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OKLAHOMA SOONERS

2012 record: 10-3

2012 conference record: 8-1 (tied for first, Big 12)

Returning starters: Offense: 7; defense: 4; kicker/punter: 1

Top returners

RB Damien Williams, FB Trey Millard, WR Jalen Saunders, WR Sterling Shepard, C Gabe Ikard, DE/DT Chuka Ndulue, LB Corey Nelson, CB Aaron Colvin

Key losses

QB Landry Jones, WR Justin Brown, WR Kenny Stills, OT Lane Johnson, DE David King, CB Demontre Hurst, FS Tony Jefferson, SS Javon Harris

2012 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Damien Williams* (946 yards)
Passing: Landry Jones (4,267yards)
Receiving: Kenny Stills (959 yards)
Tackles: Tony Jefferson (119)
Sacks: Chuka Ndulue* (5)
Interceptions: Javon Harris (6)

Spring answers

1. Playmakers abound: The Sooners might have lost leading receivers Kenny Stills and Justin Brown, but there’s plenty of firepower back to support whoever wins the starting quarterback job. Jalen Saunders was actually Oklahoma’s most efficient receiver the second half of last season and seems primed to take over as the go-to target. The Sooners also have several talented up-and-coming receivers who had good springs, led by slot extraordinaire Sterling Shepard. The backfield is even deeper, with leading rushers Damien Williams and Brennan Clay back, to go along with Trey Millard, one of the top all-around fullbacks in the country.

2. Cortez will flank Colvin: The secondary was decimated by graduation and Tony Jefferson’s early entry into the NFL draft. One of those voids was cornerback, where Demontre Hurst had started the previous years. That void at least, however, appears to have been filled. Arizona transfer Cortez Johnson seized the job from the first day of spring drills, and has given the Sooners every indication to believe they’ll have a big, physical corner to pair with All-American candidate Aaron Colvin in the fall.

3. The linebackers will play: In a desperate move to slow down the high-powered passing attacks of the Big 12, defensive coordinator Mike Stoops pulled his linebackers off the field. The plan backfired, as opposing offenses ran at will over the linebacker-less Sooners. This spring, Stoops has renewed his commitment to the linebacker, which, ironically, could be the strength of the defense. Corey Nelson, Frank Shannon and Aaron Franklin are all athletic and capable of generating negative plays, something Oklahoma’s defense sorely lacked last season.

Fall questions

1. Who the QB will be in October: Bob Stoops said he would wait until the fall before naming a starter, and so far, he’s made good on his word. Junior Blake Bell took a lead in the competition during the spring, as expected. But sophomore Kendal Thompson and redshirt freshman Trevor Knight, who both got equal reps as Bell, played well at times, too. It’s hard to see Bell not starting the first game. But if he struggles against a tough September schedule, it’s not unthinkable one of the younger QBs would be given a shot.

2. How the new offense will fare: Looking to utilize the skill sets of their mobile quarterbacks, the Sooners will be running a very different offense from the one Sam Bradford and Landry Jones both operated. Offensive coordinator Josh Heupel kept most of these new plays - including loads of read option -- in his hip pocket during the spring game. But it will be interesting to see how the Sooners -- and just as important, opposing defenses -- adjust to this new era of offense in Norman.

3. Defensive line play: The Sooners went into spring ball with just three defensive tackles on the roster, and little experience at defensive end. The unit showed strides during the spring, with Chuka Ndulue making a smooth transition from end to tackle, and tackle Jordan Phillips coming up big in the spring game. But that was the spring. The defensive line will have to continue to grow rapidly in the fall for the Sooners to have any hope of improving from last year defensively.

NORMAN, Okla. -- After a freshman season that did not go as planned, Oklahoma receiver Durron Neal appears poised to make an impact during his second year on campus. With Kenny Stills and Justin Brown moving on to the NFL, Neal is in the middle of a competition to replace the Sooners' starting outside receiver duo.

“I’m very excited,” Neal said. “I’m up to the challenge. It’s one of the reasons I came here. My coaches believe in me, my teammates believe in me and I’m ready to step up and not let them down.”

At one point last summer it appeared the Sooners would lean on Neal to make an immediate impact as a freshman. Then Brown joined the program in August after transferring from Penn State and Jalen Saunders immediately became eligible after his transfer from Fresno State, allowing Stills to move back outside after spending the first month of the season at slot receiver.

Suddenly OU had two veteran receivers on the outside and Neal was left to watch and learn despite playing himself out of a redshirt season with a strong preseason camp. Neal and the Sooners are hoping his learning experience will pay off during his sophomore season.

“Every day last year I took in all I could,” Neal said. “I came in and was ready to learn. I knew I didn’t know as much as I thought I knew. Coming in, I really used Kenny as a resource because I knew that’s who I’d be backing up.”

Even though he saw limited action, Neal flashed some playmaking ability.

“When Durron was in games he did a great job,” OU coach Bob Stoops said. “He's a big play type guy, and strong.”

(Read full post)

We're moving on with a new series today looking at the players across the Big 12 who have to replace program legends. We might as well call this the Nick Florence Memorial team, but let's talk Oklahoma Sooners.

Big shoes to fill: Oklahoma's receivers

If you want to know more about Oklahoma's quarterback spot and the big shoes to fill there, you can do that with the guys at SoonerNation. There's no reason to rehash the race to replace Landry Jones, but we'll look at the guys who Jones' heir will be throwing to today. Kenny Stills left early and Justin Brown had a solid performance in his one year as a Sooner after transferring from Penn State. Together, Oklahoma's got to replace their top two receivers who accounted for 155 catches, 1,843 yards and 16 touchdowns. That's no small task, but the Sooners have a lot of guys in place to make it happen.

