Football 2016: A look at the Big 12 Conference race
1. Oklahoma
Coach: Bob Stoops, 18th season, 179-46
2015: 11-2, 8-1 Big 12 (1st)
Projected record: 11-1, 8-1
Overview: The Sooners have everything in place for a national championship run. Baker Mayfield is the top returning quarterback in the Big 12 anWd running backs Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon are also tops at their position. They will be heavily favored to win the Big 12 and qualify for college football’s playoff.
Key player: Mayfield made a world of difference last season, lifting Oklahoma from eight to 11 wins as the team’s starting quarterback. If he matures as a player, the Sooners will be tough to beat.
Come December: Oklahoma has what it takes to go undefeated, but no Big 12 team has accomplished that feat in its current 10-team setup. And early games against Houston and Ohio State won’t be easy. It’s fair to guess the Sooners drop at least one game.
Date | Opponent | W/L |
Sept. 3 | Houston | W |
Sept. 10 | La.-Monroe | W |
Sept. 17 | Ohio St. | W |
Oct. 1 | at TCU | L |
Oct. 8 | Texas (at Dallas) | W |
Oct. 15 | Kansas St. | W |
Oct. 22 | at Texas Tech | W |
Oct. 29 | Kansas | W |
Nov. 3 | at Iowa St. | W |
Nov. 12 | Baylor | W |
Nov. 19 | at West Virginia | W |
Dec. 3 | Oklahoma St. | W |
2. TCU
Coach: Gary Patterson, 16th season, 143-47
2015: 11-2, 7-2 Big 12 (T2nd)
Projected record: 10-2, 7-2
Overview: The Horned Frogs overcome seemingly endless injuries and drama to win 11 games last season. The players that stepped up a year ago now have experience and appear ready for more. TCU has the look of the Big 12’s best team after Oklahoma.
Key player: Who will replace Trevone Boykin at quarterback? Kenny Hill, a Texas A&M transfer seems like the most logical option. The Horned Frogs’ offense will go as far as the once-touted recruit can take it.
Come December: TCU gets the benefit of playing Arkansas, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State at home, but road games with West Virginia, Baylor and Texas will test the Horned Frogs. Expect them to land several big wins and contend for a Big 12 championship.
Date | Opponent | W/L |
Sept. 3 | South Dakota St. | W |
Sept. 10 | Arkansas | W |
Sept. 17 | Iowa St. | W |
Sept. 23 | at SMU | W |
Oct. 1 | Oklahoma | W |
Oct. 22 | at West Virginia | L |
Oct. 29 | Texas Tech | W |
Nov. 5 | at Baylor | W |
Nov. 19 | Oklahoma St. | W |
Nov. 25 | at Texas | L |
Dec. 3 | Kansas St. | W |
3. West Virginia
Coach: Dana Holgorsen, sixth season, 36-28
2015: 8-5, 4-5 Big 12 (T5th)
Projected record: 9-3, 6-3
Overview: The Mountaineers have traditionally underachieved under Holgorsen, but they may finally have the talent to finish near the top of the Big 12 standings.
Key player: Skyler Howard. The quarterback returns after throwing for 532 yards in the Cactus Bowl.
Come December: West Virginia won’t win the Big 12, but it could play spoiler for several other teams.
Date | Opponent | W/L |
Sept. 3 | Missouri | W |
Sept. 10 | Youngstown St. | W |
Sept. 24 | BYU (at Landover, Md.) | W |
Oct. 1 | Kansas St. | W |
Oct. 15 | at Texas Tech | L |
Oct. 22 | TCU | W |
Oct. 29 | at Oklahoma St. | L |
Nov. 5 | Kansas | W |
Nov. 12 | at Texas | W |
Nov. 19 | Oklahoma | L |
Nov. 26 | at Iowa St. | W |
Dec. 3 | Baylor | W |
T4. Kansas State
Coach: Bill Snyder, 25th season, 193-101-1
2015: 6-7, 3-6 (8th)
Projected record: 7-5, 5-4
Overview: K-State overcame injuries at vital positions to reach a bowl game last season. Wins should be easier to come by with a healthy roster.
