ESPN College Football

Your kid forgot his cereal. There's a surprise in every box. Spoiler alert: it's diabetes.

• Mike Gundy says he has no plans to play more than one quarterback next season, writes Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman. He also has some thoughts on OU's defense in the spring game.
• Gundy also says OSU would have beaten LSU or Alabama in the national title game if it played well, writes Steve Greenberg of Sporting News.
• Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville stopped by South Carolina's practice lately. Colleague Chris Low has some color from Tuberville's visit with the Head Ball Coach.
• Tight end Travis Tannahill has stood out this spring at Kansas State, writes Kellis Robinett of the Kansas City Star.
• Two Texas reserves elected to transfer on Tuesday.
• Those 44 touchdowns Barry Sanders scored in his Heisman season? The ones he scored in the bowl game will all count eventually, writes Gina Mizell of The Oklahoman.
• Competition is heating up along the offensive line at Kansas State, writes Austin Meek of the Topeka Capital-Journal.
• Oklahoma receiver Kenny Stills answers a few questions about the Trayvon Martin shooting and his thoughts on how it affects him.
• The ESPN Bus paid a visit to Morgantown on Tuesday.
• Kansas defensive coordinator Dave Campo is still trying to figure out which players on his defense he can count on, writes Matt Tait of the Lawrence Journal-World. Side note: Very odd to see him in a KU coaching shirt.
• The Oklahoman's Anthony Slater has an update from Markelle Martin's post-knee surgery pro day on Tuesday.
• Greg Tepper of Dave Campbell Texas Football takes a look at two instant impact freshmen at Baylor and Texas.

The votes were tallied. The results are in.

Oklahoma State Heisman winner Barry Sanders will join Baylor's Heisman winner, Robert Griffin III, on the cover of "NCAA Football 13," EA Sports' college football game set for a July 10 release.

Here's a look at the cover. Pretty solid.

Sanders beat out seven other Heisman winners in a fan voting contest to snag a spot next to RG3 on the cover, making the game feature a pair of former Big 12 talents. (Well, Sanders was in the Big 8, but ... whatever.)

Sanders outpaced Herschel Walker in the final vote.

Here's a look at what's new in this year's game from the cover release. I've played the game since Chris Weinke nabbed the 2002 cover, so I can't wait. Dates following the features are when the details will be explained.

Gameplay (to be released April 17): With a new passing system that changes the way quarterbacks and receivers play and respond, combined with a new read and react defensive AI system, NCAA Football 13 delivers greater realism on the virtual gridiron.

Dynasty (to be released May 7): Gamedays come to life with mid-game updates featuring a new studio analyst, plus enhanced commentary from NCAA Football veterans Kirk Herbstreit and Brad Nessler. Recruiting now goes deeper than ever with the addition of dynamic grades and the ability to scout players. Plus, there are even more ways to interact with your Dynasty from the web.

Heisman Challenge (to be released May 30): There are familiar faces on the field in NCAA Football 13, which now features a selection of former Heisman Trophy winners. With the new Heisman Challenge mode, fans have the ability to utilize the skill set of a legendary Heisman Trophy winner in a quest to match his award-winning historical performances and win the Heisman Trophy once again.

Road to Glory (to be released June 11): The experience of being a college football superstar is now even more exciting with a new feature in Road to Glory that allows players to see and feel the game differently during key moments, increasing on-field awareness and creating amazing opportunities.

You'll be able to buy the game July 10. I know I'll be there.

The mascot unintentional comedy bar has been set. Go forth and be merry, fur friends.

• Texas is putting together a contract extension to put to rest rumors of Mack Brown retiring.
• One of the Big 12's biggest talkers, Oklahoma linebacker Travis Lewis, has gone silent this year. John Hoover of the Tulsa World tries to find out why, and traces when it started.
• The Longhorns matchup with Cal could have been a preview of post-Armageddon college football. It isn't, and that's for the best. Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman lists the reasons why.
• One Iowa State fan is traveling 6,700 miles to see the Cyclones play in New York City.
• Hey! Montee Ball needs seven touchdowns in the Rose Bowl to break Barry Sanders' single-season record, not two like most think, writes Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman. The NCAA better man up.
• Speaking of manning up, this is Kenny Stills' chance to prove he can be the guy for Oklahoma, writes Travis Haney of The Oklahoman.
• Matt Tait of the Lawrence Journal-World checks in on Charlie Weis' search for a defensive coordinator.
• The Pinstripe Bowl matches a pair of coaches loyal to their cores, writes Andrew Logue of the Des Moines Register.

AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl: Missouri 41, North Carolina 24

• Here's my instant analysis from yesterday's game, if you missed it.
• James Franklin put it all together and led Mizzou to a big win, writes Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star.
• L'Damian Washington nearly made a dream play, writes Vahe Gregorian of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
• The Tigers personify mediocrity, writes colleague Ivan Maisel.
• A goofy-looking interception stole some momentum for the Tigers, writes Andrew Wagaman of the Columbia Missourian.
• Mizzou's team blog gives you a good look at one of the best traditions inside the program.

Monday we began a week-long project looking at the most famous touchdowns from 100+ yards down to one yard, and we'll be taking a look at each of the Big 12 entrants on the blog throughout the week.

You can see the full project here.

Barry Sanders' NFL career was abbreviated, but Wyoming surely wished his college career would have been the same after this game, which earned him our spot for the best 67-yard touchdown in college football history.

Dec. 30, 1988: Oklahoma State suited up for the Holiday Bowl against No. 15 Wyoming as the nation's No. 12 team, but Barry Sanders was too much for Wyoming to handle. The score was 17-7 at the half, but Sanders broke a 67-yard touchdown run as one of his four third-quarter scores and eventually finished with 222 yards and five touchdowns in the 62-14 win. That made life easy for his quarterback, current OSU coach Mike Gundy.