Fresno State transfer Jalen Saunders is at the top of that list after showing big potential in the second half of the season last year once he was ruled eligible. He had three games with at least nine catches (including 15 for 181 yards against Notre Dame) and topped 100 yards receiving in the Sooners' last three regular season games. He's well-suited to be the unit's best player next season, but look out for young guys, too. Oklahoma brought in an unbelievable haul of receivers in the 2012 recruiting class, and it may start paying off now. Sterling Shepard had a strong 2012 season with 45 grabs for 621 yards, but Durron Neal and Trey Metoyer should embrace bigger roles this season with a new quarterback.

The Sooners have had a strong receiving tradition for quite some time now with guys like Stills, Ryan Broyles, Juaquin Iglesias, Manny Johnson and Malcolm Kelly, and they look well suited to continue that tradition in 2013.

More big shoes to fill:

• Oklahoma State
• Texas
• TCU
• Texas Tech
• West Virginia

I'd peg receiver as the Big 12's strongest position in 2012, with lots of elite talent and a whole lot of depth, too. We'll continue our postseason position rankings with the guys who catch it.

Here's what you've missed so far:

• Quarterbacks
• Running backs

1. Terrance Williams, Baylor: Williams led the nation in receiving yards, with 1,832 yards and 12 touchdowns on 97 catches. He can do whatever you want him to do. He's big enough to box out defenders and be a possession receiver who fights for the ball, but he's speedy enough to stretch the field and break the big play. NFL first-round talent.

2. Stedman Bailey, West Virginia: Bailey was a touchdown machine who racked up 25 scores this season, more than Justin Blackmon or Michael Crabtree did in any of the four Biletnikoff Award-winning seasons between them. He caught a league-high 114 balls for 1,622 yards and played through a painful ankle injury in the middle of the season.

3. Tavon Austin, West Virginia: Let me be clear about this: I think you could arrange the top three on this list in any order and have a really, really compelling case. Don't let me stop you. I think Austin is a better overall player than anybody on this list, but this is a ranking of guys as receivers. When we're talking pure receiving talent, I've got to go with Austin at No. 3. That's nothing to be ashamed of. The guys ahead of him were Biletnikoff finalists. He also caught 114 passes, for 1,289 yards and 12 scores.

4. Josh Stewart, Oklahoma State: I've written a lot about Stewart this offseason, but he was probably the most improved and underrated player in the league. OSU needed a No. 1 target, and that was Stewart last season. He finished with 101 catches for 1,210 yards and seven scores.

5. Darrin Moore, Texas Tech: Moore's probably the most physical guy on this list. The 6-foot-4, 216-pounder hauled in 13 touchdown catches and caught 92 balls for 1,032 yards to become the first Tech receiver to surpass 1,000 yards since Crabtree back in 2008.

6. Eric Ward, Texas Tech: Granted, Ward did that whole 1,000-yard thing in Lubbock, too. He caught 82 balls for 1,053 yards and 12 touchdowns. He's not quite as physically gifted as Moore, but he's been Tech's most consistent receiver throughout his career there.

7. Kenny Stills, Oklahoma: Stills was disappointed with his season -- and it was a touch underwhelming -- but he still had a solid showing in a receiving unit that lacked a truly elite target but had a handful of very good receivers for Landry Jones. Stills caught 82 balls for 959 yards and 11 scores before electing to leave for the NFL early. He had a good career at OU, but never cracked the 1,000-yard threshold.

8. Chris Harper, Kansas State: Harper's numbers don't tell you the full story. He's one of the best route-runners in the entire league and might have the best hands, too. K-State's offense limits his targets, but he still caught 58 balls for 857 yards and three touchdowns.

9. Tevin Reese, Baylor: Reese was the most dangerous deep threat in the league outside of teammate Williams. Austin did his damage after catching the ball, but Reese caught eight passes longer than 40 yards this season. That was third in the league, and he finished with 58 catches for 857 yards and three touchdowns.

10. Mike Davis, Texas: Davis broke out in his junior season and could be due for a big senior year after catching 57 balls for 939 yards and seven scores. His 16.5 yards per catch were third among receivers with at least 30 catches, and Davis clearly helped (and benefited from) David Ash's growth as a passer and confidence to stretch the field.

Honorable mention: Jalen Saunders, Oklahoma; Josh Boyce, TCU; Tramaine Thompson, Kansas State; Jaxon Shipley, Texas; Justin Brown, Oklahoma; Tyler Lockett, Kansas State.

The season is done, but ask any coach and he'll tell you the 2013 season already has begun. That's true on this blog, too. So, how would I slot the Big 12 heading into the fall? With a month before national signing day and a couple of months before spring football kicks into high gear, here's my first crack at slotting the conference.

To me, it looks as if we have four legitimate contenders for the conference title and three possible dark horses. We'll see how the latter three develop, but I'm sold on the top four as teams that could realistically win the league next season.

1. Oklahoma State: The Cowboys will be loaded, and that's especially true if running back Joseph Randle comes back. Cornerback Justin Gilbert is returning, but we saw this season that they can win with any one of their three quarterbacks. That's a recipe for success in this league. The defense was a bit streaky; this season was the first under defensive coordinator Bill Young that the Cowboys didn't finish in the top 15 in turnovers forced. If they can get back to forcing turnovers in bunches next season, another Big 12 title could be headed to Stillwater.

