ESPN

Taking stock of Week 5 in the Big 12:

Team of the week: Oklahoma. With their victory over Oklahoma State, the Mountaineers deserved strong consideration here. But by winning in South Bend, the Sooners delivered the Big 12 its best win of the year while vanquishing past demons. OU, which fell to 1-9 all-time against Notre Dame last season, controlled this game wire-to-wire in a 35-21 win. QB Blake Bell operated the Sooners' offense like a veteran in just his second career start. And the OU defense took it to QB Tommy Rees to force three first-half interceptions that allowed the Sooners to pad their lead. OU might have been one of the most overlooked teams during the preseason. After Saturday, the Sooners won’t be overlooked anymore.

Disappointment of the week: Oklahoma State. The Cowboys fell in Morgantown 31-21, despite being 18-point favorites. OSU sputtered all day offensively across the board. J.W. Walsh had a QBR of just 38.1 (scale of 0 to 100) and the Cowboys averaged just 2.8 yards per carry. The defense didn’t fare much better, allowing a West Virginia offense that had been completely inept to rack up 21 first downs. Dating to last year, the Cowboys have now lost three consecutive Big 12 games.

Big (offensive) men on campus: Sterling Shepard and Aaron Wimberly. Both the Oklahoma receiver and Iowa State running back sparked their offenses to big wins on the road. Shepard had five catches for 83 yards, and delivered the nail in the coffin to Notre Dame with a 54-yard touchdown reception to put OU back up by two scores in the fourth quarter.

In a 38-21 win at Tulsa, Wimberly produced Iowa State’s first 100-yard rushing game in more than a year with 137 yards on 19 carries. He added a 31-yard reception as the Cyclones came alive in their first win of the season.

Big (defensive) men on campus: The Oklahoma linebackers, and Sam Carter. Corey Nelson, Frank Shannon and Eric Striker came up with huge plays in the first quarter to set the tone for the OU defense the rest of the way against the Irish. On Notre Dame’s first series, Striker blindsided Rees from behind, popping the ball loose into the arms of Nelson, who returned it 24 yards for a TD. On Notre Dame's next play from scrimmage, Shannon caught a tipped pass and returned the interception 17 yards to the Notre Dame 32. The Sooners scored again four plays later on an 11-yard run by Damien Williams. OU rode the defensive flurry all the way to the win.

Carter, TCU’s junior safety, had a huge day against SMU. Carter had two interceptions, forced a fumble and recorded a sack in the Horned Frogs’ 48-17 victory over the Mustangs. For his efforts, Carter was named the Walter Camp national defensive player of the week. With cornerback Jason Verrett ailing with a shoulder injury, Carter might have to take an even bigger leadership role in the TCU secondary moving forward.

Special-teams player of the week: Jaden Oberkrom. In a complete downpour, TCU’s place-kicker nailed two field goals to help the Horned Frogs pull away from SMU in the second half. As the rain began to fall in droves early in the third quarter, TCU had the ball on the SMU 5-yard line trailing 10-7. Because of the rain, a botched shotgun snap resulted in a loss of 20. But Oberkrom made sure the Frogs came away with points with the 35-yard field goal conversion. Had Oberkrom missed, who knows how the game would have gone for TCU? Instead, buoyed in part by getting points off the drive, the Frogs dominated the rest of the way.

Play of the week: After Josh Stewart took a screen pass 73 yards for the touchdown and Justin Gilbert intercepted Clint Trickett three plays later at midfield, the Cowboys seemed to be on the verge of blowing the game away in the first quarter. Instead, West Virginia cornerback Ishmael Banks read Walsh’s eyes off a rollout, stepped in front of the pass for the pick, then returned it 58 yards for a touchdown. The Cowboys never found their footing again offensively, as West Virginia held them to just two scores the rest of the game.

Stat of the week: Oklahoma State running back Jeremy Smith rushed for just 1 yard on 15 carries at West Virginia. According to ESPN Stats & Info, Smith’s rushing total was the second worst by an FBS running back with that many carries in any game in the past 10 years.

Quote of the week: "No doubt in my mind that we're a national championship-type of team." – OU running back Brennan Clay, after the Notre Dame win

The Sooners notched a big nonconference road win for the Big 12, West Virginia’s defense came up big in an upset of Oklahoma State, and TCU finally found some offense against SMU.

What we learned about the Big 12 from Week 5:

The Sooners are a different team with Bell: This question has to be asked: How did Blake Bell not win the starting quarterback job during the preseason? Since taking over for Trevor Knight, Bell has been superb, leading the Sooners to a big 35-21 victory Saturday at Notre Dame. Bell completed 22 of 30 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns for a Total QBR of 79.1 (scale of 0 to 100), which almost certainly will go up once the strength of Notre Dame’s defense is factored into the equation. Bell also didn’t turn the ball over, as OU controlled the game from beginning to end. Save for a Nov. 7 showdown in Waco, the Sooners’ remaining slate doesn’t look nearly as daunting as it did a month ago. With Bell running the show at this level, OU is very capable of winning every game left on its schedule.

