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This week's Power Rankings feature a new No. 1, as last week's No. 1 takes a tumble:

1. Oklahoma (4-0, 1-0 Big 12, last week 3): The Sooners take over the top spot after delivering the most impressive Big 12 win of the season. Notre Dame is not the same team as last season, but the Irish hadn't lost in South Bend since October of 2011. OU has been a different team since Blake Bell took over at quarterback, and Bell was fabulous Saturday, throwing for two touchdowns without a turnover while churning out first downs with his arm and his legs. The OU defense is clearly better, too, picking off QB Tommy Rees on Notre Dame's first two possessions, with linebacker Corey Nelson returning one for a touchdown. The Sooners were clearly a team overlooked in the preseason, and, after five weeks, are looking like a clear Big 12 favorite along with Baylor.

2. Baylor (3-0, 0-0 Big 12, last week 2): After the off week, the Bears' offense will get its first real challenge this weekend from West Virginia's defense that appears to be the most improved unit in the league. Baylor has been unstoppable so far, but the level of competition is about to undergo an uptick. Can the Bears keep it up? They've shown no signs they can't.

3. Texas Tech (4-0, 1-0 Big 12, last week 4): Despite having the week off, the Red Raiders move up a spot with Oklahoma State's loss. The big question in Lubbock is who will be starting at quarterback for Tech come Saturday against Kansas. Baker Mayfield? Davis Webb? Michael Brewer, who has been progressing well from the back injury? The Red Raiders have been solid defensively, and the skill talent is legit. If Tech can get better play from its quarterback, this team could be a handful -- even for OU and Baylor.

4. West Virginia (3-2, 1-1 Big 12, last week 8): What a difference a week makes. The Mountaineers produced the most impressive in-conference win of the season with a 30-21 victory over preseason favorite Oklahoma State. West Virginia's defense continues to play at a high level (Maryland's 37 points were somewhat of an anomaly because of West Virginia turnovers) and Clint Trickett sparked the offense with his energy and leadership. West Virginia's offense is still pretty limited, but at least it no longer looks completely inept with Trickett at quarterback. The Mountaineers can't score with Baylor this weekend, but maybe they can slow the Bears down? Nobody thought West Virginia could slow Oklahoma or Oklahoma State, either, though Baylor's offense is at another level. We'll see.

5. Texas (2-2, 1-0 Big 12, last week 5): The Longhorns have a couple of interesting games looming. Thursday, Texas travels to Iowa State, which looked much better offensively in a 38-21 win at Tulsa this past Thursday. Then, Texas gets surging Oklahoma in Dallas. This figures to be the defining two-game stretch of the season for the Longhorns. Win the next two, and the season -- as well as Mack Brown's status in Austin -- looks totally different than it did two weeks ago. The off week could not have come at a better time for the Longhorns, giving acting defensive coordinator Greg Robinson another week to acclimate to his defense and quarterback David Ash another week to recover from the head injury that knocked him out of the Ole Miss and Kansas State games.

6. TCU (2-2, 0-1 Big 12, last week 6): Did TCU's offense finally uncover an identity during a rainy fourth quarter against SMU? The Horned Frogs poured on 31 points in the final quarter and did it with some new faces, as Ty Slanina, Ja'Juan Story and Cameron Echols-Luper all factored into the scoring onslaught in the first real action of their TCU careers. The Horned Frogs can really turn their season around with a win in Norman this weekend. That won't be easy, though, if All-American cornerback Jason Verrett (shoulder) and defensive end Devonte Fields (foot) can't play.

7. Oklahoma State (3-1, 0-1 Big 12, last week 1): The Cowboys plummet six spots after an uninspiring performance in Morgantown. It was just one loss, but it was a loss that exposed weaknesses across the board. For the first time in seemingly forever, Oklahoma State's kicking game is awful. The Cowboys' secondary gave up 320 yards to a West Virginia passing attack that previously had been completely futile. And on the other side of the ball, when the Mountaineers dared QB J.W. Walsh to beat them deep, he couldn't do it. That allowed West Virginia to stuff the Cowboys' running game, which also doesn't appear to have that bell-cow running back Oklahoma State has been accustomed to featuring. The Cowboys are better than they looked at West Virginia -- but how much better?

8. Kansas State (2-2, 0-1 Big 12, last week 7): Bill Snyder maintains the Wildcats will stick with the two-quarterback system, which has yielded mixed results. K-State has moved the ball better when Daniel Sams has been in at quarterback. But when he's in, the Wildcats are virtually no threat to pass. Sams has 29 rushes and only four passing attempts. Is Sams really that poor of a passer? Maybe it's time for K-State to find out.