2. TCU: The Frogs are growing up fast, but their spot here is assuming that quarterback Casey Pachall will be back on the field this spring to reclaim his job. The defense looks likely to be the best in the Big 12, and as much offense as this league has, you can't win it without a solid defense. TCU's offense will win it some games; its defense might win it a Big 12 title. Look out for Devonte Fields' encore.

3. Oklahoma: The Sooners look like they may lack a true star on next season's team, but they are still solid across the two-deep and will be good enough to be in the mix for a title even without quarterback Landry Jones. A wealth of losses on the defensive end is a bigger concern, but receivers Jalen Saunders and Sterling Shepard also will have to navigate a transition to a new QB after three-plus years with Jones. The Sooners ought to feature fullback Trey Millard a bit more in the offense next year.

4. Texas: Believe it or not, but David Ash is the Big 12's most experienced passer. Can he look the part on the field? We'll see, but the biggest problem for Texas is continuing its defensive improvements. Jackson Jeffcoat could be back, and Jordan Hicks will be one of the league's biggest talents if he is able to recover from a hip injury. The time is now if the Longhorns' trio of backs are going to mature into true impact players.

5. Baylor: I'm a believer in the late-season run for these guys translating to 2013. The defense made big strides, and we'll see if those continue, but the offense will be fine. I buy Bryce Petty as a big talent and the next in the long line of Art Briles' quarterback disciples. Lache Seastrunk will help him out early, too. Don't be surprised if he surpasses Randle next year as the Big 12's best back.

6. Texas Tech: The Red Raiders are a huge wild card and might have the biggest upside of any team in the bottom half of these rankings. Michael Brewer is a promising QB, and he now has Kliff Kingsbury -- the former Texas A&M offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach who helped the Aggies far surpass expectations -- as his new head coach. Could Tech do the same? The Red Raiders have tons of talent on both sides of the ball, thanks to a couple of great recruiting classes from Tommy Tuberville (who left to become the coach at Cincinnati).

7. Kansas State: No Collin Klein and Arthur Brown? You know about that, but there's no Chris Harper, Travis Tannahill, Braden Wilson, and the entire defensive line is gone, including star DE Meshak Williams. Both starting cornerbacks are gone, too. Point is, K-State's probably a bowl team next season, but to come back from that mountain of losses and be in the top half of the Big 12 is going to be a tall, tall task.

8. West Virginia: The Mountaineers' trio of wide receivers Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin and quarterback Geno Smith was outstanding this year. Not much else in Morgantown was. All three are gone, and that team only went 7-5. Coordinator Keith Patterson has got to fix this defense in the spring and apply some lessons learned in a disappointing Year 1 in the Big 12. The QB derby between Paul Millard and Ford Childress should be interesting.

9. Iowa State: Sam Richardson was severely ill while playing in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, but he still didn't inspire a lot of confidence in the future of the QB spot in Ames, despite a strong finish to the season. With linebacking pillars A.J. Klein and Jake Knott both headed to the NFL, the odds once again will be against Iowa State winning six games and getting to a bowl. Without consistency at the quarterback spot, it's going to be tough, especially with the defense likely to take a step back.

10. Kansas: Gotta prove something before the Jayhawks move out of the basement. Charlie Weis is bringing in tons of juco talent, but after the Dayne Crist experiment didn't work, BYU transfer Jake Heaps simply must be better for KU to begin its climb back to the postseason.

SEC

2. Texas A&M: The Aggies might have been the hottest team in the country at the end of the 2012 season. Maybe defenses will have a little better handle on Johnny Manziel the second time around, but Johnny Football will have a little better handle on defenses, too. If offensive tackles Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews return for their senior seasons, look out. Losing Damontre Moore on defense will hurt, but the Aggies like their young talent.

No. 9 Texas A&M (10-2, 6-2 SEC) vs. No. 11 Oklahoma (10-2, 8-1 Big 12)

On ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM: Coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. CT.

Who to watch: Who else? Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel will attempt to put the finishing touches on his freshman season. "Johnny Football” broke Cam Newton’s SEC record for offensive yardage and accounted for 43 touchdowns while becoming the first freshman to capture the Heisman Trophy. Manziel, however, will be facing one of the better defensive backfields he’s seen all season, led by free safety Tony Jefferson and cornerback Aaron Colvin -- both All-Big 12 performers. Manziel will also have to overcome the distractions of a whirlwind month in which he not only won the Heisman but hung out with actress Megan Fox and played golf with the Jonas Brothers.

What to watch: The Aggies boast Manziel, but the Sooners counter with one of the top wide receiving corps in the country. Kenny Stills, Justin Brown, Jalen Saunders and Sterling Shepard all have more than 500 yards receiving this season. Texas A&M is stout up front, but the Aggies have been vulnerable at times defending the pass, ranking 82nd nationally in pass defense despite competing in the run-oriented SEC. If OU quarterback Landry Jones gets rolling with his talented pass-catchers, this game could tumble into a shootout.

Why to watch: Outside the BCS National Championship, this is as good a matchup as any out there. This Cotton Bowl also features two of the top quarterbacks in the country, with the hotshot freshman in Manziel facing off against the elder statesman in Jones, who will be making his 50th career start on the same field in which his career began four years ago. There should be plenty of energy inside Cowboys Stadium, too, as the Cotton Bowl is expecting a record crowd of 90,000. This will be a BCS-caliber bowl in every way except in name.