Key player: Byron Pringle. The Wildcats badly need someone to stretch the field on offense. It will be up to Pringle to do exactly that at wide receiver.
Come December: K-State will be an improved team, but six challenging road games (including the opener at Stanford) will temper expectations.
Date | Opponent | W/L |
Sept. 2 | at Stanford | L |
Sept. 17 | Florida Atlantic | W |
Sept. 24 | Missouri St. | W |
Oct. 1 | at West Virginia | L |
Oct. 8 | Texas Tech | W |
Oct. 15 | at Oklahoma | L |
Oct. 22 | Texas | W |
Oct. 29 | at Iowa St. | W |
Nov. 5 | Oklahoma St. | W |
Nov. 19 | at Baylor | L |
Nov. 26 | Kansas | W |
Dec. 3 | at TCU | L |
T4. Oklahoma State
Coach: Mike Gundy, 12th season, 94-47
2015: 10-3, 7-2 (T2nd)
Projected record: 8-4, 5-4
Overview: Oklahoma State was fortunate to win several close games a year ago. It returns enough talent to challenge for a Big 12 championship, but will it have the same luck this season?
Key player: Barry J. Sanders. His father was one of the best running backs in college footbal history. Everyone is eager to see what his son can do for the Cowboys.
Come December: The Cowboys will be in contention for a major bowl, but closing games at TCU and Oklahoma will prevent them from having a great year.
Date | Opponent | W/L |
Sept. 3 | SE Louisiana | W |
Sept. 10 | Central Michigan | W |
Sept. 17 | Pittsburgh | W |
Sept. 24 | at Baylor | L |
Oct. 1 | Texas | W |
Oct. 8 | Iowa St. | W |
Oct. 22 | at Kansas | W |
Oct. 29 | West Virginia | W |
Nov. 5 | at Kansas St. | L |
Nov. 12 | Texas Tech | W |
Nov. 19 | at TCU | L |
Dec. 3 | at Oklahoma | L |
T6. Baylor
Coach: Jim Grobe, first season
2015: 10-3, 6-3 (4th)
Projected record: 7-5, 4-5
Overview: Baylor has the talent to compete for a Big 12 championship, but a coaching change and endless off-the-field drama won’t be easy to overcome.
Key player: Quarterback Seth Russell missed most of last season with an injury, and Baylor will benefit from his return. He is one of the best passers around.
Come December: Grobe is a good coach, but he won’t match the levels of success Baylor reached under Art Briles.
Date | Opponent | W/L |
Sept. 2 | Northwestern St. | W |
Sept. 10 | SMU | W |
Sept. 16 | at Rice | W |
Sept. 24 | Oklahoma St. | W |
Oct. 1 | at Iowa St. | L |
Oct. 15 | Kansas | W |
Oct. 29 | at Texas | L |
Nov. 5 | TCU | L |
Nov. 12 | at Oklahoma | L |
Nov. 19 | Kansas St. | W |
Nov. 25 | Texas Tech (at Arlington, Texas) | W |
Dec. 3 | at West Virginia | L |
T6. Texas Tech
Coach: Kliff Kingsbury, 19-19 in three seasons
2015: 7-6, 4-5 (T5th)
Projected record: 7-5, 4-5
Overview: The Red Raiders will be an offensive juggernaut this season behind quarterback Patrick Mahomes, but will they have enough defense to make a run at 10 wins?
Key player: After Baker Mayfield, Mahomes is the best quarterback in the conference.
Come December: Texas Tech typically starts strong and fades as the season nears its end. Expect more of the same this year.