9. Iowa State (1-2, 0-0 Big 12, last week 10): It's hard to believe a center could make that much of a difference. But the return of Tom Farniok sure seemed to do wonders for Iowa State's offense, which finally got going in a 38-21 win at Tulsa. The Cyclones also finally involved running back Aaron Wimberly, who ignited the running game with Iowa State's first 100-yard performance in more than a year. With former blue-chip junior-college transfer E.J. Bibbs emerging now at tight end, QB Sam Richardson no longer appears to be on his own. Jack Trice will be rocking Thursday night for the Longhorns, as Iowa State has a chance to land a signature win to build off of for the rest of the season.

10. Kansas (2-1, 0-0 Big 12, last week 9): The Jayhawks have a winning record but have been mostly unimpressive. Can they turn around the offense against Texas Tech? That will hinge almost entirely on quarterback Jake Heaps, who has talent but has been unable to find any rhythm so far with a collection of unproven wideouts. If the Jayhawks can be competitive this weekend, it will be a good sign they are moving in the right direction. If they get blasted, it could be a long season, especially with Iowa State and West Virginia seemingly having found their stride.

TCU's Devonte Fields, the reigning Big 12 defensive player of the year, will miss the Horned Frogs' game against SMU on Saturday with a foot injury, coach Gary Patterson said Friday.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported Friday that Fields, who suffered the injury two weeks ago at Texas Tech, has a broken foot and could be out longer than one game.

Patterson has not commented on the extent of the injury.

Fields, who led the Big 12 last season with 18.5 tackles for loss, has not been a factor so far this year. He didn't play in TCU's opener against LSU and played just one quarter the following week against Southeastern Louisiana while serving out a two-game suspension for breaking unspecified team rules in May.

Fields still has one more quarter to sit out before his suspension is complete.

In his only full game, Fields had just three tackles against Texas Tech, though two of them were for loss in the Horned Frogs' 20-10 loss in Lubbock.

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Only because Iowa State and Kansas also lost is Texas not last in this week’s Big 12 Power Rankings:

1. Oklahoma State (3-0, 0-0 Big 12, last week 1): While they’ve been in the news plenty lately for other reasons, the Cowboys on the field have quietly lived up to the role of favorite rather well. And with the Nov. 16 trip to Austin no longer looking all that daunting, Oklahoma State should be favored in every game the rest of the way.

2. Baylor (2-0, 0-0 Big 12, last week 2): The Bears are one of only three Big 12 teams that haven’t been forced to play a backup quarterback due to injury, ineffectiveness or the need for a spark. That kind of stability with Bryce Petty is one major reason why Baylor has the look of a viable conference title contender.

3. Oklahoma (3-0, 1-0 Big 12, last week 3): Before the weekend, the Sooners had been brilliant in every facet of the game, except for quarterback. Against Tulsa, they were brilliant there, too. Blake Bell gave the passing attack a huge lift, delivering college football’s sixth-highest raw QBR of the week. So far, the OU running game has been dynamic, and the defense has been solid. If the Sooners can also get that level of production from their quarterback, they'll be dangerous.

4. Texas Tech (3-0, 1-0 Big 12, last week 5): Sometimes winning ugly is what’s required. Aesthetics aside, Texas Tech’s victory TCU was huge for the Kliff Kingsbury era. Some of it was TCU’s anemic offense, but Kingsbury had to feel buoyed by the way his defense completely shut down the Horned Frogs. If the Red Raiders keep playing defense, they could emerge into a surprise title contender. Their next four games are very winnable.

5. TCU (1-2, 0-1 Big 12, last week 4): Coach Gary Patterson probably could not have envisioned a worse start to TCU’s season. The Horned Frogs already have two losses, and star defensive end Devonte Fields made little impact in Lubbock after sitting out most of the first two games with a suspension. Now, Fields has an injured foot. Given how lost the Frogs look offensively, they’re probably going to have to win games with defense, at least for now. That won’t be easy with Fields either hobbled, ineffective or both.

6. West Virginia (2-1, 0-1 Big 12, last week 6): After auditioning Paul Millard and bypassing on Clint Trickett, the Mountaineers might finally have uncovered their quarterback in Ford Childress, who had a strong debut showing against Georgia State. These next two weeks will be huge for Childress and the Mountaineers. How they perform against Maryland in Baltimore and conference favorite Oklahoma State in Morgantown will set the tone for the rest of the season, one way or the other.

7. Kansas State (2-1, 0-0 Big 12, last week 8): After the stunning loss to North Dakota State, the Wildcats have bounced back nicely, and there’s reason to believe they can keep it going in Austin. The zone-read has been devastating to Texas, and K-State change-of-pace QB Daniel Sams might be the best running QB in the league.

8. Texas (1-2, 0-0 Big 12, last week 7): After beating the Longhorns by three touchdowns, Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said Texas’ defensive scheme was basically the same as last week. The Longhorns played about the same, too, giving up another 272 yards on the ground. That’s 822 rushing yards the Horns have allowed over the past two games. It's not even October, and Texas is already a total disaster. Coach Mack Brown is running out of scapegoats to fire, too.

