Big 12 Schedule: 12/29 - 1/4

12/29
Arkansas Tech at Texas A&M
Howard at Kansas
Oklahoma at Cincinnati

13/30
Missour at Old Dominion
Southeastern Louisiana at Texas Tech

12/31
Virginia Tech at Oklahoma State
Mississippi Valley State at Iowa State
Rice at Texas
Howard at Kansas State
Northwestern State at Oklahoma
North Dakota at Kansas

1/2
Texas A&M at Baylor

1/3
Oklahoma at Missouri

Big Ten and Pac 12 Unite

The Pac 12 and the Big 10 announced that the two leagues would join forces for annual interconference games. The details are pending, but we do know the interconference games will not happen until 2017.

What are your thoughts on the interconference games?

Justin Blackmon and the NFL Draft

Justin Blackmon appears to be leaving Oklahoma State for the NFL draft. Blackmon could have left after last season when he caught 111 passes and 20 touchdowns as a redshirt sophomore. He followed that with 113 receptions for 1,336 yards and 15 touchdowns this season as Oklahoma State won the Big 12.

Blackmon will be facing Andrew Luck and the Stanford Cardinals in the Fiesta Bowl. Both teams are 11-1.

Ranking the Big 12 Bowl Games

1.
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
No. 3 Oklahoma State vs No. 4 Stanford
This just has to be No. 1

2.
Valero Alamo Bowl
No. 12 Baylor vs Washington
I want to see the impact RG3 makes in this game.

3.
AT&T Cotton Bowl
No. 8 Kansas State vs No. 6 Arkansas
Many would rank this No. 2, but these are lesser-publicized teams. That matters.

4.
Insight Bowl
No. 14 Oklahoma vs Iowa
If Iowa was ranked higher, I would have moved this to No. 3. They have upset potential.

5.
Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas
Texas A&M vs Northwestern
Northwestern is fun to watch, but Texas has home state advantage.

6.
Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl
No. 24 Texas vs California
Texas will be healthy.

7.
New Era Pinstripe Bowl
Iowa State vs Rutgers
Yankee Stadium is the perfect place to watch Iowa State stretch their offense.

8.
AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl
Missouri vs North Carolina
No comment.

Now... you know I love Big 12 football, but I'm definitely a baseball guy. With the recent addition to WVU to the Big 12, we have to consider what this means for Big 12 baseball.

All of WVU's athletics appear to be a good fit for the Big 12 (except for the non-existent soccer program in the Big 12), with the possible exception for their baseball program. WVU is far down the interest rankings for most fans. Entering the big 12 will be a challenge that is the toughest on Greg Van Zank and the baseball program at WVU. WVU hasn't qualified for the NCAA tournament since 1996 (when I was 6 years old) and the Big East was not nearly as strong as the Big 12 has been in recent years.

Here are how the rankings shook out at the end of last season:

#7 Texas
#21 TCU
#30 Oklahoma
#31 Baylor
#44 Oklahoma State
#50 Texas Tech
#51 Kansas State
#74 Missouri *
#106 Kansas
#151 West Virginia

*only relevant if they stay

WVU baseball will enter as the lowest ranked team by far and, aside from Kansas, every other team in the league was ranked at least 100 spots higher. Yikes.

There will be no other athletic program coming in that has to overcome that kind of challenge.

WVU to Big 12

It finally appears to be happening: West Virginia has had one foot out of the door with its athletic program in the Big East and not it seems they are abandoning ship and swimming over to the Big 12.

By making the move, WVU will be leaving a doomed conference and entering one with more Bowl stability as well as a shared interest in basketball. WVU's stadium size is appropriate for the Big 12 conference, whereas WVU may have been undersized had they gone to the SEC or Big Ten.

Because there are two sides to every story, there are negative aspects to WVU's move. While the Big 12 is a decent conference, they certainly aren't the ACC or SEC, from a geographically standpoint anyway. Travel for fans will not be easy in the Big 12. Further, there is the potential for future conference movement (ingress and egress) for the Big 12. Who knows what will happen in the future? Finally, success in the Big 12 could prove to be more difficult.

What are your thoughts?

Baylor Highest Ranked for Big 12 in Coaches poll

The preseason coaches poll was released Thursday afternoon and it featured no Big 12 teams in the top-10.

Baylor was No. 12, Kansas No. 13, Texas A&M No. 19 and Missouri No. 25.

North Carolina, Kentucky, Ohio State, Connecticut and Syracuse made up the coaches' poll's top five.

Big 12 Conference Changes

The Big 12 appears to be losing Missouri to the SEC in the next couple of days, but appears to already have a replacement in mind. The target team to replace the Tigers is West Virginia.

According to sources in the Big 12 and the Big East, the Big 12 expansion will hold at 10 teams for the time being. Though Missouri will leave for the SEC next season, West Virginia will not be available to the Big 12 until 2014.

