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This time last year, we broke down which Big 12 players would most likely reach the benchmarks for their positions in 2011.

The benchmark for receivers is clearly 1,000 yards. Here's what I wrote about the Big 12's 1,000-yard receivers.

It's time to revisit those projections.

College football had 40 players top 1,000 yards receiving. The Big 12 had four. Here's who I picked to do it:

1. Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma: Don't read much into Broyles being over Blackmon. They'll both clear the 1,000-yard mark easily, barring injury. Broyles, though, has done it twice already and has more guaranteed touches in Oklahoma's short passing game.

Final 2011 yardage tally: 1,157 yards

Thoughts: Ugh, it's hard to read that "barring injury" part from last April, but Broyles cleared the 1,000-yard mark and set the FBS career record for receptions before tearing his ACL against Texas A&M. Broyles probably had the inside track at the Biletnikoff Award over Blackmon, but settled for finalist status after the injury.

2. Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State: Blackmon won't come from nowhere this year, but teams were well aware of him after a few games last year. Look for Blackmon and Broyles to clear the 1,500-yard mark like they did last year, when they ranked second and third nationally in receiving yards. Both were finalists for the Biletnikoff Award won by Blackmon, and both have a decent chance to be Heisman finalists next year.

Final 2011 yardage tally: 1,522 yards

Thoughts: Called that 1,500-yard mark on the button, no? Only three receivers in the country topped that mark, and Blackmon was one of them. He also repeated as the nation's top receiver, becoming the second Big 12 player to take home the Biletnikoff Award in consecutive seasons. Heck of a career for Blackmon.

3. T.J. Moe, Missouri: Missouri could help out Moe quite a bit by finding a deep threat to soften up defenses for his underneath routes, but he should be a nice safety blanket for the Tigers' new quarterback. Like we wrote earlier this week, Missouri is the only team in the Big 12 without a quarterback on the roster who has started a game.

Final 2011 yardage tally: 649 yards

Thoughts: Much of the step back was anything but Moe's fault. For one, Mizzou never really found a deep threat to help stretch the field and open things up for Moe, and though quarterback James Franklin played well, he carried the ball almost 200 times. Moe doesn't have eye-popping straight-line speed, and his ability to get open was marginalized by defenses that could afford to show a lack of respect for the long ball.

4. Jeff Fuller, Texas A&M: Fuller became the first Texas A&M receiver to ever reach the 1,000-yard mark last season, and there's no reason to believe he won't do it again. He's experienced, a good route-runner and near impossible to cover on the fade route.

Final 2011 yardage tally: 828 yards

Thoughts: Who knows what went wrong with Fuller last season? He struggled early on with a hamstring injury, but coach Mike Sherman said Fuller was healthy late in the season, and just never turned it on. Fuller is physically gifted, but to me, looked like he was lazy in his route-running, and struggled with drops, too. As a result, he went undrafted.

6. Alex Torres, Texas Tech: Torres was slowed last year by a back injury, but Texas Tech loses its top two receivers from last year's team, and Torres is likely the beneficiary.

Final 2011 yardage tally: 639 yards

Thoughts: Nope. Injuries got Torres again, capped by a torn ACL late in the season. He was banged up for much of the season, and had just two games with at least 100 yards receiving.

I almost picked Kendall Wright to have more than 1,000 yards, but narrowly decided not to. He'd never had 1,000 yards in a season before exploding for 1,663 yards in 2011, but I thought the depth of Baylor's offense would prevent him from hitting quadruple digits. Nope.

The other player I missed? Texas A&M's Ryan Swope, who emerged as a the top receiver in College Station while Fuller struggled. Never, ever saw that one coming.

How would you grade my projections?

We're continuing our look at the postseason rankings for each position in the Big 12. Here's a look back at where the receivers ranked in the preseason.

In this position, unlike quarterback, depth is a major, major factor in these rankings.

More postseason position rankings:

• Quarterbacks
• Running backs

1. Oklahoma State: The Cowboys boasted two-time Biletnikoff winner Justin Blackmon, but he wasn't the only weapon. The Cowboys had nine (!) receivers with at least 19 catches and 200 yards receiving this season. Insane. Life is good with Brandon Weeden at quarterback.

2. Baylor: Kendall Wright actually outperformed Blackmon and Ryan Broyles on the stat sheet, catching 108 balls for 1,663 yards. The Bears didn't have the insane depth of OSU, but the trio of Wright, Terrance Williams (59 rec, 957 yards, 11 TDs) and Tevin Reese (51 rec, 877 yards, 7 TDs) were all in the Big 12's top seven receivers.

3. Texas A&M: Ryan Swope emerged to become one of just four Big 12 receivers to notch 1,000-yard seasons. Jeff Fuller's season was disappointing, but he still finished eighth in the league in receiving, and Uzoma Nwachukwu was in the league's top 15 in receiving.

4. Oklahoma: The Sooners weren't quite as solid as they thought to begin the season. Broyles was as advertised, though his Biletnikoff-contending season was cut short by a torn ACL. The unit was productive, but came down with the drops late in the season. Broyles and Kenny Stills were both in the league's top seven in receiving, and Jaz Reynolds caught 41 passes for 715 yards to crack the top 10.

5. Texas Tech: Tech's top target, Darrin Moore, battled injuries all year, but Eric Ward emerged as the team's most consistent target, catching 84 passes for 800 yards and 11 scores. Alex Torres missed two games, but added 616 more yards.