The West Virginia defense appears legit: The performance against Oklahoma State was the best by a West Virginia defense since joining the Big 12. The Mountaineers controlled the line of scrimmage to shut down OSU’s vaunted running game, and the secondary laid the lumber, knocking receivers Josh Stewart and Jhajuan Seales out of the game with big hits. The 21 points, in fact, were the fewest scored by a Cowboys offense in a loss since the 2009 Cotton Bowl. West Virginia did give up 37 to Maryland a week ago, but the six turnovers from the West Virginia offense had a lot to with that. In holding the Bedlam schools to a combined 37 points, Keith Patterson’s unit has now locked up, perennially, two of the Big 12’s highest-scoring offenses. The Mountaineers will get their shot at another on Saturday in Waco, and Baylor’s high-flying attack will provide the toughest test to date. But the West Virginia defense will give Baylor its toughest challenge yet as well.

Oklahoma State not the same offensively: The Cowboys have basically played two teams with a pulse and scored only 21 points both times. The Pokes seems to really be missing former coordinator Todd Monken and running back Joseph Randle, maybe even more than anybody thought they would. The Cowboys never found a flow offensively in Morgantown with Mike Yurcich’s play-calling, and Randle’s successor, Jeremy Smith, finished with just 1 yard on 15 carries. Given J.W. Walsh’s limitations throwing the ball downfield, it’s been awhile since an Oklahoma State offense had this many vulnerabilities.

TCU offense gains confidence with new faces: The Horned Frogs offense finally came alive late in the third quarter of a 48-17 win against SMU. And it came alive via plays from some new faces. True freshman Ty Slanina hauled in a 20-yard touchdown with four minutes left in the third quarter to break a 10-10 tie. On TCU’s next possession, former Florida transfer Ja'Juan Story took a 56-yard pass to the house to ignite the rout. Then freshman Cameron Echols-Luper returned a punt 51 yards to set up another touchdown. Going into the SMU game, Slanina, Story and Echols-Luper had a combined five touches through three games. The trio, however, figures to be a big part of the Horned Frogs' attack going forward, including next weekend in Norman.

OU at Baylor looking like the Big 12’s biggest game: With the Cowboys’ loss in Morgantown, OU-Baylor in Waco on Nov. 7 is looking more and more like the game of the year in the Big 12. Several other pivotal matchups remain (TCU-OU, the Red River Rivalry, Tech-OU, Baylor-OSU, Baylor-Tech, Bedlam). And there are still other teams (Tech, TCU, OSU, even Texas) that could play their way to the top of the conference title race. But as of today, OU-Baylor is looking like the game that will have more conference title implications than any other.

There's no crying in baseball, but I guess it's OK here.

• The Cyclones found their footing, and an offense, at Tulsa, according to the Ames Tribune's Bobby La Gesse. Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register writes about how QB Sam Richardson overcame injuries to guide Iowa State to the 38-21 win. The paper's Bryce Miller explains how center Tom Farniok shored up the Cyclones offensive line.
• Saturday, Clint Trickett will become West Virginia's third starting quarterback already this season. The Charleston Daily Mail's Mike Casazza breaks it down. The Mountaineers are also ready to pick up the pace, writes Dave Hickman of the Charleston Gazette. Opposing defenses, meanwhile, have the blueprint for stopping the West Virginia offense, in the opinion of Stephen J. Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
• The Sooners are expecting a big-time atmosphere in South Bend. The Oklahoma players talk about playing in big-time games. The Oklahoman's Jason Kersey breaks down the OU-Notre Dame matchups. The Dallas Morning News does the same.
• Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich is getting the opportunity of a lifetime, writes The Oklahoman's Gina Mizell. Running back Jeremy Smith has been a reason for Oklahoma State's 3-0 start.
• Baylor coach Art Briles is hoping his book, “Looking Up: My Journey from Tragedy to Triumph," inspires. The Bears expect to get back tight end Jordan Najvar and running back Glasco Martin next week in their Big 12 opener against West Virginia. The Dallas Morning News compares the Baylor and Oregon offenses side-by-side.
• TCU is the best in the Big 12 when it comes to non-conference scheduling, according to The Oklahoman's Ryan Aber. The Horned Frogs need an offensive spark, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Jimmy Burch and Stefan Stevenson. E.J. Holland of the Dallas Morning News predicts the Frogs will keep the Iron Skillet in Fort Worth.
• The Lawrence Journal-World's Matt Tait writes that the Kansas offensive line is trying to get tougher during its open week.
• A bye week on the schedule doesn’t mean Kansas State has taken it easy, either, according to Ken Corbitt of the Topeka Capital-Journal.
• Texas Tech is planning some reunions.
• Could there be crimson on the burnt orange side? The AP reports that Texas students have not claimed all their tickets for the Red River Rivalry.

You can't accuse Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard of mincing words:

• Cyclones linebacker Jeremiah George will be facing off against Tulsa QB Cody Green for a fourth time tonight, the Des Moines Register's Randy Peterson points out.
• Texas Tech's linebackers are bringing the hammer, writes the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal's Don Williams.
• The Dallas Morning News analyzes Baylor's hot start to the season.
• It's been the same plan with worse results for West Virginia, writes the Charleston Gazette's Dave Hickman.
• Kansas State has many questions going into its open date, writes the Manhattan Mercury's Joel Jellison.
• Even after Texas' win over Kansas State, the Daily Texan lays out possible replacements for Mack Brown.
• Much has changed in Norman since the first time Bob Stoops faced Notre Dame, writes The Oklahoman's Jason Kersey.
• Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer is concerned about West Virginia's running backs and the way they catch the ball, according to The Oklahoman's Gina Mizell.
• Sophomore defensive back Derrick Kindred has been a versatile option for the TCU defense, writes Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
• Close victories haven’t resulted in momentum for the Jayhawks, writes the Kansas City Star's Blair Kerkhoff.

Show me don't tweet me:

• Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds tells the Dallas Morning News' Chuck Carlton he'll make the tough decision if he has to. But Dodds also says that Mack Brown is energized and everything is in place for the Longhorns to turn the corner.
• TCU hopes its running back duo can help spark a stagnant offense, writes the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Stefan Stevenson.
• Kansas is still tinkering with a faster tempo, according to the Lawrence Journal-World's Matt Tait.
• The Cyclones are preparing to make the season's first road trip a boom, writes Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register.
• Texas Tech picked up a commitment from a junior-college defensive tackle.
• Oklahoma center Gabe Ikard will have his hands full on Saturday, says The Oklahoman's Ryan Aber.
• The Mountaineers are hoping a looser attitude will help, according to the Charleston Gazette's Dave Hickman.
• The Tulsa World's Kelly Hines goes up close with Oklahoma State linebacker Caleb Lavey.
• The Bears are cruising, but they can't relax, writes Brice Cherry of the Waco Tribune-Herald.
• K-State is regrouping after its loss at Texas, report the Topeka Capital-Journal's Ken Corbitt.

After Week 2, there is one big riser and one big faller in this week’s Big 12 power rankings:

1. Oklahoma State (2-0, 0-0 Big 12, last week: 1): So much for the notion J.W. Walsh can’t pass. The dual-threat quarterback set an Oklahoma State single-game completion percentage record and threw more touchdown passes than incompletions. Walsh has the ninth-best QBR in college football, and he’s a major reason the Pokes keep the top spot.

2. Baylor (2-0, 0-0 Big 12, last week: 4): It’s one thing to beat Wofford and Buffalo. It’s quite another to completely destroy both of them. According to ESPN Stats & Info, Baylor has 16 touchdown drives of two minutes or less, the most of any offense in the country. The Bears are also averaging 47 points … per first half.

3. Oklahoma (2-0, 1-0 Big 12, last week: 2): The Sooners take a step back despite the West Virginia win because of the uncertainty at quarterback. The good news is that the defense and run game look much improved. But the Sooners can’t win the Big 12 without a viable passing attack, right?

4. TCU (1-1, 0-0 Big 12, last week: 5): TCU’s QB situation has been resolved by Casey Pachall’s broken arm. The Frogs have been more efficient with Trevone Boykin at QB, but he’ll have to do it for four quarters beginning Thursday night in Lubbock against Texas Tech.

5. Texas Tech (2-0, 0-0 Big 12, last week: 6): Baker Mayfield has been spectacular through two games, with seven touchdowns, no interceptions and a 71 percent completion percentage. But Mayfield will be tested for the first time against an aggressive TCU defense that will be welcoming defensive end Devonte Fields back into the starting lineup.

6. West Virginia (1-1, 0-1 Big 12, last week: 7): Oklahoma’s quarterback woes overshadowed the Mountaineers’ stingy defensive performance in Norman. The West Virginia offense, however, continues to sputter, especially through the air. How long will Dana Holgorsen stick with Paul Millard over Clint Trickett if this continues?

7. Texas (1-1, 0-0 Big 12, last week: 3): The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire.

8. Kansas State (1-1, 0-0 Big 12, last week: 8): Bill Snyder’s bunch bounced back with a nice performance over one of the Sun Belt’s better teams in Louisiana-Lafayette. Maybe the Wildcats are better off using two quarterbacks, as Jake Waters (278 yards passing) and Daniel Sams (63 yards rushing) got the offense moving in different ways.

9. Kansas (1-0, 0-0 Big 12, last week: 10): Justin McCay made good on his vow to end the Kansas receiver scoreless catch streak, and the Jayhawks handled South Dakota after a shaky first quarter. Next up? A tricky road trip to Rice, which figures to reveal where exactly this Kansas defense is.

10. Iowa State (0-1, 0-0 Big 12, last week: 9): Kansas won its FCS opener. Iowa State did not. But the Cyclones could jump-start their season next weekend. Take home the Cy-Hawk Trophy for a third straight season, and nobody in Ames will be talking about Northern Iowa.

