League Wide: The Big 12 Steels Itself for a Non-Con Gauntlet

Let’s take a look at some news around the Big 12 from the past few weeks. 

Scheduling Up

Berry Tramel notes that the Big 12 is taking a step-up in scheduling in 2017 and opportunity to rise has arrived.

I’ve got Texas (sixth), OU (10th), OSU (17th), Texas Tech (20th) and West Virginia (25th) in the top 25 of non-conference schedules. That’s excellent representation for a 10-team conference.

That’s the only way the Big 12 can get back to higher ground in college football. The Big 12 has to win its way there, by taking advantage of opportunity. [NewsOK]

It’s a risky venture to schedule tough: you turn some heads (cue “Texas is back!”) but you also take some hits when your mid-tier teams lose (think Tech losing to Arizona State last year).

It’d be incredible if OU or Texas could beat their blueblood opponent (Ohio State and USC) but West Virginia taking out Virginia Tech, Tech downing Houston and OSU beating Pitt would be nice too.

Jayhawk Shocker

KU’s five-star wide receiver commit has everyone flummoxed.

“He has every offer you can almost imagine,” Landry-Walker head coach Emanuel Powell says. “You name the program and he probably has an offer from it.”

Currently, however, (Devonta) Jason is committed to a program that has not won more than three games in a season since 2009. Over the past six years, Kansas has won a combined 11 games. For perspective, Alabama has yet to win fewer than 11 games in a season during that span. [BleacherReport]

Jason talks about the opportunity to impact a program and be known. But Doug Meacham, a prominent offensive mind, and a former New Orleans-area head coach are tag-teaming in a crazy way.

 Sneaky Cats

Snyder’s Wildcats aren’t going to sneak up on everyone this year.

I’m all-in on Kansas State winning the Big 12 and Snyder calling it a career after the season. The storybooks demand it.

I’m often wary of so-called dark horse conference titled contenders. They’re fun talking points in June when everyone is 0-0, but it’s hard to go against Vegas and dark horses are dark horses for a reason. However, we have a brutally awful tendency to overlook K-State, set at 7.5 wins for the season, and the Big 12 race just became more interesting with the sudden retirement of Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops.

On top of that, Kansas State was one of the least experienced teams in the FBS a season ago — 96th, according to Phil Steele — and still won nine games, including six of their last seven.  [CBS Sports]

If K-State had an OU or Texas-sized fan base, Vegas would lose megabucks every year. The Wildcats religiously pounce when they’re overlooked and Snyder stands to benefit from Bob’s departure similar to Gundy and Tom Herman at Texas.

Aggie Raid

With all of the pressure on Texas A&M to quit tanking in November, a name was tossed out that would devastate a fan base in Texas.

(Gary) Patterson is one of the best coaches in America, and if there was a job I could see him leaving the Frogs for, it would be A&M. Now, if he would ask me if he should go, I would tell Gary to stay at TCU, where he is the all-time winningest head coach, and get his 20 years in. [SportsDay]

Nobody is speculating Patterson’s exit but it’s an interesting idea that would devastate an upstart. I’ve personally wondered if Patterson would ever consider going back to his alma mater in Mahattan to follow the Purple Wizard — may be just as likely as him leaving for Aggieland.

Look Out, Lubbock

A DFW writer has an interesting explanation for the untimely Bob transition.

I think the Sooners panicked in thinking another school would soon scoop up Riley. And after witnessing Boren butcher the Big 12 expansion process and basically undermine commissioner Bob Bowlsby at every turn, I don’t think it’s a huge leap to suggest he’s at fault for Stoops’ early exit. [SportsDay]

It felt like Riley would leave for a couple of years, get some experience, then come back potentially when Bob had his fill. So, let’s beat Tech to the punch before they can bring Lincoln who played, graduated from and coached in Lubbock? Interesting.

Sunshine Transplants

West Virginia has landed (another) blue-chip QB transfer, this time from Miami.

Miami QB transfer Jack Allison is heading to #WVU, according to Mike Casazza. Former ESPN 300 recruit. Sit one, play three

— Chris Jackson (@CJacksonWVU) June 13, 2017

And Iowa State has pulled in some skill position help in a Florida running back transfer.

Johnnie Lang on Iowa State: "They gave me a second chance at life and another chance at football again." https://t.co/YEVaGe2o7t #Cyclones

— Tommy Birch (@TommyBirch) June 13, 2017