College football season is almost here, and even though all the off season news of realignment was interesting, it will be great to see some football being played! I’ve decided to take a look at some of the major conferences in college football. Today, I want to take a look at the Big 12. If you are looking for some college football picks, I will have them all season long! Last year, I hit on 70% of my college football plays, so if you are interested in college football betting, then keep a close eye on this site all year. How will the Big 12 stack up at the end of the year?
Big 12 North
- Nebraska Cornhuskers- The Huskers are headed to the Big Ten after this season, but I think Nebraska is set to dominate the Big 12 North in their final year. The defense will be dominating and the running game will be one of the best in the nation. The Cornhuskers will probably be a top 10 team in the country.
- Missouri Tigers- If there is any team that could challenge Nebraska, it would be Missouri. The Tigers should have a healthy Blaine Gabbert at quarterback, and he’ll likely be one of the best in the nation. Missouri should get a fast start to the season in 2010, but the defensive secondary must improve if they are going to finish strong.
- Kansas State Wildcats- The Wildcats have plenty of issues, but Bill Snyder is back and working his magic once again. Daniel Thomas is an excellent back, and I expect Kansas State to run the ball efficiently all year. A trip to a bowl game is likely.
- Iowa State Cyclones- Paul Rhoads helped the team surprise a lot of people in 2009 and finish the season with a winning record. The schedule is much more difficult this year, and while they may be a better team, I think they’ll fall just short of the post season.
- Kansas Jayhawks- Kansas got its man in Turner Gill, but Gill will have his hands full in 2010. Kansas loses a ton of talent, especially at the skill positions. They benefit from an easy schedule throughout the season, so they could reach five or six wins.
- Colorado Buffaloes- The Buffaloes have been one of the biggest disappointments in college football over the last few years. Dan Hawkins is absolutely square on the hot seat. The team has talent, but it also has holes. I think they’ll fall short of a bowl berth and Hawkins will be gone.
Big 12 South
- Oklahoma Sooners- The Sooners had injury trouble all of last year, but it did allow them to play a lot of talented youngsters. Landry Jones should be a quality starter at quarterback and if Murray can stay healthy he is great at tailback. The defense will be down a little, but they will be very good.
- Texas Longhorns- The Longhorns will almost certainly suffer some growing pains with the loss of guys like McCoy and Shipley on the offensive side of the ball. The defense should be one of the best in the country still, but I think a drop in production in the offense will hurt them.
- Texas Tech Red Raiders- Texas Tech got itself a quality coach in Tommy Tuberville. The quarterbacks will be good and there are plenty of weapons on offense. Can Tuberville help institute an even stronger defense? I think in the long run he probably can.
- Texas A&M Aggies- Jerrod Johnson is the best player that most people have never heard of. The Aggies offense should be one of the best in the conference, but this defense tends to get burned by good quarterbacks. I think the Aggies will have a solid year, but they may struggle inside the conference.
- Oklahoma State Cowboys- The Cowboys still have Kendall Hunter, but much of the offense around him is gone. The schedule is pretty soft, so they’ll likely still get to a bowl game, but this team will be much weaker than it was a year ago.
- Baylor Bears- As it turns out, Baylor should actually be pretty solid this year. The problem for them is that they play in the Big 12 South. If they were in the North, they would probably be picked third or fourth. Robert Griffin is an amazing play maker, so this team should be fun to watch.
Big 12 Championship Game Prediction
I’m going to take the Nebraska Cornhuskers to beat the Oklahoma Sooners in the Big 12 Title Game. The Huskers defense should be the best in the league and I think that will be the difference here. Nebraska is currently listed at +250 to win the Big 12 title, while Oklahoma is the favorite at +180.
There is how I think the Big 12 will look in 2010. If you are looking to make 2010 a profitable one, come back frequently for winning college football picks. We’ll have expert handicappers breaking down the games and the races all year long!