9. Kansas (1-1, 0-0 Big 12, last week 9): The Jayhawks actually played well defensively in a nine-point loss at Rice. The offense, however, did not; notably, quarterback Jake Heaps, who had a raw QBR of 10.2, the fourth-lowest rating of any FBS quarterback for the week. The Kansas offense has to be -- and should be -- better than this for the Jayhawks to win more than two games.

10. Iowa State (0-2, 0-0 Big 12, last week 10): After two losses to open the year, it’s difficult to see how Iowa State gets to a bowl game. Other than receiver Quenton Bundrage, quarterback Sam Richardson has had virtually no help offensively, and the defense is a notch below what it's been. If Iowa State can’t uncover a running game to take pressure off Richardson, this could end up becoming a long, long year in Ames.

Texas Tech won Thursday over TCU.

But Baylor, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma came out of the night looking like winners, too.

On a wild night in Lubbock, in which a fox dashing along the sideline hardly seemed abnormal, the Red Raiders held on to a 20-10 victory to move to 3-0 on the season.

TCU fell to 1-2, and, despite missing out on several controversial calls throughout the game, hardly looked the part of a conference title contender it carried into the season.

So far, the same goes for Texas, too. And considering the Horns are struggling just to dodge total calamity, the Bears, Cowboys and Sooners look like the three most solid teams in the league to this point.

It's true that Baylor has yet to play anyone of substance. And yes, Oklahoma State has all sorts of ongoing distractions to overcome. And who knows about Oklahoma's quarterback situation, which seems no less settled now than it did six months ago.

Yet even still, all three teams have looked more impressive than anyone else, and that includes the Horned Frogs, who have major offensive concerns moving forward without quarterback Casey Pachall. Trevone Boykin had just a 28.6 QBR (scale 0-to-100) in Lubbock as the Frogs struggled to string together drives all night. TCU could wind up with defensive concerns as well, as defensive end Devonte Fields was spotted hobbling around after the game with an injured foot.

On top of all that, TCU is just halfway through its early season gauntlet, with road trips looming at Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. Lose both of those, and TCU would effectively be stripped from the conference race.

But while the Frogs seem to look less and less like a title possibility, Texas Tech has done the reverse. Sure, the Red Raiders had their share of issues Thursday. But they also have momentum building, and the opportunity to build even more.

After a hot first quarter, walk-on freshman quarterback Baker Mayfield struggled to complete passes against a stingy and aggressive TCU secondary. But the Red Raiders also played one of their best defensive games in years, prompting coach Kliff Kingsbury to call it the best defensive effort he’d ever been a part of as a coach.

Chances are, Mayfield will bounce back from a freshman-like effort, and if he doesn’t, the Red Raiders have other options at quarterback in Michael Brewer and Davis Webb, who made some nice throws after Mayfield left the game with a minor leg injury.

Even though Tech failed to put up the points Thursday, the skill talent is there. Tight end Jace Amaro is a nightmare matchup out of the slot, and Eric Ward, despite a quiet performance against TCU, is one of the better receivers in the league.

Combine all that with a defense that looks to be decent at the least, and the Red Raiders seemed primed to make a run into the top half of the Big 12 standings.

It’s not yet time to put Tech in the same tier with Baylor, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma. But with an intriguing immediate schedule coming up, the Red Raiders could gradually work their way there. Up next, Tech faces Texas State, followed by Kansas on the road, Iowa State and West Virginia in Morgantown.

Could the Red Raiders jump to 7-0 against that slate? Absolutely. Which would then make them the viable conference title threat TCU was thought to be before the season.

Several intriguing games in the Big 12 this week. Will Texas put out the fire? How will Iowa State respond? Is Texas Tech for real? Should Blake Bell take over the reins at Oklahoma? Can’t wait to get those answers.

Here’s what to watch in the Big 12 for Week 3:

1. Can Texas rebound? Texas has brought in Greg Robinson to turn things around for the Longhorns’ defense. The veteran coach has experience but he’s been thrown into the fire and asked to make a miracle happen against Ole Miss in less than a week. The odds aren’t on his side, but if Robinson completely turns around the UT defense, the entire Big 12 landscape will have changed in a matter of days.

2. First real test for Texas Tech. The Red Raiders haven’t seen anything like TCU’s defense thus far this season. Tech quarterback Baker Mayfield has been outstanding, having thrown for 780 yards and seven touchdowns (he's also rushed for a TD) while leading the Red Raiders to a 2-0 start. But he hasn’t seen playmakers like TCU’s Devonte Fields, Jason Verrett and Kevin White. How Mayfield handles his first Big 12 game could define if the Red Raiders’ hope of becoming the Big 12’s surprise team can come true.