The Big East is expected to offer invitations to Boise State, Southern Methodist, Houston, Central Florida, Air Force and Navy over the next several days.

Baylor and Texas A&M Battle of Hostility

Robert Griffin III. AKA Robert Griffin !!!

He is a major reason why No. 20 Baylor heads into Saturday's showdown against No. @! Texas A&M as Texas' top-ranked team.

The Bears are sitting at 4-1 while Texas A&M is at 3-2.

The last time Baylor headed into a game as the state's highest-ranked college football team, it was 1991 and we were in the cyber boom.

Both teams are definitely preparing for a hostile environment. While A&M's move from conference to conference remained in limbo, a maroon billboard with white lettering surfaced in Waco, "Thou shalt not covet they neighbor's conference deal." College Station merchants began selling a T-shirt with the slogan: "It sucks to BU." The BU appeared in Baylor school colors.

Wow I can't wait to watch the game and see what happens!

Texas Iowa, Who Will Win?

Texas is coming off its best win in recent memory, a 29-point revenge victory at UCLA while Iowa has done its fair share of thrilling wins as well, with three come-from-behind wins. Both teams are unbeaten through three games.

The Cyclones beat Texas last season at Austin, but the Longhorn team of this year looks greatly improved from last year's. The Longhorns seem to pack plenty of punch this year and appear to be on their way to the powerhouse of old.

I believe that trend will continue. I favor Texas in the upcoming game, though Iowa will keep pace and make it a good show for Big 12 fans.

Texas 34 @ Iowa State 27

Hate it? Love it? What are your thoughts?

Texas and Iowa State Hook up in Undefeated Big 12 Game

The 17th ranked Texas Longhorns and the Iowa State Cyclones will be going head to head this weekend as two undefeated Big 12 Conference teams.

Texas is 3-0 on the young season, having beaten up Rice, BYU and UCLA. This marks the fifth straight year and ninth time in the 14 years under coach Mack Brown that the Longhorns have opened the season with at least three consecutive wins. Not only is that impressive, but after Texas' 2010 campaign in which it went 5-7 and won only two of its eight conference games.

The Cyclones have returned 16 starters from last year's team that went 5-7 overall and 3-5 in the Big 12, but sit perfect so far as well. The Cyclones are 3-0 for the first time since 2005! Their last 4-0 start was back in 2000.

Who do you have for the game? Both teams are coming off of disappointing 2010 seasons, but have started this season off great. Let me know what you think!

Big 12 Expansion Candidates

The Pac 12 has decided to hold off on their expansion to 16 teams, meaning Oklahoma and Texas will remain in the Big 12 for now.

Texas A&M will not be returning to the SEC, leaving the Big 12 at nine teams for the 2012 season.

Here are some school that could be added to the Big 12:

Air Force; The Falcons are a popular contender when it comes to realignment. The Air Force has a prominent and nationwide fan base.

Boise State: The Broncos are a good fit if the Big 12 is serious about bringing in more talent.

BYU: The Cougars are in the first season of Independence, but would likely make a good fit for the Big 12. BYU has a strong fan base.

Houston: The Conference would have a shot at getting back into Houston, with Texas Tech leaving.

Notre Dame: Though it would be unlikely, a Notre Dame Big 12 expansion isn't out of the question.

Anyone we missed? Give us your thoughts on the potential conference expansion!

Big 12 Conference Play

Big 12 Conference play kicks off this week and we couldn't be more excited!

One of the games will be played between top-ranked Oklahoma and Missouri. Last season, Missouri came out on top as they knocked off then No. 1-ranked Oklahoma at Columbia, but this time Missouri must travel to Norman. At home, Oklahoma holds a 37-game winning streak, which just happens to be the longest active home streak in college football.

My bet is that Oklahoma comes out on top on this one... What do you think?

Mizzou to Big Ten?

There has been some speculation about the Big 12 basically dissolving its schools into other conferences. One of the focusses of that discussion has highlighted Mizzou.

Where would Mizzou go? What conference fits the Tigers the best?

The Big Ten. Hands down. The Big Ten, whether it feels the need to expand or not, would be the best fit for Mizzou both athletically and academically. All signs point to the Mizzou fitting in well with the Big Ten.

As for the Big Ten? Anytime MU has nudged the Big Ten, the conference has politely ignored the team. Perhaps the Big Ten isn't open for expansion?

Oklahoma and Texas and the Pac 12

It's official that Texas A&M is looking to leave the Big 12. That means that this could be the end of the Big 12. We're looking at a 9 team conference and honestly, who can this conference add? They could add SMU, but that won't do anything to boost the conferences cache. There have been reports that Texas and Oklahoma have been looking into joining the Pac 12. I can definitely see this happening and won't be surprised if we're watching one of the last years of the Big 12 this year.

