ESPN College Football

Time to continue our series breaking down each team's best and worst positions entering the 2012 season. Oklahoma State is up next.

More spring superlatives:

• Baylor
• Iowa State
• Kansas
• Kansas State
• Oklahoma

Strongest position: Running back

Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden threw the ball more than all but one quarterback (Case Keenum, Houston; Seth Doege, Texas Tech) in college football last year, but look for those pass-attempt numbers to dip a bit in 2011 for the Cowboys.

First, Weeden is gone. Second, Joseph Randle and Jeremy Smith have more than proved they're capable of producing big numbers. Look for the offense to lean on the junior duo next year a bit more as Oklahoma State breaks in a new quarterback, whoever wins the competition between Clint Chelf, J.W. Walsh and Wes Lunt.

The pass attempts may go down, but look for Randle's 1,216 yards (second in the Big 12 in 2011) to go up next season. He also ran for 24 touchdowns. Smith added 646 yards and nine touchdowns, and those numbers could go up, too. OSU won't suddenly shift to a completely different offense, but these two are going to make the QB transition much easier. Sophomore Herschel Sims should add even more depth after a strong freshman year with extremely limited touches.

Weakest position: Defensive line

Oklahoma State lost two great pass-rushers in Jamie Blatnick and Richetti Jones, who combined for 12 sacks last season and were first and second on the team. There are no elite pass-rushers or players with a ton of potential waiting in the wings. Getting a pass rush will have to be up to some crafty blitz packages. Cooper Bassett and Ryan Robinson, both seniors, will get the first crack at replacing Blatnick and Jones, but it's tough to see the duo coming close to what its predecessors did.

Inside, defensive tackle was a weakness for OSU last year, and Nigel Nicholas returns, but he's moved to defensive end. Power rushing attacks like Texas A&M, Stanford and Texas gave Oklahoma State tons of trouble last year. Anthony Rogers and Davidell Collins begin the spring as starters, but James Castleman and Christian Littlehead should be major contributors, too. We'll see if juco transfer Calvin Barnett can make an impact in a much-needed position.

Texas A&M announced it had hired Kevin Sumlin on Saturday, but waited until Monday to introduce the new coach to the media.

He met with reporters for a little more than 40 minutes, and here's a few thoughts from his first meeting with the local media.

• The biggest thing that jumped out: Sumlin referenced the move to the SEC three times in the first 10 minutes, a stark contrast from Mike Sherman's longtime avoidance of the issue that was the most fiery topic in College Station for most of the season. He even did so unprompted in his opening statement. "For me as a football coach to have the opportunity to lead our university into the SEC, to play in arguably the best conference and best division in college football, is an exciting thing for me. ... I can't wait to get to work."
• Sherman shot down notions that his avoidance of the issue meant he wasn't on board with the move. I choose to be skeptical about that. Sherman, though, did have the worthy excuse of a grueling schedule from week to week that he had to deal with. The SEC was still a bit far off and his recruiting class was already stocked with 20-plus members before the season even began. Outside of quenching the thirst of fans, there wasn't a ton of reason for him to talk about it. So, take from that what you will. Either way, it's pretty clear Sumlin is on board.
• Biggest difference from the two: Sumlin couldn't stop smiling. I'm sure getting your first major coaching job is among the happiest days of Sumlin's life, and it showed. Sherman was a good coach, but far from a jolly man. Looks like Sumlin's a bit different in that respect.
• Sumlin's defensive coordinator hire will be huge. Ultimately, I think it's what will determine the success of his early tenure. The importance of defense in the SEC is pretty obvious. It doesn't sound like he's made up his mind on the issue. Both coaching staffs at A&M and Houston will go about their business during bowl game preparations and Sumlin will be a recruiter. He said he's still in the "evaluation process" of deciding who he'll hire. He's got a good one on his staff already, Tim DeRuyter. Keeping him would be a good decision, but who knows what the dynamic between the two is? He's got to find a good fit, whether that's DeRuyter or not.
• Sumlin sounds more than willing to adjust his approach to fit what he needs to do at Texas A&M. He's an offensive guy, but he won at Oklahoma with more of a pro-style attack. At Houston, it was the wide-open passing game keyed by Case Keenum. "I’ve always looked at a job or offense as what do we need to do to win our division. We’re going to recruit to that philosophy. We will sit down and start with that premise. That being said, styles change based on league and based on your ability to be successful and the ability to attract the type of players that are necessary to win in that league. We’re going to be diverse in what we do." Sumlin had a 1,200-yard rusher in 2008 and had six rushers top 620 yards (two in each season) in each of the past three years.

My Heisman Trophy ballot has changed every week for the last couple of months.

I'm not surprised there are more than three players going to the trophy presentation.

Five players were invited to New York for Saturday night's Heisman Trophy presentation -- quarterbacks Andrew Luck of Stanford and Robert Griffin III of Baylor, tailbacks Montee Ball of Wisconsin and Trent Richardson of Alabama and cornerback Tyrann Mathieu of LSU.

