The 2013 NCAA football season is upon us. It seems like just yesterday when Alabama and Notre Dame were meeting for the national title which actually occurred on January 7th. I apologize to Fighting Irish fans everywhere for that reminder. So who will meet for the 2014 national trophy (that is of course except for most likely Alabama again)? Perhaps it will be a member of the Big 12. We will take a quick look at the oddly named Big 12 Conference, given there are only 10 members, beginning with the lower tier of teams and working our way to the top. Kansas Jayhawk fans enjoyed all of one victory last year with “legend in his own mind” Charlie Weis at the helm. To make matters worse, the one win came against South Dakota. The offense has a potential difference maker in running back, James Sims (jersey no. 29), who has run for 9 touchdowns in each of the last 3 seasons (27 total).The Jayhawks enter the 2013 campaign on a 21 game, Big 12 losing streak. Both Iowa State and West Virginia were disappointments to Cyclone fans and Mountaineer fans respectively with Iowa State finishing 6-7 and West Virginia starting 5-0 only to go 0-5 before ending the season at 7-6. Gone is luckynumber 7, QB Geno Smith to the “Big Apple” NFL Jets. TCU has the potential to surprise even their own Horned Frog fans this season. Much will depend upon how QB Casey Pachall (#4) comes back from the personal issues he was forced to address last year. Texas Tech has a new coach in Kliff Kingsbury who may find it tough to replace Tommy Tuberville. QB Seth Doege is also gone making the task even more difficult. Red Raiders fans hope the defense can make up for a weak offense. In the Lone Star State, Coach Mack Brown is on one of the hottest seats in college football. Longhorn fans won’t stand for another 5-4 campaign. Whether Brown survives has everything to do with the play of Belton, Texas native QB David Ash (#14). Another Big 12 coach will have his hands full this year, with him being Bob Stoops. Stoops is a well-respected presence on the Sooners sideline, but replacing QB Landry Jones and top WR Kenny Stills will be nearly impossible. Their replacements are Blake “Belldozer” Bell at quarterback wearing popular jersey number 10 and senior RB Damien Williams (#26). The sky in Waco, Texas may be the limit for Bears fans if Baylor begins 2013 the way they ended 2012. Their 4 game winning streak at last years end included victories against Kansas State, Oklahoma State and UCLA in the Holiday Bowl. Speaking of the Oklahoma State Cowboys, they have 7 of last year’s 11 starters returning on each side of the ball. They have perhaps the best pass defense in the conference and may be poised to make a run at the Big 12 crown if they can find stability at quarterback. Finally, you have to like Kansas State to repeat as Big 12 champs. It won’t be easy after losing 10 players on defense along with last year’s Heisman Trophy candidate QB Collin Klein. The main thing fans wearing the Wildcat jersey in Manhattan have going for them is the conference’s best coach in Bill Snyder who is entering his 22nd season.
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AuthorI love college sports, especially football. You may not always agree with me, but you will see I'm passionate. Archives
September 2017
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