SB Nation Big 12 Roundtable Week Six: Rank The Conferences

by ccmachine on Oct 7, 2009 11:19 AM CDT in Football Comment 13 comments

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This week's roundtable is being hosted by our friends at Corn Nation. In this week's conversation we rank the conferences, discuss the Sooners and compare New York to Shreveport. As always your input is welcomed and make sure to tune back in this evening or in the morning to see the recap at Corn Nation.

I'm sure everybody had preseason predictions for their team. Now that we're a few games in, revise your predictions with your best and worst case scenarios (being reasonable on both sides), and then revising your prediction for the season result.

With the OU/Texas game just around the corner and then trips to Kansas, Nebraska and Texas Tech looming I think that we have to assume that Oklahoma is going to drop a few more games this season.

Obviously there is still a chance that the Sooners could play in a BCS bowl if they win the conference but the realm of reality is telling us something different right now. Until the Sooners prove that they can block, catch, cover and tackle the more realistic possibility, for right now, is OU ending up in the Cotton or Holiday Bowl.

2. In 2010, the Big 12 will send it's 7th place team to play in a new bowl game to be played at Yankee Stadium, replacing the Independence Bowl in Shreveport. What's your take on this move? Is it a good move for players? Is it a good move for the conference? Is it a good move for fans?

How Can This Not Be A Better Option?

Have you ever been to Shreveport? There's no way that this isn't a good move for the Big 12. I just wish that it was for the 3^rd or 4^th place team instead of the 7^th. As it is we are rewarding the team that just barely finishes ahead of Baylor in the South or Iowa State in Colorado in the North with a trip to Yankee Stadium in New York City.

In year's past that team has gotten what they deserved for barely qualifying to make it to a postseason game. Now why the second place team is in Dallas and the other teams that finished ahead of 7^th in the conference are bound for San Diego, Jacksonville, San Antonio and possibly even Boise this team and their fans are rewarded with New York City.

The options for fans and experience for players in New York, as well as the publicity for the conference, will be unrivaled. Especially when you consider that this is replacing Shreveport.

3. Oklahoma is now 2-2, with one of those victories coming against a winless 1-AA team. Will all be well in Soonerland once Sam Bradford returns?

It depends on what your definition of, "all is well" is. Will the Sooners become a BCS championship caliber team with Bradford back? No! It's questionable if they can even rise to the caliber of a Big 12 Champion. OU's problems go beyond Bradford. The receiving corps struggles to catch passes, the offensive line struggles to hold blocks and pick up blitzes and the linebackers are struggling in coverage.

Sam Bradford's return means that the Sooners have their Heisman quarterback and the experience and leadership of a two-year starter. Unfortunately I'm not sure that will be enough at this point.

4. This week, Missouri and Nebraska face off on an ESPN Thursday night broadcast at 8 pm. Last Thursday, Colorado lost to West Virginia. Missouri and Colorado both have played Friday night road games. What's your take on non-Saturday games?

As a guy who starts going through college football withdraws on Sunday morning I love the weeknight games. Last night I watch Middle Tennessee State and Troy, which was a painful display for football.

Having Colorado, Missouri and now Nebraska involved in these games just gives me more of a vested interested. This is a huge game also as the winner will have the inside track to the North Division championship because they control their own destiny. When I can't wait until Saturday these games give me the "fix" that I need and a game of this magnitude is icing on the cake to me.

5. It seems everybody is in agreement that the bottom three teams in the North are the bottom three teams in the conference. Is the gap growing, and which of these teams is going to break out of the cellar first. Or is it hopeless?

How much has Dan Hawkins stock dropped? That dude makes the stock market plunge look slow and gradual. With the resurgence of Nebraska, the steady rise of Kansas and the maintenance of Missouri the upper North is distancing itself from the lower.

Yes, Kansas State, Iowa State and Colorado are the three worst teams in the conference. Even without Robert Griffin Baylor would finish ahead of these guys if they played in the North. I don't know that all is hopeless though. Colorado has the glory days of a national championship to look back on, Kansas State will always have the 2003 season as a measuring stick and Iowa State...well...um...maybe there is one case of hopelessness.

6. Rank all of the division 1 football conferences from top to bottom. Not just the BCS conferences (ACC, Big 12, Big 10/11, Big East, Pac 10, SEC), but the others (MAC, Conference USA, WAC, Mountain West, Sun Belt) as well. Who's the strongest conference, and who's the pretender?

S.E.C. - Crap! I hate to admit that.

Big 12

Big 10

ACC

Pac 10

Mountain West

Big East

WAC

Conference USA

MAC

Sun Belt

7. PowerPoll time. Rank 'em 1 to 12 based on who you think would be the victor on a neutral field.

Texas

Nebraska

Oklahoma State

Kansas

Missouri

Oklahoma

Texas Tech

Texas A&M

Baylor

Kansas State

Colorado

Iowa State

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Comments

Cotton or Holliday Bowl?

um…I’m counting at least 5 losses, and maybe 6-6. Not sure 7-5 gets us the Holiday Bowl. I’m not sure that gets the Alamo Bowl either. We are looking at the independence Bowl, The Insight Bowl (which I doubt would take us since the team has been to Phoenix several times over the last few years), or the Texas Bowl.