6. Missouri: The Tigers' receivers had their production dip with a dual-threat passer in James Franklin who ran the ball more than his predecessor, but they were still pretty good, despite lacking a true big-time threat. T.J. Moe caught 54 passes for 649 yards and four scores. Tight end Michael Egnew added 50 grabs for 523 yards and three scores. L'Damian Washington, Marcus Lucas and Wes Kemp had unremarkable individual seasons, but their production added up to a good year for Mizzou's receivers.

7. Kansas State: Kansas State was better than most thought to begin the season, but the ground-based offense limited their receivers' ability to finish with big production. Chris Harper (40 rec, 547 yards, 5 TDs) led the group. Tramaine Thompson and Tyler Lockett showed some good promise, too.

8. Texas: The Longhorns could get really good, really fast at this spot. The uncertainty/struggles at quarterback limited this group, but Jaxon Shipley and Mike Davis could both mature into absolute stars. For now, though, they didn't quite crack the top 15 in the Big 12 in receiving. Both topped 40 catches and 600 receiving yards.

9. Iowa State: Darius Reynolds' size downfield will be missed, but Aaron Horne and Josh Lenz are tough covers working the middle of the field. Reynolds caught seven touchdowns, and Horne and Lenz both topped 38 catches.

10. Kansas: Yikes. The Jayhawks didn't have a receiver in the league's top 20, but D.J. Beshears led the team with 40 grabs for 437 yards and three touchdowns. He was the only Jayhawk in the Big 12's top 32 in receiving.

Excluding the shy guys, most players love interviews at first. After time, though, it does get old. Still, these are the players who made stories like mine and others great throughout the season.

With a nod to our buddies in the SEC, here is the Big 12 All-Interview team.

Brandon Weeden, QB, Oklahoma State: Weeden and the man below him on this team probably did more interviews than any player in the entire league in 2011. It was close for both. Through it all, though, Weeden showed up every week and held court, often for 30 minutes to an hour after games, offering up refreshing honesty and insight, as well as some good humor, often.

Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor: Speaking of humor, RG3 is more than a Heisman winner with catchy socks. He's always good for a one-liner and his relentless positivity is more than a shtick. It's a huge reason why his team rallied around him the past few seasons and why so many talented players came (and will come) to Baylor. If you saw his Heisman acceptance speech, it's easy to see why he's on this team.

Fozzy Whittaker, RB, Texas: Whittaker's been through it all at Texas. Injury after injury, including a devastating knee injury that ended his career at Texas. A national championship run -- and title-game loss. A losing season. Being replaced by a freshman at the top of the depth chart. Every step of the way, he answered questions with a smile on his face and intellect in his answers. His teammates gave him a standing ovation the week after his knee injury, and I wish this blog could do the same.

Ben Habern, C, Oklahoma: More often than not, offensive linemen are a team's best interview. Throughout his career, Habern's held that title, and that was the case this season. He's smart, and helps guys like us in the media better understand the game from the inside, much like some coordinators do. It's appreciated.

T.J. Moe, WR, Missouri: So, maybe Moe got out of hand once, but he's good for an honest answer and a catchy one-liner to put in a story pretty often.

Blake Gideon, S, Texas: Like Whittaker, Gideon's been through a lot, too. Almost every year, it seems he's willing to sit and answer questions about one of the most painful football moments of his life. It's not fun to talk about, but it endears him to fans and provides a compelling story. Gideon was also great for insight into Texas' changing defense (and offense) this season.

Steven Johnson, LB, Kansas: Johnson, a former walk-on turned Big 12 tackles leader, plays with an intensity and answers questions with a smile on his face that comes from being a guy who feels blessed to be where he is.

Jake Knott, LB, Iowa State: Knott gave some memorable interviews this season helping put into context two of the most emotionally rewarding wins in his career: Iowa and Oklahoma State. He's also good to tell fans what it's like to be the toughest guy in the Big 12.

James Franklin, QB, Missouri: Franklin doesn't have much in common with his predecessors, Chase Daniel and Blaine Gabbert, outside of starting his career with an eight-win season and looking like a player with tons of potential, much of which was realized in 2012. Along the way, he offered up lots of disarming honesty (perhaps too much at times) and a look back on his roots to help fans better understand who he is and what he's about.

Collin Klein, QB, Kansas State: Klein gets the award for maybe the most impressive thing I've ever heard in an interview. He's probably not the only one who can, but I've never heard anyone rip off Bill Snyder's 16 Goals for Success in about 10 seconds without so much as a pause. He's also great for a look inside the life of a QB who takes a beating every week and gets up hungry for more. The Big 12's version of the Honey Badger will be fun to watch and talk to in 2012.

We're offering up grades for each team in the Big 12 after their seasons conclude, so here's a look at how the 8-5 Missouri Tigers graded out in 2011.

More report cards:

• Kansas
• Texas Tech

OFFENSE: This season was supposed to be all about James Franklin. Could the sophomore -- used almost exclusively as a runner as a freshman in 2010 -- prove his worth as a passer and become the next in a long line of great Missouri quarterbacks?

That answer proved to be yes. Franklin is no Brad Smith: He is a better passer, though he lacks Smith's speed. He is no Blaine Gabbert: He's a better runner, but he lacks Gabbert's accuracy.

Above all, though, Franklin was productive. Missouri's offense flourished for most of the season. It's easy to get frustrated when you see the Tigers were only able to muster a fifth-place finish in total offense in the conference, but consider that is good for No. 12 nationally.

We haven't even talked about Henry Josey yet. Receiver T.J. Moe and tight end Michael Egnew saw their production take a huge dip this season; a predictable result with Franklin carrying the ball 217 times for 981 yards. He threw for 2,872 yards and 21 touchdowns, too, but Josey was the offense's most valuable player this season. De'Vion Moore and Kendial Lawrence went down with injuries, and Missouri found out the Big 12's best running back was third on their depth chart. He led the league by averaging more than eight yards a carry, and despite suffering a catastrophic knee injury against Texas, he led the Big 12 in rushing for three full weeks after the injury.

The Tigers got it done offensively, but unfortunately for them, offenses are graded on a curve in the Big 12. Other teams in the league set the curve very, very high.

GRADE: B+

DEFENSE: The defensive line was the team's most hyped unit, and even though it didn't perform to the level many expected, the rest of the unit overachieved. A secondary that replaced both corners still ranked fifth in pass defense. Texas and Kansas State were the only Big 12 teams better at defending the big play, and the Tigers were among the league's most physical teams.

They did all of this without a single player approaching the top tier of defensive talent in the Big 12 and put just one player on the first-team All-Big 12 defense (DT Dominique Hamilton). The team's top producer in 2010, DE Brad Madison, played with a painful injury to his inside shoulder all season that limited his effectiveness. But the Tigers' unit was certainly solid enough to help support a prolific offense.

GRADE: B

OVERALL: Eight wins is the same result that Daniel and Gabbert endured in their first years as starter. Ultimately, the mark was about where Missouri belonged with the type of season it had. The Tigers missed a game-winning field goal against what ended up being a six-win Arizona State team, and lost a heartbreaker at Baylor, too. It also erased deficits to beat Texas A&M at home and forced a late turnover to beat Texas Tech in the final minute. All four of those games could have gone either way. Missouri split them.

The Tigers are headed to the SEC East next year, where at least in the immediate future, it looks like a division contender. This year wasn't a dream season, but it could set up something special. The Tigers rallied from a 3-4 start to win five of their final six games and salvage a good season. There wasn't a truly impressive win in the bunch, but all five losses came to teams ranked at the time.

FINAL GRADE: B+

A mid-level bowl game on a rainy day in a location few consider a vacation spot led to a small crowd. But Missouri looked like it wanted to be in Shreveport, La., on Monday afternoon, dominating this game, and earning a solid win in the AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl over North Carolina, 41-24.

How the game was won: Missouri was the aggressor from the start, pounding North Carolina with a relentless running game and hitting simple throws when necessary. The Tigers scored on all five of their first-half drives and raced to a 31-10 halftime lead. Missouri forced a pair of first-half turnovers after allowing a touchdown on the opening drive. The rout was on early.

Turning point: North Carolina turned the ball over on consecutive snaps and when it looked up, Missouri led, 31-7. Giovani Bernard fumbled near midfield and Missouri marched 40 yards for a touchdown. Bryn Renner threw a perfect pass to Dwight Jones, but a hit jostled loose the ball, which ended up rolling off Jones' back and into Missouri linebacker Zaviar Gooden's hands. Missouri used seven plays to go 59 yards for a score and a 31-7 lead.

Stat of the game: Missouri's running game really couldn't be stopped in the first half. The Tigers outrushed North Carolina, 192-13. Bernard, an All-ACC first-teamer, had just 12 yards on eight carries in the half. The Tigers finished with 337 rushing yards -- just the third time this season the Tigers topped 300 yards on the ground. They did it against UNC, who entered Monday's game with the nation's No. 14 rush defense, allowing just more than 106 yards rushing per game this season.

Player of the game: Franklin. Missouri's sophomore quarterback was at his best, utilizing his underrated arm and great legs, and helping the Tigers keep solid balance. He finished with 142 yards rushing and 132 yards passing, accounting for three touchdowns.

Worst omen: Truman the Tiger. Mizzou's mascot shattered the crystal Independence Bowl trophy just hours before the game, but bowl officials told media at the game they hustled to find a replacement trophy from a "local jeweler." Missouri isn't expected to be forced to foot the bill for the trophy, which cost a "couple thousand bucks, at least," but the omen didn't seem to bother the Tigers in the bowl win.

Stat of the game II: Truman the Tiger fumbles: 1. Missouri Tiger fumbles: 0.

Unsung hero of the game: Missouri's offensive line. North Carolina's defense is littered with NFL talent, highlighted by defensive end Quinton Coples. The Tigers O-line blew them off the ball from the start, clearing huge holes and giving Franklin tons of time to throw.

Best call: Missouri gave up a 22-yard touchdown pass on the opening drive, but came back with a trick play you know it was itching to unleash. Facing a second-and-4 on the UNC 40, Franklin flicked a pass to his right, back to former high school quarterback and the team's leading receiver, T.J. Moe. He flung it downfield to a wide-open Wes Kemp for a 40-yard, game-tying touchdown. The trickery worked to perfection, and the execution was perfect, too.

What it means: Missouri will head to the SEC with some good momentum off a pretty average season. The day in Shreveport finished with an S-E-C chant from the Tigers fans who made the trip. The Tigers will face a huge challenge in a new conference next year, while North Carolina begins a brand-new era in the ACC. Interim coach Everett Withers is headed to Ohio State as a co-defensive coordinator, and former Southern Miss coach (and Oklahoma State offensive coordinator) Larry Fedora will now take over in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels have constantly underachieved under Butch Davis with lots of NFL talent, and Fedora will try to change that.

Record performance: North Carolina quarterback Bryn Renner broke Chris Keldorf's school record, set in 1996, for touchdown passes with his 24th of the season on the opening drive. That ball was caught by Dwight Jones, his 12th of the season, which tied Hakeem Nicks' school record set back in 2008.

Record performance II: Missouri's 31 first-half points were a Mizzou bowl record, and also an Independence Bowl record. The Tigers made it look easy.

Texas says, "Sorry, our schedule's booked up."

Turner Gill says the rivalry belongs in the Big 12.

Thursday night, Texas and Texas A&M will play for the 118th time. Only two rivalries have been played more.

It might be the last time. It will be the last time for the foreseeable future.

On Saturday, Missouri and Kansas will meet for the 119th time. Minnesota and Wisconsin are the only teams that have met on more occasions.

Realignment will claim two more victims upon Missouri and Texas A&M's exits to the SEC: Two of the nation's best rivalries.

"It’ll be difficult to ignore. Everybody knows what’s out there," Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman said. "It’s all part of it. I think there’s enough things on the table to motivate them. It’s certainly something everybody’s aware of."

That includes players. Here's thoughts from a few that grew up around the rivalry think about the rivalries' existence and ending.

Additional reporting by Carter Strickland of HornsNation.

What's your best memory in this rivalry, whether you played in the game or watched it?

Ryan Swope, WR, Texas A&M: Growing up as a Longhorn, I just remember how intense these games were. It didn't matter, the rankings didn't play a factor. Every game was just a battle. It was hard-nosed football. So much tradition involved in the game, and that's the main thing.

Tanner Hawkinson, OT, Kansas: Most recently, the one in '08 when Todd Reesing hit Kerry Meier at the end to win the game. I was redshirting, but I was at the game and it was just a crazy, crazy game. One of the better games I've witnessed.

There's quite a bit of hatred between the two schools going back to the Civil War and the battles between the Jayhawkers and Missouri. There's just a lot of hatred between the two schools.

T.J. Moe, WR, Missouri: The one in '07, the big one, was when I started watching because (former MU corner) Carl Gettis was playing and he was my high school teammate. Everybody knows what kind of game that was. That was kind of the start of, when both teams had great seasons, they started calling it the Border Showdown. That was a big game and a fight for No. 1. We got that safety in the end zone on Todd Reesing, and in 2008 they came back and got us, and thats how rivalry's supposed to be, back and forth like that. The '09 game was great, too. We had to win on a last-second field goal.

Are you for or against Texas A&M leaving for the SEC?

Blake Gideon, S, Texas: Against.

Does it matter that they're leaving?

Gideon: It doesn’t matter to me. This is my last year playing them anyway. It’s definitely one of those deals kind of like Nebraska last year that we want to send them off the right way. At Missouri we failed to do that this year.

What did you think when you heard it was probably ending?

Hawkinson: It's something that's gone on for a ton of years now, I'm not even sure how many. Obviously, it's disappointing. I wish it could go on, but we wish them well. It's something I feel like should stay in the Big 12, and they're going to the SEC, so, it's something they're going to just have to deal with if they're not in the Big 12 anymore.

Moe: I don't have any control over that. As far as players go, I think both sides would love to play each other. I can't speak for the administration. I think the administration over there keeps saying it's done if you're not going to be in the Big 12 anymore, but I'm sure players on both sides would love to continue the rivalry and we hope to do that.

Swope: There's so much tradition and history involved, it's going to be tough not to see Texas on the schedule, but it's a fun game. We're going to enjoy this one and we want to go out the right way.

Where you're from [Gilmer, Texas], are there a lot of Aggies?

David Snow, OL, Texas: Let’s just be honest — I’m the only one in my top 10 percent that came here. Everybody else is at A&M. Once they went to the dark side, I haven’t really stayed in that much contact with them. Changing my phone number and stuff.

Is there more pressure to win because it is the last one?

Snow: We have a lot of pressure every week to win, hell we’re Texas. You don’t expect to lose and you don’t want to lose.

Would you call it a nasty rivalry?

Snow: Yeah. I mean certain things happen there. When you hate two people certain cheap shots go on, especially on the other side. Never by us.



What's this rivalry mean to you?

Swope: It's a very personal game for me. I've got a lot of friends that are graduated from Texas or at Texas right now. Growing up in Austin, growing up a Longhorns fan, it's going to be real personal. My dad graduated from Texas. I have friends that go to school there and friends that are players for the other team.

Hawkinson: It's a great sense of pride for not only the university, but for the state of Kansas. It'd be a huge win not only for the university, but for the people that live in Kansas.

Moe: I didn't watch a whole lot of college football growing up, but when I did, it was Missouri-Kansas. It's a pretty special thing. It's been so close. It's almost tied up for the 100-something years we've been playing. It's just fun and something you look forward to. It doesn't matter if either team is bowl-eligible. We might have both gone winless and this game would still be special. It goes back to the Civil War days when it was a lot more serious than it is now.



What will you miss most about it?

Hawkinson: Getting prepared. The week leading up to it, this week, guys come in to practice and they're already excited. It's kind of an easy week to get pumped up for and practice hard for. Especially going up and playing at Arrowhead, it's a great environment, especially with two teams playing against each other with all the hatred toward each other. All that leading up to the game and one you get to the game, just playing in that atmosphere.

Swope: All the tradition and the history in this game. It goes back to the Bonfire and how big this game is and how much history it holds. It's one of those things. Everyone pulls tickets for this game. It's on Thanksgiving. It's a very traditional game being played and they've been doing it for so long, I think I'm just going to miss almost everything about the game.

Moe: If I miss a year of it, that's pretty sad. It's your rival. We had Nebraska, we lost them and we had Kansas. Those were our two big rivals. Now, of course, we'll move to the SEC and we'll kind of have A&M maybe as our new rival or whatever, but I don't know if it's ever going to be the same without Kansas because it has such deep roots, especially the guys on the team from Kansas City. They live in the war zone over there and it's pretty special to them.

I did my best to answer your questions. I've been more or less banned from speaking about Kansas this year, so I couldn't have a whole lot of fun.

Missouri's offense sputtered early, going three-and-out on three of its first four drives and settling for a field goal after three big plays on the other.

An explosive drive spanning 58 yards in two plays got Missouri to within 24-17 with two minutes left in the half, but Missouri went with a conservative approach the rest of the half.

The Tigers forced a three-and-out and called timeout with 1:32 left to play, and looked in position to make a run at tying the game or trimming Oklahoma State's lead.

Instead, the Tigers ran three consecutive run plays and trotted into the locker room.

To beat Oklahoma State, you have to score a lot of points. Last year, Oklahoma needed 47 and Nebraska needed 51. They were the only teams to knock off OSU.

This year, no one's done it.

Missouri had the momentum and a chance to put a big first-half number on the board. James Franklin was looking comfortable and the OSU defense looked shaken and on its heels.

Franklin threw a pick-six against ISU last week, and he's a young quarterback, but in that scenario, I don't see why Missouri wouldn't at least attempt to tie the game before halftime.

Thanks for all the questions. Fun chat today. Here's the full transcript.

Didn't get to hear back from me? Try again with something funnier or more interesting.

Time for a few highlights.

Henry Josey (Columbia): Why do I get absolutely no respect despite the fact I have had good games against 2 top 20 teams with very senior defenses?

David Ubben: Good question, Mr. Josey. You've been solid, and as Bill Snyder said Monday, are averaging "a million yards a carry." I'm unsure if this is true or hyperbole, but you've been an excellent back and carried the load well, which has been much heavier without De'Vion Moore and Kendial Lawrence there to help.

Tony S. (KY): Why is it OU keeps dropping in the polls?

David Ubben: People need to stop freaking out about this. I mean, come on. Anyone who thinks OU should be No. 1 hasn't been watching Alabama and LSU play. Sorry.

Bill Snyder (Manhattan, KS): Ubben, I read on this smartberry devise about my youngsters being underdogs to Missouri when they come to my family stadium. What chance do you give my family(fans) enjoying a win this weekend? If we win, chances going 7-0?

David Ubben: First off...awesome question. This game looks like a total toss-up to me. I don't think Missouri's going to be as good as I thought heading into the season. The defensive line has been a bit of a disappointment, and the receivers are still mostly looking like the T.J. Moe Show. K-State, meanwhile, is leaps and bounds better. I maintained this team had a lot of upside, but they've been even better than I thought. Easily the surprise of the Big 12 this year. If K-State wins Saturday, I'm betting on 7-0 heading into that game against OU in three weeks.

cuppycup (College Station, TX): Texas climbed the polls in a hurry playing no one of significance. Will they still look like a top 15 team after the RRS?

David Ubben: I think it'll be close. Texas didn't play anyone of significance, but it's hard to deny how good they've been since switching from Garrett Gilbert. Beat UCLA by 29 on the road and beat Iowa State by 23 on the road with a 34-point halftime lead.

SGT Steck (Edmond): Hey Ubbs, love the blog. Do you think the B12ship comes down to a brawl in Stillwater on Dec. 3? It pains me to sayit cuz I hate the Sooners but I would love to see both teams come into this game undefeated. And to A&M, thanx alot for making our comeback win not so special. It's hard to plays football with your hands around your throat.

David Ubben: At this point, yes. In the Big 12 race, A&M's loss last week was meaningless, but who the heck is going to beat OSU until that OU game? If someone does, it'll only be one game anyway. The Big 12 title will be on the line in Stillwater, maybe between undefeateds.

John (Denver, CO): Teams typically try to cover Ryan Broyles with double coverage. That works, but it frees up another receiver. Do you like Trey Franks or Kenny Stills to step up big in this year's RRR?

David Ubben: Yeah, I think Stills has made that obvious. I'm not sure you can really count on all of OU's other receivers making plays consistently, but one of them will outside of Stills, who will do fine as OU's featured receiver next year. Franks, Dejuan Miller, Jaz Reynolds will make some plays on Saturday. One of them, at least.

Jeff Cook (Tulsa): How aggressive do you think the Big 12 will be, if Missouri stays, in going after other schools to join the Big 12. Thanks.

David Ubben: If Missouri stays, I think the Big 12 needs to go back to 12 with BYU, Louisville and someone else in the Big East like TCU or West Virginia. If Missouri goes, go after them both.

Drew (Manhattan): Where would you rank Arthur Brown among linebackers in the Big 12? In the Nation?

David Ubben: I'd have to really sort that out in an extended post sometime. He's in the mix for the best already. No question. Reminds me a whole lot of Lavonte David. He's got that kind of toughness and speed. Absolute stud.

Tom Holmoe (Provo, UT): Hey, tell Neinas that I sent that contract back via carrier pigeon. He should have it in, oh, about 6 or 7 days, depending on the current hawk and eagle forecast.

David Ubben: Will do.

I have the toes I have. Let's just leave it at that.

• Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman has your realignment winners and losers. Look away, Sooners fans.
• Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star offers up his winners, too.
• Don't worry about Oklahoma State's run defense against Texas A&M on Saturday, writes John Helsley of The Oklahoman.
• Missouri's do-everything T.J. Moe is all football, all the time, writes Vahe Gregorian of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
• Sure, Iowa State has been fortunate to be 3-0. But the Cyclones aren't lucky.
• Missouri quarterback James Franklin has Oklahoma in his blood, but his heart belongs to Mizzou, writes Mike Baldwin of The Oklahoman.
• Gregg Doyel of CBSSports.com reduces conference realignment to high school drama.
• Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman tries to figure out what happened with Oklahoma and the Pac-12. And what's up with Missouri?
• Watch ESPN's "College GameDay" on Saturday to see a special story on OSU receiver Justin Blackmon.
• Kansas State linebacker Arthur Brown is ready to lead his new team against his old one, writes Kellis Robinett of the Wichita Eagle.
• Don't blame Dan Beebe, writes colleague Ivan Maisel, who also wonders what's up with Brandon Weeden's picks.
• The Big 12's new leader has seen about everything, writes Tom Witowsky of the Des Moines Register.
• Another week, another couple of eyebrow-raising absences from Texas Tech's dress roster, writes the Lubbock Avalanche Journal's Don Williams.
• Hey, what about TCU?
• Harry Plumer of the Columbia Missourian looks into the inner workings of the biker gang on Mizzou's football team.

You are looking live ... at the Big 12 blog.

• Why can't the Big 12 see that if it breaks up, everyone involved loses? Michael Rosenberg of Sports Illustrated asks the question.
• Texas to the ACC? Maybe it doesn't happen, but it makes sense, writes Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman.
• Texas drove all its friends away, and is now begging for ACC acceptance, writes Matt Hayes of Sporting News.
• Or is Texas to the ACC just an elaborate bluff to get a better deal from the Pac-12? Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman wonders. My head is spinning.
• Either way, the travel could be problematic, and Nebraska is a good case study, writes Max Olson of HornsNation.
• Jerome Solomon of the Houston Chronicle says "Don't blame Baylor" in this realignment mess. He also says the notion Baylor left behind SWC teams like Houston and SMU is too simplistic.
• Meanwhile, Missouri chancellor Brady Deaton tells Vahe Gregorian of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he's more hopeful that the Big 12 could remain viable even if Oklahoma left, and spoke of a "legal basis" of it doing so.
• Iowa State's Friday night trip to UConn poses an interesting dilemma for Paul Rhoads' family, writes Andrew Logue of the Des Moines Register.
• What does Bob Stoops think about OSU's uniforms? "I think they're awesome," he said, "as long as they're on someone else."
• Colleague Andy Katz looks at one of the main motivations for schools looking to pursue legal action if the Big 12 breaks up: Economic drop-offs after signing a lucrative television deal last summer.
• Is the tag of "running quarterback" fair to Florida State's EJ Manuel? Jenni Carlson of The Oklahoman says maybe not.
• Bill Snyder says it's disappointing to see juco transfer Justin Tuggle as his third-string QB, but he's still putting in effort at practice, writes Kellis Robinett of the Kansas City Star.
• If the Big 12 breaks up, what is the best home for Missouri? A panel of St. Louis Post-Dispatch staffers offer their takes.
• Andrew Wagaman of the Columbia Missourian looks at one Missouri player's effort as a stand-up comedian.
• Here's the new episode of the Kansas football reality show, "The Gridiron."
• Oklahoma State running back Jeremy Smith nearly left Stillwater last spring, but these days, he's an integral part of the running game, writes Gina Mizell of The Oklahoman.
• Mike DeArmond of the Kansas City Star tracks Missouri receiver T.J. Moe's progression into a leader.
• Texas A&M wants DE Tony Jerod-Eddie to become an enforcer for the defense, writes Jimmy Burch of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
• Vinnie Duber of the Columbia Missourian looks at more details surrounding Missouri's new network.

Here's what I'm keeping my eye on in Week 3.

1. Multiple personalities. It happens every year. Some teams do just fine. Others struggle. But six teams across the Big 12 are going on the road for the first time this season. Young teams are more apt to have these problems than others, but we'll see if any teams show up and look vastly different than they did in their first one or two games.

2. How about an encore, Steele? Iowa State's new star put on a show in an upset of Iowa last week, but he'll get a pretty decent stage to give the nation a look at him for his next performance. Iowa State plays at UConn on Friday night on ESPN2, and I know I'll be watching. The Huskies are beatable. We'll see if Steele Jantz helps the Cyclones do it.

3. Two heads better than one? Texas finally made the switch away from Garrett Gilbert, but it's in an even more interesting position now as the only team in the Big 12 to play more than one QB -- and it has already played three. You could make a pretty good case for playing David Ash, Case McCoy or both. We'll see how Texas approaches its next step in what should be a pretty ugly game out in the Rose Bowl. Zone-read enthusiasts: This game will be like gluttony for you.

4. Where's the D, Bears? Baylor's defense has had to sit and stare at its scoring defense sink to 117th nationally after a 50-48 win over TCU two weeks ago. That should change this week when Stephen F. Austin comes to Waco, but how much? Baylor's defense looked pretty good in games like this last year until it hit conference play.

5. Validation for the Aggies. Oklahoma and Oklahoma State have looked great early on. So did Texas A&M in its opener against SMU. But this week against Idaho, the Aggies won't have a chance to prove anything other than they didn't look ahead to next week's showdown against OSU at Kyle Field. Do they put away the Vandals early?