Texas A&M Week 1 Preview

In their first game of the season, Texas A&M will play SMU. SMU is a very worth opponent. June Jones is entering his fourth year as the coach of this team. SMU has a powerful offense and returns 18 starters from last season. They return star quarterback Kyle Padron, who threw 31 touchdowns last season and just 14 interceptions.

SMU was 7-7 last season and played in their second consecutive bowl game.

Texas A&M, led by Ryan Tannehill, should be able to win this game easily, but SMU has a potent enough offense that they could really scare the Aggies in Week 1. The Aggies definitely shouldn't sleep on the Mustangs.

Texas A&M Could Move to SEC

There have been reports that Texas A&M is very close to switching conferences and playing in the SEC as soon as the 2012-2013 season.

This would have a huge impact on the Big 12. The Big 12 conference could take one of two courses of action. They could either dissolve the conference all together or they could try to add different schools to the conference. This is extremely interesting and I think the conference would look to add some schools before dissolving all together. TCU would have been a really good candidate, but they are moving to the Big East. Maybe SMU could be asked to join the Big 12, but that wouldn't be a huge coup for the conference. They might try to pry away Arkansas from the SEC as well.

USA Today College Football Preseason Top 25

Here's the preseason top 25 for college football. Take a look at all the Big 12 teams on there! We've got three teams in the top 10, but most importantly, we've got the number one team in the land. It would be huge for the conference if they could win the National Championship. However this does make me miss Nebraska a little bit since they are pretty highly rated.

1.	Oklahoma (42)
2.	Alabama (13)
3.	Oregon (2)
4.	LSU (2)
5.	Florida State
6.	Stanford
7.	Boise State
8.	Oklahoma State
9.	Texas A&M
10.	Wisconsin
11.	Nebraska
12.	South Carolina
13.	Virginia Tech
14.	Arkansas
15.	TCU
16.	Ohio State
17.	Michigan State
18.	Notre Dame
19.	Auburn
20.	Mississippi State
21.	Missouri
22.	Georgia
23.	Florida
24.	Texas
25.	Penn State

Oklahoma Star Travis Lewis Out 8 Weeks with Broken Toe

The media recently released a poll of the college football top 25 and the Oklahoma Sooners were overwhelmingly rated the number one team in the country. They return most of a 12-1 team that beat Connecticut in the Fiesta Bowl. They return star quarterback Landry Jones and return most of team's offense besides running back DeMarco Murray. There is tons of pressure on this team to get to the title game.

Well, there hopes took a bit of a blow today when they found out that star linebacker Travis Lewis' broken toe will keep him out for at least 8 weeks. Head coach Bob Stoops had this to say about the broken toe:

"We’re disappointed for Travis. He has worked very hard and I know he’ll want to get back as quickly as possible."

It looks like Oklahoma won't have Lewis for the game at Florida State. That could be a huge blow for the team and it might cost them that game.

Baylor Bears Josh Gordon Suspended Indefinitely

Baylor Bears Wide Receiver Josh Gordon was suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules. This is huge for the Baylor Bears. They are expected to have a really good season this year because they return star quarterback and plenty of other starters from a competitive Baylor team last year. Gordon caught 7 touchdowns last year.

Gordon is also a huge NFL prospect. He's 6 foot 4 and weighs 215 pounds. He has the ideal size and weight for an NFL wide receiver. ESPN's Mel Kiper has him rated as the 3rd best junior Wide Receiver in college football.

Gordon was arrested last October when he was found outside a Taco Bell passed out. Marijuana was found in his car, but he did not miss any games for the incident last season. You can imagine that this previous incident had something to do with him being suspended indefinitely.

2012 Big 12 Football Recruiting Class Rankings

ESPN recently updated their recruiting rankings for the class of 2012. Five Big 12 teams were ranked in the top 25. Not only are there five teams in the top 25, but there are 3 in the top 11 and all five are in the top 17.

1. Texas - Texas has the best recruiting class in the country so far. Pretty typical of Texas, they are right in the middle of a recruiting hot bed and kids grow up wanting to be Longhorns.

8. Texas A&M - This one comes as a bit of a shocker to me. Mike Sherman, the former coach of the Green Bay Packers, really has a program started at A&M.

11. Oklahoma - No surprises here. Oklahoma consistently gets a ton of talent to come to Norman.

13. Texas Tech - Another shocker. Also in a recruiting hot bed but it seems like Tommy Tubberville is really starting to get the handle of Texas recruiting.

17. Missouri - they have done a really good job keeping their in state talent home and they also advanced into Texas territory this year.

List of Juniors Listed by Mel Kiper as NFL Draft Prospects

Mel Kiper also ranked the juniors as NFL prospects and this is a list of the juniors from the Big 12 who made the list.