Date | Opponent | W/L |
Sept. 3 | Stephen F. Austin | W |
Sept. 10 | at Arizona St. | W |
Sept. 17 | Louisiana Tech | W |
Sept. 29 | Kansas | W |
Oct. 8 | at Kansas St. | L |
Oct. 15 | West Virginia | W |
Oct. 22 | Oklahoma | L |
Oct. 29 | at TCU | L |
Nov. 5 | Texas | W |
Nov. 12 | at Oklahoma St. | L |
Nov. 19 | at Iowa St. | W |
Nov. 25 | Baylor (at Arlington, Texas) | L |
T6. Texas
Coach: Charlie Strong, third season, 11-14
2015: 5-7, 4-5 (T5th)
Projected record: 6-6, 4-5
Overview: Texas was one of the strangest teams to figure last season. The Longhorns beat Oklahoma and Baylor, yet finished with a losing record. Strong needs to show progress if he wants to return for a fourth year.
Key player: Shane Buechele or Tyrone Swoopes. Texas needs to find a productive quarterback early and stick with him. Poor QB play has plagued the Longhorns in recent years.
Come December: Texas has won on signing day under Strong, but that talent will need time to help the team win on the field. Expect mediocre results this season.
Date | Opponent | W/L |
Sept. 4 | Notre Dame | L |
Sept. 10 | UTEP | W |
Sept. 17 | at California | W |
Oct. 1 | at Oklahoma St. | L |
Oct. 8 | Oklahoma (at Dallas) | L |
Oct. 15 | Iowa St. | W |
Oct. 22 | at Kansas St. | L |
Oct. 29 | Baylor | W |
Nov. 5 | at Texas Tech | L |
Nov. 12 | West Virginia | L |
Nov. 19 | at Kansas | W |
Nov. 25 | TCU | W |
9. Iowa State
Coach: Matt Campbell, first season
2015: 3-9, 2-7 (9th)
Projected record: 4-8, 2-7
Overview: Iowa State has talent at the skill positions and Campbell has pumped much-needed energy into the Cyclones, but they lack skill up front and on defense.
Key player: In-state receiver Allen Lazard should be one of the top offensive weapons in the Big 12.
Come December: The Cyclones may sneak up on some teams this season, but a bowl game seems out of reach.
Date | Opponent | W/L |
Sept. 3 | Northern Iowa | W |
Sept. 10 | at Iowa | L |
Sept. 17 | at TCU | L |
Sept. 24 | San Jose St. | W |
Oct. 1 | Baylor | W |
Oct. 8 | at Oklahoma St. | L |
Oct. 15 | at Texas | L |
Oct. 29 | Kansas St. | L |
Nov. 3 | Oklahoma | L |
Nov. 12 | at Kansas | W |
Nov. 19 | Texas Tech | L |
Nov. 26 | West Virginia | L |
10. Kansas
Coach: David Beaty, second season, 0-12
2015: 0-12, 0-9 (10th)
Projected record: 2-10, 0-9
Overview: There is little doubt the Jayhawks will be improved and win their first game under Beaty, but life will still rough in the Big 12. After Rhode Island and Ohio, wins may be hard to come by.
Key player: Fish Smithson led the nation in solo tackles last season and will be the unquestioned leader of the KU defense.
Come December: KU fans will have already turned their attention to the basketball court.
Date | Opponent | W/L |
Sept. 3 | Rhode Island | W |
Sept. 10 | Ohio | W |
Sept. 17 | at Memphis | L |
Sept. 29 | at Texas Tech | L |
Oct. 8 | TCU | L |
Oct. 15 | at Baylor | L |
Oct. 22 | Oklahoma St. | L |
Oct. 29 | at Oklahoma | L |
Nov. 5 | at West Virginia | L |
Nov. 12 | Iowa St. | L |
Nov. 19 | Texas | L |
Dec. 3 | at Kansas St. | L |
This story was originally published August 22, 2016 at 5:30 PM with the headline "Football 2016: A look at the Big 12 Conference race."