6. Open it up, Wildcats. Or not. Bill Snyder says K-State used only 15 percent of its offense in a 10-7 win over Eastern Kentucky. How much does that change two weeks later against Kent State? Might be time to open it up a bit after the close call against the Colonels. Or is it? We'll find out.

7. How Oklahoma State measures up. The comparison is impossible not to make. Oklahoma laid waste to Tulsa in its opener two weeks ago. This time, the Cowboys complete the in-state triangle by heading to Tulsa to take on the Golden Hurricane. If you were curious, Oklahoma led 44-7 on its home field entering the fourth quarter. Not that we're comparing or anything.

8. Jayhawks, are you for real? Kansas has looked really good through two weeks, with a blowout win over McNeese State and a dramatic win over Northern Illinois, a team that received votes in last week's Top 25 poll. It'll get even tougher this week when the Jayhawks go on the road to face a Georgia Tech team it embarrassed last year. I'll be taking a wide-angle lens with the Jayhawks this week. Can they win in Atlanta?

9. T-T-T-T.J. and the Jet. Missouri is down this week to one running back who's played before: Henry Josey. Freshman Greg White and walk-on Jared Culver will get some time, but the Tigers also say they're working on some stuff with receiver T.J. Moe. Moe's gotten carries before on jet sweeps and direct snaps, but are we going to see some more imagination from offensive coordinator David Yost?

10. Prove something, Tech. Tech had a rough start (trailed 10-9 at halftime) in what felt like a preseason game against Texas State in Week 1. It went back to physical work in its bye week a la spring practice and released a vastly different depth chart heading into this week's trip to New Mexico. Is Tech back on its way up into the top half of the Big 12?

After Missouri's first drive against Arizona State, all De'Vion Moore could do was watch from the sideline with his ankle wrapped in ice.

The Tigers were down another starter -- they entered Friday night's game without six -- and a backfield with four ready running backs was reduced to one.

Two offensive linemen were sidelined, including starting center Travis Ruth with a sprained knee. All-Big 12 left tackle Elvis Fisher will miss the season after injuring his patellar tendon in fall camp.

Senior linebacker Will Ebner also missed the game after suffering a high-ankle sprain against Miami (Ohio), right before Jacquies Smith went out with a dislocated elbow. Kendial Lawrence also suffered a broken fibula, and Jerrell Jackson dressed for Friday's loss but didn't play because of a hamstring injury.

"This is my 21st year as a head coach, and I’ve been fortunate enough not to be in this situation. But we handle it around here," said coach Gary Pinkel. "Obviously, we’re a different football team than we were August 1st."

It might be a team forced to do some unconventional things in the near future to adjust. Receiver T.J. Moe gets some touches in Missouri's running game with jet sweeps and direct snaps, but that role might be a bigger one with 190-pound Henry Josey the last man left standing with any experience in the backfield.

"We’ve discussed that we can do some things with T.J. Obviously, he can do a lot of things," Pinkel said. "We’ll put plays in for him, hopefully from a preparation standpoint, just a backup."

Moe joked after Friday's loss that he could line up at running back, but Pinkel says more work will be available for 250-pound walk-on fullback Jared Culver, as well as freshman back Greg White.

"Big game, a big arena, he has not carried the football once. I did not want to [play White]. Bottom line," Pinkel said.

Missouri hosts FCS opponent Western Illinois on Saturday after suffering the Big 12's only loss through two weeks of play.

"We’re not going to have excuses. Players understand that people have got to step it up," Pinkel said. "We live with reality. The kiss of death to me is feeling sorry for ourselves or for anybody within our organization. We don’t do that here."

Ouch. Those are the losses that hurt the most for fans.

Missouri stormed back from a 14-point deficit in the fourth-quarter, but settled for a deep field-goal attempt late in the fourth quarter and -- in what's sure to be a controversial decision -- iced its own kicker.

Grant Ressel missed the 48-yard kick and the game went into overtime, where Missouri couldn't match Arizona State's touchdown and lost, 37-30.

Let's start with the nasty stuff.

THE BAD

• Argue the statistics surrounding icing kickers all you'd like. It's dubious if not counterproductive. But I've never seen a coach ice his own kicker, and unless Ressel explicitly asked for Pinkel to do it, I don't see the benefit. Additionally, Missouri went superconservative offensively once it was in field goal range, instead of fighting to get an easier attempt. Both of those decisions are ripe for second-guessing, and will be digested to no end throughout the week for the black-and-gold inclined. Outside of being embarrassingly unconventional, I don't see the huge harm of the kicker icing. I do think the Tigers needed to keep running their usual offense and ride the wave of momentum that got them there, rather than settle for a big kick from Ressel, who is usually reliable and a legitimate Lou Groza Award candidate.
• Ouch, secondary. It was out of position a lot throughout the night, and failed to make plays when it was in position several times. E.J. Gaines especially had a rough night, getting burned twice for scores by Aaron Pflugrad, who finished with eight catches for 180 yards. The secondary solidified late in the game, which was good to see, but Missouri took a huge step defensively under coordinator Dave Steckel last season. It looks like this year, with young corners, it may take a step back. There's lots of room for growth, sure, but the Tigers better do it fast. There are a lot better offenses than Arizona State waiting for the Tigers in the Big 12. Osweiler would probably be the fifth or sixth best QB in the Big 12, and he finished with 353 yards, three TDs, no turnovers and completed 24 of 32 (77 percent) passes. Not good.
• The flip side of those secondary struggles? Where was the defensive line? The Tigers are the most talented in the Big 12, but didn't look like it on Friday. It didn't reach Osweiler often, and where was top pass-rusher Brad Madison? His spin move wasn't working and he was quiet when Missouri needed him to step up. The defense was much better late when momentum turned, but Osweiler picked apart the defense for the better part of the night, in part because of the lack of pressure up front.
• Awful luck for Missouri at running back. Henry Josey was great (9 carries for 94 yards), but we'll see how long De'Vion Moore is out. He injured his ankle on the opening drive and didn't return. Missouri had four great backs to begin fall camp. Now, with starter Kendial Lawrence sidelined with a broken fibula, Moore out and Marcus Murphy likely done for the season with shoulder surgery, Josey may be leaned on a whole lot more. Those guys combined for 1,557 yards and 19 TDs last year, but two games into the season, only one is standing. Josey accounted for 437 yards, five scores and 76 carries as a freshman in 2010.
• Arizona's penalties stole the show, but Missouri was undisciplined, too. The Tigers had 11 for 114 yards, compared to Arizona State's 12 for 110 yards. Bad, bad, bad.

