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Thanks for all the mail this week. Here's where you can reach me.

On to your mail ...

Aaron in Plain City, Ohio, writes: In my mind I see Oklahoma as the clear favorite for the Big 12. But is there really a clear second place team in the Big 12? For that matter, is there really a favorite? I was just curious about your thoughts for the Big 12 this season. Thanks

David Ubben: I definitely think Oklahoma's the clear favorite, but by "clear" I only mean it's clear Oklahoma's the best team to start the season. Last year, it looked like the gap between the Sooners and A&M/Oklahoma State was pretty wide. Injuries and OSU being better than most everyone thought (and I thought they were a 10-win team) changed that up.

OU's the favorite, but not by much. Nobody in the Big 12 is going undefeated next year, but there's definitely no clear second-place team.

West Virginia is probably the second-best team on paper, but will they handle the transition? There are many variables to the transition with no way to figure out the values until the season starts in the fall. The same is true for the Horned Frogs, who I think will have a tougher time with the transition in the immediate future, and also aren't quite as good as WVU on paper. Those defensive losses, mostly Tanner Brock and Devin Johnson, are huge. You need lots of depth and lots of playmakers on defense to win in the Big 12.

As for Kansas State? You saw it last year. They get it done, but they don't do it in impressive fashion. I've mentioned it a couple times, but will K-State get better and still win games when they're close? Part of me says no.

The other half says this is a Bill Snyder-coached team we're talking about and one that returns just about everybody from last year's 10-win team. Pressure me for a guess? I think K-State could be a better team than last year and still only win nine games in a Big 12 that's absolutely loaded in the top half, with some pretty good teams in the bottom half too, like Baylor, Texas Tech and Iowa State.

So yeah, Oklahoma's the best team in the league. That doesn't mean they'll win it, and the race for No. 2 heading into the season could go one of three ways.

---

Curtis in Boone, Iowa, writes: I tweeted you, but i figured id take another approach as well. Do you agree with me that Brandon Weeden is the No. 3 QB in the draft, NOT tannehill? and what are the chances that Cleveland takes both Justin Blackmon AND Weeden with the 4th and 22nd picks, respectively. Colt Mccoy isn't the answer in cleveland, and Weeden could step right in and produce, especially with a top talent like Blackmon.

DU: I do, but I also understand why a) Tannehill has surged and b) teams are unwilling to spend first-round money on Weeden.

For the record, I think they're both early second-rounders. Tannehill is a big risk, and you're asking for trouble if you're a struggling team with a top 5-10 pick that needs a lot of other things to be successful. Tannehill could be good in the league, but I don't think I buy him as an immediate franchise guy you can build around.

Weeden will be more successful in the immediate future, but I also understand that he's an 8-10-year guy vs. a 14-16-year guy like most normal rookies. That's a whole lot of games. Putting Blackmon and Weeden on the same team? Oh man, that would be all kinds of fun.

It'd also be pretty humorous to see Oklahoma's best QB ever throwing to Oklahoma State's best receiver ever out in St. Louis.

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Cyclones in Ames writes: Hey Ubben, just thought that I would bring it up to your attention but of the 10 coaches next year in the big 12 there will be 4 coaches with connections to the state of Iowa. Mack Brown was an OC at ISU, Dana Holgorsen was born and raised in Iowa along with Paul Rhoads, and Bob Stoops played football at the University of Iowa. A lot of connections to the state of Iowa in the conference.

DU: You're right about that, Mr. Cyclones, but those are far from the only ones. What about the man some consider the greatest coach of them all: Bill Snyder? He spent almost a decade as the offensive coordinator under Hayden Fry at Iowa.

For what it's worth, two different Iowa State coaches served as defensive coordinator under Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville. Gene Chizik (sorry for the mention, Iowa State) and Paul Rhoads both got valuable experience under Tuberville at Auburn before moving to Ames.

Iowa doesn't have the greatest reputation when it comes to football culture, but that's a staggering amount of connections for a state with just two major programs within its borders.

---

Jason in Charleston, W. Va., writes: Dave, I just have to ask... what were your expectations before coming to WV versus what you actually found when you got here?

DU: Honestly, it was pretty much exactly what I expected. The actual stuff in the town was a little more expansive than I thought it would be, in terms of restaurants and nightlife, etc. In terms of having a fun weekend, Morgantown will be right in the middle in the Big 12. Folks will enjoy the trip out, and it'll be a new experience for everyone.

The scenery and rolling hills basically looked the exact same as they do in photos, but it was kind of hard to get around. I like hitting open roads with the windows down, and that's pretty tough to do in West Virginia because of all the hills and winding roads. Alas, you could find a much stiffer criticism of a city.

I like Morgantown a lot.

Kevin Garnett helped me move once. Kevin Costner cooked me dinner after a bad breakup. Kevin Sorbo introduced me to his podiatrist.

• Big 12 expansion is still a possibility, says TCU athletic director Chris Del Conte. “Once a commissioner and television contract are finalized, then you take a deep breath and look at all the possibilities out there. You could remain at 10 or you could expand," he said.
• Here's your must-see video of the day. Charlie Weis is trying to teach his team how to do everything, including celebrate a win. He goes on a very frank rant, and Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star has video of the whole entertaining exchange. Dodd also updates one of the Big 12's best Cinderella stories: Kansas linebacker Steven Johnson is hoping to be drafted.
• Bob Stoops isn't happy, and believes his quarterback, Landry Jones, doesn't get the recognition he deserves.
• Austin Meek of the Topeka-Capital Journal has more from the 6 a.m. practice open to media.
• SI.com's Peter King says this year's NFL draft is a flashback to 1998, with two franchise quarterbacks at the top.
• RG3 isn't in Washington D.C. yet, but he's already having an impact on the franchise and its fans, writes SI.com's Don Banks.
• West Virginia backup quarterback Ford Childress, 18, was arrested for driving under the influence, and a preliminary breath test revealed a blood alcohol content of .189.
• Mike Finger of the San Antonio Express-News examines an alternate universe in which Texas AD DeLoss Dodds hired all the wrong coaches.
• TCU fans and teams will save a whole lot of money on travel in the Big 12.
• Oklahoma State is playing the name game with its "spring game," writes Gina Mizell of The Oklahoman.
• Dallas' mayor and Texas AD DeLoss Dodds met to discuss the Red River Rivalry in the city.
• West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith opens up about why his practice reps have been limited this spring practice.
• The Fort Worth Star-Telegram wants to know what you think about TCU's new uniforms.
• Here's another look at the work the Texas Tech football team did to aid tornado victims in Lancaster, Texas.
• TCU sold 22,000 season tickets last season. It has 15,700 so far this year, and is shooting for a school-record 30,000.
• Former Texas center Dallas Griffin is battling MS, but Tully Corcoran of Fox Sports explains Griffin's hobby to help stay positive.
• Rowan Kavner of the Dallas Morning News breaks down TCU's offensive line this year.

MORGANTOWN, W. Va. -- Texas A&M has left the Big 12, but it hasn't left Texas.

Aggies will still work alongside Longhorns from Monday to Friday year round, even though their fall Saturday opponents will be completely different.

Leaving behind the Big 12 completely won't be easy. The Aggies will still be paying attention, if only tangentially.

Nebraska, though? The move to the Big Ten was a little bit simpler for the Huskers, and for West Virginia, the same could be true of the move to the Big 12 from the Big East.

"I’ve always used Nebraska as a good comparison or analogy for us," West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck told ESPN.com. "Nebraska and West Virginia are in what I would call a special category. I don’t think there’s a state where the flagship means as much to the state as it does in both Nebraska and West Virginia."

Luck is right about that one. Texas, of course, has plenty of schools, including Texas. Obviously, Texas doesn't have the same relationship to its state as West Virginia.

"Texas is just a different state," Luck said. "We’re probably much more akin to Nebraska."

The comparison is pretty simple. One state. One team. One fan base ready for a new beginning for its favorite program.

Luck isn't exactly shying away from offending the state's Marshall fans, but Marshall isn't exactly racking up BCS wins like West Virginia has this decade.

