The Big 12 currently has 10 teams while the Big Ten has 12, a somewhat confusing scenario buried deep in the logic of marketing a brand name. Sully’s CFP is good with it and is moving on, 10 is 12 & 12 is 10 …. got it!! The Big 12 once had 12 teams (Thus the name … Big 12 …. go figure) and divisions (North & South), but with Missouri and Texas A&M departure to the SEC, coupled with Nebraska moving to the Big 10 and Colorado’s exit to the PAC 12; the additions of TCU and West Virginia have left the conference with 10 teams and a nine game conference round robin schedule!
Please keep in mind these are Pre-spring projections and Sully’s CFP will adjust accordingly in mid to late Summer as the season approaches …. injuries, transfers, arrests, and so on… impacting a respective team’s season.
The Sully’s CFP Staff which consists of Young Sully (YS) & Old Sully (OS) met in the Wausau Mall over Bourbon Chicken to review the Big 12’s 2013 schedule and predict winners in their 120 game slate, 90 in the League and 30 Non-Conference tilts.
Baylor:
Non-Conference Games: The Bears play 2 FBS teams, Buffalo (MAC) and Louisiana Monroe (Sun Belt) @ home and 1 BCS team, on the road, Southern Methodists, (Big East … Well used to be Big East … Now the Big East is the American Athletic Conference, AAC, not to be confused with the ACC) SMU was a former member of C-USA. YS thinks 3-0, The Bears handle in-state rival SMU, the rest is clear sailing. OS has the Bears going 2-1 vs their Non-Conference opponents, losing to SMU, June Jones & staff find a way in Gerald J. Ford stadium.
Conference Games: Baylor plays 5 of their 9 conference games at home. They open in Waco against West Virginia, followed by Iowa State, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, and concluding their home schedule vs Texas. The Bears travel to Kansas State, Kansas, OSU, & TCU. YS says 3-2 @ home, falling to OU & Texas & 2 & 2 on the road beating Kansas State & Kansas. OS has the Bears 3-2 @ home, beating West Virginia, ISU & Texas Tech @ Floyd Casey Stadium, but falling to OU & the “Horns”; while on the road, the Bears go 1-3, beating only Kansas! YS 5-4 …. OS 4-5
Overall: YS says 8-4, while OS predicts 6-6, in either scenario, Baylor, will be bowling in the second season!
Iowa State:
Non-Conference Games: The Cyclones take on 1 BCS team, in-state rival, Iowa (Big Ten), 1 FCS team, Northern Iowa (Missouri Valley) @ home & 1 FBS opponent , Tulsa (C-USA) on the road. YS believes ISU handles its major challenge, in-state rival Iowa, to go 3-0 in Non-Conference play. OS has ISU going 2-1, winning the two battles for Iowa dominance, but falling to the Golden Hurricanes while in Oklahoma. The Cyclones & Hurricanes played twice a year ago, ISU won in the regular season game, 38-23 while Tulsa prevailed in the bowl game, 31-17.
Conference Games: ISU has 4 conference @ home & 5 on the road! Texas, OSU, TCU, & Kansas are in Ames, while Cyclones must travel to Texas Tech, Baylor, Kansas State, Oklahoma, & West Virginia. YS predicts 6-3 …. 3-1 @ home, losing to only OSU. On the road, YS believes ISU goes 3-2, falling to OU & WV. OS says 3-6 overall, ISU beats Kansas @ home and West Virginia in Morgantown & Texas Tech in Lubbock; but lose @ Oklahoma, Baylor, & Kansas State and fall at home, to OSU, Texas, & TCU.
Overall: YS has the Cyclones 8-4 & active in the second season, while OS projects ISU @ 5-7 and home for the Bowl season.Typically, this not a good prediction, when you factor in Paul Rhodes, The Cyclones Coach; this guy’s team always seem to overachieve.
Kansas:
Non-Conference Games: The Jayhawks do not play a BCS opponent in 2013. They line up against 2 FBS teams, Rice, on the road & Louisiana Tech @ home. Kansas also plays, South Dakota, a FCS team, in Lawrence. YS projects the Wildcats to finish Non-Conference play @ 3-0. OS agrees, Kansas opens the season @ 3-0, beating Rice in Houston and LT & South Dakota @ home.
Conference Games: Kansas plays 5 of its 9 conference games @ home, a big plus for a team that has struggled as the Jayhawks have these past years. Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Baylor, West Virginia, & Kansas State will visit Lawrence in 2013. The Hawks will travel to Texas, TCU, OSU, & Iowa State. YS has Kansas stumbling throughout 2013 in Big 12 games, 0-9. OS concurs, while the Jayhawks will play at a more competitive level this coming season, wins will not be a result of improved play, 0-9!
Overall: YS has Charlie’s team @ 3-9. OS says, sorry Charlie, @ 3-9, you will be home for the Holidays.