For this season, ESPN launched a new metric of measuring quarterbacks, called QBR. What exactly is QBR? A quick refresher:

QBR measures quarterbacks on a scale of 0 to 100, evaluating all plays they're involved in that contribute to victories. In other words, how a quarterback factors into wins. QBR factors in such components as where on the field a pass is completed and what the down-and-distance. A 3-yard pass on third-and-two counts for more than a 10-yard pass on third-and-20. Runs, sacks and penalties are also accounted for. And a month into the season, when there is enough information, the strength of the defense the quarterback facing will be factored in, too.

After Week 1, here are the QBRs (remember, the opposing defensive strength is not factored in yet) in the Big 12:

1. Bryce Petty, Baylor: 92.8
2. David Ash, Texas: 85.2
3. J.W. Walsh, Oklahoma State: 83.6
4. Baker Mayfield, Texas Tech: 78.5
5. Paul Millard, West Virginia: 62.7
6. Sam Richardson, Iowa State: 53.4
7. Jake Waters, Kansas State: 48.1
8. Casey Pachall, TCU: 45.2
9. Trevor Knight, Oklahoma: 42.9
10. Trevone Boykin, TCU: 20.4

A few thoughts and observations:

• Even though Petty and Ash have the best QBRs, Mayfield had easily the top pass EPA (expected points added on pass attempts) with a score of 11.6. No other Big 12 quarterback had a score higher than a 6.1. What kept Mayfield’s overall QBR from topping the league were the four sacks he took in the SMU game. That underlines a major concern for Tech moving forward: offensive line. The Red Raiders didn’t run the ball well at all against SMU, either. It won’t be easy for Mayfield to continue to shine if he’s not protected better.
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Richard CarsonJ.W. Walsh's rushing prowess was a big factor in his lofty QBR score in Week 1.
• While Mayfield had the best pass EPA, Walsh delivered the best run EPA, with a score more than double any other quarterback. That’s hardly surprising, as Walsh currently leads all players in the Big 12 in rushing. Yet for the Cowboys to reach their full potential offensively, Walsh will need to improve upon a pass EPA of 1.4.
• Even though Pachall had only a marginally better QBR, TCU coach Gary Patterson elected to go with Boykin for most of the second half. Boykin had the worst Week 1 QBR among qualifying quarterbacks, though it should be noted Boykin’s QBR from the LSU game will look much better once defensive strength begins factoring into the equation. But neither quarterback really distinguished himself in the LSU game. This could be a quarterback controversy that lingers.
• Knight’s first game numbers don’t look good through the QBR prism. He had the third-best run EPA behind Walsh and Richardson, but he actually had a negative pass EPA. Pachall was the only other quarterback with a negative pass EPA. Knight seemed to gain confidence with his arm as the game against Louisiana-Monroe wore on. But there’s no doubt Knight will have to be more precise with his passing if the Sooners are to win in South Bend, Ind., at the end of the month. Notre Dame’s Tommy Rees looked sharp in their opener, and has the seventh-best QBR (94.9) in the country.

QBR is useful in determining where quarterbacks struggled and where they succeeded in the first week. But the true value of the formula won’t come to fruition until opposing defensive strength is factored in later this month. It’s a safe bet that quarterbacks such as Boykin, Pachall and Walsh would have scored higher with that component; and others, like Petty and Ash, a bit lower.

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Back when TCU had only one athletic weight room on campus, the school’s then-provost would work out with the football players.

That’s where William Koehler, who had climbed his way up from chemistry professor to chief academic officer, began to notice Gary Patterson.

It was also, in many ways, the setting for the rebirth of TCU football.

Head coach Dennis Franchione had brought Patterson with him to coordinate the Horned Frogs’ defense in 1998. And coordinate he did. In only three years, Patterson had whipped the Frogs into the top defense in college football. That alone wasn’t what caught Koehler’s eye.

Patterson was in charge of football academics, and he blew Koehler away with how much care he put into it. Patterson also headed TCU’s strength and conditioning program, and Koehler watched, literally, as the players grew faster and stronger.

To validate what he was observing, Koehler asked the players between their sets what they thought of Patterson. The players confirmed what he’d been seeing, and more.

“The weight room was an informal setting where I got to know many of the players,” said Koehler, who through that experience had begun to take an interest in football. “I learned a lot about Gary and what he did and what the kids thought about him.

“And I came to think Gary had a lot of the qualities that were important to being a head coach.”

Before Franchione and Patterson arrived in Fort Worth, TCU football had hit rock bottom. The same program that won national championships in 1935 and 1938 and produced iconic quarterbacks Sammy Baugh and Davey O’Brien had made only two bowl appearances between 1965 and when Franchione was hired.

When the Southwest Conference started to crumble and rumors of a new Big 12 Conference began to swirl in the early 1990s, TCU was an afterthought for inclusion. The Horned Frogs were averaging less than 30,000 fans at home games, and the facilities were among the worst in the region. Ultimately, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Baylor left the Horned Frogs behind and joined the Big Eight to form the Big 12.