But hey…we are a basketball school now.

by Redhawk on Oct 7, 2009 3:37 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I don't think it's that bad

At least I hope not!

by ccmachine on Oct 7, 2009 3:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

2 losses already

Texas, @ Nebraska, and @ Kansas. That’s 5 losses. Drop one to OSU or Tech, and you are at 6-6. To get the Cotton or the Holiday Bowl, OU is going to have to upset someone, or two someones.

Oh, and your power poll this week is the same as mine.

but hey…basketball is only a month away!

by Redhawk on Oct 7, 2009 6:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Here's My Take On That

Texas – Hate to say it but most likely will beat us
Nebraska – Will be a struggle but their offense really may be worse than ours
Kansas – Two words, “no” “defense”

I’m expecting one more loss and that’s it.

by ccmachine on Oct 8, 2009 8:47 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I hope you are right

by scarab on Oct 8, 2009 5:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh...it got worse

so, I was wondering if any of the guess-perts had bow prediticions out yet. Turns out they do

This one compiles 4 different sources, and is up to date this week, and only ONE had OU going to any bowl. That’s right….only one (cbs) has OU going to the Holliday Bowl. (vs Cal)

2 of them picked Baylor to go to the Texas bowl, and one picked Colorado to go to the Independence Bowl. Baylor got selected more than OU did just to go ANY bowl.

by Redhawk on Oct 7, 2009 9:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

No Way OU loses to Kansas or Nebraska...

No way. OU will not lose to Kansas and I really don’t think Nebraska is going to roll over the Sooners. We have lost two games by a grand total of two combined points. We’ve been tested by playing good teams and this will become obvious when we leave Lincoln and Lawrence with W’s. As to Texas, if Brent decides to not come out of the fetal position, we’ll lose. If we play that horrendous 4-3-4 Zone defense, we’ll lose. If Kevin Wilson calls draw plays on 3rd downs, we’ll lose. If Cory Brandon plays, we’ll receive an enormous amount of penalties. If the OU-UT game is close and comes down to the wire, we’ll more than likely lose. However, if Bob Stoops decides to wake up (which I doubt will happen because in his eyes everything and everyone of his coordinators are doing an outstanding job) and realize that Brent and Kevin are failing, maybe there will be a chance. One factor on OU’s side going into the OU-UT game is that OU has played two decent teams, Texas has not played one…..BOOMER!

by EnragedOUfan on Oct 8, 2009 2:36 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

glad to see some optimism

I don’t have it, at the moment. OU’s record on the road against ranked teams is not good. I don’t see a reason for it to change against Nebraska or Kansas. I don’t think this OU team is very good, and by that I mean coaching.

by Redhawk on Oct 8, 2009 10:09 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

reply fail....that was to EnragedOUfan

by Redhawk on Oct 8, 2009 10:10 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

+100000

The road record and the performance of Bob Stoops teams on the road ranges from dismal to poor to down embarrassing at times. The record for road games decided by margins of 4 points or less is not a thing to even discuss.

I love Bob Stoops but something has to change soon. I can wait till the season is over, but change has to happen. New ideas, new schemes, more football education for the co-ordinators and assistants, even the possibility of OC/DC/Asst changes.

It amazes me that on Saturday night, Sunday morning, and all day Monday on the sports animal every broadcaster on every show was calling for heads in the OC/DC area. Starting Wednesday most of these pundits have changed their tune and now these same people are saying us fans are IDIOTS, there is no basis for our disappointment in coaches etc. Oh well, money, good ole boy networking and friendships talks. Our BS as always walks. Worse than politics.

by scarab on Oct 8, 2009 5:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I seriously can't see either cordinator staying

BUT, I can see Stoops getting stubborn, about out side pressure making them leave, and wanting to control that.

I’ll say it now: I don’t think Stoops looks like he is enjoying himself. Hasn’t for a long time. He looks stressed and pissed off when talking to the media. I think Stoops will not be back next year.

Like when Tubbs left (who i LOVED) it’s not that Stoops is doing a bad job, but I think both OU and Stoops need a change. (and before anyone says “but who you is OU going to get?”, I had no clue who Stoops was when they hired him, so there are coaches out there.)

by Redhawk on Oct 8, 2009 7:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The King said it best

OU football is a monster and he just (has to or else) feeds it. The same can be said about the Basketball team as well.

Redhawk you brought up some insightful points and observations. I have noticed Bob’s demeanor during pressers this year. Interesting take on it. He is already defensive with his coordinators for sure.

Let’s assume Bob stays, he does not seem to be the type to push both out the same year. Pushing both out at the same time could be a rough deal for the team next year. Have you ever heard of anything like that? What were the results the next year?. If he decides to push one which one do you think he would push. Which one should he push?

My thought is to push Venables. My reasoning is,1) the defense has been bad for quite a few seasons, 2) the offense has shown signs of being productive quite a few seasons, 3) sends a strong and clear message to the current and incoming staff, win and help me feed this monster or you are gone.

I remember when Smack Clown was under pressure at UT and in public Deloss Dodds was not making any show of anything. Smack quietly went thru several coordinators one at a time and now UT is doing quite well. I wonder how Bob and Joe C are looking at out situation at OU?

by scarab on Oct 9, 2009 8:38 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't have specific

but I know it’s been done. But when the pressure to fire a coordinator or two comes from out side, the head coach is usually not too far behind them.

Feeding the monster is a good term, and one I was thinking of. The Big 12 championships are great, but then to fall flat time after time in the Big Bowl Games, and National championship games has hurt OU and it’s fans, and it’s national perception more than they have help.

by Redhawk on Oct 9, 2009 10:12 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs