Big 12 Round Table - Rise of the North

This week, our friends over at Clone Chronicles have been kind enough to host the Big 12 Round Table, focusing this time on the "Rise of the North."

Were Saturday's games a sign that the Big 12 North may be on its way back?

-- I think it was a combination of the rebirth of the North mixed with a down year for certain teams in the South. Teams like Colorado and Kansas State are certainly on their way back to matching the success they had in earlier days in the Big 12, and teams like Mizzou and Kansas are trying to establish the foundation of conference success. In the South, Texas has looked nothing like the powerhouse they claim to be. Oklahoma State and Texas A&M have not taken the steps forward that everyone expected and have most likely taken steps back. In the North, what was supposed to be a two-team race all of the sudden looks like one of the most compelling divisional races this side of the National League West, with five teams now thinking San Antonio.

How seriously do we take the hot starts at Mizzou and Kansas?

-- All biases aside, I think you can take Missouri's hot start very seriously. The win over Illinois looks more and more impressive as the weeks pass, and don't overlook the road win at Ole Miss. The surprise, however, is Kansas. I really have no idea what to make of this team because they have played teams with the collective talent of an inner-city middle school. However, if the Jayhawks come out and beat Kansas State and get on an early conference tear, I reserve the right to label KU as a bona fide contender.

Pick one team from the opposite division that you truly hate, and say why; follow this up by picking another team from the opposite division that you don't mind pulling for, and say why.

-- In the South, I truly hate the Texas Tech Red Raiders for a variety of reasons that really don't apply in any logical forum. I have quite a passionate disdain for all things Lubbock, and my hatred of the football team stems from that, rather than the other way around. From a football standpoint, though, I hate any comparison between Missouri and Tech based on the "pass offense/little defense" concept. As for a team to pull for, I generally pull for every other school, but if I had to pick one, I pull for Texas A&M because of family connections.

The NCAA has enacted a rule allowing you to bring back one senior that graduated last year to play for your team for the rest of the season. Would you do it? And if so, who?

-- Brian Smith. The much maligned Missouri defense was outstanding in the early portion of last season with a healthy Smith at defensive end. However, once Smith injured his hip against Kansas State, the defense and the season took a turn for the worse. Stryker Sulak has provided sparks of a pass rush several times throughout the season, but the loss of Smith (in combination with Xzavie Jackson) has been an immeasurable subtraction from the program.

Rank the conference teams

1. Oklahoma - Don't care that they lost. They still have the capacity to destroy most Big 12 teams on any given day.
2. Missouri - Saturday night will tell a lot about how the '07 version of the Tigers responds under pressure.
3. Kansas State - Last week I said they were flying under radars. I'm thinking people are paying attention now.
4. Kansas - Will return to bottom half of power rankings if Kansas State takes care of business this weekend.
5. Colorado - In hockey, it's not a series 'til a team wins one away from home. Colorado held serve in Boulder; now what?
6. Texas - Mack Brown's honeymoon is over. Welcome back to mediocrity, your old room is still open.
7. Texas Tech - Well, now we know the defense can hold a lower-division school in single digits. Congrats?
8. Nebraska - Husker fans relieved to have defeated Iowa State. Stop printing the shirts - order is now restored.
9. Oklahoma State - Is Saturday night's match-up at Kyle Field really to determine the South lead?
10. Texas A&M - Not extremely impressive over Baylor, but convincing win over Pokes could move the Ags back up the ladder.
11. Baylor - Still have the capacity to sneak up on teams, but I still don't think the Bears go bowling.
12. Iowa State - Look for ISU-Baylor to duke it out all-season for the Nos. 11-12 spots on the power rankings.

Big 12 Round Table - State of the Conference

Our friends over at Crimson and Cream Machine have once again assembled the masses with a Big 12 Round Table, this time to discuss the state of the conference.

1. The Big 12 conference has only four unbeaten teams left and has endured numerous embarrassing performances on television. State where you believe the Big 12 ranks among the BCS conferences.