It's a shame the Heisman Trust didn't have room for three more quarterbacks because Houston's Case Keenum, USC's Matt Barkley and Boise State's Kellen Moore were just as deserving.

With five finalists going to New York, it figures to be one of the closer votes in recent Heisman Trophy history.

The closest vote in Heisman Trophy history came just two years ago, when Alabama tailback Mark Ingram edged Stanford's Toby Gerhart by only 28 points. Ingram received 227 first-place votes, Gerhart got 222 and Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, the second runner-up, received 203.

Given the number of finalists and their geographical regions, we could have another really close finish on Saturday night.

Luck, the runner-up to Auburn's Cam Newton last season, entered the 2011 season as the Heisman Trophy favorite. His performance didn't slip much this season, as he completed 70 percent of his passes for 3,170 yards with 35 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

I still feel Luck might be the most valuable player on any team in the country. Without him, there's no way the Cardinal is ranked No. 4 in the country and playing No. 3 Oklahoma State in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. Luck has done more with less, as Stanford lacks the game-changing playmakers that other teams have.

But Luck might still be the second-best quarterback in New York. Griffin, who is widely known as RG3, completed 72.4 percent of his passes for 3,998 yards with 36 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also ran for 644 yards with nine touchdowns.

Without him, the Bears wouldn't have beaten TCU, Oklahoma and Texas. Griffin's one drawback: He had a late interception that sealed the Bears' fate in a 36-35 loss at Kansas State on Oct. 1 and threw two picks in a 59-24 loss at Oklahoma State on Oct. 29. But with everything else RG3 has done this season, it's easy to give him a mulligan for the miscues.

I still believe Richardson is the best player in the country. He looked like the best player on the field in No. 2 Alabama's 9-6 loss in overtime to No. 1 LSU on Nov. 5. He had 89 rushing yards and 80 receiving yards in a game where every yard mattered. He finished the season with 1,583 yards with 20 touchdown runs and three touchdown catches. He's also Mr. Dependable, not losing a fumble in his past 520 touches and only once in 614 career touches.

Ball has been a scoring machine for the No. 10 Badgers this season, running for 1,759 yards with 32 touchdown runs and six touchdown receptions. His 38 total touchdowns are one shy of matching former Oklahoma State running back Barry Sanders' NCAA single-season record of 39 set in 11 games in 1988. Ball's production helped lead the Badgers to a Jan. 2 date against Oregon in the Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO.

Mathieu fell off my ballot after he was suspended from playing in the Tigers' 45-10 victory over Auburn on Oct. 22 for smoking synthetic marijuana. But his big plays helped the Tigers overcome deficits in each of their last two victories, over Arkansas and Georgia in the SEC championship game.

Mathieu -- aka the "Honey Badger" -- is the best player on the top-ranked team. He leads the Tigers with 70 tackles and has forced six fumbles and recovered five. He also is the most dynamic punt returner I've seen since Florida State's Deion Sanders. Mathieu has scored four touchdowns -- two on fumble returns and two on punt returns.

To penalize Mathieu for one foolish mistake wouldn't have been right. After all, Newton was briefly ruled ineligible at Auburn last season and 2010 Heisman Trophy finalist LaMichael James of Oregon was suspended from playing in last season's opener.

Not much movement in this week's race. Two candidates were inactive, and no top players struggled.

Alas, here are the Big 12 players with the best shot to win the Heisman. Only the top two candidates are realistic ones, and both look likely to earn trips to New York if they win on Saturday and play well. If we've learned one thing this year, it's that no matter how hard we try, we really can't project what's coming in this game.

1. Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

Last week: 7-11, 106 yards, TD, 14 carries, 62 yards, 2 TD in 66-24 win over Texas Tech.

Making the case for Griffin III: Griffin missed the entire second half after suffering from concussion-like symptoms, but his teammates picked up the slack. Running back Terrance Ganaway carried the ball 42 times for 246 yards and two touchdowns to set a school record. RG3's got a tough test this week against the Big 12's best defense: Texas.

2. Brandon Weeden, QB, Oklahoma State

Last week: Off.

Making the case for Weeden: It's going to be tough, but if Weeden can play huge in a big spot against Oklahoma to win the Big 12, and if Baylor loses with a poor effort from Robert Griffin III, he could get some more serious mention. The hard part: Alabama's Trent Richardson and Stanford's Andrew Luck are idle this weekend.

3. Collin Klein, QB, Kansas State

Last week: Off.

Making the case for Klein: Klein got some much-needed rest this week, but he'll be back in action against Iowa State this week. It's been a great season for Klein, and he might be the most valuable player of anyone in the Big 12. He's carried the ball more than only five players in college football and 45 more times than any QB. Only Wisconsin's Montee Ball has more touchdowns. Look out for him in 2012.

4. Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma

Last week: 22-43, 254 yards, 2 INT in a 26-6 win over Iowa State.

Making the case for Jones: Jones was held without a touchdown pass for the second consecutive game, but he played in crazy wind in Norman. All things considered, he played pretty well, and one of his interceptions was off an inexplicable drop. The Heisman may be off the table, but Jones can win a second Big 12 title in Stillwater on Saturday.

Here's how I voted in ESPN's weekly Heisman Watch:

1. Robert Griffin III
2. Trent Richardson
3. Andrew Luck
4. Case Keenum
5. Brandon Weeden

Thanks for all the questions this week. As always, send them here if you want to show up here next week.

Matt Walters in Dallas asked: Graham Harrell was labeled a "system quarterback" in 2008. Should players like Brandon Weeden and Case Keenum be given this label since they are in the exact same 'system'?

David Ubben: Here's the deal with the whole "system quarterback" knock: Most of the time, the criticism comes when quarterbacks don't make difficult throws and mostly rely on dink-and-dunk plays blocked downfield for big yardage. Anybody who watches Oklahoma State knows the Cowboys offense is nothing remotely of the sort. OSU throws it downfield plenty, and Weeden can make every throw. He's got a much bigger arm than Harrell or Keenum has, and OSU's offense shows it.

Also, Weeden is relied upon to make a lot of split-second decisions after the snap. OSU runs a number of plays that have the option to be a run or a pass, and he's the guy who has to read the defense and make the apt decision. I don't know if you've taken a look at OSU's offensive numbers lately, but it seems like he's done OK.

John Schultze in College Station, Texas, asked: After watching Von play at the next level, is Timmy D a great defensive mind? Or just a decent coordinator with an absolute freak on his side of the ball?

DU: It can't be both?

I had a chance to sit in on a lecture about the 3-4 that defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter gave to a couple hundred coaches at a coaching convention in January, and trust this: The guy knows his stuff. A&M's defense has fallen apart for a number of reasons, but DeRuyter's not the only one. You forget how bad this defense was in 2009, before DeRuyter arrived. It gave up about five more points a game than any other Big 12 team.

Former Aggies linebacker Von Miller is an unbelievable player who is having exactly as much success in the NFL as most of us thought he would, but DeRuyter's still a solid coordinator, and one of the best in the Big 12.

John in Ames, Iowa, asked: How big of a deal would it be if ISU pulled off the upset against Oklahoma State?

DU: Uh, the term "Poke Choke" comes to mind. Simply put, Iowa State doesn't have the necessary offense to win this game. Uncharacteristic mistakes like drops, turnovers or a weird night for Weeden is the only way Oklahoma State loses this game. Prepare for it, Iowa State fans. If the Cyclones win this, it's going to be about OSU.

John in Olathe, Kan., asked: What will it take for Collin Klein to be considered nationally as a legit QB talent? He is putting up ridiculous numbers in the nation's second best conference. On ESPN's Heisman Expert polling, there is no mention of his name. Do you think they will ignore him next year, too?

DU: It took a while for a couple reasons, most of which is he's not a big-play guy and he doesn't throw a pretty ball, which is sort of a prerequisite as a quarterback. You saw Taylor Martinez and Denard Robinson get Heisman hype last year because they made highlight runs and terrified defenses. Klein pushing the pile for a 3-yard touchdown run isn't exactly the stuff of legend.

Combine that with an underwhelming early-season schedule and it took a lot of folks (myself included) to realize what Klein really could be. Now, with K-State proving itself as a top 15-20 team or better, and Klein putting up some big-time numbers, he's gained attention. He'll definitely be a guy on Heisman watch lists next year.

Lee in Raleigh, N.C., asked: How can you say that the Texas defense is the best that Kansas St will face? The OU defense stiffled Kansas St (in Manhattan). I think the Wildcats will put up a lot more points on Texas, than they did on OU. And they'll do it in Austin.

DU: It might have something to do with that pesky rumor that Texas is giving up 47 fewer yards per game than any team in the Big 12 and more than 85 fewer than the Big 12's No. 3 team. Combine that with a ton of fantastic athletes at all three levels, and, well ... you get the point.

Kansas State might score a few more points on Texas, but that doesn't mean Texas' defense isn't better. The Longhorns D is legit.

Arnav in St. Louis asked: LSU couldn't score off of Alabama's defense, and if Alabama had had any passing attack whatsoever instead of having [Trent] Richardson try to run through 10 defenders, they might have scored a touchdown. Does OK State's passing juggernaut and pretty solid defense find a win there?

DU: I'm not ready to predict a win just yet, but I think it'd be close and a game that nears the 30s, probably something like 23-20 or 28-24. Could probably go either way. OSU's defense is better than I thought it was early in the year, and the offense isn't going to get totally shut down by any defense.

Mark in Corpus Christi, Texas, asked: BCS selection(s) aside. Which Big 12 team would you consider must watch out of the following. Oklahoma, Oklahoma St., Baylor, Texas or Kansas State. List them in order of preference. Thanks.