-- David Ubben

All the pieces were in place. Zac Robinson was the senior franchise quarterback who would eventually leave as the program's all-time leader in total offense. Kendall Hunter was the running back coming off the All-American season and ready to run past his 1,555 yards as a sophomore. Receiver Dez Bryant was the playmaker like no other, one that would eventually leave as a first-round pick in the NFL Draft.

Best of all, they'd be operating behind an experienced offensive line headlined by a four-year starter protecting Robinson's blind side, Russell Okung, who eventually was selected sixth in the NFL Draft.

The next in a line of triplets at Oklahoma State that have included greats like Barry Sanders, Rashaun Woods and Mike Gundy looked ready to compete for a Big 12 title -- maybe more.

But Hunter suffered an ankle injury early on and didn't look like the same back until the season's final game. Bryant was suspended for the season after the third game for lying to NCAA officials about a visit with Deion Sanders. Robinson suffered a shoulder injury and wasn't himself in a shutout loss to Oklahoma to close the regular season, when a win would have sent the Cowboys to a BCS bowl.

They settled for 2nd in the South, the highest finish ever for the program, and an appearance in the Cotton Bowl.

This year, a new group of unsuspecting triplets have emerged.

Brandon Weeden, a 27-year-old first-time starter, leads the Big 12 in passing yards, completion percentage, touchdowns (his 26 are tied for No. 1 nationally) and passer rating. Hunter is better than ever as a senior, leading the Big 12 in rushing and ranking third nationally.

And Justin Blackmon, a sophomore with 20 career catches that no one outside the Big 12 had ever heard of before the season, has emerged as the favorite for the Biletnikoff Award and a possible Heisman finalist. He leads the nation in receiving yards per game by a wide margin, and is tied for the most touchdowns with 15.

Together, they have the No. 10 Cowboys (8-1) on top of the Big 12 South and in position to reach the Big 12 title game for the first time ever. With a win at Texas on Saturday, Oklahoma State would come home from Austin as winners for the first time in 11 tries since 1944.

"This is what you play for. Every game gets bigger as you go and this one is a big one," Weeden said.

Even an offensive line with four new starters has become a strength.

"I thought we had a pretty good product to work with," said new offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen. "You never know how kids are going to develop, but that’s why you get out there and practice every day and put guys in a position to improve."

The hype surrounding the team wasn't there when the season began, but attention on the Cowboys -- picked fifth in the Big 12 South in the preseason -- has grown as the wins have piled up.

"It’s only a factor if you start to listen to it," Gundy said. "I’ve said this for four or five weeks now. If you start to think you’re a pretty good player and that your team is better than they really are, you just need to look around the country every Saturday and you will see teams get knocked off. I’m a firm believer in that. We have some good players who have made a lot of good plays this year. And we have a good football team. But we’re not beyond practicing well and keeping the right frame of mind in order to win our football game."

Heck of a Super Bowl game last night, wasn't it?

But as good of a game as the New Orleans-Indianapolis matchup was, I'll take a college football game over a pro one any day of the week.

The passion you saw last night at Sun Life Stadium is a regular occurrence every Saturday during the fall.

Here are some Big 12 lunch links to help provide some information to get us ready for the upcoming spring practices across the conference.

• The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal's Adam Zuvanich wonders if anybody else is having college football withdrawal?
• The Austin American-Statesman’s Kirk Bohls reports in his timely nine things and one crazy prediction that Mack Brown has told all of his incoming freshmen to be ready to challenge for immediate playing time.
• The Omaha World-Herald’s Mitch Sherman reports that Nebraska will be getting a scrappy player in incoming quarterback Brion Carnes.
• Rumors about Bob Stoops leaving Oklahoma apparently had no effect on the Sooners' recruiting efforts, according to College Football News.
• The Oklahoman’s Brandon Chatmon catches up with the 2009 Oklahoma State recruiting class and his colleague Jake Trotter does the same with the 2009 Oklahoma recruiting class.
• The Miami Herald’s Edwin Pope opines about Roger Craig being skipped over, along with other deserving players when the NFL Hall of Fame's new class was announced.
• New Oklahoma secondary coach Willie Martinez tells the Tulsa World’s Dave Sittler about his association with Howard Schnellenberger and his role in the celebrated “fumblerooski” play in Miami's 1983 national championship victory.
• Bohls introduces us to Gale Gilbert, the father of Texas quarterback Garrett Gilbert and a player Bohls refers to as “the Forrest Gump” of football.
• Kansas recruit Brandon Bourbon’s decision to shun Stanford and Harvard for a chance to play football for the Jayhawks is examined by the Topeka Capital-Journal's Tully Corcoran.
• Time.com ranks Barry Sanders as one of the 10 greatest Heisman Trophy winners in history.
• The Bryan Eagle’s Robert Cessna measures up Texas A&M defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter with new Tennessee defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox.
• The Dallas Morning News' Kevin Sherrington catches up with former Baylor standout receiver Lawrence Elkins, a former college All-American who has had an interesting career since leaving football.

Former Nebraska running back Roger Craig is among the finalists whose credentials have been studied and analyzed before the new class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame is announced on Saturday.

Craig is the only product from a Big 12 school among the group of 17 finalists. Others who made the final cut include Tim Brown, Cris Carter, Don Coryell, Dermontti Dawson, Richard Dent, Russ Grimm, Charles Haley, Rickey Jackson, Cortez Kennedy, Dick LeBeau, Floyd Little, John Randle, Andre Reed, Jerry Rice, Shannon Sharpe and Emmitt Smith.

Craig's candidacy appears to be strong. He was a member of three Super Bowl championship teams with the San Francisco 49ers. He was a four-time Pro Bowler who led the league in receptions in 1985 and ranked among the top seven receivers during four consecutive seasons from 1985 to 1988. He also finished in the top 10 in rushing for three straight seasons from 1987 to 1989.