3. Character test for the Cyclones. Iowa State can redeem itself with a win over Iowa on Saturday. The Cyclones’ disappointing 28-20 loss to Northern Iowa was one of the most surprising results of the season’s first weekend, particularly since their defense couldn’t stop UNI on the ground or through the air. Nothing can get things back on track like a rivalry game and ISU is looking to make sure its horrible Week 1 performance doesn’t snowball into a horrible multi-game stretch to start the season.

4. Blake Bell’s opportunity. The Sooners quarterback gets the chance to prove he should have been OU’s starter when his squad hosts Tulsa on Saturday. Bell, the preseason favorite to replace Landry Jones, lost the quarterback battle to Trevor Knight. But Knight’s knee injury has opened the door; will Bell walk through it?

5. How will Oklahoma State handle a week of distractions? The Cowboys have been in the news throughout the week due to allegations of misconduct throughout the program in a series of stories by Sports Illustrated. OSU’s home opener against Lamar will be the first time to see the football program in action since the series was published and Boone Pickens Stadium promises to be a lively atmosphere. Nonetheless, it should be pretty easy to tell if the Cowboys are distracted. And if they are, it might be a sign that the distractions could affect them for the remainder of the season as the ripple effect continues.

6. Will West Virginia’s quarterback situation ever become clear? Dana Holgorsen plans to continue his search for a solid No. 1 quarterback until Paul Millard, Clint Trickett or Ford Childress separates himself from the pack. Holgorsen is extremely disappointed in the play of his offense and has shouldered the blame, saying, “It’s embarrassing, we have to put our guys in better position to make plays.” But one of those guys needs to seize the opportunity to trigger Holgorsen’s offense starting against Georgia State on Saturday.

7. Can Trevone Boykin take TCU’s offense to a different level? Boykin will be asked to shoulder the load for the Horned Frogs with Casey Pachall out. He’s much better prepared to be the main man in the offensive backfield this season and his dynamic running will test any defense. Much like Bell, Boykin has the chance to prove he should have been the guy in the first place.

8. Kansas looks to keep momentum. The Jayhawks opened the season with a win over South Dakota and will get the chance to start off 2-0 when they visit Rice. KU coach Charlie Weis is trying to build a quality program and a win over the Owls would be step in the right direction after several close calls in 2012.

9. Will Kansas State’s defense return to its 2012 form? The Wildcats replaced several starters, including linebacker Arthur Brown, but the cupboard is not bare. Yet the Wildcats have allowed 24 points to North Dakota State and 27 points to Louisiana-Lafayette in back-to-back weeks. Last year’s defense allowed 19.5 points per game in nonconference play. KSU needs a strong defensive performance against Massachusetts on Saturday to get its confidence going on that side of the ball with a road trip to Texas looming next weekend.

10. Are any Big 12 teams ripe for an upset? OSU has had a week full of distractions, Kansas State is still a work in progress, WVU’s offense has been substandard and OU can’t seem to create any offensive balance. All four teams host opponents they should beat with relative ease but it wouldn’t be a shock to see any of those squads struggle because, quite simply, no Big 12 team has looked like dominant squad during the first two weeks of the season.

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.

We're counting down to the beginning of the season with the top 25 players in the Big 12. The official list is locked away in a vault in an undisclosed location, but we'll be revealing players from the bottom of the list all the way to No. 1.

Here's more on my criteria.

Let's move on with the list:

No. 3: Devonte Fields, DE, TCU

2012 numbers: Had 18.5 tackles for loss among his 53 total stops. Made 10 sacks and broke up four passes. Forced two fumbles and intercepted a pass.

Most recent ranking: Fields was No. 6 in our postseason list of the Big 12's top 25 players.

PODCAST
Former TCU and current Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton joins Fitzsimmons and Durrett to discuss the expectations for the Bengals this season, give a prediction for the TCU-LSU game and talk about what it's like having the Hard Knocks cameras follow him. Listen

Making the case for Fields: There was a minor sense of panic when a knee injury in preseason camp meant TCU's top pass rusher a year ago, Ross Forrest, wouldn't be available in 2013. Who knew that injury would clear the path for Fields to become the Big 12's Defensive Player of the Year?

Even the most optimistic of Frogs fans couldn't see that coming. Midway through October, Fields had 14 tackles for loss and was way out in front in the race for the defensive title. He slowed late in the season, but we're talking about a true freshman. He went through his first spring practice and offseason condition program this year and after spending a year in the Big 12, we'll see exactly what he learned and how he grew on the field this fall. The only negative? We'll have to wait until Game 3 because of a suspension. Still, Fields is one of the best defenders in the Big 12 for what should be one of the league's defenses. He's obviously one of the favorites for Defensive Player of the Year again in 2013.