"There’s no pro teams in the state, there’s no major metropolitan markets. Omaha’s probably bigger than Charleston, but not by much," Luck said. "Our experience, and I think our fans’ experience in terms of adapting to a new league and a new conference is a lot more like Nebraska than it is like A&M."

There's no replacing Nebraska's five national titles and three Heisman winners, of course, but the sentiment remains.

Excitement is at an all-time high for West Virginia. Ticket sales are through the roof and a report in the Charleston Daily Mail this week stated donations were up to $4.9 million compared with $3.5 million this time last year.

"I spent a good bit of time the past couple months in Charleston, the state capital, so you have the legislature in session, and people were generally excited. There’s a sense that this is a very good opportunity for us," Luck said. "A very challenging opportunity (laughs), because of the pedigree of the Big 12, but it was a nice opportunity for us to play, quite honestly, at a little bit of a different level. That includes almost all the sports, if you think about it."

The spring is nearing its end with just a little over a week remaining for some.

Oklahoma State and West Virginia will wrap up their spring practices this weekend. Until then, it's time to break down where we stand in the quarterback competitions around the league.

Baylor: Bears coach Art Briles said it was Nick Florence's job to lose entering the spring, and Florence did nothing to let Briles down. Instead, he seized the job ahead of talented backup Bryce Petty, who has a bright future ahead of himself. Florence gave up his redshirt last season by playing the second half against Texas Tech, but he'll try to make his senior season count. For now, this is his team.

Iowa State: Nothing's been settled after Iowa State's spring game last Saturday. Steele Jantz got back into the race when Jared Barnett struggled in the bowl game, and the competition was too close to call at the end of spring. ISU coach Paul Rhoads even said redshirt freshman Sam Richardson isn't out of the race. Former QB Jerome Tiller is, though. He was in the four-man competition last spring, which Jantz eventually won, but missed the season because of academic issues. He's a receiver now, and doing well at the position.

Kansas: Charlie Weis brought in his guy, Dayne Crist, from Notre Dame, and last year's starter, Jordan Webb, transferred. Crist has entrenched himself as the starter midway through spring practice, which ends with the spring game on April 28. BYU transfer Jake Heaps is taking reps with the second team now, but he'll be phased out in the fall while he sits out his NCAA-mandated redshirt season after transferring.

Kansas State: Collin Klein is still developing as a passer, but he is K-State's offense. Moving on ...

Oklahoma: Landry Jones returned for his senior season, but with a healthy set of running backs, the Belldozer, a power formation named after big-bodied backup Blake Bell, may be phased out this season. Bell, though, showcased his arm in the spring game and outperformed the older Drew Allen. The backup QB race should be interesting to watch this fall.

Oklahoma State: Coach Mike Gundy really wanted to name a starter by the end of spring, but it doesn't look likely to happen. No quarterback has established any distance, but they'll have a huge chance in Saturday's spring game. For now, true freshman Wes Lunt is still in the race, though dual-threat man J.W. Walsh may be the favorite ahead of junior Clint Chelf, who has some game experience the past two seasons. This is the league's best race, but also its most difficult to predict. Just about anything could happen.

Texas: Coach Mack Brown isn't making anything official, but sophomore David Ash was getting nearly all the first-team reps in the spring, ahead of Case McCoy. There's no official title yet, but there would be major shock if anyone but Ash starts the season opener. Now, if Ash struggles...

TCU: Casey Pachall had a great first year, and brings back his top three targets in Josh Boyce, Skye Dawson and Brandon Carter. The sky is the limit for Pachall.

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders' staff liked what Seth Doege did as a first-year starter, but the defense and injuries to his offense put too much strain on him in 2011. He'll look a lot better if his receivers and running backs can stay healthy.

West Virginia: Geno Smith may be the league's best quarterback, and coach Dana Holgorsen can't quit calling him "special." That's not to say he should. It could be a special season for him and the Mountaineers as they join the Big 12.

TCU made headlines across the country when nearly two dozen students were arrested in a campus drug sting, many of whom were involved in the drug's distribution.

Four players on the football team were arrested and now face charges.

The Horned Frogs are far from the only ones in college football affected by marijuana use in some form. Colleague Mark Schlabach took a look at the issue.

Here's a quick excerpt:

However, not every coach sees the benefits of a vigilant testing program, as former Florida State coach Bobby Bowden said recently. "I know of a lot of schools, and I don't want to say something I shouldn't say -- but you don't have to drug-test," he says. "If you don't want your boys to be caught with drugs, don't drug-test them."

Indeed, The Magazine's survey of more than 60 schools competing in BCS conferences revealed myriad testing protocols and discipline standards for players testing positive for marijuana and other recreational drugs. One coach at an FBS school admits that when he was an assistant at a previous school, only half of the team's players were ever tested. "And they never tested the guys we knew were smoking," he says.

Not that a single failed test would necessarily jeopardize the athlete's eligibility. Athletes at schools such as Ole Miss, Purdue and UCLA don't face mandatory suspensions until they fail three tests. Fewer than 10 schools surveyed, including Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Mississippi State and Virginia Tech, penalize players with mandatory suspensions from play after their first positive test.

Check out the full piece. It's a great read from ESPN The Magazine.

West Virginia's not an official member of the Big 12 yet, but the school published what I believe is its first legitimate "hype" video for the Big 12 this week.

Even coach Dana Holgorsen took to his little-used Twitter account to promote the video. Here's a look.

The tagline is "Big Things Are Coming." Big 12 fans will see clips of their team, but mostly highlights of a memorable 2011 season in Morgantown, capped by the 70-33 Orange Bowl win over Clemson.

At the end, you'll get a peek at West Virginia's customized Big 12 logo that every team in the league makes, along with an "Inaugural Big 12 Season" band across the blue and gold logo.

Pretty good stuff. Check it out.

Is the season here yet?

I've been inspired by the boys at the Big Ten Blog, and this should be a fun walk-through each week in the new-look Big 12 next season. I'll pick one game a week during the season that I'd attend if it were entirely up to me. I don't make the call, and things change as games are played, of course. But right now, this is how it would look if it were up to me. I'll include road nonconference games, too.

• Week 1: West Virginia vs. Marshall
• Week 2: Kansas State vs. Miami
• Week 3: Texas at Ole Miss
• Week 4: Kansas State at Oklahoma
• Week 5: Texas at Oklahoma State
• Week 6: West Virginia at Texas
• Week 7: Oklahoma vs. Texas at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas

Here's what the Week 8 slate in the Big 12 looks like:

• Baylor at Texas
• Iowa State at Oklahoma State
• Oklahoma at Kansas
• Texas Tech at TCU
• Kansas State at West Virginia

My pick: Kansas State at West Virginia

Kansas State travels to Oklahoma in its fourth game of the season, but the Wildcats should be favored in every other game they play before traveling to Morgantown to face the Mountaineers.

Don't be surprised if this is a showdown of two top-10 teams, and Kansas State gets the first real dose of Big 12 madness inside Milan Puskar Stadium. The Mountaineers host Baylor first before traveling to Texas and Texas Tech, returning home to face Kansas State. Could the Mountaineers be undefeated?

Then, of course, we have the contrasting styles in play and coaching staffs, too. Dana Holgorsen will go head to head with Bill Snyder for the first time as a head coach. Snyder is a bona fide Big 12 legend, with a heck of a team coming back in 2012. Collin Klein and Geno Smith will go head to head, too, and the winner will get a huge boost to his Heisman campaign.

This would be my first-ever game at Mountaineer Field, and it'd be a heck of a start. We'll see if Kansas State and WVU hold it together early in the season to make this the mammoth mid-October showdown it could be.

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

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

Recruiting season got started in earnest on Tuesday with the release of the ESPN 150, so it's time to offer our first real check-in on where the Big 12 recruiting classes sit with a little less than 10 months before players can officially sign.

Remember, this card is in pencil. Players are free to switch commitments until they sign a letter of intent with a school.

1. Texas Longhorns

Total commits: 13
ESPNU 150 commits: 7
Key commits: QB Tyrone Swoopes, WR Ricky Seals-Jones, C Darius James, OT Jake Raulerson
Class notes: Texas' top three commits are all the best at their positions, and 10 of the class' 13 commitments are four stars or higher. That's nothing new in Austin, but Swoopes looks like the quarterback of the future in Austin, though he hails from a smaller school in Whitewright, Texas. Seals-Jones is a physical presence at 6-foot-5, 220 pounds.

2. Oklahoma Sooners

Total commits: 4
ESPNU 150 commits: 3
Key commits: RB Greg Bryant, RB Keith Ford, DE D.J. Ward
Class notes: Oklahoma's class is still pretty small for now, but the Sooners are getting some much needed help at running back, where numbers are suddenly thin following a rash of transfers after the season. Ward joins fellow DE Matt Dimon in the class, too.

3. Baylor Bears

Total commits: 6
ESPNU 150 commits: 1
Key commits: QB Chris Johnson, RB Johnny Jefferson, WR Quan Jones
Class notes: No surprise here: Baylor's new class is loaded with skill position talent. Johnson is the nation's No. 2 dual-threat passer and Jefferson is the nation's No. 36 running back. It seems like almost every year, Baylor reels in a huge prospect. For now, 2013 is no different, and coach Art Briles looks like he can continue his QB lineage. Johnson is a four-star, and Jefferson and Jones are three-star recruits.

4. Texas Tech Red Raiders

Total commits: 5
ESPNU 150 commits: 0
Key commits: ATH Devin Lauderdale, WR Dylan Cantrell, CB Will Barrow
Class notes: Texas Tech has landed top-25 recruiting classes in each of Tommy Tuberville's first full seasons in Lubbock, and the Red Raiders are off to another nice start in 2013. Super recruiter Robert Prunty's developed a penchant for reeling in ESPN 150 talent, so keep an eye on the newest major player on the recruiting scene. Lauderdale is a four-star recruit.

5. Kansas State Wildcats

Total commits: 3
ESPNU 150 commits: 0
Key commits: ILB Tanner Wood, DE Jordan Willis, WR LeAndrew Gordon
Class notes: Two of Kansas State's three commits are three-star recruits. The Wildcats won 10 games in 2011, but another solid year in 2012 could help spur recruiting efforts even further.

6. Oklahoma State Cowboys

Total commits: 1
ESPNU 150 commits: 0
Key commits: WR Fred Ross Jr.
Class notes: Ross is a four-star and the nation's No. 21 receiver, but OSU could climb this list quickly, riding the success from its first Big 12 title in 2011. It's a slower start than you'd envision for OSU, but we'll see if the Cowboys can win some battles with Texas Tech, TCU and others.

7. TCU Horned Frogs

Total commits: 2
ESPNU 150 commits: 0
Key commits: OLB Sammy Douglas, OG Patrick Morris
Class notes: Douglas is a three-star recruit and the nation's No. 36 outside linebacker. That's a big position of need for TCU, but the Big 12 entrance and recent campus drug sting that resulted in four players being arrested will be battling for positive and negative pushes on the recruiting trail. We'll see which one wins out in 2012.

8. Kansas Jayhawks

Total commits: 3
ESPNU 150 commits: 0
Key commits: QB Montell Cozart, TE Ben Johnson, LB Kellen Ash
Class notes: Kansas doesn't have a nationally ranked recruit, but Weis sounds like he's high on Cozart, a highly recruited QB from the Kansas City area who had offers from West Virginia and Minnesota.

9. West Virginia Mountaineers

Total commits: 0
ESPNU 150 commits: 0
Key commits: None
Class notes: WVU is one of two teams without a commit yet in the 2013 class. We'll see if that picks up if WVU can validate its membership in the Big 12 with a strong debut season.

10. Iowa State Cyclones

Total commits: 0
ESPNU 150 commits: 0
Key commits: None
Class notes: Iowa State has started slow, too. Another bowl appearance would help, but it has to be a bit frustrating for the Cyclones to be behind the eight-ball for now. That's especially true considering what Kansas has done thus far.

Good to see you all in this week's chat. Here's the full transcript.

Here's where you can reach me if you've got more to say, too.

Time for a few highlights:

go pokes (colorado): can monken keep the cowboys offense flowing with all the new players? mainly with a true freshman running the show?

David Ubben: OSU should be good, but they'll take a decent dip from their production last season. Joseph Randle and Jeremy Smith will be great this year, but you can't replace the Weeden-Blackmon combo. The good news for the Pokes: The defense should be much, much better from what was already an underrated unit in 2011. The Cowboys are a solid dark horse for the Big 12 title. Also, they won't have a true freshman running the show at QB unless Wes Lunt wins the job. J.W. Walsh redshirted last year and Clint Chelf is a junior.

Jim (Tennessee): Any more word on possible expansion? I'd like to see the Big 12 get back to 12 and have a championship game.

David Ubben: I doubt it in the immediate future. Certainly a possibility down the road, but there's not much momentum in that direction just yet. Louisville is probably the only school about everybody in the Big 12 could agree on. A 12th member could get a little sticky.

John Tirpak (Whitehall, PA): What do you think the chances are of West Virginia running the table and winning the Big 12 championship? And if so, what are the chances of seeing them in the National Championship game?

David Ubben: Probably not great, though they get K-State and Oklahoma in Morgantown. There's just not really an elite team in the Big 12 this year. If I was guessing, I think the Big 12 champ has two losses. It's too deep at the top without a team that should run the table. WVU is good enough to win the league on paper, but how will they handle the transition? It's different for everybody. We won't know for sure until the fall, but I do think the immediate transition will be easier for WVU than TCU.

Matt Rob (Pittsburgh): Which Big 12 teams do you anticipate being ranked in the AP Top 25 in week 1? How many do you see in the Top 10 (Oklahoma, WVU)?

David Ubben: My official guesses: Oklahoma will be around 4-6. WVU will be around 7-11. K-State will be around 10-15. TCU will be around 14-18. Texas will be around 16-22. OSU will probably be around 17-23. So, six teams in the top 20 or 25.

Ryan (Houston): We all have noticed your recent obsession over WVU, we get it...you love them. But when they go 8-4 / 7-5 (give the Big 12 some credit here people), how will you feel then? By my count there is only 1 team thats a sure lock (Kansas), every other team has a shot at them. I highly highly doubt that a team that plays like Big 12 teams but has never played in the Big 12 will succeed in its 1st year (succeed meaning 9 or more wins). I know Geno's good, but these defenses are used to this style afterall. In fact, we have to be the hardest conference for teams like TCU/WVU to come into because they play Big 12 style but have been doing it against weaker opponents. Thats quite the change for these two teams and I just don't know if you have realized that yet. 9/10 Big 12 teams have a slight SLIGHT advantage in that respect, the fact that they go against this on a regular basis...thoughts?

David Ubben: Easy there, Ryan. That was quite a rant. I'm going on plenty of visits this spring, and when I get back, there's lots of coverage on that team. WVU opened its doors to us, thus, there's a whole lot more coverage. Doesn't have anything to do with loving or hating anybody in the league. I don't do either. As for WVU on the field, it's not like they're trying to surprise anyone. Simple fact: They might be better than everybody else at running what everybody in the Big 12 has run for quite awhile. Call it the Holgorsen Quotient.

W (Anaheim): David - Which BigXII vs. FCS is most intriguing this season?

David Ubben: The ones that get canceled by weather.

Michael Miller (Fredericksburg, VA): Who do you think will have the better record, TCU or WVU?

David Ubben: WVU in Year 1. TCU over the next decade.

FRF (Heaven on Earth - TEXAS): Do you think anyone can go undefeated in the BIG12?

David Ubben: No. Too many really good teams. No truly elite teams. OU's got the best shot, but do you like their chances to run the table vs. K-State, WVU, TCU, Texas and Oklahoma State? With as many question marks as the Sooners have? I'd give them about a 10 percent chance.

Nick (Charleston, WV): Has the opportunity to visit Morgantown, watch practice and speak with the coaches and players changed your opinion on where WVU will finish in the Big 12 this season (for better or worse)?

David Ubben: No, not really. Here's the thing: WVU is just as good as any team in the Big 12. So is TCU and K-State. It's just a matter of getting some good bounces and playing well in the fall. Those four on paper can all win the league. They just have to prove it. OU has a touch more talent then the other three, but it's not anything insurmountable.

Casey (Ft Stewart, Ga): SEC fan here, and I am not bashing nobody in the BIG-12 by any means...just wanted to know a couple of things...Who is your Top 3 Defenses and Offenses coming in to this season? And how do you see the WVU Mountaineers playing in their 1st season? Can they reach 9+ wins facing BIG-12 teams week in and week out now?

David Ubben: Offenses: 1) WVU 2) OU 3) Baylor. Defenses 1) Texas 2) OU 3) Oklahoma State. Plenty more with legit cases in that top three on both sides, but that's where I'd lean for now.

I've been inspired by the boys at the Big Ten Blog, and this should be a fun walk-through each week in the new-look Big 12 next season. I'll pick one game a week during the season that I'd attend if it were entirely up to me. I don't make the call, and things change as games are played, of course. But right now, this is how it would look if it were up to me. I'll include road nonconference games, too.

• Week 1: West Virginia vs. Marshall
• Week 2: Kansas State vs. Miami
• Week 3: Texas at Ole Miss
• Week 4: Kansas State at Oklahoma
• Week 5: Texas at Oklahoma State
• Week 6: West Virginia at Texas

Here's what the Week 7 slate in the Big 12 looks like:

• TCU at Baylor
• Kansas State at Iowa State
• Oklahoma State at Kansas
• Oklahoma vs. Texas in Dallas, Texas at the Cotton Bowl
• West Virginia at Texas Tech

My pick: The Red River Rivalry

Hey, TCU and Baylor should be a great game. West Virginia's trip across the globe to Texas Tech should be fun, too.

That said, let's not act like there's a decision to be made here. You don't follow the Big 12 and not go to Red River. You just don't.

Last year's game was a bit of a snoozer as Oklahoma blew through the Longhorns 55-17, ending a streak of four really great games at the Cotton Bowl. Texas and OU have both been ranked for the past six meetings, including three meetings where each was inside the top 15. Texas is still climbing its way back to the top of the Big 12 after a 5-7 season in 2010, but by midseason, the Longhorns could be finding their footing in a familiar setting surrounded by fried foods and ferris wheels.

The atmosphere is unlike anything else you'll see in the Big 12 as the league's two titans go toe-to-toe in the annual matchup that splits the crimson and burnt orange along the 50-yard line at the renovated Cotton Bowl, which seats almost 100,000 now.

Landry Jones will face the toughest defense he'll see all season, but he shredded the league's best defense last season in this game. Sooners legend Adrian Peterson wrote his legacy in this game. Could one of Texas' young backs -- Malcolm Brown, Johnathan Gray or Joe Bergeron -- do the same? If they do, I'll be there to see it.

TCU warned that new uniforms were coming.

They've now been debuted, via TCU's official Twitter account.

Here's a look:

• Overview of the four uniforms
• Closeup of the "anthracite" uniform
• Closeup of the new purple helmet

The colors are strong, but I really don't like the stencil look of the numbers on the uniforms. Outside of that, though? A solid collection from the Frogs, who will have a brand-new look in a brand-new league next year when they join the Big 12.

The gray helmet? Very, very nice. Inspired by the Rose Bowl helmets, how about a helmet with a various piece of opponent mascot paraphenalia in the frog's mouth?

A little much? Maybe.

What do you think? Vote in our poll.

She feels great. Her spirits are high, the whole family's high. There's your headline.