His numbers appear strong, but he likely will be hurt by two "no brainer" selections. Smith and Rice have to be picked in their first seasons of eligibility. Smith was the greatest running back of his generation and Craig pales compared to him. And I'm thinking if voters choose to reward a player from the San Francisco dynasty of the late 1980s, it will be Rice.

The Big 12 is underrepresented in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. There hasn't been an alumnus from the conference selected since Thurman Thomas and Roger Wehrli in 2007.

Here's a look at the Big 12 schools and their alumni chosen for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Baylor: LB Mike Singletary (1998)

Colorado: None.

Iowa State: None.

Kansas: T Mike McCormack (1984), RB John Riggins (1992), RB Gale Sayers (1977).

Kansas State: None.

Missouri: CB Roger Wehrli (2007), TE Kellen Winslow (1995).

Nebraska: T Bob Brown (2004), E/coach Guy Chamberlin (1965), T William "Link" Lyman (1964).

Oklahoma: QB Troy Aikman (later finished at UCLA/2006), WR Tommy McDonald (1998), DE Lee Roy Selmon (1995).

Oklahoma State: RB Barry Sanders (2004), RB Thurman Thomas (2007).

Texas: RB Earl Campbell (1991), DB/coach Tom Landry (1990), QB Bobby Layne (1967), administrator Tex Schramm (1991).

Texas A&M: DB/P Yale Lary (1979).

Texas Tech: None.

How about it, readers? Are there any Big 12 products either retired or playing today in the NFL who deserve a slot in Canton for their deeds in the NFL?

I think an argument can definitely be made for Craig and for former players Tommy Nobis (Texas) and Lester Hayes (Texas A&M). I can also see recently retired players like Zach Thomas (Texas Tech) making it one day. And it also wouldn't surprise me to see Adrian Peterson (Oklahoma) and Wes Welker (Texas Tech) there if they can keep progressing in their careers.

What do you think?

If it’s Friday, how about some letters to send us out into the weekend?

Steve Johnson from Gretna, Neb., writes: With the recent decommitments by Tyler Gabbert and Curtis Carter from Nebraska, how do you think that affects the current Nebraska recruiting class. And does it signal that there will be a change in how the Cornhuskers’ offense has evolved under Shawn Watson?

Tim Griffin: I think both recruits must have been watching the Cornhuskers’ struggling offense last week before they made their calls to decommit. It wasn’t just in the Texas game, but throughout the last quarter of the season, that the Cornhuskers turned to a ball-control heavy offense with heavy use of a fullback and tight end on most plays.

It was the offense that was good enough to clinch the Cornhuskers the North Division with five straight victories down the stretch.

Because of that, it will be interesting to see which way the Cornhuskers go. Watson is comfortable coaching offenses many ways. While I’m sure he’d like to have a quarterback “sling the ball around the lot,” his current collection of talent seemingly lends itself better to a running game.

And considering Gabbert’s senior-season statistics, I’m not sure if that his decommitment will be such a big loss for the Cornhuskers. Carter would have been exactly what the Cornhuskers needed – a speedy receiver who can make big plays. That’s the element Nebraska’s offense is most sorely missing. And it was obvious in the game against Texas.

---

Jack Scarbrough from Tulsa, Okla., writes: Tim, I’m sure you are getting your fair share of castigation from the Nebraska fans after your Heisman vote. I’m sure it was a tough vote and you made what you felt was the right call.

My question is this. Which Heisman winner do you think had the most dominant season in history?

Tim Griffin: Jack, thanks for your sentiments. And your question is an easy one -- a lot more simple than my Heisman vote was this season.

Give me Barry Sanders of Oklahoma State in 1988. Something about rushing for 2,628 yards, scoring 234 points on 39 touchdowns, and having five consecutive 200-yard games impressed me.

---

Josh Jungman of Washington, D.C., writes: I noticed your post about the effect of Mack Brown's contract on Will Muschamp.

While I haven't seen the contract myself, the reports I have read suggest that his compensation does not require him to be the head coach for the full term of the contract since it includes a provision for re-assignment within the Texas athletic department. I have no idea what market rate is for an AD (though I would assume $5 million per is way above market), but if any athletic department could afford that, it would be Texas. Another way to think of the contract -- if my analysis is right and Mack were to transition to AD in a year or two -- is that they're just deferring compensation for him to later years. If I'm correct, it would seem that this week's amendment would then have little effect on his decision of when to retire from coaching.

Tim Griffin: Josh, you raise a good point that Brown conceivably could take the other job and continue as athletic director at his new salary. And you are correct that a $5 million contract for an athletic director would be the highest in college sports history. My point is Brown has never looked as relaxed and casual as he currently does. The fact his new salary has come along will likely make him want to stay in his job. I’m thinking it might be a couple of years longer than some would suspect. And like I wrote yesterday, I’ll be extremely curious to see how that would affect Muschamp if some other top jobs start popping up around the country. I’m thinking there is only a handful he would consider -- probably less than five. But if Alabama, LSU or Georgia materialized, would he be loyal to Texas or would he decide to go elsewhere? And if he did have one of the job opportunities, would it make Brown more likely to leave coaching to make room for his hand-picked successor?

My thought is that Brown has several more years of coaching in front of him. And the new contract only guarantees that.

---

Steve from Kansas City, Mo., writes: Tim, It seems over the past few years Missouri has been snubbed over and over again for bowl games.

The Orange Bowl picked Kansas in 2007, the Gator Bowl selects Nebraska in 2008, and now the Insight Bowl chose Iowa State over Missouri in 2009. I just don't get it. Does Mike Alden not have enough pull in the conference and does someone have it out for MU?

Tim Griffin: I know it’s been frustrating for Missouri and their fans over the past three seasons in their bowl placements. I think the only way for the Tiger and their fans to overcome those perceptions is to become known among bowls as a group of fans who travel to bowl destinations regardless of where they are.

I know that the Texas bowls aren’t the most glamorous stops in the Big 12 food chain. But I also know that Missouri has a lot of alumni scattered across the Lone Star State. If they want the trend to turn around, they need to pack the Texas Bowl for their game against Navy, or at least sell a large number of tickets. If that happens, the next time the Tigers are involved in competition with another Big 12 school for a bowl slot, those selectors will remember what Missouri has done in the past.

---

Mike from Lincoln, Neb., writes: Tim, I enjoy reading your blog.

But I have one question for you. Why do Suh's and Gerhart's teams having four losses make an impact on why you don’t vote for them for the Heisman? Last I checked, the Heisman wasn’t for the most outstanding player on the best team.

Tim Griffin: Many are curious about why I put Colt McCoy over Ndamukong Suh. As I considered my vote, I think a quarterback that completes more than 70 percent of his passes on a team that is undefeated and playing for a national championship is a pretty special player. One who would be worthy of a Heisman Trophy on most people’s ballots.

In a tough year where there’s no cut-and-dried winner, those facts resonate for me. Everybody has their own definition of how to vote.

That is mine.

---

Ken Lawson of Houston writes: Tim, do you think the NCAA should restrict teams from interviewing coaches till post bowl season?

The game is about the fans, teams etc. Not the coaches. We have seen time in and out as coaches bail on the team, or stay as a lame duck and it impacts the outcome. The distraction and emotion is too great for all.

Tim Griffin: Ken, your thought sounds good in theory. But with recruiting season coming up so soon after the end of the season, most losing programs feel a compunction to make a change as soon as possible.

Administrators want to get the best coaches possible, hoping to turn downtrodden teams around quickly. There will always be a rush to get what is presumed to be the best candidate.

And for that reason, I don’t see your idea ever happening. Although I agree with your sentiments.

Thanks again for of all the good questions. We’ll check back again early next week.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Back in my former life at the newspaper in San Antonio, there was a wildly popular weekly column we used to run every Sunday called "Where Are They Now." A veteran staffer with loads of institutional knowledge tracked down some of the area's most memorable athletes and found out whatever happened to them after their athletic careers finished. 

The concept has always been intriguing. It's why the list I found today at lostlettermen.com was so interesting to me (hat tip to the wizofodds.com.)

And heck, it's even topical with today's stories highlighting all of our Heisman Trophy stories.

Lost Letterman lists what has happened to all 73 previous Heisman winners. It's fascinating to see what men who had such football success have done with the rest of their lives.

Here's a list of the Heisman Trophy winners from Big 12 schools along with what happened to them after their college careers.

1952: Billy Vessels (Oklahoma) -- Worked in the horse racing business and real estate in South Florida before dying of heart failure in 2001 at the age of 70.

1957: John David Crow (Texas A&M) -- Former college coach and athletic director, now retired and living in College Station, Texas (age 74).

1969: Steve Owens (Oklahoma) -- CEO of a real estate company, Steve Owens & Associates, in Norman, Okla. (age 61).

1972: Johnny Rodgers (Nebraska) -- Owns JetWear kid's bedroom store in Omaha, Neb. (age 58).

1977: Earl Campbell (Texas) -- Assistant to the vice president of student affairs at Texas (age 54).

1978: Billy Sims (Oklahoma) -- Owns a chain of Billy Sims BBQ restaurants in Oklahoma (age 53).

1983: Mike Rozier (Nebraska) -- Stay-at-home dad living in Sickerville, N.J. (age 48).

1988: Barry Sanders (Oklahoma State) -- Retired from the NFL in 1998. Currently resides in West Bloomfield, Mich. (age 41.) His son, Barry Sanders Jr., is currently a high school star in Oklahoma City.

1994: Rashaan Salaam (Colorado) -- Promotes martial arts fights in China. Currently resides in San Diego, Calif. (age 34).

1998: Ricky Williams (Texas) -- Member of the Miami Dolphins (age 32).

2001: Eric Crouch (Nebraska) -- Owns playground equipment business called "Crouch Recreation" in Nebraska (age 30).

2003: Jason White (Oklahoma) -- Owns memorabilia stores in Norman, Okla., and Oklahoma City (age 29).

2008: Sam Bradford (Oklahoma) -- Starting quarterback at Oklahoma (age 21).

It's hard for me to believe the Steve Owens, a player who I avidly followed when I was a kid growing up, is now 61 years old.

And in a way, I can see Mike Rozier as a stay-at-home dad. He was always one of my favorite players to deal with when I was covering the Houston Oilers back in the day. I'm sure he a great dad -- and a very colorful one at that.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Big 12 players dominated the Water Camp Player of the Year watch list announced Friday with eight players, including 2008 winner Colt McCoy of Texas.

The Big 12's number was double of any other conference. The Pac-10 and Southeastern Conferences were next with four players apiece.

Among the Big 12's nominees were quarterback Sam Bradford and tight end Jermaine Gresham of Oklahoma, running back Kendall Hunter and wide receiver Dez Bryant from Oklahoma State, McCoy and wide receiver Jordan Shipley of Texas, linebacker Sean Weatherspoon of Missouri and quarterback Todd Reesing of Kansas.

Oklahoma State, Texas and Oklahoma were among five schools to have two players nominated to the list. The others were Florida and Penn State.

McCoy became the fourth Big 12 winner of the award. Earlier winners included Ricky Williams of Texas in 1998, Josh Heupel of Oklahoma in 2000 and Nebraska's Eric Crouch in 2001.

Other winners from current Big 12 schools before the conference started included Oklahoma's Steve Owens in 1969, Nebraska's Johnny Rodgers in 1972, Oklahoma's Billy Sims in 1978, Nebraska's Mike Rozier in 1983, Oklahoma State's Barry Sanders in 1988 and Colorado's Rashaan Salaam in 1994.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Maybe I'm getting older, but it seemed like September used to be such a good month for nonconference games in college football.

Because of that, I really enjoyed the story my colleague, Pat Forde, wrote about how nonconference schedules have changed so much over the years.