The rest of the list:

• No. 4: Gabe Ikard, C, Oklahoma
• No. 5: Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor
• No. 6: Aaron Colvin, CB, Oklahoma
• No. 7: John Hubert, RB, Kansas State
• No. 8: James Sims, RB, Kansas
• No. 9: Ty Zimmerman, S, Kansas State
• No. 10: Jackson Jeffcoat, DE, Texas
• No. 11: Trey Millard, FB/RB/TE, Oklahoma
• No. 12: Kerry Hyder, DL, Texas Tech
• No. 13: Josh Stewart, WR, Oklahoma State
• No. 14: BJ Finney, C, Kansas State
• No. 15: Eric Ward, WR, Texas Tech
• No. 16: Cornelius Lucas, LT, Kansas State
• No. 17: Tevin Reese, WR, Baylor
• No. 18: Calvin Barnett, DT, Oklahoma State
• No. 19: Jalen Saunders, WR/PR, Oklahoma
• No. 20: Quandre Diggs, CB/PR, Texas
• No. 21: Tyler Lockett, WR/KR, Kansas State
• No. 22: Justin Gilbert, CB/KR, Oklahoma State
• No. 23: Le'Raven Clark, OG, Texas Tech
• No. 24: Shaun Lewis, LB, Oklahoma State
• No. 25: Damien Williams, RB, Oklahoma

Colleague Brandon Chatmon looked at a few guys across the Big 12 who could be "The Next Johnny Manziel" yesterday, but really, those kinds of guys do exist. I will not be encouraging you to curb your collective enthusiasms today. Sometimes, players who haven't played a down of football in the Big 12 end up being some of the best players in the league.

Want a few examples, even from just the past few seasons? I'm glad you asked.

Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech, 2007: A position switch and transcript issues meant a redshirt season in 2006, but Crabtree had one of the greatest debut seasons in Big 12 history. He caught three touchdowns in his first game ever, and finished the season with 1,962 yards and 22 touchdowns on 134 catches. No Big 12 receiver has had more yards since, and he took home the Biletnikoff Award after leading the nation in receiving yards by 356 yards. His closest competition caught just 16 touchdowns, too.

Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma, 2007: Bradford narrowly beat out blue-chip recruit Keith Nichol and junior Joey Halzle to win the job after redshirting in 2006, and by the end of the season, he led the nation in quarterback rating, and no Big 12 quarterback was within 20 points of him. He threw for 3,121 yards, 36 touchdowns and just eight interceptions. He won the Heisman Trophy the following season.

Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor, 2008: Griffin committed to Houston first, but followed Art Briles to Baylor and electrified the crowd with early runs in a loss to Wake Forest. He eventually broke the FBS record for passes without an interception, and didn't throw his first until the ninth game of the season. It was clear he was the future of the program, and he finished the season with almost 3,000 yards of offense, accounting for 28 touchdowns.

Daniel Thomas, RB, Kansas State, 2009: Thomas joined the long line of junior college stars under Bill Snyder at Kansas State. Thomas arrived in Manhattan as an unknown and led the Big 12 with 1,265 yards and 11 touchdowns, showcasing great vision and toughness on the way to an eventual NFL draft selection. He led the Big 12 in rushing again in 2010, too.

Devonte Fields, DE, TCU, 2012: Fields was the Frogs' top recruit in 2012 as the nation's No. 73 overall player and the No. 11 defensive end. By the first week of October, he had 9.5 tackles for loss and cruised to earning the Big 12's Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Lavonte David, LB, Nebraska, 2010: He's one of the many Blackshirts' greats over the years, and made adjusting to life in the Big 12 from junior college look easy. He led the league with an eye-popping 152 tackles, and anybody who watched the Huskers every week might have sworn it was more. He was everywhere. He added 12.5 tackles for loss and six sacks, as well as eight pass breakups.

Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor, 2012: Seastrunk didn't get much time on the field for the first two months of the season, but once November arrived, he broke out in a huge way. The Oregon transfer was stuck behind Glasco Martin and Jarred Salubi on the depth chart, but earned the nod as the featured back heading into November, and rushed for 831 yards in Baylor's final six games, including an upset of No. 1 Kansas State in the Bears' 5-1 run to close the season.

Bruce Irvin, DE, West Virginia, 2010: Irvin's road was incredible, using junior college to turn his life around and earn his way to WVU after dropping out of high school. In his first season as a Mountaineer, he finished second nationally with 14 sacks, and forced a pair of fumbles.

Travis Lewis, LB, Oklahoma, 2008: Lewis redshirted his first season in Norman, but led the Big 12 with 144 tackles as a redshirt freshman, making 12 tackles for loss and intercepting four passes. It was the start of an incredible career. He led the Sooners in tackles for each of the next four seasons.