DU: Give me OSU, Baylor, OU, K-State and then Texas. Oklahoma State's offensive athletes are a thing of beauty. The same's true of Baylor and Oklahoma, especially Robert Griffin III. He might be the most fun player to watch in the league. K-State and UT are doing it ugly.

Chris in Manhattan, Kan., asked: Everyone is saying K-State's offense isn't sexy. But Collin Klein is our offense, right? For the most part yes. Collin Klein is rugged, right? Yes. And being rugged is generally considered sexy, right? I think so. Therefore K-states offense is generally sexy when Klein is on the field.

DU: You just blew my mind.

Before we kick off this week's Heisman Watch, a quick quote from last week's Heisman Watch.

With a pretty bigtime performance and an undefeated team, Weeden is looking more and more like a legit candidate to challenge Andrew Luck. A loss by Stanford to Oregon on Saturday might shake up this whole race, and don't be surprised to see Weeden at the top of the list this time next week.

Ta-DAH! Luck's Cardinal went down. So did Kellen Moore's Boise State team. Suddenly, Weeden has surged as a legitimate threat to win the whole shebangabang.

Weeden took over the lead in total first-place votes in our ESPN Heisman Watch, but is only in third place overall. How? Four of our 15 voters didn't have Weeden on their ballot at all. This is the part where I sigh dismissively. As expected, this one will likely come down to Bedlam. Win with a big performance, and the award may be Weeden's.

Here's how the Big 12's candidates sit, with a new addition at No. 3.

1. Brandon Weeden, QB, Oklahoma State

Last week: 31-37, 423 yards, 5 TD in a 66-6 win over Texas Tech.

Making the case for Weeden: Weeden was the catalyst in the worst loss in Texas Tech history. Despite windy conditions, he was his usual self, putting up staggering numbers and sitting for the fourth quarter. Later in the day, as mentioned above, Weeden slid up near or at the top of the national Heisman scene.

2. Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma

Last week: Off.

Making the case for Jones: Jones is still hanging around the second tier of national contenders for the award, but he'll have a couple showcase games down the stretch, taking on a ranked Baylor team in primetime this week before closing the season against OSU on Dec. 3.

3. Collin Klein, QB, Kansas State

Last week: 17-27, 281 yards, TD, INT. 35 carries, 103 yards, 5 TD in a 53-50 win over Texas A&M in 4 OT.

Making the case for Klein: Klein makes his season debut on this least after a week in which he accounted for six touchdowns. He's now the nation's leader with 24 touchdowns and needs three more to break Longhorns legend Ricky Williams' all-time Big 12 record. His opponent this week: Texas.

4. Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

Last week: 22-29, 312 yards, 3 TD, INT. 10 carries, 103 yards, TD.

Making the case for Griffin: The Baylor 21-point fourth-quarter comeback was sparked by Griffin's 49-yard touchdown run, and he added two more long touchdown passes to force overtime, where the Bears got a defensive stop for the win. Griffin needs a win over Oklahoma this week to get back into the serious conversation.

Here's how I voted in ESPN's weekly Heisman Watch:

1. Brandon Weeden
2. Andrew Luck
3. Trent Richardson
4. LaMichael James
5. Case Keenum

College GameDay posed the question yesterday, and truth be told, I can't reason an answer in my head. So, I leave it up to you.

Who's the best team in Texas this year?

Is it undefeated Houston? The No. 11 Cougars are the highest-ranked team in Texas with a record-setter at quarterback in Case Keenum, but it's also the same team that beat UCLA by four, Louisiana Tech by one and UTEP by a touchdown. They haven't been tested, but there's a lot to be said for being one of just five undefeated teams remaining.

What about the lofty Longhorns? Texas has bounced back from last year's five-win campaign with six wins in eight games this year. While relying mostly on freshmen on offense, it has predictably gotten much better as the season's progressed. That's been especially true with 400 rushing yards in consecutive weeks for the first time since 1977 as they prepare for this week's game at Mizzou. The Longhorns also lead the Big 12 in total defense by a wide margin.

TCU is headed to the Big 12 next season. Are the Horned Frogs -- looming just outside the top 25 -- the state's best team after winning the Rose Bowl last season? TCU has losses to in-state foes Baylor and SMU, but a two-point loss to Baylor came with a 24-point comeback and the SMU loss was in overtime.

What about those Bears? Robert Griffin III has been one of the Big 12's best players this season, and a poor defense hasn't prevented Baylor from getting within one win of a second consecutive trip to a bowl game with four games still left this season.

And then, there are those SEC-bound Aggies. I'd argue A&M is the most talented team in this group, but it's also the group with the most losses. Three of them came with double-digit, second-half leads. Texas A&M's weakness has been pass defense and forcing turnovers, but it's physical, productive offense hasn't been enough to justify its preseason top 10 ranking.

So, who deserves the Texas state title?

TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS

Record: 4-1 (1-1 Big 12)

Texas Tech played the worst nonconference schedule in the Big 12, and opened conference play with the league's worst team in Kansas. So, understandably, the 4-0 start wasn't wholly impressive. Texas Tech's first real test came Saturday night, and though the loss to Texas A&M meant the Red Raiders didn't pass, they were far from failing.

The 45-40 defeat was disappointing, but Tech hung tough against a team much better than its ranking outside the top 20. There's not much evidence to suggest the Red Raiders' streak of 18 consecutive seasons with bowl eligibility will be coming to an end anytime soon, even with the young team in a bit of a rebuilding stage in 2011. The lessons learned over the second half of this season, though, could set up a huge year in 2011. Tech is in the meaty portion of its schedule, and four teams currently ranked in the top 25 are on the slate during the next five weeks. Just how good is this year's team? We'll know exactly how good after that stretch.

Offensive MVP: Seth Doege, QB. No question about this one. Doege has been every bit the passer Texas Tech hoped and he's living his childhood dream of being the next legend in the red and black. He's already written his name in the record books by breaking former Tech QB Kliff Kingsbury's single-game completion-percentage record. Doege leads the league in pass attempts and is third in completion percentage; his 1,706 yards passing yards is good for eighth nationally and his 17 touchdowns have him tied with Case Keenum of Houston for second-most nationally.

Defensive MVPs: Safeties Cody Davis and D.J. Johnson. It's tough to pick between these two, who have a combined 58 solo tackles and 67 total stops. Texas Tech leads the Big 12 in pass defense, and Johnson leads the team with two picks. Only Texas and Oklahoma have given up fewer passing touchdowns than Texas Tech (6) this season. The pair have combined for five pass breakups. Defensive tackle Kerry Hyder deserves a shoutout, too. His efforts won't get much pub, but he's been really disruptive up front with Davis and Johnson holding down the back.

Today, we're taking a look at the tease teams across the Big 12, and the past three seasons, we've seen a good number of cases in the Big 12.

These three programs find themselves in the top 10 again this year, but here's what's happened lately. Is one of these squads simply a tease in 2011?

2010: Texas A&M

The Aggies, coming off a 6-7 season in 2009, weren't convincing enough to earn preseason top 25 honors, but the potential for a big year was there, and anyone paying attention knew it. The offense was loaded, led by the league's preseason offensive player of the year, Jerrod Johnson. Johnson, however, struggled early, throwing four interceptions in consecutive games against Florida International and Oklahoma State, turning the ball over five times in a loss to the Cowboys. The Aggies were embarrassed on their home field by Missouri to fall to 3-3, and despite a late-season rally, couldn't qualify for the Big 12 championship game.

2009: Oklahoma State

The offseason crescendo built to a pressure-packed season opener against SEC foe Georgia, but Dez Bryant and the Cowboys knocked off the Bulldogs to land in the top 5 and on the cover of Sports Illustrated. A week later, however, Case Keenum (and Dana Holgorsen, by the way) waltzed into Stillwater and gave the Cowboys a nasty buzzkill in the form of a 45-35 upset, officially derailing a championship season. OSU also suffered a pair of embarrassing 27-point losses to Big 12 South rivals Oklahoma and Texas, including a 27-0 shutout loss to Oklahoma. Kendall Hunter (ankle), Zac Robinson (shoulder) and Dez Bryant (NCAA suspension) were all forced off the field at times, but there's no doubt: That team was a tease.

2008: Missouri

The Tigers reached No. 1 heading into the Big 12 championship game in 2007, but a loss sent them to the Cotton Bowl and hoping for better luck next year. Chase Daniel and Co. opened the season at No. 6 and ran off a 5-0 start, including a 52-17 obliteration of Nebraska in Lincoln, the first win for the Tigers there since 1978. A week later, though? A program-defining win for Oklahoma State on Missouri's field, followed by an absolute undressing by Colt McCoy and Texas in Austin a week later, featuring a 35-3 halftime deficit. The Tigers were upset by Kansas before being rolled over 62-21 by Oklahoma and settling for an appearance in the Alamo Bowl. Quite the tease, Tigers.

So, which of the Big 12 teams ranked this year looks like a tease?

Everything's a bit earlier this week, thanks to Thanksgiving and some early-week games. My predictions are on the way on Wednesday morning, but here's a look at this week's games (all times ET):

THURSDAY

No. 17 Texas A&M at Texas (ESPN/ESPN3, 8 p.m): The Lone Star Showdown takes place with a higher-ranked Texas A&M team for the first time since 1998. Texas will try to win its second consecutive game after losing six of seven in the middle of the season.