Prediction: Texas A&M 34, Oklahoma 31. Coach Bob Stoops has a dominating 11-2 record against Texas A&M, including an average victory margin of three touchdowns. These, however, are not the same Aggies the Sooners faced in the Big 12. Manziel and coach Kevin Sumlin have brought a new attitude to Texas A&M, and the Aggies will be motivated to prove this on the field against their former conference foe.

Time to continue our series on the best and worst moments of 2012 for each team in the Big 12. Next up: Oklahoma.

Worst moment: Fumbles let outright title get away

Oklahoma has to feel like that fateful night in September should have gone differently. Landry Jones got caught from behind and coughed up the ball for an easy scoop and score for K-State. Inside the 5-yard line, Blake Bell inexplicably fumbled a good snap and lost a chance at seven more points with a mistake that was way out of character. The result: A 24-19 loss on their home field to Big 12 title-winner K-State. A win would have given the Sooners an outright title, but the loss in the conference opener was the second in two seasons in Big 12 play for Oklahoma, who had lost just one Big 12 game at home between 1999 and 2010.

Best moment: Rivalry Revelry

Oklahoma trailed Oklahoma State by 11 in the second half, but the Sooners rallied with a dramatic punt return for a touchdown from Jalen Saunders to tie the game. Facing a fourth-and-1 with just seconds to play, the Belldozer earned some redemption for the early-season miscue, powering over a defender for a game-tying score and a celebration on the way to the sideline. In overtime, Brennan Clay clinched the win with a beastly 18-yard touchdown run that featured a big-time truck of an Oklahoma State defender on the way into the end zone. That keyed off an even bigger celebration that kept Oklahoma in the hunt for the Big 12 title and BCS bowl bid, as well as retaking the state's bragging rights after losing a blowout in Stillwater a year earlier.

More best and worst of 2012:

• Oklahoma State
• TCU
• West Virginia
• Texas Tech
• Texas

Every season, we take 10 big swings before the games begin. Sometimes we connect. Sometimes we miss. Either way, we're out on a limb. Sometimes is snaps. Sometimes it doesn't. Let's take a look at how this year's fearless predictions looked.

Want to check how I've done in the past? Here are my grades for the past two seasons:

• Ten fearless predictions from 2011
• Ten fearless predictions from 2010

1. Landry Jones' interception total will be in the single digits. Jones had 41 career interceptions in three seasons and had never thrown fewer than 12 in a season. He got off to a good start, but threw six interceptions in his final five games to reach 10 before the bowl game. Result: Miss, but just barely.

2. Wes Lunt will throw for 4,000 yards. Curse the luck. Lunt suffered injuries to his head and knee and was in and out of the lineup all season. He threw for 1,096 yards, which was third-most on his team. Crazy. The most concerning stat: He had seven interceptions to just six scores. Result: Thanks a lot, injuries.

3. David Ash will start 13 games for Texas. He rotated with Case McCoy last season, and got benched twice this season, but the second benching was due to a rib injury that's left his status for the bowl game up in the air a bit, too. Either way, this prediction crashed and burned in the final game of the season when McCoy made his first start against K-State with Ash's ribs banged up. Do I deserve partial credit for Ash not getting the hook for a complete game? Result: Close, but not close enough.

4. Trey Metoyer will lead Oklahoma in receiving. Probably the biggest whiff of the bunch here. Landry Jones locked in on transfers Justin Brown and Jalen Saunders, but returning star Kenny Stills led the team with 897 yards. I bought into the Metoyer hype, but he finished seventh on the team, behind even running back Damien Williams. Result: Not even close, bro.

5. Texas Tech will play Baylor for a chance to play in a bowl game. My intention with this prediction is that Texas Tech and Baylor would meet and both would have five wins. Baylor held up their end of the deal, but Texas Tech already had seven wins before the Baylor loss. Result: Half right, I suppose. I picked Baylor to win it, too. They did.

6. West Virginia will lose to an unranked team. I bought into the WVU hype to some extent, but I figured the Mountaineers would lose a game no one expected. That's been an unfortunate hallmark of the program for some time, now. WVU proved me right again and again, losing three games to ranked teams, including their first loss of the season as the nation's No. 5 team. Result: On the money ... and then some.

7. TCU will reach the top five and then fall out of the top 20. I saw a big start for TCU, picking the Frogs to start 7-0 before losing four of their last five games. TCU fell out of the top 20 pretty quick, but never rose higher than No. 13 in the polls. Result: Almost doesn't count.

8. Kansas will win a conference game, and Baylor will qualify for a third consecutive bowl game. Oh, KU. My faith was misplaced. This is a pretty historic losing streak that now reaches 21 games in Big 12 play. I didn't really have much doubt that Baylor would reach a bowl early in the season, but that 0-4 start in Big 12 play made me sweat it out. Result: Half right, but KU nearly made me completely right against Texas and Texas Tech.

9. Iowa State's Jake Knott and A.J. Klein will rank first and second in the Big 12 in total tackles. Knott suffered a shoulder injury late in the season, firing a pretty serious torpedo at this prediction. Klein was fifth in the league with 98 tackles. His production slowed considerably after moving positions following Knott's injury. Result: You're no fun, injuries.

10. Kansas State will finish in the Big 12's top two in rushing offense. This looked like a slam dunk until Collin Klein's head injury and some awful games against TCU and Baylor. The Wildcats slipped all the way to fourth in the Big 12, behind even 1-11 KU. Result: Makin' me look bad, y'all.