Quarterbacks

• No. 3: Landry Jones, Oklahoma
• No. 4: Robert Griffin III, Baylor

Fullbacks

• No. 2: Braden Wilson, Kansas State

Receivers

• No. 2: Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State
• No. 3: Josh Gordon, Baylor

Centers

• No. 3: Ben Habern, Oklahoma

Defensive ends

• No. 5: Brad Madison, Missouri

Outside linebackers

• No. 1: Ronnell Lewis, Oklahoma
• No. 3: Zaviar Gooden, Missouri

Punters

• No. 2: Ryan Doerr, Kansas State
• No. 3: Quinn Sharp, Oklahoma State

If you haven't noticed already, both Weeden and Blackmon made these lists, meaning that should be an unstoppable combination next season.

Where Big 12 Draft Prospects Were Rated by Mel Kiper

Mel Kiper recently put a list ranking the upcoming seniors by position as NFL prospects. Here are the Big 12 players who made his lists.

Quarterbacks

• No. 4: Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State
• No. 5: Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M

Running backs

• No. 1: Cyrus Gray, Texas A&M

Fullbacks

• No. 1: Cody Johnson, Texas

Receivers

• No. 2: Jeff Fuller, Texas A&M
• No. 3: Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma

Tight ends

• No. 1: Michael Egnew, Missouri

Offensive tackles:

• No. 1: Levy Adcock, Oklahoma State
• No. 3: Kelechi Osemele, Iowa State

Outside linebackers:

• No. 2: Travis Lewis, Oklahoma
• No. 4: Keenan Robinson, Texas

Safeties

• No. 4: Markelle Martin, Oklahoma State

It's important to note that Weeden would be much, much higher if he were not 28 years old. NFL scouts just don't know how much he can improve because of how old he is. They are weary of spending a first round pick on someone who is going to be good when they're 33.

Texas Longhorn Network Broadcasting Two Games??

The Texas Longhorn network won't be airing just Longhorn games, they are looking to broadcast another Big 12 game as well. Here's what Stephanie Druley, the vice president of the network had to say about it.

"We are thrilled to be able to bring not one but two games to Longhorn fans this year," said Druley. "The Texas-Rice game will be an exciting first for the network and demonstrate how we will provide the most comprehensive coverage of Texas football that fans have ever experienced."

Watch this thing morph into something bigger than the Big Ten Network. It's scary for University of Texas opponents because that school is going to have tons, and tons of money to build up their athletic programs from this network.

With Colorado and Nebraska Gone, Texas Teams will Keep More Recruits

Although the Big 12 took a big blow when Nebraska and Colorado decided to leave them, there is one thing that I think should help a lot of the teams there. Texas kids will most likely not go to those schools anymore. Texas kids had been leaving to those schools, mostly Nebraska, and it isn't likely that as many of them will leave for those schools any time soon.

Kids from Texas like going to other Big 12 schools not in Texas if they want to get away from home, but are still able to go to Texas and play some games. This is huge because there are a lot of Texas teams in the state of Texas and it makes it really easy for their parents and family to watch all of the home games. With Nebraska now playing in the Big Ten, it makes it a lot harder for those players parents to watch them.

Texas is a recruiting hot bed in the United States. Some of the most talent athletes in the country hail from the state of Texas. It will be nice for teams such as Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor, and Texas A and M to be able to keep a few more of those players in state.

Big 12 Football Star Watch: Garrett Gilbert

Remember in the 2009 National Championship Game between the Texas Longhorns and the Alabama Crimson Tide when Colt McCoy got injured? I do and I really wanted to turn the game off at that point, but I didn't. In came Garrett Gilbert, who had not played since week two and was asked to complete 3 quarters of a national championship game. Gilbert performed admirably by completing 16-40 passes for two touchdowns and four interceptions. Okay so they aren't great numbers but he almost led the Horns on a late comeback.

Fast forward to 2010. He is awarded the starting quarterback job in the Spring. He leads to the team to a 5-7 record.

Gilbert, your junior season is make or break for you. If he falters, he is in extreme danger of losing his job to Case McCoy, Colt's younger brother. I think he has a pretty good season though, the talent around him is simply too much.

Big 12 Football Star Watch: Steele Jantz

Before I begin this article, lets all take a moment to appreciate how great of a name Steele Jantz is. Not only is Steele an amazing first name, one that I would recommend to any parent struggling to name their child, Jantz is solid last name. Jantz receives extra "great name points" for the "z" at the end. Just a solid twist to an already awesome name.

So who is Steele Jantz? He might be a super hero by night, but by day he is a really cool quarterback who is attending Iowa State next year. He went to Fresno City College and threw for 23 touchdowns and ran in 14 more. Okay don't expect to pull the classic Cam Newton and transfer to a Division 1 school and win the National title.

Nevertheless, Steele Jantz should be an intriguing dual threat QB who could put up some nice numbers in the Big 12 that has ten teams in it.

Big 12 Football Star Watch: Brandon Weeden

Woah I did not look this up until I read this today but Brandon Weeden is 28 years old! He pitched in the Yankee farm system for five years and then went to Oklahoma State. This guys got a wife and kids, he's a grown man! This makes it kind of unfair to compare him to 19 year olds, but he is still a very good quarterback.