FRIDAY

Colorado at No. 15 Nebraska (ABC/ESPN3, 3:30 p.m.): Nebraska must win to clinch its second consecutive North title, but it might have to do it with a gimpy starting quarterback in Taylor Martinez. Even if Martinez recovers from the ankle injury aggravated against Texas A&M, the Huskers offense will have to rediscover the efficiency that was there earlier in the season. Colorado, meanwhile, has bludgeoned its way to the brink of bowl eligibility with a 2-0 record under Brian Cabral after coach Dan Hawkins was fired.

SATURDAY

Kansas vs. No. 14 Missouri in Kansas City, Mo. (Fox Sports Net, 12:30 p.m.): The Border Showdown boasts a 25-point spread, but Missouri's 25-point victory in 2006 is the only time the spread between the two teams has broached that wide of an outcome.

Kansas State at North Texas (ESPN3, 4 p.m.): Kansas State travels to Denton, Texas, for one of the most remarkably coincidental finishes to a season ever. The Wildcats are playing a second consecutive opponent whose quarterback is the son of a coach fired earlier in the season.

Houston at Texas Tech (Fox Sports Net, 8 p.m.): Texas Tech is already safely bowl-eligible, but the 5-6 Cougars have plenty to do. They knocked off the Red Raiders last year, but an injured Case Keenum isn't on the field this year for Kevin Sumlin's team.

No. 13 Oklahoma at No. 9 Oklahoma State (ABC/ESPN3, 8 p.m.): ESPN's "College GameDay" is making its second stop in the Big 12 this year with a visit to Stillwater. The Big 12 South isn't the only thing that will be decided in this game. All-Big 12 ballots could tip in one direction or the other based on the performances of the pile of offensive talent on the field in this one.

Regular season complete: Baylor (7-5), Iowa State (5-7)

Miss your team's Mailbag? Here's the three we've covered so far:

• Texas Tech
• Texas A&M
• Texas
  

Robert Miller in Stillwater, Okla., asks: David, good ongoing read on the Big XII's best players. I didn't really take the rankings themselves in as much as the synopsis of each player. It was a nice distraction from realignment and offseason penalties...and Jerrod Johnson IS a beast. On to my Pokes question - how do you see the hiring of Holgorsen at OC playing out? Specifically, can it pay off as much (and as quickly) as Bill Young's recipe for "instant defense"?

David Ubben: I think so. Oklahoma State’s offense was solid last season and stellar before that, twice being in the top 10 nationally in scoring since 2006. Point is, it has the pieces to do it. There’s no reason they can’t do it again. We’ll get to the why as we move through the Mailbag.

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Gabe in Dallas, Texas, asks: Can Brandon Weeden be better than Zac Robinson? He definitely has more arm strength imo.

DU: They’re such different quarterbacks, it’s tough to say who’ll be “better.” Weeden should surpass Robinson’s passing numbers, but passing wasn’t the only thing Robinson’s going to be remembered for. Weeden, likely to start for the next two seasons, may not touch Robinson’s 8,317 career passing yards, but Robinson’s season career high was 3,064 yards in 2008. I’d be surprised if Weeden doesn’t surpass that easily this season. In Holgorsen’s version of the Air Raid offense, any outlandish numbers mean Weeden’s going to inevitably draw the label of “system quarterback” just like a handful of others at Texas Tech and Houston’s Case Keenum. But if Oklahoma State wins big in the next two seasons and finds its way into a BCS bowl, Cowboys fans probably won’t care about the label. And like most quarterbacks, he’ll be ultimately judged by the Cowboys’ win total. No labels -- accurate or not -- will keep him from being considered a better quarterback by plenty of folks if the offense carries the Cowboys to a season like that.

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Michael Townsend in Manitowoc, Wis., asks: David, As an Oklahoma St. alum, I would like nothing more than for the Cowboys to get out from the Texas/Oklahoma shadow and become a competitive figure in the Big 12. Do you see this happening any time soon, considering the loss of talent from last year? Thanks.

DU: Big picture, I don’t see that happening as long as Mack Brown and Bob Stoops are coaching down south. The yearly recruiting rankings -- which also don’t look likely to change -- mean the Cowboys would have to annually exceed expectations to do it, and that might be a little much to ask. Last season was the first time Oklahoma State had finished higher than Oklahoma in the Big 12 South standings, and Mike Gundy has never finished above Texas, but there’s no reason he can’t do it for a season every now and then in the future. With the amount of questions for both teams this year that could have unfavorable answers, it wouldn’t be completely out of the question for it to happen this year. I wouldn’t bet on it, but it wouldn’t shock me.

UPDATE: Got a couple e-mails from Oklahoma State fans noting the 1997 and 1998 finishes over Oklahoma. Reading back through this, I didn't make it clear enough that I was speaking about the Brown/Stoops Eras only. Sorry about that, but the reference in the first sentence didn't make that clear.

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John in Broken Arrow, Okla., asks: With the new offensive scheme being put into place at Oklahoma State who do you see replacing Dez Bryant as OSU's go to wide receiver this year? Will it be Tracy Moore or Hubert Anyiam or do you believe a new comer will come out and perform well?