Not exactly a banner year for my bold predictions. The only possible takeaway from this? I don't know anything about anything. Vote in our poll and grade my predictions.

We did this poll in the preseason, but let's take a look back now that the regular season has been completed.

West Virginia ran away with the poll before the year began. Who wins now? Which Big 12 offense was best this year?

Note: We can only include five teams in polls. TCU was in the preseason poll, but obviously won't be in this poll. I also put Kansas State in here, rather than Texas Tech, which was fifth in the Big 12 in total offense.

Let's take a look.

BAYLOR

The Bears boast the nation's leader in total offense, quarterback Nick Florence, and led the nation in total offense. Florence even accounted for more yards per game than Johnny Football at Texas A&M. The Bears discovered another weapon in running back Lache Seastrunk late in the season and have one of the league's best offensive lines, but Biletnikoff Award finalist and the nation's leader in receiving yards, Terrance Williams, might be the most talented player on the roster.

OKLAHOMA STATE

The Pokes had quarterback issues, but finished the season with three (!!) 1,000-yard passers and finished fifth in the nation in total offense. Running back Joseph Randle is the Big 12's best, and receiver Josh Stewart broke out with 1,154 receiving yards as a sophomore. The rest of the unit is deep, but even without Justin Blackmon and Brandon Weeden, the Pokes got up and down the field quickly.

WEST VIRGINIA

Geno Smith got off to one of the greatest starts in the history of the Big 12, reaching 5-0 and throwing 25 touchdowns before his first interception. He came to Earth a bit in the middle of a five-game losing streak, but Tavon Austin definitely has a case as the league's best overall offensive weapon, even though fellow receiver Stedman Bailey racked up 23 touchdown catches, 10 more than any player in the league and more than Blackmon and Michael Crabtree in their Biletnikoff Award-winning seasons. The Mountaineers never found a consistent running game, but were sixth nationally in pass offense.

OKLAHOMA

Oklahoma relied heavily on Landry Jones, but found a home-run hitter in juco transfer Damien Williams. The youth at receiver showed up early in the season, but transfers Jalen Saunders (Fresno State) and Justin Brown (Penn State) provided solid targets late in the season for Jones, who racked up consecutive 500-yard passing games in wins against Oklahoma State and West Virginia. Jones' season has already pushed him into third in NCAA history in passing yardage.

KANSAS STATE

Kansas State didn't rack up yardage by the bunches, but until late struggles against TCU and Baylor, the Wildcats led the Big 12 in scoring offense. Quarterback Collin Klein rumbled his way to New York City as a Heisman finalist, and the ground-inclined Wildcats offense had two of the Big 12's top five rushers, with Klein and running back John Hubert.

When the Big 12 trimmed down to 10 teams before the 2011 season and eliminated the league title game, the more cynical folks around the league hung a cloud over the eight teams in the Big 12 that don't reside in Austin, Texas, or Norman, Okla.

It had been almost a decade since anyone other than Texas or Oklahoma won the Big 12. Now, there would be no path through the easier Big 12 North that would provide one game to dethrone the Sooners or Longhorns, one of which would surely be waiting on a neutral field.

"Nobody from the league can beat them in the Big 12 championship, so how in the world is anyone supposed to be better than both Texas and Oklahoma for an entire season?" was the familiar line of thought.

Nobody other than Texas or Oklahoma had even represented the Big 12 South since 1998, and it had happened only twice in the 15-year life of the division.

Shows what we know in the two years since the league did away with divisions. Texas has been down, sure, but Oklahoma State won the outright title in the first year by beating Oklahoma soundly in the finale with the title on the line.

This year, Kansas State did the same against Texas, with Oklahoma also claiming a share of the league.

Still, both teams beat Texas and Oklahoma en route to their titles, doing further damage to the perception that the Big 12 is a shallow, two-team league.

More depth means more intrigue, which means more folks tuning in and more relevant games. It also means more hope for the rest of the league and more enthusiastic fans optimistic about their team's chance to one day hoist the crystal trophy.

Oklahoma State and Kansas State did it. Why can't TCU? Or West Virginia? Don't rule out Art Briles doing it in the new stadium at Baylor soon enough, and Oklahoma State might offer an encore to its Big 12 title next year, assuming it hangs on to coach Mike Gundy.

The Big 12 isn't what we thought it would become after eliminating divisions and a championship game. It's better, thanks again to the continued resurgence of what we thought was the Big 12's middle class.

Let's pass out a few awards for a memorable Big 12 season:

Offensive MVP: Collin Klein, QB, Kansas State. Klein is the Big 12's only player who booked a ticket to New York City for the Heisman Trophy presentation, and for good reason. He carried Kansas State to a Big 12 title, and no single player in the league is more important to his team. He completed 180 of 272 passes (66.2 percent) for 2,485 yards, 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions for Kansas State, adding 895 rushing yards and a league-high 22 touchdowns.

Defensive MVP: Devonte Fields, DE, TCU. Fields edged out a pair of other big-time pass-rushers -- Texas' Alex Okafor and Kansas State's Meshak Williams -- to win this award. His nine sacks were second most in the Big 12, and the true freshman added 17.5 tackles for loss for the Frogs' defense, which led the Big 12 in total defense in its first year in the league. That was 2.5 TFLs more than any player in the league, and four more than Williams. Fields also was the first Big 12 player to intercept Klein, adding two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. He finished with 49 tackles (32 solo).

