Big 12's top challenger to the SEC? Texas
It won't be a conference, though.
One school has to hit the right combination of five factors, writes Ryan McGee of ESPN The Magazine.
"Revenue, pedigree, facilities, recruiting and talent. And pretty much in that order," one Northeast athletic director said.
So who from the Big 12 looks like the top challenger?
No surprise, it's Texas. The Longhorns made more money than everyone else in college football last year, so cross No. 1 off the list. Pedigree? Uh, it's Texas.
A rival AD says Texas simply got complacent while the rest of the league got hungry. That's pretty clear. Just see Oklahoma State and Baylor.
Now, the Longhorns are on the way back. There's no question about facilities, and Texas has recruited as well as anyone in the country over the past few years. The talent is there, and it'll only grow as the Longhorns continue to progress in the middle of one of the nation's richest recruiting bases.
I'd agree, and also add that Texas' focus on dominating the line of scrimmage would help in a game against one of the SEC's top teams. The Longhorns will be dominant on the defensive line this year, and the offensive line may have a case as the Big 12's best by season's end.
The other Big 12 team with the best shot to knock off the SEC? Oklahoma just missed the list. One West Coast AD says the Sooners' revenue and BCS success are surprising, but the Sooners have made the most of all their resources.
David Ubben | email
College Football- ESPN.com Big 12 blogger
- Joined ESPN.com in 2010
- Wrote for The Oklahoman
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