I was wondering why he wasn't get more NFL buzz, nonetheless this guy is a S-T-U-D

As a junior he threw 34 touchdowns to 13 interceptions. He also completed 67% of his passes. Got the prototypical arm strength and touch. He's 6-5 225, he's got perfect size for the position too.

Age doesn't really matter in the Big 12 like it will for his NFL prospects. He's going to put up huge numbers this year and build off his junior year campaign. Justin Blackmon is back in the fold and I can safely say that that is the most dynamic quarterback-wide receiver combination. Weeden should be able to throw at least 30 touchdowns this year.

Big 12 Football Star Watch: Taylor Martinez

Nebraska's Taylor Martinez got off to a scorching hot start to last year's football season. People thought he was a Heisman candidate, but when the Huskers began to face stiffer competition, he really began to play poorly. So poorly in fact, that he got an earful from his Coach Bo Pelini and was also benched in favor of Zach Lee. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdqUD5PBWnE. Martinez did finish the season as the starting quarterback, but failed to regain his mojo from the beginning of the year. I think this has a lot to do with him having to carry so much of the load early on in the season.

Martinez, or T- Magic, is unbelievably quick. He had some games where he was rushing for well over 200 yards and the Huskers looked like the team to beat in the Big 12. If he can become an accurate quarterback and be reliable in the pocket, the Husker offense will be unstoppable. He's just too much of a threat to run the ball. Look for T-Magic to recover and have a really, really good season.

Star Watch: Landry Jones

Landry Jones is the starting quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners. Jones is a 6-foot-4 220 lb beast of a quarterback. Jones went to Artesia High School in New Mexico. Jones was left as the backup quarterback in 2009 after the other back ups transferred. He was just a red shirt freshman when Sam Bradford separated his shoulder during the first game of the season. Jones went on to play most of the rest of the 2009 season. While replacing Bradford, he played admirably. In his first start, he completed three touchdown passes in a 64-0 win over Idaho State. During his junior year he led the Sooners to a Big 12 Championship and a Fiesta Bowl win over Connecticut.

For Jones' junior year, expectations are through the roof. Many expect the Sooners to be the best team in the country, as they rated first in many preseason polls. The pressure will all by on Jones who has the experience necessary to lead this team to a National Title game and contend for the heisman. He is a highly touted prospect for the NFL as many expect him to hear his name called during the first 10 picks of the 2012 draft. He's got a rocket arm and is very accurate.

Justin Blackmon

I've decided to start a little star watch section for the next couple of weeks for Big 12. The first star I've decided to profile is Oklahoma State Wide Receiver Justin Blackmon. Justin Blackmon was an absolute monster last season. Blackmon averaged 10.8 yards on receptions made at or behind the line of scrimmage. He also caught 63.6 percent of passes that targeted him 15 yards or more downfield. The ability to turn any throw into a big gain helped Blackmon lead FBS last season in receiving yards per game. Most notably, he dominated his matchup against Prince Akumara of Nebraska in their head to head.

What to expect for this next season? Expect more of the same from Blackmon. The Cowboys are returning their starting quarterback from last year, Bobby Weeden, who he has great chemistry with. Blackmon could potentially contentd for the Heisman and is surely a first round pick in the next years draft, barring injury.

Big 12 Percentage of Returning Lettermen

In a world where the Big Ten has 12 teams and the Big 12 has ten, sometimes things are not as they seem. I thought, in preparation for this upcoming football year, we could take a look at the ten teams in the Big 12 in terms of their percentage of returning lettermen. The number following their percentage is where that team is ranked on the national scene.

1. Texas A&M -- 80.26% (5th)
2. Missouri -- 79.37% (8th)
3. Oklahoma -- 75% (25th)
4. Texas Tech -- 71.23% (52nd)
5. Texas -- 71.01% (54th)
6. Baylor -- 70.27% (62nd)
7. Oklahoma State -- 69.81% (64th)
8. Kansas State -- 68.18% (78th)
9. Iowa State -- 64.91% (102nd)
10. Kansas -- 63.08% (109th)

You may be as shocked as I am, especially in terms of Kansas.

Iowa State Cyclones Look to Make Waves

With Nebraska jumping ship to the Big Ten and Colorado abandoning the Big 12 for the Pac-10, Iowa State will now play in a Big 12 that should really be named the Big Ten, but that name was taken and Big Ten II isn't pithy. Iowa looks at better odds to be on top this year.

While on tour through the state that has been bracing all spring for heavy floods, a little football talk was more than welcome. Head coach Paul Rhoads was a main attraction, signing autographs and chatting with fans.

Missouri has the smartest Big 12 Athletes

The NCAA released its report on Academic Progress Rates (APR) this week, and every team in the Big 12 was in good standing for the 2009-10 school year.

The APR measures of eligibility and retention for Division I student-athletes for every sport on a term-by-term basis. It was developed as an early indicator of eventual graduation rates.

If any team scores below 925 out of 1,000 it will incur scholarship losses, practice restrictions and other penalties may follow. The rates are based on scores from the 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 academic years.

That 925 ranking equates to about a 60 percent graduation rate.

Here's where the Big 12's programs ranked. Nebraska and Colorado are included, for obvious reasons.

1. Missouri -- 967

2. Oklahoma -- 960

3. Nebraska -- 958

4. Kansas -- 952

5. Baylor -- 951

6. Texas Tech -- 944

7. Oklahoma State -- 942

8. Texas -- 941

9. Kansas State -- 940

9. Texas A&M -- 940

11. Iowa State -- 932

12. Colorado -- 929

2011 Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship Schedule

2011 Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship Schedule
Wednesday, May 25
Game 1 No. 4 Oklahoma State vs. No. 5 Baylor [Big12Sports.com] 9:00 a.m.
Game 2 No. 1 Texas vs. No. 8 Missouri [Big12Sports.com] 12:30 p.m.
Game 3 No. 2 Texas A&M vs. No. 7 Texas Tech [Big12Sports.com] 4:00 p.m.
Game 4 No. 3 Oklahoma vs. No. 6 Kansas State [Big12Sports.com] 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, May 26
Game 5 Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser [Big12Sports.com] 9:00 a.m.
Game 6 Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Loser [Big12Sports.com] 12:30 p.m.
Game 7 Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner [Big12Sports.com] 4:00 p.m.
Game 8 Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner [Big12Sports.com] 7:30 p.m.

Friday, May 27
Game 9 Game 7 Loser vs. Game 5 Winner [Big12Sports.com] 3:15 p.m.
Game 10 Game 8 Loser vs. Game 6 Winner [Big12Sports.com] 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 28
Game 11 Game 7 Winner vs. Game 9 Winner [Big12Sports.com] 9:00 a.m.
Game 12 Game 8 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner [Big12Sports.com] 12:30 p.m.
Game 13* If necessary Game 7 Winner vs. Game 11 Winner [Big12Sports.com] 4:00 p.m.
Game 14** If necessary Game 8 Winner vs. Game 12 Winner [Big12Sports.com] 7:30 p.m.***

Sunday, May 29
Game 15 Championship Game [FSN] 1:00 p.m.

Big 12 Football Media Day 2011

The talking fest known as media day is now set. Team’s have been assigned media days, and below is the schedule. Word is, it will be shown on ESPN News.

Monday, July 25

• Texas A&M
• Baylor
• Oklahoma State
• Missouri
• Texas

Tuesday, July 26

• Texas Tech
• Kansas
• Iowa State
• Kansas State
• Oklahoma

Former Texas A&M quarterback Jerrod Johnson taken first overall

It is every players dream to go first overall in a football draft… just not necessarily the UFL football draft. That being said, former Texas A&M quarterback Jerrod Johnson, who went undrafted in the 2011 NFL draft, was able to live a part of that dream when he was taken first overall in the UFL draft.

Congrats Jerrod, hopefully you can show Big 12 football can tear it up not only in the NFL, but the UFL also.

Shot out to former Oklahoma football player and the charity work they are doing in Africa

We at the Big 12 Football Blogspot would like to take the time and give a shot out to a group of former Oklahoma University and Big 12 football players who are doing an outstanding job showcasing that the Big 12 is bigger than jus being a football conference that entertains fans, it is an organization that develops outstanding athletes that are as much stars on the field as they are off.

Take a look at the charitable group started by former Oklahoma University standouts, Roy Williams, Adrian Peterson, Tommie Harris, Mark Clayton and Gerald McCoy. The group is called, “Pros for Africa”

The group has risen over $100,000 in 2010, and recently joined up with the Starkey Hearing Foundation, which fitted over 2,000 hearing aids for the nation, where hearing loss due to what would likely be a routine ear infection elsewhere is common.

Top 5 potential candidates to win Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year

The current Big 12 offensive player of the year, Oklahoma States junior standout wide receiver Justin Blackmon will look to repeat.

Oklahoma wide receiver Ryan Broyles will be looking for the award also.

However, Texas A&M running back Cyrus Gray will be looking to intercept the award from those two receivers in the state of Oklahoma.

Then on the quarterback side of things, look out for Oklahoma QB Landry Jones and OSU QB Brandon Weeden to contend for the award considering who they are throwing too.

Comment below as to who you think will win.

Oklahoma is the favorite

With yesterdays blog post showing the University of Oklahoma Sooners having the toughest non-conference schedule out of all the Big 12 it means they are looking towards not only a Big 12 title but a national title as well.

With how the idiotic BCS works, it all about strength of schedule, and by having a tough schedule the greater chance you have of going the national championship game.

With the amount of talent the Sooner’s have don’t be surprised if they clean house and win both titles.

That being said, there are many other teams with the potential to destroy Oklahoma’s dream of winning the Big 12 title.