Kansas State:
Non-Conference Games: This year, the Wildcats will sneak up on no one, even when being discussed in a Sneak Preview. They are without question, the most over-achieving, most often overlooked team, seemingly every year, (that is, every year that Bill Synder is coaching them) in the country. K-State does not play a Non-Conference BCS opponent in 2013. They open their season against, North Dakota State, who has won the last two FCS National Championship Games; then take on two FBS teams, Louisiana Lafayette (Sun Belt) & U-Mass (MAC). All three games are in the Little Apple, Manhattan, Kansas. YS believes the Wildcats blast through their Non-Conference schedule, going 3-0 with relative ease. OS has North Dakota State pulling one of the biggest upsets of the 2013 season, beating K-State in Manhattan. The Wildcats rebound and win the next two against ULL & U-Mass, going 2-1 vs Non-Conference opponents.
Conference Games: The Cats play 5 of their 9 Conferences games @ Synder Family Stadium; Baylor , West Virginia, Iowa State, TCU & Oklahoma. K-State travels to Texas, OSU, Texas Tech, & Kansas. YS has K-State @ 1-4 @ home & 2-2 in road games, beating WV at home and, T-Tech, & Kansas away. OS thinks 3-2 @ home, stopping Baylor, West Virginia, & ISU, but falling to TCU and Oklahoma. On the road,according to OS, K-State goes 2-2 losing to Texas & OSU while beating T-Tech & Kansas. YS has K-State @ 3-6 in Big 12 play, while OS has the Wildcats @ 5-4 in conference games!
Overall: YS’s crystal ball has Kansas State @ 6-6. OS thinks KSU goes 7-5 in the 2013 season.
Oklahoma:
Non-Conference Games: The Sooners go north to South Bend looking for payback as they take on one BCS team, Notre Dame (Independent), on the road & 2 FBS teams @ home, Tulsa (C-USA) and Louisiana Monroe (Sun Belt) at home. YS thinks 2-1, Sooners lose to the Irish & OS agrees, OU falls @ ND.
Conference Games: OU plays 4 of its 9 conference games @ home, West Virginia, TCU, T-Tech & ISU and hits the trail to take on Texas (In Dallas not Austin), Kansas, Baylor, Kansas State, & OSU. YS believes OU goes 7-2 in Big 12 play, winning all 4 of their home games, but fall to Texas (in Dallas) & OSU in Stillwater. OS believes, @ home, they beat West Virginia, TCU, T-Tech, & ISU for a 4-0 effort in Memorial Stadium & while on the road, they beat Texas, Kansas, Baylor, & K-State, falling to only OSU. OS has OU 8-1 in conference games!
Overall: YS says 9-3, coming up short vs ND, Texas & OSU. OS has OU going 10-2, losing to only @ Notre Dame & In-sate rival, Oklahoma State.
Oklahoma State:
Non-Conference Games: OSU travels to Starkville to take on Mississippi State, their lone Non-Conference BCS opponent, they also face one FBS team, Texas San Antonio Independent) & Lamar University, a FCS team, both games are in Stillwater. YS thinks 3-0, the Cowboys take down their biggest Non-Conference challenge, MSU from the”Mighty SEC”and roll from there. OS agrees, OSU wins all three Non-Conference games in 2013.
Conference Games: OSU plays 5 of its 9 games in the friendly confines of Boone Pickens Stadium. They welcome, Kansas State, TCU, Kansas, Baylor, & Oklahoma while traveling to West Virginia, ISU, T-Tech, & Texas. YS predicts 7-2, falling to Texas in Austin and to WV in Morgantown. OS believes OSU wins all 5 @ home and falls only once, on the road, @ Austin, to Texas, leaving OSU @ 8-1 in the Big 12 in 2013.
Overall: YS believes OSU goes 10-2, while OS has the cowboys at 11-1.
TCU:
Non-Conference Games: The Frogs have taken a big bite of the apple to start the 2013 season, taking on LSU @ Cowboy Stadium. They also play SMU, now a member of the Big East, meaning TCU will play 2 BCS opponents and 1 FCS team, Southeastern Louisiana (Southland Conference). YS thinks 2-1, falling to LSU. OS agrees, the Golden Frogs lose to only LSU, while beating SMU & hammer SE Louisiana @ home.
Conference Games: TCU plays 5 of its 9 Big 12 games on the road; Texas Tech, Oklahoma. OSU, ISU & KSU. At home, they play, Kansas, Texas, West Virginia, & Baylor, in that order. YS has TCU beating Tech, & KSU on the road & finding a way at home vs Kansas, Baylor, & West Virginia, for a 5-4 conference record. OS thinks TCU beats T-Tech, ISU, KSU on the road, but fall to OU & OSU and win all four games @ home, 7-2 in Big 12 games in 2013.
Overall: YS projects the Frogs @ 7-5; while OS thinks TCU goes 9-3 in 2013.
