Sep 20, 2014; Morgantown, WV, USA; Oklahoma Sooners running back Samaje Perine (32) runs the ball during the fourth quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
Much concern has been given to the Big 12 and their lack of national significance last season when the four best teams were picked to play in the first Division One playoffs. Ohio State, Alabama, Florida State and Oregon trumped the Big 12 Co-Champs the Baylor Bears and the Texas Christian Horned Frogs. Will the same thing happen again in 2015 if either Baylor or TCU (and any other Big 12 team that might run the table) go undefeated or even with a loss? If history is any indicator, probably. The Big 12 is not an inferior league when comparing the league with the other Major Conferences that play a part in getting teams into the Final four. But an inferior non-conference schedule leaves the Big 12 without an out if say a TCU loses just one game in a season of mediocrity in playing inferior teams out-of-league. Examining the non-league games the Big 12 contenders play, one loss will ruin any chance of a National Title for that team.
For example:
TCU at Minnesota (a Big 10 team that should not give the Frogs trouble, even in Minneapolis.
TCU home at SF Austin and SMU (not going to do anything but hurt the Frogs)
Conclusion: Frogs cannot lose one game in or out of conference or their chance at the National Title are gone. And with national pickers putting the Frogs no lower than 3rd in Pre-season rankings, the six opponents in conference that have a shot at beating them make the road to a perfect season a long shot;
Baylor at SMU (50 to fresh out by half)
Baylor at home against Lamar and Rice (50 to fresh out by half, both games)
Conclusion: Same as TCU but put Bears in place of Frogs;
I will give Texas a big “Howdy” as the Horns are the exception in the Big 12, with games at Notre Dame and home in Austin against Cal-Berkeley. Good luck with the Irish in South Bend;
Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and the rest of the conference schedule the same as the current big two with one exception as the Sooners visit Knoxville to play a middle of the road SEC team looking for revenge. Otherwise, the Big 12 play the Little Sisters of the Poor in non-league games and Kansas and Iowa State (in the dumpster of the league), might in the same class as the Little Sisters. Iowa State, you need a new coach and a double loss to Northern Iowa and then the Hawkeyes of Iowa the next week should do the trick. Kansas, you better not lose to South Dakota State because you won’t beat Memphis in Lawrence and you sure won’t beat Rutgers in Jersey.
To sum up, the Big 12 is looking at a 2nd year of being left out and looking inside the the playoffs. It is a must for the Big 12 champ to be undefeated, as again, no extra push for winning a Conference Championship game. (are the Big 12 powers to be dumb)? More later sport’s fans.