ETS: The Big 12 is in a sad, sad state at the moment. The early frustrations of "sleeper" South teams combined with the struggles of the North's supposed powerhouse has painted El Grande Doce in a very negative light nationally. Here's how I see they conferences as they stand at the moment:

1. SEC: It's getting old to hear since ESPN, SI, and probably even Al Jazeera continue to cram the SEC's greatness down the throats of football fans. But I will accept no arguments that the SEC shouldn't be at No. 1.
2. Pac-10: The emergence of Oregon and Arizona State this season has been a MAJOR credibility boost for Les Miles' favorite punching bag.
3. Big East: No. 3-6 are a straight toss up, but I give the nod at No. 3 to the Big East for its collection of rising programs, rather than programs falling and clinging to mediocrity.
T4. ACC: The freefall of Virginia Tech from early hype hurts the conference, but the emergence of Boston College coupled with the official beginning of the Randy Shannon era at Miami against Texas A&M puts them at a tie for No. 4. Plus, I love me some Clemson Tigers this season.
T4. Big 12: Oklahoma is on a straight rampage, and most of the rest of the conference has the ability to put up a fight against any team in the country. However, who usually ends up as the victor at the end of those fights drops the Big 12 down to a tie for No. 4.
6. Big Ten: Remember that quip about programs falling? Hello Michigan, Iowa, and struggling Penn State/Wisconsin.

2. What has been the conference’s best victory and worst defeat so far this season?

ETS: Oklahoma embarassing Miami on national TV is far and away the conference's best victory, especially after Miami showed this past week that it can still play a little ball. The win affirmed that, despite the questions about the conference's depth, the best of the Big 12 can play with the big boys.

The worst loss though has to be Oklahoma State's 41-23 loss to Troy. Even now it is hard to fathom that a team that was many people's ultra-sexy pick as a Big 12 and Top 20 sleeper went on the road and lost by double digits to a team that plays in a facility named "Movie Gallery Veterans Stadium." I guess it makes sense though, as that was one hell of an acting job by the Pokes in the offseason to look like a legitimate national threat.

3. Who is the worst coached team in the conference?

ETS: Let me break this down by process of elimination: Immediately take Bob Stoops out of the equation, for obvious reasons. I then subtract Gene Chizik, Dan Hawkins and Guy Morriss, who have very little to work with. Now I take away Gary Pinkel, Mark Mangino and Ron Prince, all of whom have done what is expected so far thus season.

This leaves me with the following list: Mack Brown, Bill Callahan, Dennis Franchione, Mike Leach, and Mike Gundy. The case could be made for Gundy, who, in several instances this season (like his statements against Jenni Carlson), has not properly prepared for the task at hand. But Gundy gets off the hook by virtue of a win over Texas Tech. I then turn to Leach, who I'll give a bye merely because you know EXACTLY the way Leach will coach, and if the Red Raiders truly had a problem with it, the exit door would be kicked wide open. Tech is merely reaping what it sows. Additionally, I'll pass Mack Brown, who I personally believe is nothing more than a better-than-average coach who can't win a championship without Vince Young. Brown has been more of a parole officer this season than a coach.

But my decision rests as a tie between two coaches: Callahan and Franchione. Both were highly respected hires brought in to reinvigorate programs but have done just enough to keep them afloat. Should Texas A&M really get stomped by Miami and have trouble defending sacred Kyle Field against Fresno State? Should Nebraska really have to rely on a dropped pass and missed field goal to defeat Ball State in front of the vaunted Sea of Red? If things don't turn around pretty soon for either coach, two VERY high profile jobs may be open come this offseason or two VERY high profile programs may continue their downward spiral from the success of the 1990s.

4. With the regular season already a third of the way over, which players received too much hype in late August and which players didn’t receive enough?

ETS: Too much hype: Nebraska's Sam Keller, OSU's Bobby Reid, Texas A&M's Stephen McGee
Not enough hype: Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree, Oklahoma's Sam Bradford, Kansas' Todd Reesing, Missouri's Jeremy Maclin

5. The best part of the roundtable is voicing how we believe the conference teams rank each week, from top to bottom. So, go ahead, let us know who’s up and who’s down in your book this week.