DU: Anyiam, because he’s been that guy before. In this new system, it wouldn’t surprise me if a guy like Moore or a shiftier slot receiver who knew how to use the open space underneath well like Josh Cooper came out of nowhere to lead the team in receiving. He’d have to be reliable in that space, catch everything and make Weeden more comfortable making the throws underneath versus forcing it to the wideouts. But Anyiam was really, really impressive last year after Bryant was suspended. I know his production tapered toward the end of the season, but without him, Oklahoma State would have had a much different season in 2009. He obliterated Missouri’s secondary and caught early touchdowns in close wins against Texas A&M and Texas Tech. If he plays like he did in the middle of the season for an entire year, he could put up big time numbers.

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Zack Thiel in Hinton, Okla., asks: What are the odds that Kendall Hunter leads the big 12 in rushing? and Brandon Weeden in passing?

DU: Not great for Hunter in rushing, just because guys like Alexander Robinson and Daniel Thomas, my two co-favorites to lead the league, will get a lot more carries. But Hunter will get plenty of touches in the passing game and he and Baron Batch at Texas Tech should be in the running for the league lead in total yardage if he stays healthy.

Weeden’s got a great shot to lead the league in passing, but Steven Sheffield, Blaine Gabbert and Jerrod Johnson will be right there, too. It’s worth noting that Keenum threw the ball 697 times last season, 122 attempts more than any other quarterback in the nation. Weeden won’t throw it that much, but he’s got a good shot at leading the Big 12 in attempts. If that happens, it’ll obviously help his chances at leading the league in passing yards.

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Tony M in Seattle, Wash., asks: Hey David im a big fan of you and Oklahoma State. But there is talk about osu going to the north to even things out in the "big 12". I was just wondering what your input on that is.

DU: There’s been some confusion on this. Bill Snyder’s been campaigning a bit recently to split the league up into two five-team divisions, but that’s little more than a ploy to avoid playing Texas and Oklahoma every season. It’s still fluid, but the most likely scenario in the new 10-team Big 12 is a division-less, nine-game round-robin schedule and an 18-game conference schedule in basketball where each team plays every team twice. For me, that just means no more complaints about the lack of coverage for the Big 12 North -- since it won’t exist. Although others might suggest the Big 12 Blog has operated as if that’s been the case for some time.

2009 overall record: 9-4

2009 conference record: 6-2

Returning starters: Offense (4), Defense(4) P/K (2)

Top returners: DE Ugo Chinasa, RB Kendall Hunter, WR Hubert Anyiam, S Markelle Martin, K Dan Bailey, P Quinn Sharp

Key losses: QB Zac Robinson, OL Russell Okung, RB Keith Toston, WR Dez Bryant, LB Donald Booker, CB Perrish Cox, LB Andre Sexton, LB Patrick Lavine, S Lucien Antoine

2009 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Keith Toston (1,218 yards)

Passing: Zac Robinson (2,084 yards)

Receiving: Hubert Anyiam (515 yards)

Tackles: Donald Booker (99)

Sacks: Ugo Chinasa* (6.5)

Interceptions: Patrick Lavine (5)

Three spring answers

1. Learning the offense: Oklahoma State looks on schedule in learning new offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen’s spread attack, one he used to coordinate the best offense in college football at Houston last season. Brandon Weeden is the unquestioned starter after the spring, including a nice finish in the spring game when the junior threw four touchdown passes.

2. Kendall Hunter: New ends, different means. Coach Mike Gundy estimates Hunter will touch the ball around 250 times next season, but he won’t be doing it on the ground. Instead, he’ll be catching the ball in space, using his shiftiness to make defenders miss and pile up yards for the Cowboys. Holgorsen says Hunter is even better than he thought, and they’ll both want to prove it in the fall after Hunter’s disappointing 2009 season.

3. He’s no Lemon. Defensive coordinator Bill Young believes linebacker Orie Lemon is the best middle linebacker in the country, and Lemon had one of the best springs of any player on the Cowboy defense. He missed the entire 2009 season after tearing his ACL in fall camp, and will be ready to get back on the field this fall.

Three fall questions

1. Will Weeden be the next Keenum? At Houston under Holgorsen, Case Keenum threw for almost 1,500 more yards than the second-best in football in 2009. No one’s expecting Weeden to throw for 5,600 yards in 2010 (or throw it almost 700 times), but if he can elevate his status to one of the conference’s best quarterbacks, Holgorsen will have another impressive bullet on his resume and the Cowboys will have a few more wins.

2. Can the O-line assert itself? Will it have to? The offensive line is replacing the NFL Draft’s No. 6 pick and four-year starter Russell Okung, along with three other starters. Will they be good enough to get Holgorsen’s offense humming? With the system’s quick-release passing, it might not have to hold for long.