Texas:
Non-Conference Games: The Longhorns, like other Big 12 teams, play 3 Non-Conference games, two @ home New Mexico State (independent), & Ole Miss (SEC) and BYU (Independent) in Provo. YS thinks 3-0, OS agrees, 3-0
Conference Games: Texas has 4 of its 9 Big 12 games in Austin and 5 away from home. At home, the Horns take on Kansas State, Oklahoma (Dallas not Austin), Kansas, & OSU, while traveling to ISU, TCU, WV, T-Tech, & Baylor. YS says 7-2, two upsets, ISU & WV shock the Longhorns. OS believes Texas wins 3 of 4 at home, well, sort of, losing to OU, in Dallas. Away from Austin, the Longhorns go 4-1, losing only to TCU, for a 7-2 mark in Big 12 play!
Overall: YS says 10-2. OS agrees 10-2 for the Longhorns and Mack keeps his job!
Texas Tech:
Non-Conference Games: T-Tech has SMU W (Big East) on the road and 2 relatively “soft games” vs Texas State (Sun Belt) & Stephen Austin (FCS / Southland Conference) @ home. YS says 3-0, Tech will beat SMU in Dallas, their only Non-Conference challenge. OS agrees, the Red raiders go 3-0 vs Non-Conference opponents … a tough game with SMU on the road .. but survive in this Dallas showdown between old Southwest Conference (SWC) foes!
Conference Games: Tech has 5 of its 9 Big 12 games at home; TCU, ISU, OSU, KSU, & Texas. They face Kansas, WV, OU, & Baylor away from Lubbock. YS projects a 2-7 slate for the Raiders, beating only Kansas & West Virginia . OS thinks 1-8, the raiders will drop 5 of 5 @ home and on the road, beat, only Kansas, in conference play. Tech will have to adjust to coaching changes in 2013, from Tommy Tuberville, (off to Cincinnati) to home-grown, former Texas Tech QB, Kliff Kingsbury!
Overall: YS believes 5-7, OS says the Raiders will finish @ 4-8.
West Virginia:
Non-Conference Games: WV takes on William & Mary (FCS / CAA) & Georgia State (Sun Belt), 2 teams that simply do not have the talent or skill level to play with Mounteeriers. WV does travel to College Park, to take on Maryland (ACC, soon to be Big 10) on Sept. 21st. YS predicts 3-0, the Mountaineers will hammer their first 2 Non-Conference opponents and then, outscore Maryland! OS concurs, 3-0!
Conference Games: West Virginia plays 4 of its 9 conference games at home and 5 away from Morgantown. At Home, the Mountaineers face, OSU, T-Tech, Texas, & ISU, while on the road they line up against, OU, Baylor, KSU, TCU & Kansas. YS Projects 4-5, beating Texas Tech & ISU @ home and finding a way on the road vs Kansas State & Kansas. OS says WV goes 2-7; 1-3 @ home, beating only Texas Tech while losing to ISU, OSU & Texas. On the road, the Mountaineers win only @ Kansas, losing the other 4 games away from Mountaineer Field!
Overall: YS thinks 7-5. OS has WV @ 5-7 in 2013!
In YS Scenario, three teams tie with identical conference records of 7-2, Texas, OU & OSU! Since Texas beats both Oklahoma & Oklahoma State in YS projection, the Longhorns are the Big 12 Champions for 2013!
Big 12 vs Non-Conference opponents (30 Games), YS thought the Conference would go 28-2 (losing only to Notre Dame & LSU)
Big 12 vs BCS opponents (9 games vs BCS teams) YS believes the Big 12 goes 7-2!
Big 12 vs FBS, 85 scholarship programs… but from Non-BCS Conferences (14 games) YS says 14-0!
Big 12 vs FCS, 63 scholarship programs (7 games) YS projects 7-0!
OS’s scenario finds OU & OSU tied for the conference crown @ 8-1, with the tie-breaker going to OSU who beat OU in this projection!
Big 12 vs Non-Conference opponents (30 Games), OS thought the Conference would go 25-5 (losing to Notre Dame, LSU, SMU, Tulsa, & North Dakota State)
Big 12 vs BCS opponents (9 games vs BCS teams) OS believes the Big 12 goes 6-3!
Big 12 vs FBS (14 games) OS says 13-1!
Big 12 vs FCS (7 games) OS projects 6-1!
Sully’s CFP still thinks the Big 12 should make a run at getting BYU & Boise State to join their conference. This would get them two quality programs, divisional play with 12 teams, and a conference championship game in the first week of December. Here is an off the top of our heads divisional breakdown …. North Division: Kansas State, Kansas, Iowa State, West Virginia, Boise State, & BYU while the South Division: OU, OSU, Texas, TCU, Texas Tech, & Baylor. No matter where one places West Virginia …. there will be geographic distance issues, as in this divisional configuration, North / South or an East / West alignment … WV will have to travel and so will other conference members to reach Morgantown. More to follow on this … and please, Big 12, any addition will be subtraction, if the teams you add are from the State of Texas … forget the Alamo … and remember the old Southwest Conference (SWC) ….. in the end the acronym SWC was said to stand for the “So-What-Conference”. Finally, if you like offense, this is where you and your channel changer should be focused … Channel 12 Baby…. as in Big 12! This League likes to score points and a lot of them! Fun to watch!
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