ETS: Here's how I see it:
1. Oklahoma: No contest. The "Crimson and Cream Machine" is well-oiled and going full steam ahead.
2. Missouri: It's not that I'm this impressed by Missouri, it's that I'm that disappointed in the rest of the conference.
3. Texas: Congrats. You blew out Rice. I'm still waiting for you to show me you're still a powerhouse.
4. Kansas State: The Cats are quietly going about their business and flying under some radars since the loss to Auburn.
5. Kansas: I can't believe I just did this, but I'll give the Jayhawks benefit of the doubt despite their pathetic non-con schedule.
6. Texas Tech: The Red Raiders are proof to Missouri fans that, yes, this "one-dimensional" thing could be much, much worse.
7. Nebraska: Free-falling. The fall after Callahan's extension reeks of "Pinkel post-extension" from last year.
8. Oklahoma State: Can Zac Robinson get the Cowboys to the form everyone expected them to be in earlier in the season?
9. Texas A&M: Everyone not named "Mike Goodson" or "Mark Dodge" looks uninspired. Not giving the ball to J-Train Jorvorskie Lane early and often against a speedy Miami defense is unforgivable.
10. Colorado: Still not sure what to make of this enigma. I think Colorado could challenge teams 2-9 on any given day, but I need to see it on a consistent basis to bump the Buffs up.
11. Iowa State: Things all of the sudden don't look so bleak. They won't contend, but they could certainly start ruining some seasons.
12. Baylor: I don't buy into "Syzzle" and spread. The Bears are in trouble now that non-conference is over.

Photos courtesy Associated Press

Big 12 Round Table - Now that we know...

This week's Big 12 Round Table once again comes courtesy of Crimson and Cream Machine.

1. Based on what you now know to be your team’s strengths and weaknesses, if the game was on the line do you want your offense or defense on the field?

-- [sarcasm]After hours and hours of painful deliberation[/sarcasm], I'm going to go ahead and go out on a limb by saying I have much more faith in the Mizzou offense than I do the Mizzou defense. I'd much rather rely on an offensive unit scoring an average of 39 points per game as opposed to my defense that has given up 29.5 points per game. I'd much rather have my offensive squad that gotten points out of 44 percent of the unit's possessions rather than my defense who surrenders points on one out of every three possessions. Granted, the defense has come up with some timely turnovers, but with the game on the line, I'd much rather see my field general Chase Daniel on the field than a unit that includes a defensive line that's gotten blown off the line of scrimmage and a defensive back corps that seems hung out to dry on several occasions.

2. If you had to pick a team from the AP Top 10 for your team to play this weekend who would you pick and why (OU & Texas are not options).

-- Let me run through it team-by-team:

- 1. USC: Would be a fun home-and-home, but it could get ugly quick, especially given USC's stable of All-American running backs against Mizzou's porous run defense.
- 2. LSU: One of the few teams in America that I think could nearly shut down MU's passing attack.
- 3. OU: (excluded)
- 4. West Virginia: White, Slaton and Devine would have a field day. Rich Rodriguez makes running in the spread look that easy.
- 5. Florida: According to TimTebowFacts.com, The NCAA declared that Tim Tebow may lose his amateur status because he is a professional ass kicker.
- 6. Texas: (excluded)
- 7. Wisconsin: I'm in favor of a trip to Camp Randall, merely because I want to jump around.
- 8. Cal: I think this would be an interesting matchup, especially at home.
- 9. Louisville: Brian Brohm vs. Chase Daniel. First to 100 wins.
- 10. Ohio State: Given some of the problems Ohio State had with Akron, I think Mizzou could make some noise in this matchup.

- Given these choices, my top picks would probably have to be Louisville, Ohio State, Wisconsin - in that order.

3. You can take one player off your team and trade him for any player in the conference who plays the same position who are you taking?

As much as I love Lorenzo Williams and Ziggy Hood, I'd love to have a big piece of beef to drop in the middle of that defensive line. My personal choice would be Texas DT Frank Okam, whose 320-pound frame would be rather tough to blow off the line of scrimmage and would help with interior run defense. If I'm allowed to trade backups for any single player I want, then let's make it Okam for Mizzou DT Charles Gaines. Other trades I considered included a backup defensive end for Texas A&M DE Chris Harrington and a cornerback for Oklahoma DB Reggie Smith or Kansas DB Aqib Talib.