Today, we break down TCU, which figures to be one of the contenders for the Big 12 crown:

TCU HORNED FROGS

Coach: Gary Patterson (116-36 overall, 13 seasons; 116-36 at TCU, 13 seasons)

2012 record: 7-6 (4-5 Big 12)

Key losses: WR Josh Boyce, OG Blaize Foltz, DE Stansly Maponga, LB Kenny Cain

Key returnees: QB Casey Pachall, RB Waymon James, WR Brandon Carter, DE Devonte Fields, DT Chucky Hunter, CB Jason Verrett, S Sam Carter

Newcomer to watch: With leading receiver Josh Boyce having skipped his senior year for the NFL, TCU will need receivers to step in and produce. One of those could be Ja’Juan Story, a transfer from Florida. Story was formerly rated the No. 6 receiver recruit coming out of high school.

Biggest games in 2013: The month of October will determine whether TCU is a contender or pretender for the Big 12 crown. The Horned Frogs travel to Oklahoma on Oct. 5, go to Oklahoma State two weeks later, then on Oct. 26 play host to Texas. By then TCU could be in the driver’s seat -- or out of the race altogether. Oh, and the Horned Frogs have that season opener against LSU in Arlington, Texas.

Biggest question mark heading into 2013: Even though top-returning tackler Joel Hasley left the team in the preseason, TCU’s defense figures to be the Big 12’s best. Especially when All-American defensive end candidate Devonte Fields returns from a two-game suspension to begin the season.

TCU, however, doesn’t win the Big 12 title unless prodigal quarterback Casey Pachall returns to form. Pachall left school last year four games into the season to seek treatment for substance abuse. When he left, Pachall had 10 touchdowns passes to just one pick. If he can rediscover that kind of groove, TCU will be formidable.

PODCAST
TCU head coach Gary Patterson joins Fitzsimmons and Durrett to discuss the maturation of quarterback Casey Pachall, the wide-open Big 12 conference, his expectations for his team heading into the 2013 season and his thoughts on Twitter. Listen

Forecast: In just its second season in the Big 12, TCU has its sights set on winning the conference. And the Horned Frogs have the defense to do it.

TCU was the only Big 12 team to rank in the top 35 nationally in total defense. The Horned Frogs were 16^th. Even without Hasley, they return eight defensive starters, including Fields, who is the overwhelming favorite to earn Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors after winning the Associated Press’ award as a true freshman last year.

Fields will be surrounded by experience and talent in coach Gary Patterson’s 4-2-5 scheme, too. TCU’s top four defensive tackles are back, and the secondary is loaded. Cornerback Jason Verrett is also an All-American candidate in a secondary that returns all five starters, including standout safety Sam Carter.

All that said, TCU was stout on defense last season, too. And the Horned Frogs finished just 7-6. Whether they emerge as a true contender this season hinges heavily on how improved the offense can be with the return of Pachall and running back Waymon James, who missed almost all of last season with a knee injury. James led the Horned Frogs in rushing in 2011 and was averaging 9.9 yards per carry in 2012 before injuring the knee the second game of the season. By the end of the month, TCU had lost Pachall, too, causing the offense to be wildly inconsistent the rest of the season.

If Pachall, James and a host of up-and-coming receivers like Brandon Carter can turn the Horned Frogs into a consistent offensive force, TCU just might be the team to beat in a wide open Big 12.

It won’t take long for the Horned Frogs to find out about their offense. TCU opens with a showdown against LSU in Cowboys Stadium. But if the Horned Frogs can win -- and move the ball consistently -- the rest of the Big 12 will be on notice.

We're counting down to the beginning of the season with the top 25 players in the Big 12. The official list is locked away in a vault in an undisclosed location, but we'll be revealing players from the bottom of the list all the way to No. 1.

Here's more on my criteria.

Let's move on with the list:

No. 12: Kerry Hyder, DL, Texas Tech

2012 numbers: Made 56 tackles and 14 tackles for loss, including 5.5 sacks. He also broke up four passes.

Most recent ranking: Hyder was unranked in our postseason list of the Big 12's top 25 players.

Making the case for Hyder: Hyder had contributed to Tech's defense in 2010 and emerged as a starter in 2011, but last season was a major breakout season for Hyder, a key cog in one of the Big 12's most improved defenses.

To really understand his importance, look no further than his performance in conference play. Hyder made 10.5 tackles for loss in those nine games, which was actually one more than Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, Devonte Fields. That total ranked third in the Big 12. The 6-foot-2, 280-pounder has uncommon athleticism for his size, and he's shown clear improvement as his career's moved forward. He had a pair of sacks against Iowa State and made 2.5 tackles for loss in a triple overtime win against TCU. That helped him earn All-Big 12 honors and a status moving into 2013 as one of the Big 12's best defensive linemen. Don't overlook him in the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year race this season.