Oklahoma state came close last season, so question can the finally knockoff their rivals.

Texas is the wildcard here. With so much talent, the longhorns are sure to rebound after a disappointing 5-7 season.

Also, Texas A&M was the hottest team in the league at the end of the regular season, but finished the year with a lopsided loss to LSU. Can the Aggies shake it off, as well as the loss of Von Miller, and win their first Big 12 title since 1998.

The Sporting News ranks toughest non-conference schedules

Listed in most difficult to least difficult starting with OU

Oklahoma: Tulsa, at FSU, Ball State

Texas A&M: SMU, Idaho, vs. Arkansas

Texas: Rice, BYU, at UCLA

Iowa State: Northern Iowa, Iowa, at UConn

Oklahoma State: Louisiana-Lafayette, Arizona, at Tulsa

Missouri: Miami OH, at Arizona State, Western Illinois

Baylor: TCU, Stephen F. Austin, Rice

Kansas State: Eastern Kentucky, Kent State, at Miami

Kansas: McNeese State, Northern Illinois, at Georgia Tech

Texas Tech: Texas State, at New Mexico, Nevada

We got Gus Johnson

In the past 10 years no sportscaster has a voice so iconic, so memorable and so entertaining quite like Gus Johnson.

And with The Big 12's new television deal with Fox allowed for games to be broadcast on FX, a network owned by Fox. Fox's newest acquisition means one of college sports' most recognizable voices will be behind the mic for regular games this year, as well as the Cotton Bowl.

Gus Johnson always adds to the game without ever taking away from it. Boy, oh boy am I excited for some Big 12 Football!

ESPN Post Spring Big 12 Rankings

1. Oklahoma

2. Oklahoma State

3. Texas A&M

4. Missouri

5. Baylor

6. Texas Tech

7. Texas

8. Kansas State

9. Iowa State

10. Kansas

Von Miller Goes #2 Overall to Denver Broncos

The highest selected player in the 2011 NFL Draft from the Big 12 was linebacker Von Miller from Texas A&M. He was selected behind Cam Newton, quarterback from Auburn by the Carolina Panthers. Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert went #10 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars who traded up to grab him.

NFL Draft Inches Closer, Blaine Gabbert #1?

The NFL Draft is inching closer, as it is held at the end of the month. The Carolina Panthers hold the #1 pick and will be on the clock first. There have been hundreds of mock drafts and guesses as to what the Carolina Panthers will do. There is no consensus #1 pick, as there is in some draft classes. It seems the race for the #1 pick is between Cam Newton from Auburn, Blaine Gabbert from Missouri, Marcell Dareus from Alabama, and Patrick Peterson of LSU. Most mocks have Newton going #1, but others think Gabbert may sneak in there. Check out the NFL Draft to see if a Big 12 quarterback can go #1!

Spring Practices Underway in Big 12

Spring practice is officially underway in the Big 12. Spring practice, as we all know, is when the programs have a few weeks to practice and showcase a scrimmage, titled the "Spring Game" in front of all the hometown fans. Some spring games get more than 70,000 + fans, including the Texas Longhorns. Spring practice gives the fans a chance to see the depth chart and who has the early lead at roster positions. It also gives the fans a chance to see a little football until August, when the college football season begins.

College Recruiting

In recent weeks, we have seen some NCAA violations. With Oregon, Ohio State, Auburn, etc, violations keep getting reported at a rapid rate. Here's a new one, regarding Patrick Peterson who attended LSU: "Willie Lyles, a Texas-based football trainer who is under NCAA investigation after receiving $25,000 from Oregon, told Texas A&M it had to "beat" $80,000 if it wanted to sign star recruit Patrick Peterson in 2007, a former Texas A&M coach told ESPN on Wednesday." Peterson did not play at A&M and went to LSU where he starred and is now considered a Top Ten pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. The NCAA needs to clean up these money payments and rumors before it gets even worse.

Fiesta Bowl President Fired, Big 12 Comissioner Confident

Earlier this week, the longtime President of the Fiesta Bowl was fired, putting the Fiesta Bowl in jeopardy. The Big 12 has a contractual agreement to send its champion to the Fiesta Bowl if that team is not playing for the national championship. Meaning, the Fiesta Bowl is rather important to the Big 12. The BCS issued a stern statement this week saying the Fiesta Bowl must prove it is worthy of remaining one of the four games that make up the system. BCS executive director Bill Hancock has said the BCS has the authority to revoke the Fiesta Bowl's BCS status even though the event has three years remaining on its contract.

Big 12 Near Huge Deal with FOX

After almost folding last season, the Big 12 is on the verge of securing a big contract with FOX. The deal will pay the 10-team league more than $60 million a year, well up from the $20 million it now receives from its cable contract, industry sources say. This would provide even more exposure with FOX for the Big 12 and it's teams. Big 12 is a big conference and this just made it bigger.