4. Conference Power Rankings! Rank the teams in the conference from first to worst.

1. Oklahoma - Victory over Miami solidifies Sooners as conference's top team.
2. Texas - Neither impressive nor repulsive in 34-14 win over TCU.
3. Missouri - Home-blog advantage has Tigers one spot ahead of the Huskers.
4. Nebraska - "Lucky" to escape Wake with a W.
5. Kansas State - Does USF's win over Auburn make KSU's loss look worse?
6. Texas A&M - If Fresno State and Montana State have had this much success passing against the Ags, wait until conference play begins.
7. Oklahoma State - Yet another team who looks worse after losing to an SEC Week 2 loser (Georgia).
8. Texas Tech - Even for a system receiver, WR Michael Crabtree is something special.
9. Colorado - Bonus points for playing a real opponent, despite the loss.
10. Kansas - Drop below Colorado based on weak scheduling.
11. Baylor - Impressive win over Rice to be followed by games against Texas State and Buffalo, but I'm still not sold.
12. Iowa State - Poor, poor Gene Chizik. It's a long way from Austin, ain't it?

5. Big 12 Players of the Week – Make your selections for offensive and defensive players of the week for week two.

-- Offensively, ETS takes Sam Bradford, hands down. The redshirt freshman went from unproven to rising star in less than two weeks, especially with the numbers he put up in OU's 51-13 thrashing of Miami. Bradford was 19 of 25 for 205 yards and five touchdowns, effectively embarassing Randy Shannon's "vaunted" new defense at "the U."
-- Defensively, I was hoping to find someone other than Oklahoma DB Reggie Smith so I could avoid a Sooner sweep, but his 61-yard fumble recovery for touchdown helped seal a win for the Big 12 in the conference's premier game of the day.

Okam photo courtesy MackBrownTexasFootball. Bradford photo courtesy Associated Press and Rivals.com

Big 12 Round Table - Getting Personal

This week's Big 12 Round Table is being hosted by Jon over at Corn Nation. Keep an eye out for other Big 12 blogs and their respective responses.

1. What did you learn, if anything, about your team on opening weekend? More specifically, did you see anything that brought complete elation or utter disappointment?

-- To me, the game, as a whole, brought neither complete elation nor utter disappointment. Missouri's win over Illinois reinforced several concerns that were already raised about the Tigers. Personally, I learned that Mizzou has some playmakers on the defensive side of the ball, notably linebackers Brock Christopher and Sean Weatherspoon, and of course, safety Pig Brown. The offense was again stout for the majority of the game across the majority of the field, but once again, there were major issues inside the red zone. The coaching and its effect on nearly blowing a huge lead had me thinking one thing during the Illini comeback: "Sun Bowl."
But individually, my "complete elation" moment was the Pig Brown fumble return, and my "utter disappointment" moment was the McGee touchdown pass on the first play from scrimmage after the botched MU reverse.

2. 20 years from now, someone will ask you "Where Were You When Appalachian State beat Michigan?". Describe what you were doing at the time, your reaction.

-- During the moment that Ann Arbor took a nosedive into one, giant drinking-induced coma, I was touching the rafters in the boondocks of the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, taking in my first game as a student at the University of Missouri. Before the game, there had been rumblings around fans that Appalachian was giving Michigan a run for its money. My friends and I continued to check our phones and the Edward Jones Dome scoreboard for updates. Then, early into the first quarter, someone in the section proclaimed "Appalachian State just beat Michigan, 34-32." I immediately thought, "even if we choke this game away, it won't be as bad as it is in Ann Arbor right now."

3. Given the big event of this past weekend, what's the worst you've ever felt about your team?

-- My history with Missouri is not as storied as a lot of my readers, or for that matter, a lot of my colleagues with their respective blogs. Thus, I'm going to keep it recent and narrow it down to a few choices from last year alone:
Option A) The Sun Bowl. The choke was indicative of all things Missouri, but I was not that depressed because I still felt the way Mizzou played in that game was semi-impressive for recruiting.
Option B) 2006 Nebraska game: I honestly felt like the match-ups last year (namely, Chase Daniel to Will Franklin deep vs. NU's shaky defensive backs) tilted heavily in Mizzou's favor. Then Pinkel and Co. decided not to exploit this match-up and I was stuck in "Wait 'til next year" mode.
Option C) The loss to Texas A&M. Missouri was undefeated and rolling entering College Station. The inevitable letdown started the trademark "Missouri slide."
Option D) Losing to Iowa State, which was accentuated by Pinkel's extension only a few days earlier. Pinkel had avoided the non-conference losses that plauged him, but he then showed he's still not immune to giving one away.
Personally, I'll go with a mix of options B and D.

4. Take a classic - like Homer's Odyssey, Lord of the Flies, Little Women, or, heck, even the latest Simpsons Movie and tell me how it relates to your team this season.

-- Maybe it's because I've had my head buried in it for a Humanities class for the last two weeks, but Mizzou football circa 2007 reminds me of The Iliad by Homer. Missouri's fate has been decided by the gods (to be forsaken and always fall JUST short), but even with the inevitability of death, history, and fate, the team is tempting the will of the gods to carve out a personal legacy and a place in history. There is no way to avoid death, but death can be cheated only if you can be remembered. How will this team be remembered? Only time will tell...

5. It wasn't just by accident you got here. Somewhere, some time, there was someone who influenced you to become a fan of your team. Tell that story.

-- In all honesty, there is no great story. I was not born in Missouri. I was not raised in Missouri. I am Texas-born and Texas-bred. I am the son of a graduate of the University of Alabama. I am the brother of a Texas A&M Aggie. There was potential for influence all around me, but, amid seas of burnt orange, maroon, and my father's crimson, I found my way to the black and gold. My college search began early in high school, as I searched out the world's greatest journalism school and found my way to Columbia. And, as a diehard fan of all things college sports, I began adopting the traditions, history and culture of Missouri athletics.

6. Give us your nominations for the offensive and defensive players of the week within the conference.

-- Offensive player of the week: Oklahoma RB DeMarco Murray. Carrying 17 times for 88 yards and 5 touchdowns qualifies as one hell of a freshman debut, even if he did it against Southlake Carroll College, er, North Texas.
-- Defensive player of the week: Missouri DB Pig Brown. You'd be hard pressed to find a player with better stats in week one than Brown's five tackles, two fumble recoveries, one touchdown and one interception. And if you did, I'd find it hard to believe anyone did it at bigger times in the game than Pig, whose touchdown was a HUGE 14-point swing and whose interception sealed a victory.

Big 12 Round Table - Face of the Team

Matt over at Crimson and Cream Machine (heavily endorsed by ETS) has once again put together a set of questions for Big 12 bloggers...

Pick one current player to be the “Face of the Franchise” for your team. You can only select one player so tell us why you selected the person that you did.

-- There should be little to no debate among Tiger fans here: Chase Daniel is the face, arms, legs and torso of the Missouri football program. Since undertaking the monumental task of trying to follow Brad Smith (a task that he somehow managed to exceed expectations), Daniel has given Mizzou a new reputation and new swagger. His knowledge of the offense, outstanding leadership skills and controlled cockiness has redefined Missouri football.

Tell us what makes your team’s stadium great, traditions, facilities, etc…

-- Let's not kid ourselves, Faurot Field can not match some of the towering facades and intimidating structures of many of the stadiums in the Big 12. But Faurot Field has something many other Big 12 shrines lack: charm. The venue seems like a throwback to the days of old without seeming outdated. The brick walls lining the field, grassy hill and, of course, the rock "M" seem to resonate across generations in a way "Godzillatrons," "Gigatrons," and "Tunnel Walks" can't. I'd argue "Every True Son" and "Fight Tigers" are among the top fight songs in the country (at least compared to the five or six different renditions of "We've been working on the railroad" used by other many schools), and the Mizzou cheer is an outstanding bit of tradition crammed in between songs. And, although it's simple, alternating "M-I-Z" and "Z-O-U" between sides of the stadium has its own charm as well.

Hypothetical – Your team has to vacate their current stadium and play a game in another Big 12 stadium which one would you pick for them to play in and why?

-- This is tough for several reasons. Personally, I have a man crush on Texas A&M's Kyle Field for several reasons. The massive structure and three-sided attack is extremely impressive. But I wonder how well Mizzou could pack such a large stadium and what kind of noise Tiger fans would bring. The same applies for Nebraska's Memorial Stadium. Oklahoma's Gaylord Memorial's charm is like Faurot with far more prestige, and I'd love to have my stadium to be a rich man's personal playground like Boone Pickens Stadium at Oklahoma State. But if you make me settle for one, my vote stays with Kyle Field.

Unthinkable – Take your team’s biggest rival’s head coach and make a case as to why he would be a good fit on your sideline.