THE GOOD

• What a difference a week makes for James Franklin. He's going to be sporadic all year, but he's going to improve fast, too. He had some awful throws, yes, but he had a lot more good ones, and kept Missouri alive with a handful of high-pressure passes in big positions. It's a loss, and he didn't make a play in OT when Mizzou needed it most, but you've got to feel good about the future behind Franklin. His mechanics looked better, he was more accurate, and did a decent job of running when he needed to. Very good signs.
• Missouri needed more receivers to show up and help out T.J. Moe and Michael Egnew with a banged-up Jerrell Jackson in uniform, and they answered. Marcus Lucas had a huge catch in the fourth quarter to get the Tigers into scoring position, and finished with four catches for 87 yards. L'Damian Washington also had a big catch in traffic on a beautiful throw from Franklin to cut the lead to 30-23 in the fourth quarter. He finished with three catches for 39 yards. Six different receivers had at least two receptions, and Josey caught two for 51 yards. All good things for Missouri's offense.
• The offensive line looked rough late in the game, but without left tackle Elvis Fisher and center Travis Ruth, the patchwork line had a pretty good game, especially against a good front seven. Vontaze Burfict wasn't running wild, which is a nice start. The offensive line didn't play so well in overtime, but Franklin had room to operate for most of the game and wasn't rushed too often. Not great, but good. Like Franklin, they'll get better as they move along without Fisher for the season and whenever Ruth returns from his sprained knee.

How long before Cal or UCLA debut their state flag-inspired unis?

• Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops says it seems like super conferences are the way the world is going.
• Bud Withers of the Seattle Times looks at the attrition in Gonzaga's basketball program, focusing on Demetri Goodson, who left to play football at Baylor.
• When Texas A&M leaves the Big 12, it will set off a chain reaction that kills the league, writes Jimmy Burch of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
• Oklahoma's Tom Wort had a memorable and solid night while honoring Austin Box by wearing his number, writes Guerin Emig of the Tulsa World.
• Blair Kerkhoff of the Kansas City Star has a collection of what Big 12 coaches think about realignment.
• Arizona and Oklahoma State will tangle on Thursday night for the second time in less than a year, and it might become even more common, writes Jenni Carlson of The Oklahoman.
• Iowa State's game against Iowa on Saturday in Ames is sold out.
• Matt Tait of the Lawrence Journal-World looks back on Kansas' win over McNeese State and hands out a few awards.
• Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch is troubled by the silence from the Big 12 offices with the league's demise looming, but this time around, Missouri looks like it has options.
• Lee Roy Selmon will have memorial services in both Florida and Oklahoma.
• Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman has more on why Oklahoma running back Dominique Whaley's rise is even harder to believe.
• Don't blame James Franklin for the offensive struggles in Week 1, writes Vahe Gregorian of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Interesting stuff here, especially from T.J. Moe regarding what happened on Franklin's interception that set up Miami's only score.
• Mike DeArmond of the Kansas City Star has some insight from the Tigers on what makes cornerback E.J. Gaines special.
• Paul Lukas, aka Uni Watch, was no fan of Oklahoma State's gray duds this weekend.

Miami (Ohio) isn't a big-name opponent, but it is a quality opponent that won 10 games a year ago.

The RedHawks were a solid starting point for Missouri, which won its season opener on Faurot Field, 17-6.

James Franklin's debut was the big draw, and while he wasn't brilliant, he showed promise and did enough for the Tigers to win.

He finished 17-of-26 for 129 yards and a touchdown, while also running for a team-high 72 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.

Miami's only score came on Franklin's worst play of the day, an ugly interception on the sideline that handed the ball over on the Tigers' 14-yard line.

He didn't look wholly confident, but he made plays. And most importantly, he got the win. He's got a defense behind him that will allow him to make mistakes like his interception today, but also, don't forget this: It was the first start of his career.

He'll improve. That's what college football players do.

He threw the ball much better in the second half, highlighted by a nice throw downfield on a 28-yard pass to T.J. Moe and a pretty 10-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Lucas.

He'll have to be better on Friday night when Missouri travels to play Arizona State, but for now, Missouri can consider his debut a success.

Two big things to watch, though: the health of starting defensive end Jacquies Smith and linebacker Will Ebner. Ebner reportedly has a high ankle sprain, which can linger for extended periods of time.

Smith appeared to suffer a serious arm injury, but no update on his status was provided after he was helped into the locker room.

It wasn't perfect. It was nowhere near pretty. But it's a win, and Gary Pinkel has produced a lot of those at Missouri of late.