With less than three weeks now until the opening of the 2020 College Football season in the Big 12, it is time to start talking some football. Today, we take a look at what the upcoming season holds for each team within the conference, and take a shot at predicting where they will be when the regular season concludes on December 5th.
Here are our record predictions for the revised 2020 Big 12 schedule:
- Baylor Bears: The Bears are a hard team to get a read on. Sure, they are coming off of a fantastic year that saw them finish 11-3, but gone is their leader Matt Rhule and several starters on the defensive side of the football. Dave Aranda did not have the ideal first offseason with his team due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and this could show if the team gets off to a rusty start. If Quarterback Charlie Brewer can remain healthy for the entire season, the Bears should reach bowl eligibility. If not, it could be a long rebuilding season for Baylor. We expect them to finish at the .500 mark, providing an ideal start to the Aranda era after a not so ideal beginning.
Record: 5-5 (4-5 Big 12) - Iowa State Cyclones: 2020 has been a weird year to say the least. It would only be capped off if the Cyclones can somehow win the Big 12 this season — but we just don’t see that happening. We expect them to be a tough outing for each team they face, but they will once again fail to capture the marquee wins that would finally put them over the top. Quarterback Brock Purdy should be solid as usual, and the defense will be a headache to teams up and down the conference. It will be another winning season under Head Coach Matt Campbell, but he must begin to produce more if he ever wishes to land a head coaching job in the coveted Big Ten or SEC.
Record: 6-4 (5-4 Big 12) - Kansas Jayhawks: We believe that Head Coach Les Miles will eventually make the Jayhawks a competitive force in the Big 12, but 2020 will not be that season. Gone is Quarterback Carter Stanley and several starters on the defensive side of the football. The team still does not have the talent to compete with the other nine teams in the conference, and it will be business as usual in Lawrence as they win their opener and drop the following nine conference games.
Record: 1-9 (0-9 Big 12) - Kansas State Wildcats: Chris Klieman was able to capture lightening in a bottle during his first season in Manhattan. However, with the bulk of his offensive line gone from 2019, and we may just see Quarterback Alex Thompson running for his life. The Wildcats will be a team that hovers around the .500 mark all season, and should get to bowl eligibility pending they can pull an upset or two.
Record: 4-6 (3-6 Big 12) - Oklahoma Sooners: Gone is Jalen Hurts, but there is not much of a dropoff expected at the quarterback position with Spencer Rattler. The former 5-star recruit is set to be the next great quarterback prospect under Head Coach Lincoln Riley, though it may take him some time to get acclimated to Power 5 College Football. Defensive Coordinator Alex Grinch should continue to help his unit improve, and could potentially lead one of the top defenses in the Big 12. The Sooners will once again be in the Big 12 Championship Game.
Record: 9-2 (8-1 Big 12) - Oklahoma State Cowboys: Mike Gundy’s squad is one of the most talented teams in the entire conference. Returning is the nation’s leading rusher in Chuba Hubbard and talented quarterback Spencer Sanders. The offensive line will somewhat be in a rebuilding mode, but the talented backfield will be enough to overcome that issue. The Cowboys’ defense should be able to produce in order to give the offense a chance to outscore everyone. It will be a solid year in Stillwater, but they are still a year or so away from making an appearance in the conference championship game.
Record: 8-2 (7-2 Big 12) - Texas Longhorns: The Longhorns are possibly the most intriguing team in the conference. It seems like we have been waiting on them to be “back” for a century now, but 2020 could be the year we finally see them breakthrough. Sam Ehlinger will be a man on a mission in what could potentially be his final year in Austin if he decides to forego his extra year of eligibility given by the NCAA. This season has the feel like it is going to be Texas’ year.
Record: 10-1 (8-1 Big 12) - TCU Horned Frogs: Potentially losing starting quarterback Alex Duggan for the entire season is a massive blow for the Horned Frogs. The true sophomore showed flashes last season, and his absence could hold back the offense tremendously. Gary Patterson’s defense will be above par as usual, but the team will still struggle to make the postseason once again. It may be another year or two before TCU is able to put it all together and make a run again.
Record: 4-6 (4-5 Big 12) - Texas Tech Red Raiders: The Red Raiders should be an interesting team to watch in 2020, but do not expect them to be competitive for the majority of the season. Quarterback Alan Bowman returns, but considering his record of injury, it is hard to see him starting all ten games this season. The offense should once again provide some fireworks, but don’t expect Texas Tech to be lights out on defense. Lubbock, Texas is at yet another holiday season spent at home.
Record: 3-7 (2-7 Big 12) - West Virginia Mountaineers: Neal Brown’s second year at the helm should undoubtedly be better than the first. Now that he has found his signal-caller in Jarret Doege (pending him winning the quarterback competition), the offense will take a step forward in 2020. Losing Defensive Coordinator Vic Koenning hurts, but that unit has enough talent and solid coaching to make up for his absence. This will not be a season where WVU pulls any major upsets, but they should be competitive in every game.
Record: 6-4 (5-4 Big 12) - Conference Championship Game:
Texas vs. Oklahoma
Winner: Texas