• Don Banks at SI.com profiles Baylor's "other" Robert Griffin, who's making his way to the NFL, too.
• The Oklahoman's Berry Tramel has a suggestion for Big 12 commissioner.
• Life is a little difficult for Baylor fans who love the Dallas Cowboys ... but have to watch their program's greatest player go to the Cowboys' biggest rival.
• Kansas added yet another transfer from Notre Dame, a linebacker named Anthony McDonald.
• Landry Jones' return to Oklahoma didn't inspire celebrations everywhere in the Sooner State, writes Jenni Carlson of The Oklahoman. But who will be his best returning receiver? Time to discuss.
• Kansas' defensive line is waiting for reinforcements, writes Matt Tait of the Lawrence Journal-World.
• The Austin American-Statesman breaks down Texas Tech's spring and Kirk Bohls tells you why blue-chip recruit Michael Brewer decided to come to Lubbock, instead of chasing his family legacy at UT.
• J.B. Lageman got some great news after WVU's Orange Bowl win. Jack Bogaczyk of the Charleston Daily Mail explains. He also explains some of the versatile shifts in the Mountaineers' new depth chart.
• Oklahoma found some answers this spring, but plenty of questions remain, writes Mike Baldwin of The Oklahoman.
• Texas Tech quarterback Scotty Young landed with coach Sonny Dykes at Louisiana Tech after transferring.
• Gina Mizell of The Oklahoman introduces you to Daytawion Lowe, OSU's hard-hitting country boy at safety. Meanwhile, no separation in the QB race means good news for true freshman Wes Lunt.
• Marc Hansen of the Des Moines Register says goodbye and relives some moments, including a few from Iowa State.

A dutch baby and a pepperoni roll in the same week. My taste buds are exhausted.

• TCU is still dealing with the fallout of offseason drug arrests, but coach Gary Patterson is the man to bring the Frogs through it, writes Cedric Golden of the Austin American-Statesman.
• Oklahoma State's Joseph Randle is more important than ever. Gina Mizell of The Oklahoman explains why. OSU's running backs coach also assesses his backs.
• Texas receiver Bryant Jackson broke his foot and requires surgery, but will be ready for fall camp.
• Oklahoma will be changing up its scoring system in Saturday's spring game.
• Stewart Mandel of SI.com takes a look at Oklahoma State's chances to keep winning in the Big 12 with new faces in the offense.
• You won't find Bob Stoops on a motorcycle any time soon.
• Andrew Buie is finally healthy and ready to make an impact at West Virginia, writes Mike Casazza of the Charleston Daily Mail.
• Iowa State's 2012 schedule poster is pretty awesome. Fair warning: not recommended for OSU faithful.
• Joshua Kinder of the Manhattan Mercury looks at K-State's momentum from 2011 and if it will carry into the fall.
• Here are five big recruiting battles that shaped Texas' roster in 2012.
• Bob Hertzel of the Times West Virginian tells you about Karl Joseph, the Mountaineers' new big-hitting freshman safety.
• Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star tells you more about Toben Opurum's career of transition at KU. Meanwhile, will Brandon Bourbon heal up in time to win the starting running back job?

Heisman Pundit is exactly that. Chris Huston knows his stuff about the Heisman, and famously penned The 10 Heismandments, which outline what has to happen for players to earn the greatest individual honor in sports.

He looked at his top 10 candidates from the Big 12, ranking them from top to bottom.

Topping the list?

West Virginia's Geno Smith. Huston pegged Oklahoma's Landry Jones as the No. 3 candidate, but had a moderate surprise at No. 2 with Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein on his list of "Contenders"

"Klein was probably the toughest player in college football last year, pound for pound," wrote Huston. "I can’t remember the last time I saw a player improve as much as Klein did between his sophomore and junior seasons."

No arguments here. The guy carried the ball 317 times, 67 more times than anybody else in the Big 12 and third-most in the nation. He took a beating every week and kept improving, kept running and kept growing as a passer.

I might have Jones ahead of both Klein and Smith, but it's definitely close. Klein needs wins and production to gain some more name recognition, but he's everything to Kansas State's offense.

I liked Huston's picks as the three dark horses, too.

TCU quarterback Casey Pachall topped that list, ahead of running back Joseph Randle at Oklahoma State and receiver Tavon Austin from West Virginia.

I think it'll be tough for Austin to legitimately win as a receiver, but if OSU and TCU start racking up wins by the bushelful, Randle will make an appearance on the short list, as will Pachall, who has three outstanding targets in Josh Boyce, Skye Dawson and Brandon Carter.

Check out Huston's blog for his list of longshots, which includes four boys in burnt orange from Texas.