![]() But then comes a Big 12 slate that sees challenging road games at both Oklahoma and Baylor, and a road trip to Kansas State could present challenges, too, depending on what the Wildcats turn out to be. Regarding the schedule, there's no reason Oklahoma State shouldn't be 3-0 on paper exiting nonconference play. And on offense, there is still a desired level of consistency that quarterback Spencer Sanders has yet to reach, with Sanders still too often plagued by turnovers. ![]() Defense is a particular concern compared to a year ago given the departures of coordinator Jim Knowles and a handful of key players from the secondary. Home games for Texas in the Big 12 this year are TCU, Baylor, Iowa State and West Virginia, while the road slate - not including the annual trek to the Cotton Bowl against OU - features Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Kansas and Texas Tech.Īthlon sees the Cowboys taking a step back after winning 12 games and posting an AP Top 10 finish a year ago, joining the party as one of five (!) teams to end things with five wins in Big 12 play. Athlon projects progress, but only in the form of two wins, and 7-5 mark isn't exactly something Texas fans are aspiring for in the fall. That said, Ewers remains unproven as college starter, and there also questions in the trenches and across defense, as the Longhorns look to bounce back from a 5-7 finish last fall. That overall mark of 7-5 might be 8-4 most years, but Texas, of course, gets the brutal task of taking on Alabama as part of its nonconference slate this fall. That said, there's no denying the skill talent - or should we say skill potential - that Texas has on offense with names like running back Bijan Robinson, wideout Xavier Worthy and quarterback Quinn Ewers. The Big 12 has wide variance on paper, and Athlon projects the Texas Longhorns to join the party of teams finishing at 5-4 within conference play. Martinez/American-Statesman, USA TODAY Sports) Will WVU be able to scrap five wins out of that combined? If they can, Neal Brown will be feeling perhaps a little better about his job security. Road games include Texas, Iowa State, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. Come conference play, WVU will almost assuredly be favored in home games over TCU and Kansas if all goes according to plan, and gets the benefit of hosting Baylor, K-State and Oklahoma all as well. But the Panthers lost two of their top playmakers from a year ago in quarterback Kenny Pickett and receiver Jordan Addison, while the Hokies have a new regime led by Brent Pry. As far as West Virginia's schedule is concerned, the nonconference slate isn't necessarily a cakewalk, as it includes road games to both Pitt in the return of the Backyard Brawl and later a trek to Lane Stadium to face Virginia Tech. If the Mountaineers do go 5-4 in Big 12 play, it will likely have much to do with transfer quarterback JT Daniels after the team won the sweepstakes for the former five-star, who had previous stints with USC and Georgia. Projections feature both overall records and conference win totals. But for now, let's take a glance at what our friends at the magazine are projecting in regards to the Big 12 pecking order this fall. CLICK HERE to download the CBS Sports Mobile App and get the latest on your team today.Īthlon recently released its preview for the 2022 college football season, which you can purchase in print for yourself if you want to see more predictions of how things will shake out. Get the fastest scores, stats, news, LIVE videos, and more. ![]() That, however, didn't stop Athlon Sports from taking on the task. ![]() When it comes to the phrase "any given Saturday," the Big 12 could certainly could embody that nicely in 2022. Win-loss variances for most of the league's 10 teams entering the fall are relatively wide, which sets up the potential for highly entertaining football but football that is also wildly hard to forecast. What's to be expected from the Big 12 Conference on the football field in 2022? That's a question many are asking and few have a concrete answer for.
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