential, but probably not enough to compete in their first year. Baylor has one player that will really do damage on the defense. Freshman All-American Joe Pawelek leads a potentially solid defensive front. The Bears must find a QB though, and improve on a rushing attack that produced a mere 40.2 yards per game on the ground a year ago. Their spread offense could cause teams a few fits, but the Bears will be another bottom feeder with their tough Big 12 South schedule. These are our 2007 Big 12 Football Predictions.