-- Allow me to make a case for both Mizzou's biggest rival and Mizzou's biggest opponent this season. Kansas' Mark Mangino, for all his shortcomings in his diet, sure knows how to get the most out of his players. It seems like every season the Jayhawks are outmanned or outclassed but manage to pull wins out of nowhere and scare consistently superior opponents (see Texas A&M and Nebraska in 2006). As for Nebraska's Bill Callahan, say what you want about what he's done in his tenure with the Huskers, he does bring an NFL pedigree. His background alone resonates with recruits who are merely looking for their college football experience to be a springboard to the NFL. Allow me to put it this way - does Blaine Gabbert leave the state if there is an ex-NFL coach stalking the Mizzou sidelines?

Prediction Time - Tell us who is going to win:

Baylor @ TCU = TCU
Colorado State @ Colorado = Colorado
Kent State @ Iowa State = Iowa State
Central Michigan @ Kansas = Kansas
Kansas State @ Auburn = Auburn
Missouri/Illinois = Missouri
Nevada @ Nebraska = Nebraska
North Texas @ Oklahoma = Oklahoma
Oklahoma State @ Georgia = Georgia
Arkansas State @ Texas = Texas
Montana State @ Texas A&M = Texas A&M
Texas Tech @ SMU = Texas Tech

What they're saying

With the first round of the Big 12 Round Table officially complete, let's take a look at what Big 12 bloggers have to say about the Tigers entering the season.

(All responses to the Round Table can be found here, thanks to our friends at Crimson and Cream Machine)

Bring On The Cats
-- On the topic of the best team in the division:

"I've picked Missouri to win the North and Texas to win the South"

-- On the topic of Heisman contenders:

"Other candidates could include A&M's Mike Goodson (will be hurt by sharing time with Jorvorskie Lane), Oklahoma State's Bobby Reid and perhaps Adarius Bowman (will be hurt by Okie State's lack of prominence on the national radar), and Mizzou's Chase Daniel (will need to overcome Gary Pinkel's coaching and will probably need to lead his team to the North crown, at least, to get any real credit)."

-- On a Big 12 Top 25 snub:

"It has to be Missouri. They're the media pick to win the North over Nebraska and are the top vote-getter among non-ranked teams in the AP Poll."

Midwest Coast Bias
-- On the topic of the best team in the division:

"North - …You’re kidding, right? Missouri would have to be the obvious choice as Iowa State’s biggest event lately involves uniforms, Colorado is still questioning their manhood over losing to Montana St., Kansas no longer has three linebackers a’leaping (although they do have Aqib Talib) and Kansas State has the second coming of Jared Lorenzen only not as accurate.
Chase Daniel is a great quarterback for the offense he’s being put in charge of. Martin Rucker and Chase Coffman are the deadliest pair of tight ends in the nation. Tony Temple has settled down some and Will Franklin has always brought his lunch pail as far as I’ve seen, but see if you can do this: Name five Missouri defensive starters."

-- On the topic of Top 25 rankings:

"I’d switch Mizzou and A&M. To be quite honest, I’m surprised the AP didn’t. Maybe the coaches will have a different take. It seems like most publications pick Mizzou to win the North and play in their first Big XII Championship ever, but whenever watching a preview of the Big XII, all I ever hear is that Nebraska’s been pegged to head to San Antonio which has treated them oh so well in odd-numbered years past. Still, I think that Missouri’s offense alone would be enough to get them into the rankings. They have a schedule that will afford them a season end’s spot in the Top 20 as well."

Clone Chronicles
-- On the topic of the best team in the divison:

"Nebraska's defense will carry them as far as they want to go. Missouri has had a condition where they tend to lose one or two games that they shouldn't. I also can't rightly pick a team that lost to us last year."

-- On the topic of Top 25 rankings:

"Probably Mizzou, as I can't think of a better candidate unless Okie State breaks through, as many feel they will, but with Chase Daniel and what we know they can be capable of, Mizzou is the team."

Rock Chalk Talk
-- On the topic of the best team in the division:

"Instead of discussing my division winners, I am going to take a look at the teams I have slotted for second, just for equality purposes. In the North, Missouri is the team. They have all the talent needed on offense, led by Big 12 POY candidate Chase Daniel. However, their coach is a question mark at best and their defense isn't quite championship caliber, even if it is just the "champion" of the Big 12 North."