Koehler said TCU’s committed alums fumed at being passed over for Baylor, which had help from prominent state politicians Bob Bullock and Ann Richards, who graduated from Baylor and reportedly lobbied to get the Bears in the Big 12.

“There was a lot of anger,” Koehler said.

But prominent TCU booster Dick Lowe said the Horned Frogs had it coming.

“We deserved to have our ass kicked out,” said Lowe, who was a guard for the Frogs in the 1940s. “We hadn’t been carrying our weight.

“We were a dead horse.”

The Frogs never looked more dead than in 1997, when they went 1-10 in Pat Sullivan’s final year as coach -- their only win coming over SMU, which was still recovering from the NCAA’s “death penalty.” Hope was so scarce, Koehler confessed that when TCU missed out on the Big 12, school officials had serious discussions about dropping football altogether.

“But we couldn’t do that in Texas and remain a viable university,” he said.

Yet in the softer Western Athletic Conference, TCU began to win games again, with lightly recruited running back LaDainian Tomlinson and Patterson’s defenses leading the effort. In 2000, the Frogs reached 10 wins for the first time since the 1938 national title team, and claimed a share of the WAC championship for the second consecutive season. Even though Franchione bolted for Alabama, the momentum of the previous three seasons spurred a hiring committee comprised of faculty reps, trustees and athletic director Eric Hyman to search for a splashy replacement.

They came up with two names: UAB coach Watson Brown and Kansas State defensive coordinator Phil Bennett. But when the committee asked Koehler to sign off, he had another idea, fostered from all those weight-room sessions.

“Gary just seemed like a no-brainer,” Koehler said.

According to Lowe, Patterson didn’t interview as well as Brown or Bennett did for the job. But Koehler wasn’t interested in that.

“Bill told them, ‘We’re hiring a coach, not an interviewer,’” Lowe said. “We came within a hair of not getting him.”

But thanks in large part to Koehler, TCU did. And nothing has been the same since.

Since taking over, Patterson has averaged almost 10 wins a season. He has also spearheaded fundraising for facility upgrades the school would have never dreamed possible a decade before.

The Frogs have a state-of-the-art weight room now, just for football. In its sports medicine center, the school has college football’s only cryosaunas. The NBA’s Kobe Bryant swears by the liquid-nitrogen therapy device so much he used TCU’s while in town for a game with the Dallas Mavericks in February.

Six years ago, TCU erected an indoor practice facility, and before this preseason installed air conditioning, which has helped the Frogs stay fresh while preparing for their opener Saturday night against LSU inside AT&T Stadium.

But the culmination has been the $164 million Amon G. Carter Stadium renovation, which included six “Founders” suites that went for $15 million a pop and helped pay for the upgrade. Lowe and his oil-business partner, Hunter Enis, were among those who forked over cash for the suites, which Lowe says are swankier than any Texas country club.

“Everything about this deal was built backwards,” Lowe said. “Usually the movers and shakers come up with a plan. We lucked into a great coach. And he got the movers and shakers to come up with a plan.

“This has really been his plan.”

Outside of subpar facilities, the other major obstacle that had handcuffed Patterson in recruiting before is also no longer an issue, either. After years of maneuvering in and out of two-bit conferences, TCU’s past came full circle when it joined the Big 12 last year -- almost 20 years after the conference first passed on the Frogs.

“We’ve always recruited the best,” Patterson said “But those guys would come in our doors and they’d say, ‘Coach, I want to come to TCU, but I always wanted to play in the Big 12.’

“The difference now is we’re getting some of those guys.”

In its 2014 recruiting class, TCU has already landed blue-chip quarterback Foster Sawyer and offensive tackle Ty Barrett from the Metroplex. Sawyer had offers from Alabama and Oklahoma State. TCU swayed Barrett away from Oklahoma.

“We’re sitting in the middle of a mecca of college recruiting here in the Metroplex,” Patterson said. “Everyone in the country comes here to recruit.

“The sky’s the limit.”

Others are beginning to take notice, too.

Even though the Frogs have only been in the Big 12 a year, they dominated ESPN.com’s player poll at media days last month. Not only did the league’s players tab TCU as the team to beat in the Big 12 this season, they said TCU was the place they’d most like to play, and Patterson the coach they’d most like to play for.

“I took my visit when they blew up the stadium,” said TCU’s All-American cornerback candidate, Jason Verrett, referring to the demolition of the old stadium that cleared the spot for the new. “It’s exciting around here right now.”

The excitement continues, as the Frogs will play in one of the biggest openers in the history of the school Saturday night.

“I think we were both very lucky and fortunate,” said Koehler, who retired as provost in 2004. “The university gave Gary a chance, and as it turned out, Gary gave the university a chance.

“A perfect match at a perfect time.”

An intriguing opening week in the Big 12, including a pair of neutral-site showdowns with the SEC.