3. Can the Cowboys exceed expectations in a rebuilding year? After falling short of the South title in 2009 with Zac Robinson, Dez Bryant (at least part of the time) and Okung, expectations are measured in what’s somewhat of a rebuilding year for the Cowboys. They have a great chance to parlay a 4-0 non-conference record into a bowl game, but how many more wins will the Cowboys have in conference? Only the fall knows.

What happened:

• New starter Brandon Weeden threw four touchdowns.
• The offense beat the defense, 55-39.
• About 7,000 people showed up to Boone Pickens Stadium on a rainy Saturday.

What we learned:

• This spring at Oklahoma State has been all about the offense, even as the defense replaces seven defensive starters.
• Kendall Hunter is Oklahoma State's best offensive weapon, and it's not close. New offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen knows this, and so does everyone else. Hunter is going to get the ball in 2010, but I don't think he'll do most of his damage in the running game. He got four catches and four carries in the spring game for 28 and 43 yards, respectively, but obviously that's an extremely small sample size. "He had a really difficult time not competing last year and he couldn't practice full speed and he lost a little bit of his edge," Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said. "He's regained it in the offseason and we're really looking forward to him having a good year." I like Hunter's chances to be more effective catching the ball in space and making people miss than I do weaving his way through blocks from an offensive line replacing four starters and learning a new system. Hunter doesn't need to learn much to break tackles in the flat. It could be a rough year for the Oklahoma State O-line.
• Have to be encouraged by Weeden's performance, which only legitimizes the talk of progress this spring. He threw for 423 yards to go with his four touchdowns on 22 of 34 passing. Those are very Holgorsen-esque numbers. Weeden won't be getting any Heisman buzz like Case Keenum did last season, but there's no quarterback controversy in Stillwater. "The last three weeks, he got better every week," Holgorsen said. "He can make every throw."
• On the note of quarterbacks, I was in Stillwater when Oklahoma State opened spring practice. Holgorsen mostly just smiled and shook his head when talking about early enrollee Johnny Deaton's struggles. As spring came to a close, he nailed down the No. 2 spot. Have to say that's a little surprising and not a great sign for sophomore Clint Chelf's future at the position. "The first three days, [Deaton] was overwhelmed, so I ignored him for three weeks and told him to absorb [the offense],” Holgorsen said. "When his number was called this past week, he knew where to go with the ball and he was much better. Where he’s at right now, I didn’t expect him to be based on his first practices.”
• Hubert Anyiam was a surprise no-show, quietly breaking his foot during spring practice. Losing your top receiver in the spring is never good, and with Tracy Moore and Justin Blackmon looking like the only probable threats, it's not a timely injury. Better than in the fall, I guess. It could be a big summer for Josh Cooper, too. He'll have opportunities in the pass-happy offense and he'll need to take advantage of them.

They said it:

"I think the pace of the offense got better as we went on. We kept moving the ball and getting first downs. Coach Holgorsen stresses that -- just get first downs and things will take care of themselves."

-- Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden

New Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen arrived in Stillwater in January. A student of departed Texas Tech coach Mike Leach, Holgorsen said then he came to call the plays.

Today, the Cowboys released their preseason depth chart, and regardless of who is on it, where they’ll be lining up suggests the spread is officially in place at Oklahoma State.

Last season, the Cowboys lined up three receivers and a tight end. This spring's depth chart lists two inside receivers and two outside receivers.

Junior Hubert Anyiam and sophomore Justin Blackmon will start as wide receivers. Holgorsen’s inside receivers will be junior Josh Cooper and sophomore Tracy Moore.

Former All-American Kendall Hunter remains the starter at running back after missing extended time in 2009 because of an ankle injury.

The fullback position has also disappeared. In its place, a second running back spot stocked with a pair of 220-plus pound running backs, likely to be used in short-yardage situations or as blockers on third down.

Those slots went to Bryant Ward, a senior from Stillwater and Dexter Pratt, a freshman.

No surprise at quarterback, where junior Brandon Weeden enters the spring as the starter. Freshmen Clint Chelf and Johnny Deaton enter the spring as co-backups.

Holgorsen came to Oklahoma State via Houston, where he crafted college football’s best offense behind quarterback Case Keenum, who spearheaded a Houston team that beat the Cowboys, 45-35, in Stillwater last season.

Former Texas Tech quarterback Kliff Kingsbury was promoted to co-offensive coordinator and quarterback coach and former Tech wide receiver Eric Morris has been added as a quality control assistant on Kevin Sumlin's staff at Houston.

Kingsbury has been a member of Sumlin's staff for the last two seasons. During that time, he has been instrumental in the development of record-breaking Houston quarterback Case Keenum.

"Kliff was a tremendous player as a quarterback and has been in the background with our offensive staff for the past two years," Sumlin said. "This will give him an opportunity to continue the progress and development in the level of quarterback play."

Morris, a four-year letterman at Tech from 2005-08, will be the newest member of Sumlin's offensive group.

The additions will only make the Nov. 27 game in Lubbock against the Red Raiders that much more emotional for both of them.