Forde went back to 1978, 1988, 1998 and last season to compare the nonconference schedules across the country. The number of prime nonconference games has dropped precipitously during the most recent seasons of his study.

Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione told Forde why it's more difficult to get a quality schedule these days. And for his part, Castiglione and the Sooners play as challenging a nonconference schedule as any Big 12 team.

"[Scheduling] is the most challenging it's ever been," Castiglione said. "I'm concerned, because I just don't see the strength-of-schedule philosophy being shared by as many people as we would hope if we're really concerned with the health of college football."

Two Big 12 teams have taken advantage of judicious scheduling to soar in the national title picture in each of the past two seasons.

Kansas rose as high as No. 2 in 2007 after playing Central Michigan, Southeastern Louisiana, Toledo and Florida International. And Texas Tech employed a similar strategy, rising to No. 2 last year with a schedule that masqueraded as a taffy pull after games against Eastern Washington, Nevada, SMU and Massachusetts.

"Everyone should schedule in a way that helps their own school," Castiglione said [to Forde]. "Having said that, there are some things on the horizon that make some of us wonder if it's a disincentive to scheduling harder nonconference games."

Such as?

"The premium on going undefeated."

But it's amazing to consider how tough some of the schedules used to be. Look at the Big 12 teams to see what I remember so fondly back in the day in Forde's 10-season intervals.

BAYLOR
1978: At Georgia (L), at Kentucky (L), at Ohio State (L)
1988: UNLV (W), at Kansas (W), at Iowa State (W)
1998: At Oregon State(L), North Carolina State (W), at Notre Dame (L)
2008: Wake Forest (L), Northwestern St. (W), Washington State (W), at Connecticut (L)

COLORADO
1978: Oregon (W), Miami (Fla.) (W), San Jose State (W), Northwestern (W)
1988: Fresno State (W), at Iowa (W), Oregon State (W), at Colorado State (W)
1998: Colorado State (at Denver) (W), Fresno State (W), Utah State (W)
2008: Colorado State (at Denver) (W), Eastern Washington (W), West Virginia (W), Florida State (at Jacksonville) (L)

IOWA STATE
1978: at Rice (W), San Diego State (W), at Iowa (W), Drake (W)
1988: Tulane (W), Baylor (L), at Iowa (L), Northern Iowa (W)
1998: TCU (L), at Iowa (W), Ball State (W)
2008: South Dakota State (W), Kent State (W), at Iowa (L), at UNLV (L)

KANSAS
1978: Texas A&M (L), at Washington (L), UCLA (W), Miami (Fla.) (L)
1988: Baylor (L), at Auburn (L), at California (L), New Mexico State (L)
1998: Illinois State (W), at UAB (W), North Texas (W)
2008: Florida International (W), Louisiana Tech (W), at South Florida (L), Sam Houston State (W)

KANSAS STATE
1978: at Arizona (L), Auburn (L), at Tulsa (L), Air Force (W)
1988: at Tulsa (L), Iowa (L), at Tulane (L), Louisiana Tech (L)
1998: Indiana State (W), Northern Illinois (W), Louisiana-Monroe (W)
2008: North Texas (W), Montana State (W), at Louisville (L), Louisiana-Lafayette (W)

MISSOURI
1978: at Notre Dame (W), Alabama (L), Mississippi (W), Illinois (W)
1988: Utah State (W), Houston (L), Indiana (T), at Miami (L)
1998: Bowling Green (W), at Ohio State (L), Northwestern State (W)
2008: Illinois (at St. Louis) (W), Southeast Missouri State (W), Nevada (W), Buffalo (W)

NEBRASKA
1978: Alabama (at Birmingham) (L), California (W), Hawaii (W), at Indiana (W)
1988: Texas A&M (at East Rutherford, N.J./Kickoff Classic) (W), Utah State (W), at UCLA (L), Arizona State (W), UNLV (W)
1998: Louisiana Tech (W), UAB (W), at California (W), Washington (W)
2008: Western Michigan (W), San Jose State (W), New Mexico State (W), Virginia Tech (L)

OKLAHOMA
1978: at Stanford (W), West Virginia (W), Rice (W), Texas (at Dallas) (W)
1988: at North Carolina (W), Arizona (W), at USC (L), Texas (at Dallas) (W)
1998: North Texas (W), at TCU (W), California (L)
2008: Tennessee-Chattanooga (W), Cincinnati (W), at Washington (W), TCU (W)

OKLAHOMA STATE
1978: at Wichita State (L), at Florida State (L), Arkansas (L), North Texas (at Irving, Texas) (L)
1988: Miami (Ohio) (W), Texas A&M (W), Tulsa (W), Texas Tech (at Tokyo, Japan) (W)
1998: at Tulsa (L), Mississippi State (W), Louisiana-Lafayette (W)
2008: Washington State (at Seattle) (W), Houston (W), Missouri State (W), Troy (W)

TEXAS
1978: Wyoming (W), Oklahoma (at Dallas) (L), North Texas (W)
1988: at BYU (L), New Mexico (W), North Texas (W), Oklahoma (at Dallas) (L)
1998: New Mexico State (W), at UCLA (L), Rice (W)
2008: Florida Atlantic (W), at UTEP (W), Rice (W), Arkansas (W)

TEXAS A&M
1978: at Kansas (W), at Boston College (W), Memphis (W)
1988: Nebraska (at East Rutherford, N.J./Kickoff Classic) (L), at LSU (L), at Oklahoma State (L), Louisiana Tech (W), Alabama (L)
1998: Florida State (at East Rutherford, N.J./Kickoff Classic) (L), Louisiana Tech (W), at Southern Mississippi (W), North Texas (W)
2008: Arkansas State (L), at New Mexico (W), Miami (L), Army (W)

TEXAS TECH
1978: at USC (L), Arizona (W), at New Mexico (W)
1988: North Texas (L), at Arizona (L), Lamar (W), Oklahoma State (at Tokyo, Japan) (L)
1998: UTEP (W), at North Texas (W), Fresno State (W)
2008: Eastern Washington (W), at Nevada (W), SMU (W), Massachusetts (W)

As far as gauntlets go, you don't see too many people matching what Missouri did in 1978 when the Tigers played Notre Dame, Alabama, Mississippi and Illinois as a prelude for the Big Eight.