My picks for Week 1 -- and I wouldn’t go to Vegas with them:

FRIDAY

Texas Tech 35, SMU 27: All eyes will be on Texas Tech’s quarterback, whether that’s Davis Webb or fellow true freshman Baker Mayfield. Whoever it is, Eric Ward and Jace Amaro will provide enough support to give Kliff Kingsbury the win in his Tech debut.

Kansas State 31, North Dakota State 22: The last time the Bison visited the Sunflower State, they came away with a victory. Even though this game won’t be in Lawrence, the two-time defending FCS champs won’t go out easy. K-State and its veteran offensive line, however, eventually wear down the Bison in the second half as the Wildcats pull away in QB Jake Waters' first start.

SATURDAY

West Virginia 48, William & Mary 14: Running back Charles Sims begins his West Virginia career with a monster debut, prompting the MountaineerS faithful to forget about Tavon Austin. Well, for a night anyway.

No. 13 Oklahoma State 38, Mississippi State 24: Mike Gundy makes good on his word of playing both Clint Chelf and J.W. Walsh. And both quarterbacks shine in a two-quarterback system as the Cowboys defeat an SEC opponent in their opener for the second time in five years.

No. 16 Oklahoma 31, Louisiana-Monroe 14: The Sooners have been dreadful in openers under Bob Stoops, and playing a freshman quarterback doesn’t help things early, either. But Trevor Knight finally finds his groove in the second half and shows everyone why he ultimately beat out Blake Bell for the job.

Baylor 49, Wofford 21: Lache Seastrunk launches his Heisman campaign with a big season debut, but freshman receiver Robbie Rhodes steals the spotlight with a pair of touchdown receptions, showing why he’s been generating so much buzz this preseason.

No. 15 Texas 56, New Mexico State 6: The Longhorns waste no time attacking with their new up-tempo offense and bury the Aggies in the first quarter. The three-headed monster of Jonathan Gray, Malcolm Brown and Joe Bergeron looks crisp, too, racking up 250 yards rushing against a hapless New Mexico State defense.

Iowa State 24, Northern Iowa 21: Sam Richardson carries Iowa State to victory over the always-pesky Panthers with some clutch fourth-quarter passing. In the second half, junior college transfer Aaron Wimberly delivers a run and later a catch both for more than 40 yards, showing signs he might be the game-breaker the Cyclones have been coveting offensively.

No. 12 LSU 26, No. 20 TCU 21: TCU has the front-line talent that LSU does on both sides of the ball. But the Tigers have two advantages: superior depth and the experience of playing in these kinds of games. That proves to be the difference, as LSU strips the Big 12 of a potential weekend sweep.

During the offseason, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops defiantly dismissed the SEC’s supposed superiority over the Big 12 as pure “propaganda.”

“They’ve had the best team in college football,” Stoops bristled, when asked how the Big 12 could narrow the gap with the SEC.

“They haven’t had the whole conference.”

That theory will be put to the test on the field this weekend, as two neutral-site, Big 12-SEC showdowns highlight the opening Saturday of college football.

Preseason Big 12 favorite Oklahoma State will meet Mississippi State at Reliant Stadium in Houston. Later that night, TCU will take on LSU at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

“Any time you get a chance to play a team in the SEC,” said Oklahoma State wide receiver Tracy Moore, “you have something to prove.”

Which is why for the SEC, it’s just another Saturday. For the Big 12, it’s way more. One conference has nothing to prove; the other, most definitely something.

Justified or not, the Big 12 has been fighting a losing battle lately with the SEC in the court of public perception, which anymore is -– and will be -– half the battle in college football.

Just ask Mike Gundy, whose Cowboys lost out to Alabama for a berth in the BCS title game two years ago, even though Oklahoma State had three more wins over ranked opponents than the Crimson Tide did.

"I don’t think there’s any question the Mississippi State game is a big game," Gundy said. "The way the BCS is set up and eventually with the [playoff], these games factor in. If we as an administration decide to play these games, then you have to be ready for that to factor in the nation's perspective of your football team after that game. I don’t think it’s going to be any other way.”

For the Big 12, the national perspective has not been flattering. Even though nine Big 12 teams were good enough to go to bowls last season -– the crux of Stoops’ counterargument -– none apparently were good enough to begin in the Associated Press' Top 10 for the first time in the history of the conference.

“I do think our league has not gotten the credit nationally it deserves,” Texas coach Mack Brown said. “As we keep looking at it over the next couple of years, the Big 12 will gain that respect.”

The Big 12 doesn’t have to wait years. Only days, as the weekend offers a prime opportunity for the league to show it can go toe-to-toe against college football’s preeminent conference.

“The only thing that should be talked about is what happens on Saturday –- and that will be the only way we’ll ever change all that,” TCU coach Gary Patterson said. “The only way we’ll ever catch the SEC -– if that is true that we’re behind them –- is you’ve got to play them.”

Credit the Big 12 for at least doing that.

