ESPN College Football

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Could it get much better?

College GameDay is in Austin. The conference race starts tonight with Texas and Texas Tech, playing before what likely will be the largest crowd in Texas history.

Nebraska will travel to Virginia Tech in a potential statement-making game for Bo Pelini's team. Oklahoma will be facing an underrated challenge from Tulsa. Baylor will be trying to build on its first-game victory over Wake Forest as it meets old nemesis Connecticut.

It should be an interesting day across the Big 12. Here are a few brunch-time links to get you primed for the action later today.

• Austin American-Statesman beat writer Suzanne Halliburton wonders what Texas defensive coordinatorWill Muschamp learned from the Longhorns’ loss at Texas Tech last season.
• Despite all of his personality quirks and media access foibles, Austin American-Statesman columnist Kirk Bohls writes that Mike Leach is worth every penny he’s being paid by Texas Tech.
• Baylor players haven't forgotten about last season'snarrow loss at Connecticut, the Waco Tribune-Herald’s John Werner reports.
• Colorado wide receiver Markques Simas is excited to finally get his chance to play today after missing his first two games with a suspension, Tom Kensler of the Denver Post reports.
• The Lawrence Journal-World’s Jesse Dugan catches up with Kansas freshman wide receiver Bradley McDougald, who tells him about his cooking, his basketball talent and his ability to fold his ear inside his ear.
• Kansas State’s challenges of setting a non-conference schedule are analyzed by the Topeka Capital-Journal’s Austin Meek.
• The St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Vahe Gregorian checks out Furman's history of being a pesky opponent for FBS schools as the Paladins head into their game today at Missouri.
• Nebraska will be battling some significant negative numbers when it visits Virginia Tech today. The Cornhuskers haven’t beaten a top 15 team in a true road game in 12 seasons, Rich Kaipust of the Omaha World-Herald reports.
• Tulsa World columnist Dave Sittler opines about why Oklahoma running back DeMarco Murray needs to emerge as a prime offensive weapon over the next several weeks.
• The Oklahoman’s John Rohde writes about the resiliency of Oklahoma State players as they prepare for today’s game against Rice.