Or you don't see many teams attempting as challenging a schedule as Texas A&M in 1988 when the Aggies played Nebraska in the Kickoff Classic, had home games against Alabama and Louisiana Tech and road games against LSU and Oklahoma State  -- with Barry Sanders, I might add.

Football is much different today. It's one of the reasons that the month of September is so barren in terms of top games anymore.

I miss them and I bet others do, too.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

I hear all the time from those of you claiming you need a football fix during the offseason.

That's why I think that ESPN's "College Football Live" is a must-watch every day.

The show currently is profiling the best of amateur football (college and high school) in each state during their swing through the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The tour swings through Oklahoma on Friday where the "College Football Live 50 States Tour" will feature live interviews related to the state, including with prominent football figures, current coaches, and local writers. It will be shown on ESPN at 3:30 p.m. ET on Friday.

The show will also include debate between analysts and an online component for fans to pick each state's best coach, player and team. The featured guest on Friday's show will be 1988 Heisman Trophy winner Barry Sanders of Oklahoma State.

Here's the teams that have been nominated as the greatest in the history of the state of Oklahoma.

• 1956 Oklahoma (10-0)
• 1974 Oklahoma (10-0)
• 1975 Oklahoma (11-1)
• 1985 Oklahoma (11-1)
• 2000 Oklahoma (13-0)

Here's the link to vote in the Best of Oklahoma team poll.

The show will visit each of the seven states in the Big 12's footprint as the series plays out until Aug. 7. Keep watching the blog for reminders of when each Big 12 state will be highlighted.  

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

As anybody who reads this blog on a regular basis understands by now, I see numbers and statistics as a way of explaining a lot of things about sports.

A whole generation of analysts has constructed brand new ideas in baseball because of the work of sabermetricians like former Kansas student Bill James.

Football doesn't quiet have that wealth of study, mainly because there aren't as many numbers available.

But there are a growing segment of analysts out there doing more and more work on football analysis.

My wife got me a book over the weekend which I read while I was down at the beach over Memorial Day. Sean Lahman's "The Pro Football Historical Abstract" used some Jamesian methodology to rank the top pro players in history at their positions, among other things.

And bringing some of Lahman's study into closer focus, I was particularly interested in how players from Big 12 schools ranked among his career lists at various positions.

Here's a position-by-position glance at the top Big 12 players in NFL history, according to Lahman's rankings.

Quarterbacks

12. Bobby Layne (Texas)
27. Troy Aikman (started at Oklahoma, UCLA)
28. John Hadl (Kansas)
62. Steve Grogan (Kansas State)
63. Kordell Stewart (Colorado)
100. Bernie Masterson (Nebraska)

Running backs

2. Barry Sanders (Oklahoma State)
5. Thurman Thomas (Oklahoma State)
21. Earl Campbell (Texas)
30. Roger Craig (Nebraska)
32. John Riggins (Kansas)
38. Priest Holmes (Texas)
45. Ahman Green (Nebraska)
54. Larry Brown (Kansas State)
98. Gale Sayers (Kansas)
99. James Wilder (Missouri)

Wide receivers

17. Cliff Branch (Colorado)
27. Del Shofner (Baylor)
47. Irving Fryar (Nebraska)
48. Mel Gray (Missouri)
49. Dave Parks (Texas Tech)

Tight Ends

6. Kellen Winslow (Missouri)
14. Keith Jackson (Oklahoma)
34. Henry Childs (Kansas State)
49. Paul Coffman (Kansas State)

Offensive linemen

7. Will Shields (Nebraska)
32. Richmond Webb (Texas A&M)
34. Bob Brown (Nebraska)
39. Bob Young (Started at Howard Payne, Texas, Texas State)
46. John Wooten (Colorado)

Defensive linemen

18. Ron McDole (Nebraska)
19. Steve McMichael (Texas)
43. Ray Childress (Texas A&M)

Linebackers

2. Mike Singletary (Baylor)
26. Andy Russell (Missouri)
28. Jack Pardee (Texas A&M)
29. Zach Thomas (Texas Tech)
30. Leslie O'Neal (Oklahoma State)

Defensive backs

16. Yale Lary (Texas A&M)
21. Pat Fischer (Nebraska)
36. Roger Wehrli (Missouri)

Kickers

20. Bobby Layne (Texas)

Kickoff returners

2. Glyn Milburn (Started at Oklahoma, Stanford)
4. Dante Hall (Texas A&M)
7. Tyrone Hughes (Nebraska)
10. Gale Sayers (Kansas)

Punt returners

5. Eric Metcalf (Texas)
12. Glyn Milburn (Oklahoma, Stanford)

Combined kick returners

11. Dante Hall (Texas A&M)
14. Mike Nelms (Started at Baylor, Sam Houston State)
24. Dick Todd (Texas A&M)

TWO-WAY ERA PLAYERS

Backs

5. Verne Lewellen (Nebraska)
7. Glenn Presnell (Nebraska)

Ends

10. Guy Chamberlin (Started at Nebraska Wesleyan, Nebraska)

Tackles

1. Link Lyman (Nebraska)

Guards

3. Ox Emerson (Texas)

Centers

5. Charley Brock (Nebraska)
6. Frank Bausch (Kansas)

Coaches

4. Tom Landry (Texas)
53. Jack Pardee (Texas A&M)
72. Guy Chamberlin (Nebraska Wesleyan, Nebraska)

I had a chance to see many of these players as my frame of reference for the NFL goes back to about 1964, when I was 5 years old. The only one that really shocked me was how low Gale Sayers was ranked among running backs. I grew up watching the Chicago Bears and saw almost every one of Sayers' pro games. I find it hard to believe there were 97 better running backs in NFL history than him.