-- On the topic of coach most likely to get fired:

"Well first off, I would never gamble money on something so trivial, it is often hard to predict the motives and beliefs of school presidents and athletic directors. However, there are a couple of coaches I would be less than surprised to see let go after the season. Gary Pinkel comes to mind first, and I guess he is my pick on the most likely coach to be axed. Kansas State and Colorado are rebuilding, and Nebraska is playing worse than he has in the past. Combine that with the best Muzzurrah team in awhile, and folks in Columbia could get a little angry if they are denied a Big 12 North title."

Corn Nation
-- On the topic of coach most likely to get fired:

"I did an article earlier in the season entitled Big 12 Coaches Most Likely To Be Fired in which I stated that Gary Pinkel is the most likely to go. Unfortunately, people in Missouri don’t care all that much about football, so someone else will probably go first."

-- On the topic of Top 25 rankings:

"Missouri should be ranked so that we can all enjoy it more when we beat them early in conference play and knock them out of the Top 25."

Husker Mike
-- On the topic of the best team in the division

"In the North, the best team not named "Nebraska" would be the Missouri Tigers. I think Chase Daniel is the best quarterback in the conference, the best tight ends, and they'll have one of the top offenses in the conference, with Tony Temple as the featured back to keep defenses from thinking they are one-dimensional. They'll be a fun squad to watch this season."

-- On the topic of coach most likely to get fired:

"If I had to put money on anybody, it would be Missouri's Gary Pinkel. Pinkel tempts Tiger fans with some big wins, then befuddles them two or three times a season by losing games they shouldn't. He got an extension to keep his recruiting moving forward, but expectations are growing in Columbia."

-- On the topic of Top 25 rankings:

"Missouri. Granted, preseason rankings are just guesses, but they'll be loaded on offense and can't be much worse than last year on defense."

-- On the topic of impact players in the conference:

"On offense, Chase Daniel from Missouri. That offense is going to be loaded. (My second and third choices are Keller and Bowman, who have the capability to explode.) But from a consistency perspective, I think Daniel is the conference offensive MVP."

Buffs.tv
-- On the topic of the best team in the division:

"Missouri is the team to beat in the North. Everything is finally coming together for them. They will have the leadership and ability of Chase Daniel. But they also have the desire after being shut out of the title game for too long. Missouri has Nebraska at home and that will make the difference."

-- On the topic of Heisman candidates:

"People talk about Colt McCoy and Malcolm Kelly Jr, but I they are the best players on good teams top to bottom. Chase Daniel is my vote. He has the ability to carry the Tigers on his shoulders and make the rest of his team play at his level. He is much more special individually than McCoy or Kelly."

-- On the topic of Top 25 rankings:

"This one is easy. Missouri. They are picked to win the BigXII North over Nebraska, but are ranked behind them. Total inconsistency. This is another example of Nebraska being overrated in the polls"

Crimson and Cream Machine
-- On the topic of the best team in the division:

"Last year in the north I bought into the Iowa State hype and got burned. This year I'm on the Missouri Tigers bandwagon. I think Nebraska might have a slight upper hand in that division but I like the Tigers schedule and the fact that they are more settled in the quarterback position."

-- On the topic of coach most likely to be fired:

"Another guy to keep an eye on is Gary Pinkel at Missouri. The Tigers are loaded on offense and the people in Columbia are hungry for a title shot. The problem for Mizzou is going to be defense and if the Tigers fall on their face then Pinkel could really be in trouble."

-- On the topic of Top 25 rankings:

"The Missouri Tigers should be ranked! I realize that I've got a personal love fest going on for the Tigers here but their offense will win them enough games to deserve a Top 25 ranking."

-- On the topic of impact players in the conference:

"Offensively I'll continue with my crush on the Tigers and go with Chase Daniels [sic]. In my opinion he's sitting in the best position to make the biggest impact. Playing in the North will allow the possibility of eye-popping stats and there aren't the question marks around him like some of the other top offensive players in the conference. Malcolm Kelly and Adarious Bowman have quarterback question marks. Colt McCoy and Jammal Charles have offensive line question marks and Mike Goodson has the Coach Fran question mark. Daniels [sic] is setting pretty good to be an impact player."