Newcomer of the year: Devonte Fields, DE, TCU. What more needs to be said about Fields? He didn't even enroll at TCU early, and the 240-pound fresh face will be even scarier next season after a year going through TCU's offseason strength and conditioning program. Don't buy Fields' big first year? Talk to a few of the Big 12's tackles. They'll tell you. Fields had a quiet day last week, but even Oklahoma's Gabe Ikard, one of the league's best linemen, raved about him, calling him probably the best pass-rusher they played all season.

Biggest surprise: TCU's resurgence. I wasn't the only one prepared to bury TCU's first season in the Big 12 after losing star quarterback Casey Pachall and three days later, a home game to Iowa State by 14 points. The personnel losses were too much, we thought. Nope. The Frogs rallied, despite losing 20-plus players and fielding a team that was 70 percent freshmen and sophomores. They led the league in total defense, rolled over Baylor, beat West Virginia with a pair of gutsy calls in overtime and beat Texas solidly on Thanksgiving night. The Frogs also hung tough with Big 12 co-champions Oklahoma and K-State. These Frogs belong, and will only get better. Honorable mention: Iowa State reaching a bowl, Kansas State winning the Big 12.

Biggest disappointment: West Virginia. Dana Holgorsen warned that his team might have been overrated after drubbing Clemson in the Orange Bowl, and in hindsight it was. But even still, a five-game losing streak with the offensive talent residing in Morgantown was inexcusable. The defense received weekly wake-up calls against high-flying Big 12 offenses, but Geno Smith, Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin couldn't keep up after racing to a top-five ranking and a 5-0 start. Dishonorable mention: Texas Tech's second half.

Best game: Oklahoma 51, Oklahoma State 48 (OT). We thought there was a BCS bowl on the line in this one, and even though Northern Illinois (with an assist from the sorry Big Ten and Big East) changed that, it didn't change this classic in Norman laced with tons of emotion and a rivalry that's gaining fast on Red River as the Big 12's most compelling annual series. Oklahoma rallied from an 11-point, second-half deficit, tying the game on an 81-yard punt return by Jalen Saunders. Blake Bell rushed for a touchdown on fourth down in the final seconds to send the game into overtime, where Brennan Clay's beastly 18-yard touchdown run won the game and set off one of the biggest celebrations at Owen Field in a long, long time. Honorable mention: West Virginia 70, Baylor 63; TCU 39, West Virginia 38.

FORT WORTH, Texas -- On Thursday, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops gathered his team and informed the players that if they beat TCU on Saturday, they would be receiving championship rings and hats, regardless of what happened later in the evening.

Stoops, fresh off coaching the Sooners to a 24-17 win to clinch at least a share of the Big 12 title, received the customary Gatorade shower as time expired.

"Man, I never won a championship anywhere!" exclaimed Fresno State transfer receiver Jalen Saunders as he jogged into the locker room to grab his shirt and hat.

"That's why you came to school here!" running backs coach Cale Gundy responded.

The Sooners gathered their shirts and hats and went back onto the field at Amon G. Carter Stadium to celebrate the school's eighth Big 12 title and 11th 10-win season since 2000 under Stoops. They snapped a team photo like they had so many times at Big 12 championship games past. They celebrated on the field and in the locker room with a crystal bowl trophy made and delivered by the Big 12.

Oklahoma's win gives the Sooners an 8-1 record in Big 12 play, which will be the same record as Kansas State if the Wildcats beat Texas later tonight. The problem? Kansas State beat Oklahoma on the Sooners' home field in September. Oklahoma State won the Big 12 title outright in 2011, the first season without a championship game. If Kansas State wins tonight, it will be the first shared title in Big 12 history, despite Kansas State having a better overall record, a higher ranking in the BCS and a win against Oklahoma in Norman.

"Big 12 champs or co-champs, either way, they're recognized as champions," Stoops said. "There seemed to be a little confusion about it, but there isn't. ... Nobody here made those rules. At the present time, that's where we're at."

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there is a little confusion, and you don't have to go back far to see it. A year ago, Oklahoma trekked to Stillwater with the chance to beat Oklahoma State and celebrate a shared Big 12 title with the rival Cowboys.

"There will be one [champion]. That's just how I see it," Stoops told reporters before that game. "Again, I don't know any other way to look at it. If you're all going to play each other, it pretty well sets up that way."

So pardon me if I'm confused. The Sooners celebrated their eighth Big 12 title just like the first seven, but there's no doubt that it'll be much different if Kansas State holds serve and beats Texas.

"You end the season with a championship, however controversial you want to make it. It's the conference rules," offensive lineman Gabe Ikard said.

But even Ikard admitted there was a difference between the Sooners' 2010 title, won by many of these same players, and the possibility of a shared title -- and the backlash that would come from celebrating it like any other, as the Sooners did.

"It would be better for us, and we'd probably catch less, uh, stuff for it," Ikard said of an outright title. "But when it comes down to it, we put together a season that our conference recognizes us as the champions. Whether people don't like that, it's not our fault. We came to the games and played them."

Ikard is right. It's not his fault.

"I didn't make the rules on how the league was set up, right? Nor did you. Just read what they say about the rules," Stoops said of the possibility of sharing the title.

Stoops is right. You can't blame the Sooners for celebrating a hard-earned title that came after winning eight consecutive Big 12 games in a league with nine bowl-eligible teams. That's no small accomplishment.