One fact that was interesting from this list was the number of running backs and linemen that were Big 12 products, in comparison with quarterbacks and receivers. In the old days, the Big Eight and Southwest conferences always had reputations based on stout running games. I think that will change in the future because of the conference's growing aerial status.

Obviously, there will be other Big 12 players who will be able to make the list in the future. It would be a shock if we don't see Adrian Peterson charging into the best backs in NFL history. It wouldn't surprise me if Michael Crabtree was able to be that kind of player. Maybe Jason Smith, too.

But it's always interesting to me to see the kind of work that Lahman has developed on a grand scale for the NFL and compare it to the Big 12 schools.  

I just wish some other researchers would feel as passionate about college football history, too.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Happy Friday afternoon. Here are some of the more interesting letters I received during the past week.

Adam: Would you care to make any comparisons between Oklahoma State's ultra-talented trio of Zac Robinson/Dez Bryant/Kendall Hunter to other OSU trio greats of Mike Gundy/Barry Sanders/Hart Lee Dykes and Josh Fields/Rashaun Woods/Tatum Bell?

Tim Griffin: Adam, I think it terms of total firepower, the Gundy/Sanders/Dykes grouping was the best, followed by the current group of Robinson/Bryant/Hunter with Fields/Bell/Woods ranking last.

The reason I give the 80s group the edge is because of Sanders. Earlier this week, a national web site said that Sanders was the second-greatest living Heisman winner behind only two-time winner Archie Griffin. His rushing numbers are still mind-boggling.

And it would be interesting to see how much better Hart Lee Dykes would have done if he played in today's era where passing is such an important part. Dykes was by far the second offensive option on those teams and he still had 60, 61 and 74 catches in his three seasons as a starter.

That being said, I think that Zac Robinson could go down in history as the greatest quarterback in OSU history and Dez Bryant's numbers will end up being as good as anybody. But as good as Hunter is, he's still no Sanders.

Chance from Memphis, Tenn., writes: Thanks for the heads up regarding the possible Minnesota home-and-home addition for Texas. Didn't Texas have Utah and Arkansas on the 2009 schedule at one time, and both opted out?

TG: Chance, yes they did. Texas had a planned series with Utah for 2008 and 2009 called off fby the Utes. And after beating the Razorbacks in 2008, Arkansas officials decided they didn't want to play Texas in 2009. Instead, the Razorbacks have asked that game to be pushed back until 2014 as they start a 10-year contract for games against Texas A&M at the new Dallas Cowboys' stadium in Arlington, Texas.

All of this doesn't do Mack Brown much good for this season. He might have to answer for his non-conference schedule which is packed with gooey treats like Louisiana-Monroe, Wyoming, UTEP and Central Florida.

If there's a close race in the BCS standings, something tells me that Brown will be doing a lot of spinning about his schedule during November.

---

Adam Nettina from Baltimore writes: Tim, Why the heck is Logan Dold moving the safety when he showed such promise as a running back? He was the second all-time leading rusher in Kansas high school history, was K-state's leading rusher in terms of yards per carry among regulars a year and runs the 100 in 10.9 seconds.

Yet, he's being replaced a senior who only ran for 3.8 yards per carry in limited duty a year ago and a redshirt freshmen with basically no on-field experience. So why make the move with Dold and not somebody else?

TG: Adam, I agree that I was a little surprised by the move of Dold, particularly considering his production last season. But I also know that Bill Snyder traditionally has favored small, quick backs like Darren Sproles. I'm wondering if he thinks that Keithen Valentine better suits his philosophy. And I also know that Jarell Childs has been a big surprise during spring practice.

---

Seth from New Haven, Conn., writes: Hey Tim, I'm a Yale student who just saw that Nebraska's Patrick Witt intends to transfer to New Haven. What should we expect to see from him?

TG: I get the feeling that Witt transferred to Yale more for academic reasons that for a chance to play. He had the opportunity to play at places like Duke and South Carolina and also considered UCLA. But I think his style will suit him at Yale, playing for Coach Jack Siedlecki.

Witt is a big, strong quarterback who has a strong arm for deep throws. Remember, he was the player who Bo Pelini turned to when Joe Ganz was injured for a few plays against Clemson in the Gator Bowl.

I'm not thinking that Witt will be heading to the Bulldogs with any sense of entitlement. And I'm also expecting he will be excited about continuing his career. So I wouldn't be surprised if he really thrived with his opportunity.

---

Preston Nix from Austin, Texas, writes: Tim, what keeps the Big 12 from trading Iowa State, Colorado, and/or Baylor for Utah, Boise State or other schools that could broaden the Big 12 market and make it a national powerhouse like the SEC seems to be?

TG: Mainly, it's tradition and the relationships that all of the schools have made with the others over the years. Iowa State was in the Big Eight with many of those other schools since 1928. Colorado was a member of the Big Eight from 1948. That's a lot of years for relationships.

And if Baylor hadn't come along with the other three schools from Texas when the Big 12 was formed, it's likely that none of them would because of the Bears' strong political power in the state legislature in Austin. Also, the complete sports programs of those schools - both in men's and women's sports - will be a factor in keeping them together.

I don't look for the Big 12 to break up any time soon. From everything I'm hearing, I think there's greater cohesiveness among the 12 partners who make up the league than ever before.

---

Joseph Hauss from College Station writes: Tim, I love your blog and read it every day. The 2009 season can't get here quickly enough. I just was wondering what your thoughts were about Mike Leach's comments about Stephen McGee? An A&M student I should be all against Tech. Unlike, many of my colleagues I find Mike Leach to be my kind of guy because he speaks his mind and isn't scared to. That being said, I believe he was actually complimenting McGee on his accomplishment but was inferring that he would have been using McGee's skills in the passing game since he stepped foot on campus in 2005.