The rest of the list:

• No. 13: Josh Stewart, WR, Oklahoma State
• No. 14: B.J. Finney, C, Kansas State
• No. 15: Eric Ward, WR, Texas Tech
• No. 16: Cornelius Lucas, LT, Kansas State
• No. 17: Tevin Reese, WR, Baylor
• No. 18: Calvin Barnett, DT, Oklahoma State
• No. 19: Jalen Saunders, WR/PR, Oklahoma
• No. 20: Quandre Diggs, CB/PR, Texas
• No. 21: Tyler Lockett, WR/KR, Kansas State
• No. 22: Justin Gilbert, CB/KR, Oklahoma State
• No. 23: Le'Raven Clark, OG, Texas Tech
• No. 24: Shaun Lewis, LB, Oklahoma State
• No. 25: Damien Williams, RB, Oklahoma

I've got a big, ol' soft spot for the Lombardi Award. It's not only my favorite college football trophy (I like to imagine I'll one day get the Lombardi Award rock covering my kitchen counters), it's got by far my favorite description when you read the qualifications.

Eligibility for the Rotary Lombardi Award is limited to down linemen, end-to-end, either on offense or defense, who set up no farther than 10 yards to the left or right of the ball, or linebackers who set up no farther than five yards deep from the line of scrimmage.

Nothing like a little clarity. I've always loved it. Anyway, 12 Big 12 players made the award's 2013 preseason watch list, released on Monday morning.

• Calvin Barnett, DT, Oklahoma State
• Le'Raven Clark, OL, Texas Tech
• Devonte Fields, DE, TCU
• B.J. Finney, C, Kansas State
• Bryce Hager, LB, Baylor
• Ben Heeney, LB, Kansas
• Chucky Hunter, DT, TCU
• Kerry Hyder, DE, Texas Tech
• Gabe Ikard, OL, Oklahoma
• Jackson Jeffcoat, DE, Texas
• Cyril Richardson, OG, Baylor
• Mason Walters, OG, Texas

Solid list of the Big 12's top talents in the trenches there.

Notre Dame's Manti Te'o won the award last season, and Ndamukong Suh (2009) was the last Big 12 player to win it. He won it a season after Texas' Brian Orakpo in 2008.

Far too often, players enter the season with a profile that doesn't quite match his worth to the team.

In other words, they're coming in under the radar. We'll continue our series looking at those guys who should get more respect and attention than they have this offseason.

Next up: TCU.

More under the radar players.

Under the radar: DT Chucky Hunter

The Big 12 has had a major lack of elite talent at the defensive tackle spot since Ndamukong Suh back in 2009. The position goes underrecruited because having lots of pass-rushers and defensive backs is so crucial to fielding a good defense in the Big 12, and in part because Texas doesn't have the kind of quality that states like Mississippi and Louisiana have at the position.

Now, though, having a big 300-plus pounder who can collapse the pocket is a huge asset that very, very few Big 12 teams have. Oklahoma State's got one in Calvin Barnett, and Texas has some young talents at the position, but Hunter really broke out as a sophomore last season. With Devonte Fields out for TCU's opener against LSU, Hunter will be the man to watch on the defensive line for the Frogs, and he'll get a big test with the Tigers' beef on the offensive line at Cowboys Stadium.

The nature of offenses in the Big 12 prevents defensive tackles from putting up huge numbers, so take Hunter's 36 tackles, six tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks with a grain of salt. He's got a much bigger impact than that, freeing up linebackers to make plays and helping Fields and Stansly Maponga stay free last season. He made 3.5 of his tackles for loss in TCU's final four games, and don't be surprised if he raises his profile around the league (and, perhaps, the country) even further as a junior in 2013.

Time for the next in our series on the best- and worst-case scenarios for each team in the Big 12.

The Cowboys are my pick to win the Big 12 in 2013, but here's how high they could fly, and how low they could fall.

Other best- and worst-case scenarios.

Best-case scenario

STILLWATER, Okla. -- The Cowboys began their season with a victory against an SEC team, and ended it with a loss to one.

The Cowboys rolled through their nonconference slate with three wins all by at least 20 points, including a rout of Mississippi State. Early struggles in their Big 12 opener at West Virginia gave way to 21 consecutive second-half points and a 17-point victory. OSU took a top-10 ranking back home and made it look easy against Kansas State before TCU brought the first real fight to the Cowboys. Both defenses starred, and Clint Chelf was able to come back from a sack/fumble courtesy of Devonte Fields that gave TCU a fourth-quarter lead. Josh Stewart's four catches on the eventual game-winning drive pushed OSU to a 24-20 win in Stillwater.

Ames and Lubbock have been difficult places for the Cowboys to win at times, but OSU proved the better team in both trips, which were largely incident-free and pushed OSU to 8-0; a KU rout a week later meant 9-0.