2011 Big 12 Predictions

Big 12 Winner: Oklahoma Sooners

Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year: DeMarco Murray/Bryan Bryoles, Oklahoma

Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year: David Crick, Nebraska

ASU-Missouri Will Battle in 'Friday Night Lights'

When Missouri visits Arizona State on September 9th, 2011, it could feature two nationally ranked teams. The game has been moved to Sept. 9 and will be broadcast on ESPN at 10:30 p.m. ET. September 9th is a Friday night, a day earlier than the game's original date.

It will be the first time ever the Sun Devils have played on a Friday night.

The game will give exposure to both programs as they will be the only teams playing that night.

Get your Missouri Tigers tickets with Ticket King!

Big 12 Offensive Players at NFL Combine

The Big 12 has many players at the NFL Combine hoping to impress scouts. Many analysts use the NFL Combine for how physically ready the players are for the NFL. Here's how some of the Big 12 Offensive Players have faired:

Quarterbacks:

Blaine Gabbert, Missouri
40-yard dash. 4.62 (5)
Broad jump: 10-0 (4)
Vertical jump: 33.5 inches (6)
Three-cone drill: 6.84 seconds (3)
20-yard shuttle: 4.26 seconds (10)

Jerrod Johnson, Texas A&M
40-yard dash: 4.8 (8)
Broad jump: 9-11 (6)
Vertical jump: 29 inches (15)
20-yard shuttle: 4.31 seconds (13)

Running backs

Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma State
40-yard dash: 4.53 (9)
225-pound bench: 24 reps (7)
Vertical jump: 35 inches (12)
Broad jump: 10-2 (4)
Three-cone drill: 6.74 (3)
60-yard shuttle: 11.19 (2)

DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma
40-yard dash: 4.41 (5)
Vertical jump: 34.5 inches (14)
Broad jump: 10-4 (2)
20-yard shuttle: 4.18 (9)

Offensive linemen

Kyle Hix, Texas

40-yard dash: 5.46
Vertical jump: 32 inches (3)
Three-cone drill: 7.77 seconds
20-yard shuttle: 4.78
Broad jump: 8-8 (13)

Danny Watkins, Baylor
40-yard dash: 5.40 (9)
225-pound bench press: 29 reps (9)
Vertical jump: 26 inches
Three-cone drill: 7.61 seconds (15)
20-yard shuttle: 4.62
Broad jump: 7-8

Mack Brown Closes Spring Practice To Media

Mack Brown is not happy with the Texas Longhorns 5-7 record last season. He is taking stephs to make sure that doesn't happen again. With Spring Practice starting Thursday, Mack Brown has decided to close the practices to the media. Brown has closed most of his team practices for several years, but said he decided to close them all this year because he doesn't want any distractions for himself, his players and his staff. It was the first losing season at Texas in 13 years. Mack Brown is keeping all of spring drills closed to the public until the annual team scrimmage on April 3.

Possible 1st Rounders from the Big 12

Mel Kiper released his latest NFL Mock Draft the other day. He had four players from the Big 12 in the first round Mock Draft.

Arizona Cardinals, No. 5: Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M
Washington Redskins, No. 10: Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri
Jacksonville Jaguars, No. 16: Aldon Smith, OLB, Missouri
Baltimore Ravens, No. 26: Aaron Williams, CB, Texas

We will have to see how accurate Mr. Kiper's projections turn out to be.

Counterfiet Ticket Scandal

I know this isn't "Big 12 Football" related but I thought I'd chime in on a certain issue. Recently, sports fans across the country have purchased fradulatent tickets. These tickets have been purchased through Craigslist and other various outlets. That's why purchasing from a reputable company like Ticket King is a safe, secure experience because our tickets come directly from season ticket holders and we verify the identity of all of our sources. Ticket King is truly a place that can be trusted and is the safest source for your ticket needs!

Team Texas Defeats Team Nation 13-7

Team Texas defeated Team Nation 13-7, a game which features NFL Draft Eligible players. It went down to the wire, with linebacker Eddie Jones tackling Damien Berry at the 1-yard line on fourth down with 55 seconds to go, helping Team Texas hold on for a 13-7 victory over Team Nation. Texas Tech quarterback Taylor Potts guided scoring drives the first two times he appeared on the field, and that was enough for Team Texas. The offensive player of the game completed 9 of 15 passes for 107 yards. The game was played in San Antonio, Texas as an NFLPA All-Star Game.

National Signing Day

Today is National Signing Day for college football. High school football prospects across the country will sign national letters of intent with their favorite colleges today, many in front of cameras or friends. Check out the Big 12 Teams and see if your favorite team got those big time recruits that might push them to the top of the Big 12 next season. Here's something to note: 21 of the 22 high school players who committed to sign with the Longhorns on Wednesday attend a Texas high school. The recruiting class of Texas includes seven players ranked in the ESPNU 150. That is very remarkable.