TG: I think that Leach's compliment was a backhanded swipe at McGee's previous and current coaching staff. And I've got to think there's a tad of envy for Leach in the fact that McGee, who started two games last season, was drafted in the fourth round.

Meanwhile, Graham Harrell, the prototypical quarterback for Leach's offense went undrafted despite setting a FBS career record for most career touchdown passes.

I've got to wonder if there might be a fear for Leach and the Red Raiders that Harrell's failure to be drafted might hurt the school in returning at a later time. But it seems like top quarterbacks always end up playing for the Red Raiders. It's just that the elite ones might have been more willing to make that move if Harrell had been a higher draft selection.

---

R.W. Dobbins of Oklahoma City writes: Jermaine Gresham as the best tight end in Oklahoma history? Well considering Keith Jackson was the best tight end in the history of any school, you might be a little off.

TG: I appreciate your response, but remember, I said that if Gresham had a huge year he could be remembered as Oklahoma's greatest tight end. I still think that is the case.

Jackson was a great athlete who averaged 23.7 yards per reception. But he also benefited from defenses which were stacked to stop the Sooners' wishbone offense when he was playing. And also remember that Jackson had 62 catches in his career. Gresham had 66 catches and 14 touchdowns last season.

I realize that football is different today than when Jackson was playing. But Gresham can be just as valuable and could earn All-America status with a big season this year. And he probably deserved it last season.

---

Benson from Washington, D.C., writes: Tim, I loved following the draft and I noticed that Missouri had more players picked than any team from the Big 12. Has that ever happened before? Also, was their total the most ever picked in one draft for a Big 12 team and was it the most ever for Missouri in one draft?

TG: Benson, you're right. Missouri had the most players picked in the Big 12 with six draftees. But it wasn't the most in school history. That came in 1981 and 1943 when the Tigers had seven players selected. And both of those drafts were significantly bigger than today's current seven-round draft. The NFL went 12 rounds deep in 1981 and 32 rounds in 1943.

The Tigers' haul last weekend still didn't match Oklahoma's Big 12 record of 11 players that were picked in 2005.

Thanks again for all of the letters. Enjoy your weekend and I'll be checking back again next week.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

No. 3

Dez Bryant is poised to become the Big 12's most explosive player after emerging as a consensus All-America receiver and the Big 12's special teams player of the year last season.

How productive?

Consider that Bryant averaged more on his punt returns (33 returns for a 17.9 yard-per-punt average) than he did as a receiver (87 catches for a 17.0 yard-per-catch average).

Another big season could only help boost the sizzle in one of the nation's most explosive offenses.

Bryant needs only to boost his consistency to become a player who conceivably could develop into perhaps the nation's top receiver.

Although rival defenses likely will be keying on in him in every game, Bryant could become the Big 12's third-straight Biletnikoff Award winner with continued growth and development.

Player: Dez Bryant
Team: Oklahoma State
Position: Wide receiver/kick returner
Vitals: 6-foot-2, 215 pounds; Jr.; Lufkin, Texas.

Why he was picked: Bryant had one of the most productive receiving seasons in OSU history, ranking second nationally with 19 touchdown receptions and 9.69 points per game and third nationally with 113.9 receiving yards per game and 17.94 yards per punt return. In the process, he set a school record with 19 touchdown receptions. His 128 points were second in school history, trailing only Barry Sanders' 234 points tallied in his memorable 1988 Heisman Trophy-winning season. Bryant has produced eight 100-yard receiving games in his career, including six last season. His explosiveness is highlighted by two 200-yard receiving games and 22 receptions of at least 20 yards last season.

What 2009 will hold: There could be some concern as Bryant recovers from post-season surgery that repaired a small tear on his left knee that kept him out of spring practice. But Bryant should be ready to go by the season and likely will pick up where he left off last season when he snagged a Holiday Bowl-record 13 receptions in barely three quarters against Oregon.

If he makes a diligent effort to become a more disciplined, consistent route runner and receiver, it could be possible that he could produce 100 catches, 1,700 yards and 20 touchdowns. It will be interesting to see if he keeps returning punts or if Coach Mike Gundy deems him too valuable to play on special teams. A big effort will be critical from Bryant if the Cowboys have any legitimate hope of claiming their first Big 12 South title.

The countdown:

4. Oklahoma TE Jermaine Gresham
5. Baylor QB Robert Griffin
6. Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh
7. Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy
8. Oklahoma State RB Kendall Hunter
9. Oklahoma LB Travis Lewis
10. Kansas QB Todd Reesing
11. Oklahoma RB-KR DeMarco Murray
12. Oklahoma State T Russell Okung
13. Texas DE-LB Sergio Kindle
14. Oklahoma T Trent Williams
15. Missouri LB Sean Weatherspoon
16. Baylor LB Joe Pawelek
17. Oklahoma State QB Zac Robinson
18. Texas WR-KR Jordan Shipley
19. Oklahoma RB Chris Brown
20. Nebraska I-back Roy Helu Jr.
21. Texas Tech DT Colby Whitlock
22. Kansas WR-KR Dezmon Briscoe
23. Oklahoma DE Jeremy Beal
24. Kansas S Darrell Stuckey
25. Texas Tech RB Baron Batch
26. Kansas QB-WR Kerry Meier
27. Texas T Adam Ulatoski
28. Oklahoma State LB Andre Sexton
29. Missouri G Kurtis Gregory
30. Missouri RB Derrick Washington
31. Texas Tech LB Brian Duncan
32. Texas S Earl Thomas
33. Kansas State WR-KR Brandon Banks
34. Oklahoma LB Keenan Clayton
35. Baylor S Jordan Lake
36. Oklahoma State CB-KR Perrish Cox
37. Texas C Chris Hall
38. Texas Tech DE-DT McKinner Dixon
39. Kansas State DE Brandon Harold
40. Oklahoma FB Matt Clapp