On top of this weekend’s SEC tilts, Texas will play host to Ole Miss in two weeks. In 2014-15, Oklahoma has a home-and-home with Tennessee; Texas Tech, the same with Arkansas.

The Big 12 has also signed three bowl agreements with the SEC, including the Champions Bowl, which will pit the two best non-playoff teams from each conference against one another in New Orleans.

But there’s a difference between scheduling the SEC and defeating it.

“That’s always been the best way,” Patterson said. “We have to prove when we get the opportunity to play well or win. That’s the key. Obviously, you can’t have what it looked like in the Cotton Bowl, either.”

The last decade of Cotton Bowls, for that matter.

The SEC has won nine of 10 meetings over the Big 12 in the Cotton Bowl, which has been the highest profile bowl game between the two conferences. The SEC’s average margin of victory in those nine wins is two touchdowns, which, of course, includes Texas A&M’s 28-point annihilation of Oklahoma last season.

To stop the hemorrhaging, the Big 12 can ill-afford for two of its contenders to get taken out on national television by programs projected to finish third and sixth in the SEC West.

“It would be something we’ll never be able to overcome, at least until we got another opportunity,” said Cowboys defensive tackle Calvin Barnett, who signed with Arkansas out of high school. “At the end of the day, we are representing the Big 12. It’s a big week for us.”

The Big 12 can’t narrow the entire SEC superiority gap in a week, whether that gap is real or propaganda. But in a day, TCU and Oklahoma State can prove the Big 12 is deserving of more respect.

“The SEC, they deserve the respect they get,” Cowboys linebacker Shaun Lewis said.

“Hopefully we can earn some, too.”

TCU coach Gary Patterson had suspended defensive end Devonte Fields for the LSU game. But Patterson also said Fields would be in uniform Saturday, too. What gives?

The depth chart released by TCU lists Fields or Matt Anderson starting at right defensive end, but it's still unlikely the reigning Big 12 defensive player of the year will play Saturday night.

TCU announced in May that Fields was suspended for the first two games for an unspecified violation of "university and team policy."

Asked Tuesday if there was a chance Fields would play, coach Gary Patterson initially responded, "find out at game time."

But the coach said later he's still all about teaching life lessons, and that anyone who knows him would know which way to bet on Fields' chances of playing.

Even though Fields obviously could help TCU win, I too would be very surprised if Patterson played Fields at this point. In all likelihood, the Frogs will have to win without their best player.

Preseason camps have wrapped up around the Big 12, and it’s time teams focused on their openers this weekend.

It’s also time for the first Big 12 power rankings, which will appear on the blog at the beginning of each week throughout the season.

This list will change, obviously, but here is the starting point for how the Big 12 teams stack up going into Week 1:

1. Oklahoma State: The Cowboys were competitive last season, despite shuffling through three inexperienced quarterbacks. Even if Mike Gundy makes good on his promise to play both Clint Chelf and J.W. Walsh, quarterback figures to be a strength this time. Weapons abound offensively, and seven starters return on defense. The schedule also favors the Pokes, with TCU, Oklahoma, Baylor and Kansas State all slated to visit Stillwater.

2. TCU: The Horned Frogs have the best defense in the league, maybe by far. Among the contenders, they also have -- by far -- the most difficult schedule, which begins this weekend with a neutral-site showdown with LSU. Can TCU survive the gauntlet? That hinges heavily on Casey Pachall, who has the talent to quarterback the Frogs to the Big 12 title -- even against a brutal schedule.

3. Oklahoma: Bob Stoops stunned the college football world last week by announcing Trevor Knight as his starter. There could be bumps in the road early for the redshirt freshman quarterback. But Knight’s potential appears to be vast, and he could become a lethal weapon out of the Sooners’ new read-option offense. If that happens, and Mike Stoops can get something out of an unproven defense, there’s no reason OU can’t win a ninth Big 12 championship.

4. Texas: On paper, the Longhorns would deserve to be at the top of this list. Unfortunately, for them, football is not played on paper. Texas returns 19 starters and appears formidable at every position on either side of the ball. Something, however, has been missing intangibly from this program the past three years, underscored by two consecutive no-shows in the Red River Rivalry. Can the Horns rediscover their mojo? If so, the rest of the league could be in trouble -- because the talent and experience is there in Austin.

5. Baylor: The Bears deserve to be in the same tier with Oklahoma State, TCU, OU and Texas. In other words, they are a viable Big 12 title contender. Seven starters return on a defense that uncovered an opportunistic identity last November, and the offense is, well, loaded. Then again, there’s something to be said for having done it before, which Baylor has not. The schedule is favorable early, but the Bears’ mettle will be put to the test in November-December when they face all four teams ahead of them in the power ranks.

6. Kansas State: Bill Snyder’s bunch has surprised the past two years with heady quarterback play and stingy defense. With a QB battle ongoing and only two defensive starters returning, it’s difficult to envision K-State winning double-digit games again with the same formula. That said, the Wildcats might have the best blocking line in the league, and three of the better playmakers in Tyler Lockett, Tramaine Thompson and John Hubert. You know Snyder will have his team well coached, too. In other words, the Wildcats should not be discounted.

