This is the latest installment of the 2009 edition of the SB Nation Big 12 Roundtable. Our hosts this week are the folks at Mizery's Rock M Nation.
1. This question was posed by Rock Chalk Talk's Denverjhawk in Rock M Nation's Live Thread on Saturday: Could a Big 12 North all-star team compete with and/or beat Texas?
While Texas sure did a number on Missouri on Saturday night, I'm not completely convinced that they are that dramatically better than the rest of the league. Heck, I think if you take Nebraska's Blackshirt defense and combine them with Todd Reesing, Dezmon Briscoe, a healthy Alexander Robinson or Roy Helu, Kerry Meier, and Danario Alexander, I think you'd easily find a team that could not only compete with Texas, but likely win.
2. Forget ACC Roulette. For our intents and purposes, the Big 12 North is now the most entertaining battle of supremacy in mediocrity. Handicap what happens with the division from here.
I'm starting with the following ground assumptions...and you know what they say when you assume. But I still believe that Nebraska and Missouri aren't nearly as bad as their records indicate. Conversely, Kansas State isn't as good as their record indicates. Iowa State has lost two games they should have won, and won a game they should have lost. I think Missouri likely wins 4 out of their final five games to finish 4-4. Nebraska will likely lose to Oklahoma and beat Baylor. Nebraska's defense should be able to handle Kansas' offense, and the Jayhawk defense is so bad that I have to believe that even this Husker offense should find a way to score. Colorado and Kansas State are the x-factors; Colorado is horrid, but might want to send Dan Hawkins out in style. So I think NU finishes 5-3 or 4-4. Iowa State could beat A&M if Robinson and Arnaud come back, and should beat Colorado in Boulder. That would make the Clones 4-4 as well. Kansas State will lose to the Sooners this week, but still has games against Nebraska and Missouri. They'll need to pull off one of those games to enter the mix.
I really could see a 4-way tie evolving here.
3. Is Oklahoma back on track after taking care of business against Kansas? Their national aspirations are obviously done, but can we expect to see a fairly dominant Sooner team down the stretch?
I don't think they ever left the track. I still think the Sooners are one of the top ten teams in the nation, even with 3 losses (by five points, remember?)
4. Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and Kansas State managed to completely shred the transitive property. What did the games between these schools tell us about these teams?
Taylor Potts will be transferring from Texas Tech at the end of the season? We knew A&M was bad, and Tech can be pretty good. But A&M's victory in Lubbock defies logic, unless you throw Potts under the bus. I think you've got to throw the A&M victory into the WTF category as the anomaly for now until A&M proves their mettle again. (Hell, even Colorado has managed to win a couple of games this season...)
5. Did Texas find its mojo in Missouri, and does Oklahoma State have enough to take the Horns down in Stillwater this week?
Hell no, unless that random suckage attack that seems to be inflicting itself on somebody each week this season decides to infect the Longhorns. Not saying it's impossible after last week's adventures on the scoreboard, just unlikely based on what we know at this point.
6. Power Poll! Who wins on a neutral field?
- Texas
- Oklahoma
- Oklahoma State
- Texas Tech
- Nebraska
- Missouri
- Iowa State
- Kansas State
- Kansas
- Colorado
- Texas A&M
- Baylor