You can, however, blame a conference that trimmed to 10 teams, eliminated a championship game and trumpeted that it would crown "one true champion" in its new round-robin schedule.

The Big 12 did have a championship game this year. It was played Sept. 22 and Kansas State won it, as long as the Wildcats finish off the Longhorns tonight.

You can't blame Oklahoma, but you can blame the Big 12. The answer isn't bringing back the championship game. The answer is to change the rules.

Even if Kansas State coughs up a painful loss to Texas later today and the Sooners claim an outright title, having a shared title even for discussion is silly and disingenuous. In the middle of it all are coaches like Stoops, who change their argument from year to year based on how it suits their interests. He is not going to lessen what's truly an impressive accomplishment for his team, but it's impossible for Stoops to stand at a microphone this year and give his team rings when he was critical of the league recognizing an additional champion a year earlier.

Offensive coordinator Josh Heupel said his team celebrated like it had won a title in the same manner it had previously. Fellow OC Jay Norvell said his team had a record that says it has a share of the title and that the accomplishment was "extremely satisfying."

"It's a championship. It's a great feeling," safety Tony Jefferson said. "Regardless if [Kansas State] wins or not, we're still Big 12 champions."

You can't blame the Sooners for feeling that way, but you can blame the league for giving them the right to do so.

Time for one final week of picks. I'm headed to Fort Worth, Texas, this weekend for Oklahoma versus TCU. The staff at HornsNation will have you covered out in Manhattan, Kan., for Kansas State-Texas. You'll be covered from all angles this weekend, as usual.

Let's get to the picks.

Iowa State and Texas Tech have completed their regular seasons.

Last week: 3-1 (.750)
Overall: 52-19 (.732)

No. 23 Oklahoma State 44, Baylor 34: There's something to Oklahoma State's mastery of Baylor. The Bears are better, but Oklahoma State is playing great football late in the season and has found its stride with Clint Chelf taking care of the ball and producing. The Bears' defense faces a much tougher test in a more balanced Oklahoma State offense, and the Pokes make them pay. Solid day for Joseph Randle and Jeremy Smith.

No. 11 Oklahoma 27, TCU 21: There's lots of upset potential here; I just couldn't bring myself to pick it. The Sooners are tired and susceptible to teams strong against the run. This one gets uglied up by the TCU defense, and the Frogs have success with the zone read with Trevone Boykin and Matthew Tucker. Too much aerial attack by Landry Jones and his growing set of receivers. He turns it over one or twice but finds Kenny Stills and Jalen Saunders enough to outweigh the mistakes against ball-hawking TCU secondary that has 20 interceptions, four more than any team in the Big 12 and tied for third-most nationally.

West Virginia 51, Kansas 21: Fast-paced offense. Lots of talented players in one-on-one matchups. That spells all kinds of trouble for Kansas, which has played decent team defense, but the Jayhawks don't have the talent on defense to slow down Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin. The KU running game might make a difference and keep West Virginia's offense off the field, but I'm not betting on it. KU's imperfect season is complete.

No. 6 Kansas State 31, No. 18 Texas 20: With Case McCoy against a really disruptive Kansas State defense, I just don't see the Horns pulling off the upset. Meshak Williams is all over McCoy for 60 minutes, and Arthur Brown does a solid job spying and making sure he doesn't get loose scrambling on broken plays. Collin Klein bounced back with a good game, but one that's just average for him this season, accounting for all four touchdowns.

The Big 12 has named its official players of the week for Week 13, as voted on by a media panel.

OFFENSE: Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma

Jones completed 46 of 71 passes for 500 yards and three touchdowns in a 51-48 overtime win over rival Oklahoma State. His completions and attempts were both career highs, and he became the Big 12's leading passer with 16,124 total yards in his four years as a starter. He's the only Sooner to ever throw for 500 yards, and he's done it three times, including each of his past two games. He's the first player in FBS history for have 26 touchdown passes and 3,000 yards in four different seasons.

DEFENSE: Eddie Lackey, LB, Baylor

Lackey picked off two Seth Doege passes and recovered a fumble inside the 10-yard line with the Bears trailing by 14 in their eventual 52-45 overtime win over Texas Tech. He returned his first interception 55 yards for a touchdown to give Baylor its first lead of the game early in the fourth quarter. He's the first BU player to have three takeaways in one game since Jordan Lake versus Buffalo on Sept. 22, 2007. The win helped Baylor become bowl eligible.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Jalen Saunders, PR, Oklahoma

Saunders returned a punt 81 yards in the fourth quarter to help tie the game in the Sooners' overtime win over Oklahoma State. He had 251 all-purpose yards and it was his first-ever punt return for a touchdown. His all-purpose performance was the sixth-highest in OU history by a receiver.

Time to hand out some more hardware for a job well done over the past few days of games in the Big 12. Your stickers are in the mail, gentlemen.

• Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma: You might be able to hand this one to his buddy Brennan Clay, who broke loose for the game-winning touchdown run in the Sooners' 51-48 win over rival Oklahoma State. But Jones threw an insane 71 passes on Saturday, completing 46 of them for 500 yards and three touchdowns. It was the first time in school history OU had three 100-yard receivers and two receivers with 10 catches. Jones hit newcomers Jalen Saunders and Justin Brown for 25 of his 46 completions, and his completions and attempts broke both of Jones' school records. He also passed Texas Tech's Graham Harrell for the Big 12 career passing record. Jones' 16,124 passing yards are third-most in NCAA history.
• Nick Florence, QB, Baylor: Eddie Lackey made a pair of huge interceptions, but both landed in his lap, while Florence racked up 396 yards and three touchdowns on 22-of-37 passing in the Bears' 52-45 overtime win over Texas Tech. He also rushed for 51 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.
• Trevone Boykin, QB, TCU: Boykin didn't score a touchdown in a defensive struggle on Thanksgiving night, but the freshman held it together against the Horns, rushing for a team-high 77 yards on just 10 carries and completing 7 of 9 pass attempts for 82 yards in a 20-13 win over the Longhorns. Chalk this one up as one of the biggest wins in TCU's history. Boykin's rise and Gary Patterson's taming of a young, beat up team is incredible.
• Tavon Austin, Everything, WVU: Austin turned in another ridiculous game in West Virginia's 31-24 win at Iowa State to clinch bowl eligibility. He only carried the ball 14 times, turning it into 74 yards, but caught six passes for 99 yards and a score, including a 75-yard touchdown on a touch pass to give West Virginia the lead with just 6:31 to play. That came just after his punt return for a touchdown was called back for a block in the back. He capped it with a two-point conversion to put the Mountaineers up seven. He returned a punt 42 yards and added a 29-yard kick return.

Here's what I'm keeping an eye on in the Big 12 this week.

1. Sit him down if he sees birdies circling his head. Kansas State coach Bill Snyder sounds optimistic about quarterback Collin Klein's status this week, but will the Heisman front-runner be on the field? And if he is, will he look like his usual self? Will the K-State offense dial back the designed runs for him to try to protect whatever ails him? All pressing questions -- and we likely won't know the answers until Saturday night.

2. He's back ... then he wasn't. Is he back again? Wes Lunt looked good at times on Saturday, but the freshman quarterback made some costly mistakes in Oklahoma State's loss to Kansas State and missed much of the game with an undisclosed injury of his own. Lunt looks good playing the position, but the decision-making is a legitimate issue at this point. Will he be back on the field against West Virginia this week?

3. Fool's gold? Or growth for the Eers? Speaking of, West Virginia's defense showed up for most of the game against TCU last week, holding the Frogs to the second-fewest total yards WVU had given up in conference play. The 94-yard score to tie the game marred that improvement, but can WVU keep it rolling this week against Oklahoma State? The coaches liked the improvement they saw coming off the bye week. Is it legitimate?

4. Amon for a change in Fort Worth. (I'm sorry.) TCU hasn't won at home since Sept. 22 and is 0-2 in Big 12 play at home this year, with a lopsided loss to Iowa State and a heartbreaking loss to Texas Tech in triple overtime. TCU has played its best ball away from home, but can it change those fortunes this week?

5. Where there's a Williams, there's a way. Oklahoma's secondary is all kinds of legit, but the Sooners haven't faced a receiver anything like the caliber of Baylor's Terrance Williams. Can he break loose and have a big game after catching the historic game winner against the Sooners last year? If Baylor's going to spring the upset, that has to happen. The Biletnikoff front-runner leads the nation in receiving and averages nearly 170 yards a game.

6. An encore for George. Iowa State's Jeremiah George racked up 17 tackles last week filling in for injured linebacker Jake Knott. He'll get a huge task this week against a powerful Texas running game that's back to full strength, finally. Can he keep that going this week? He'll have a solid running mate in experienced A.J. Klein, but neither can do it alone.

7. Another set of legs can go a long way. Johnathan Gray has played outstanding with Malcolm Brown sidelined the past few weeks. The true freshman has his first two career 100-yard games while Joe Bergeron has vultured his way to 16 rushing touchdowns, fourth-most nationally. With Brown back now from injury, can Texas' backfield keep using fresh legs to boost its effectiveness?

8. Who's it going to be? Seems like every week it's a new featured receiver for Oklahoma's offense. Kenny Stills gets it done, then it's Sterling Shepard, then it's Jalen Saunders. Then back to Stills with a sprinkling of Justin Brown. Who emerges this week against a porous Baylor defense? Lots of receptions to be had.

9. Six is the magical number. James Sims has five 100-yard games in a row, the first Kansas back to do that since 1974. He's been an amazing bright spot in another dark season in Lawrence. Can he do it again against Texas Tech and give the Jayhawks a fighting chance to end their 18-game losing streak in Big 12 play? If KU had Sims earlier in the season, it likely would have three wins.

10. No time to feel sorry for yourself. Texas Tech got off to a hot 6-1 start, but its season is at a bit of a crossroads. Can it take care of business and play well against Kansas, winning convincingly? Or will it slip up and let KU make it a game? Tech got beat pretty soundly a week ago, but is it going to throw a pity party or take out its anger against the Jayhawks in Lubbock? We'll learn a little bit about this team this week after last week's disheartening loss. The Big 12 title is almost certainly off the board, but can the Red Raiders stay committed?

SEC
4. Alabama's D vs. Johnny Football: We saw some holes open up in Alabama's defense last week against LSU. The players insist that things will get cleaned up this week, but the Aggies have an high-octane offense that could exploit Alabama's weaknesses, especially with a quarterback like Johnny Manziel. He has been the SEC's most exciting player and could pose quite a problem for this defense with his ability to run and throw. He's second in the SEC in passing and first in rushing. It comes down to being very sound and balanced on defense to contain him. Alabama's secondary gave up some big plays last week, and Texas A&M has a better passer and receivers for the Tide to handle. -- Edward Aschoff