7. West Virginia: West Virginia lost three of the best offensive players in the history of its program, and yet there’s still a lot to like about this offense. The Mountaineers added some talented junior-college transfers, and Houston transfer Charles Sims could be a star in the Big 12. Even though the defense will be improved, it probably won’t be good enough for West Virginia to contend; but it might be enough for the Mountaineers to top last year’s win total.

8. Texas Tech: The Red Raiders are in a state of flux at the moment with their quarterback situation. Projected starter Michael Brewer continues to battle a bad back, which means first-year coach Kliff Kingsbury could wind up starting a true freshman Friday night at SMU. With running back Kenny Williams, wideout Eric Ward and tight end Jace Amaro, there’s more than enough around the quarterback for Tech to be prolific offensively. But unless Brewer gets healthy, it’s hard to see Tech maximizing its offensive potential.

9. Iowa State: Consistent quarterback play has been the one thing that’s kept Iowa State from becoming anything more than a .500 team in the Paul Rhoads era. Can sophomore Sam Richardson finally be the guy who turns that around? The Cyclones are banking he is. Richardson has some tools, and he played well in limited action last year with eight touchdowns compared to just one pick. He’ll need to stay efficient to offset a defense in rebuilding mode.

10. Kansas: Coach Charlie Weis said last month Kansas doesn’t deserve to be put anywhere but in last place. The Jayhawks should be better than last season, especially with former blue-chip prospect Jake Heaps now quarterbacking them. Running backs James Sims and Tony Pierson are dynamic, too. But will that be enough to pull Kansas out of the basement?

Not long ago, Big 12 media days was an event worthy of a red carpet, with star-studded quarterbacks annually filling the halls.

Many -- like “Vince” and “Sam” -- were on a first-name basis with their fans. Others -- like “RG3” -- donned catchy nicknames.

This year, though, there were no rock stars at media days in Dallas. Because, well, there are no marquee quarterbacks returning.

As the SEC with defense, the Big 12 has become synonymous with quarterbacking. Of the past 13 quarterbacks taken in the first round of the NFL draft, six are Big 12 alums.

But these are foreign times in the conference. For a change, quarterbacking is the Big 12’s big unknown.

“We're in the same situation as seven or eight others,” said West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen, who is replacing his school’s all-time leading passer, Geno Smith.

“Pretty much everyone is in the same boat.”

A boat that seats virtually everyone in the league.

Texas' David Ash is the Big 12's only expected starter who started more than five games last season. Six other teams are still officially involved in quarterback derbies, including Texas Tech, which could wind up starting true freshman walk-on Baker Mayfield in its opener with projected starter Michael Brewer dealing with a back injury.

Such quarterback uncertainty has rendered the Big 12 as wide open as ever, with six teams receiving first-place votes in the league’s preseason poll.

“I think it would be unfair to even predict what could happen in the league this year,” said Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy, who has hinted he won’t announce Clint Chelf or J.W. Walsh as the starter until the opener against Mississippi State. “You have a certain number of teams, five or six, who if they stay healthy and get quality quarterback play, have a chance to win the league.

“For the fans and for the media, this year is as exciting as it gets -- because I don’t think anyone really knows.”

But the lack of marquee returning quarterbacks is also predominantly why for the first time in its history the Big 12 doesn't have a team ranked in the top 10 of the preseason polls. Oklahoma State was the league’s highest-ranked squad at No. 13.

Ash started every game but one for the Longhorns last season. But he also was benched against Kansas and TCU.

TCU’s Casey Pachall had a banner 2011 campaign. But he left four games into last season to seek treatment for substance abuse.

And while Chelf and Walsh both won games for the Cowboys as starters last year, it’s unclear at the moment which of the two will get the majority of snaps.

“The preseason polls for the majority in my opinion are based on returning quarterback play, because we all know how important quality quarterback play is to winning games,” Gundy said. “They look on paper and see there’s not a lot of returning quarterbacks in this league and so you’re not going to get recognized as much as other schools.”

Coaches and players around the conference, however, caution not to dismiss this batch of quarterbacks just because they’re new.

“There’ll be a bunch of names you’ll be talking about next year -- that they’re all back,” Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said.

While there’s no Vince Young, Sam Bradford or Robert Griffin III yet, there is talent.

Blake Bell and Trevor Knight, who are vying to replace four-year starter Landry Jones in Norman, were both four-star recruits. So was Kansas’ Jake Heaps, who sat out last season after transferring from BYU.

Baylor’s Bryce Petty had offers to play at Nebraska and Virginia Tech coming out of high school.

And Kansas State’s Jake Waters, who is fighting Daniel Sams to succeed Heisman finalist Collin Klein, was the No. 1-rated quarterback to come out of junior college this year.

“The quarterback play in the Big 12 last year was phenomenal,” Holgorsen said. “And it's always going to be phenomenal.

“It's just going to be with newer people.”