Mizzou Sanity
-- On the topic of Heisman candidates:

"I guess Colt McCoy. Chase Daniel will put up bigger numbers, and there’s at least some chance that Mizzou has a really really good year, but Texas is more likely to be at the top of the polls in December, and that obviously means a lot."

So what did ETS learn from other bloggers?
-- Mizzou's rivals, Kansas and Nebraska, have some serious doubts about Gary Pinkel's job security.
-- Nearly all bloggers agree Mizzou was shafted out of a Top 25 ranking.
-- There is some love brewing for Chase Daniel, which should only continue to grow if the team breaks through to the Big 12 title game this season.

If there are any Big 12 blogs that participated that I missed, let me know. So, to the blogosphere, what are your thoughts on how Blog Nation sees Mizzou in 2007?

Big 12 Round Table

In the midst of classes starting and spending several hours per day wishing it was football season, I was greeted in my inbox by the official arrival of football season in the blogosphere:

Our friends over at Crimson and Cream Machine helped spearhead the Round Table/Preview movement and put together a Big 12 Blogger Round Table. Below is ETS' response. Be sure to visit all other Big 12 blogs for their responses.

Pick a team (other than the one you blog about) from the North and South divisions and explain why they may be the best team in the division.
- South: Texas - Not much of a surprise, but the work of the man they call "Coach February" is starting to pay off in the form of depth. It seems like Texas has strong athletes across the board, and even though as many as three teams (OU, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma State) could legitmiately take them on any given day, it's hard to ignore the athleticism at each position. And that depth may come in handy if the team continues its mission to fill the ticket/arrest quota for the Austin PD.
- North: Nebraska - Other teams in the division may be improving, but all five teams are in the shadow of the Huskers' prestige, as much as it pains me to say it. The Nebraska mystique usually speaks for itself, but 2007 ought to be a great test whether or not the division wilts under the Big Red pressure.

If the Big 12 Conference had a Heisman trophy candidate who would it be and why?
- Colt McCoy takes the nod merely by "quarterback on a top team" standards. Adarius Bowman would have a shot if not for being a wide receiver. Chase Daniel and Graham Harrell would have a shot if not for being "system" quarterbacks on middle-tier teams. Stephen McGee/Jorvorskie Lane/Mike Goodson don't play sexy enough football to warrant Heisman talk. The Sooner stable of backs is extremely solid but won't out-electrify a McFadden or a Slaton. (photo courtesy USA Today)

The one non-conference game, not involving your school, you would pay money to see would be?
- Within the Big 12, it's a three-way tie between TCU at Texas, and either OU/Texas A&M against Miami. Outside of the Big 12, it is without a doubt Virginia Tech/LSU.

If you had to place a $100.00 bet on a current Big 12 head coach being fired at the end of the season who would you pick and why?


- Guy Morriss. His best shot to take Baylor to a bowl just left with diplomas last spring.

Which of the four Big 12 schools currently ranked in the AP Top 25 doesn’t belong there?
- Texas A&M. The team is definitely Top 25 material, maybe Top 20. But there's absolutely no way the Ags survive their schedule.

Make a case for one of the 8 Big 12 schools not ranked as to why they should be.
- Staying local, I have to point to Mizzou, who were only a few points shy of making the Top 25. The offense ranked eighth in the nation last year and returns 98 percent of its yards from scrimmage from that unit. The defense has a lot of question marks, but the schedule sets up very nicely and there's a confidence among Missouri circles that is usually replaced by "how can we screw this up." Additionally, I think a case, be it very small, could be made for Oklahoma State.

Prediction Time:
Tell us the offensive and defensive players who are going to make the biggest impact on the conference this season.
- Offense: Sam Keller. Whether positive or negative, his performance will have the biggest impact on the conference as a whole. If he's the All-American that Husker faithful make him out to be, Nebraska could return to the national scene in a hurry. If he's the fluke that got kicked off of Arizona State's squad, then all hell breaks loose in the North, and Missouri may break the will of God by qualifying for the Big 12 Championship.
- Defense: Reggie Smith: My gut feeling was Kansas CB Aqib Talib, but I doubt teams will have any reason to put the ball in the air against the Jayhawks this year. Smith is the impact defensive back on a loaded DB unit, and will likely see a lot more passes head his way because of Oklahoma's overall stength of the DB corps across the field.