The pressure was officially built for the home stretch. The trip to Texas to face a top-10 Longhorns squad had plenty of hype, but OSU's turnover-free performance helped it hold off a late Texas rally for a 31-27 win. Baylor brought its big guns the next week and embarrassed the OSU defense, but Blake Jackson, Tracy Moore and Stewart answered, helping Chelf rack up 400 yards and five scores in a 47-44 win, giving OSU a spotless 11-0 record heading into Bedlam. No surprise here: Another classic for bragging rights in the Sooner State, which won't be a Sooner State for the next year after the Pokes' overtime victory. Last year, Blake Bell broke the Cowboys' hearts. This year, it's Jeremy Smith's turn, breaking two tackles for the game-winning score, setting off another field-storming and a trip to the national title game. A loss to Alabama at the Rose Bowl tasted bitter, but nobody's forgetting these Cowboys anytime soon.

FINAL RECORD: 12-1

Worst-case scenario

STILLWATER, Okla. -- You know how you can predict whether or not a season's going to be a disappointment? Losing as a two-touchdown favorite in the season opener is a great start, and that's what OSU fans who traveled to Houston got. The Cowboys survived their first two conference games against West Virginia and Kansas State, but an ugly loss to TCU had fans wondering whether or not it was still possible to bring Wes Lunt back.

Chelf won back some doubters with a fourth-quarter comeback in Ames against Iowa State the next week, but a trip to Lubbock sent the Pokes to a disappointing 5-3 mark with the toughest stretch of the schedule to come. Just like last season, Oklahoma State narrowly avoided an embarrassing loss by holding off KU late, but Stillwater braced itself to face three of the Big 12's best teams in a big finish to 2013.

Predictably, all three sent Oklahoma State home disappointed and ended a hyped season with a modest 6-6 mark. The Pokes got tangled up in the Big 12's depth and proved that, just like West Virginia in 2012 and Texas A&M in 2011, if you don't turn in a high-quality performance for 60 minutes every week, there are many teams in the Big 12 who can beat even the league's most talented squads. Welcome back to the Heart of Dallas Bowl, Oklahoma State.

FINAL RECORD: 6-6

Far too often, players enter the season with a profile that doesn't quite match his worth to the team.

In other words, they're coming in under the radar. We'll start a new series today looking at those guys who should get more respect and attention than they have this offseason.

Next up: Texas Tech.

Under the radar: DE Dartwan Bush

Bush is sadly overshadowed on his own team by Kerry Hyder, who could have a case as the Big 12's best pass-rusher by season's end, but Bush quietly put together a huge 2012 season and returns in 2013 with almost zero profile across the Big 12.

Bigger names like Jackson Jeffcoat, Devonte Fields and, yes, Hyder, have overshadowed him, but Bush broke out with 12 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in 2012. Only Fields and Hyder have more tackles for loss among returning defenders in the Big 12. He tied Hyder's sack total and only Fields and Baylor's Chris McAllister had more in 2012 among returning players.

He's an invaluable part of Tech's defense, which will undergo some adjustments in a new coaching staff and defensive coordinator Matt Wallerstedt, but it's entirely possible that Bush leads the Big 12 in both categories this season. If you made that case, though, the most common response would likely be: Who? It's too bad, because Bush is a talent worth watching. He took over the starting spot midway through 2011, but what I liked most about his 2012 campaign was four of his sacks came in conference play. Fields won the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year trophy and he had 4.5 sacks in Big 12 play.

Keep an eye on Bush this time around.

Colleague Tom Luginbill tabbed 10 players who will be the next big stars in college football. Some have already started their careers. Some are about to. Some haven't even committed to a school yet.

Two players on the list are from the Big 12, though, and I couldn't agree more.

Baylor receiver Robbie Rhodes is No. 5 according to Luginbill, who credits Rhodes' track background and Baylor's strong receiver tradition for his spot on the list. Rhodes will have opportunities to contribute early on as a freshman, and when I visited Waco this offseason, there was already a lot of excitement about Rhodes' arrival. As the nation's No. 3 receiver, he's one of the most highly ranked recruits to ever come to Baylor, and over the next few years, having Bryce Petty throw him the ball won't hurt, either.

You don't have to look further than Terrance Williams or Kendall Wright to see the kind of opportunity that awaits players who emerge as go-to guys in this offense. Williams led the nation with 1,832 receiving yards in 2012, and Kendall Wright helped Robert Griffin III win the Heisman Trophy with a Big 12-high 1,663 receiving yards in 2011.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Rhodes' name associated closely with the Biletnikoff Award in a few years.

Luginbill's other future star in Big 12 comes in at No. 9: TCU defensive end Devonte Fields. He's had a rocky offseason and his production slowed at the end of 2012, but Luginbill says if he sticks to coach Gary Patterson's standards of excellence, he'll become one of the game's most feared pass-rushers in the next two seasons.

No doubt about that, but I'm also intrigued by how low Fields' profile remains, despite winning the Big 12's Defensive Player of the Year Award as a true freshman. He's far from a household name and he lost an opportunity to make himself one when he got suspended for TCU's opener against LSU that should be the biggest game of college football's opening weekend.

The future's definitely bright for both Rhodes and Fields, and watching them work to reach it should be fun.