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Taking stock of Week 5 in the Big 12:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What we learned about the Big 12 from Week 5:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here are the Big 12's unsung heroes in Week 3.

Receiver Quenton Bundrage, Iowa State: Overshadowed by the Cyclones’ struggles against Iowa, Bundrage could be emerging as a go-to target for quarterback Sam Richardson. He finished with seven receptions for 146 yards and three touchdowns. Four of his catches resulted in first downs for the Cyclones. He could be a reassuring option for Iowa State's offense if he can be consistent for the rest of the season.

Safety Isaiah Johnson, Kansas: The junior college transfer had a strong showing against Rice. He had nine tackles, including seven solo stops, and one interception against the Owls. It was a disappointing 23-14 loss for the Jayhawks, but coach Charlie Weis praised the performance of his defense and hopes that unit will continue to play well when Big 12 play opens. Secondary play is critical in this league, and Johnson could help the Jayhawks in that regard.

Running back John Hubert, Kansas State: It’s odd to call Hubert an unsung hero, but the Wildcats’ use of their star running back should be noted. He’s gotten more opportunities to get the ball in space and has seen the ball more in the passing game since KSU's season-opening loss to North Dakota State. Hubert had 168 all-purpose yards (118 rushing, 50 receiving) and one touchdown in KSU’s 37-7 win over UMass. With KSU facing Texas this weekend, Hubert could be a key guy to watch for the Wildcats.

Cornerback Zack Sanchez, Oklahoma: Sanchez is quietly off to an outstanding start in the first three games of his college career. He had six tackles, including 0.5 tackles for loss, and one pass breakup against Tulsa. The redshirt freshman has been competitive, trustworthy and confident as the starter opposite All-Big 12 cornerback Aaron Colvin. Sanchez gone from potential weak link for the Sooners to a potential strength in the secondary.

Running back Jeremy Smith, Oklahoma State: The senior had the quietest three-touchdown performance in recent memory with 10 carries for 40 yards and three scores. Smith makes the list because he will be critical for the Cowboys offense moving forward. If he can continue to be a physical, slashing runner who takes the attention off quarterback J.W. Walsh, the entire field opens up for OSU’s offense on the ground and through the air.

Running back Johnathan Gray, Texas: Gray had a productive day against Ole Miss despite the Longhorns’ 44-23 loss. He finished with 19 carries for 91 yards and one touchdown while adding four receptions for 12 yards. The Longhorns leaned more on Gray with Daje' Johnson out, and the sophomore responded with a solid showing. Nonetheless, UT will need even more from Gray if it hopes to get the ship turned back in the right direction.

Defensive back Derrick Kindred, TCU: The sophomore, a backup safety, was all over the field in the Horned Frogs’ 20-10 loss to Texas Tech on Thursday. He finished with five tackles, including one tackle for loss, while adding an interception and a pass breakup. Playing in a defensive backfield that features big names like cornerback Jason Verrett and safety Elisha Olabode, Kindred is looking like he can provide quality depth in TCU’s secondary.

Safety Tre' Porter, Texas Tech: The Red Raiders senior was a key reason Texas Tech was able to limit TCU to 10 points. He had a team-high nine tackles, all solo. His ability to tackle in space and limit game-changing plays by opponents could be critical for the Red Raider defense when it starts facing Big 12 offenses. He was moved to safety to provide a consistent playmaker at that position for the Red Raiders, and that's exactly what he's done.

Defensive end Kyle Rose, West Virginia: Rose had six tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss, and one sack for WVU in the Mountaineers' 41-7 win over Georgia State. The sophomore provided quality depth last season and could become a key contributor along the defensive line if he continues to play well. He could also help lessen the burden and double-team opportunities on defensive tackle Shaq Rowell in the middle.

Note: Baylor did not play in Week 3.

Recognizing the best and brightest from around the Big 12 in Week 3:

QB Blake Bell, Oklahoma

Turns out Bell is a better passer than anyone realized. He threw for 413 yards and four touchdowns against Tulsa, showing impressive confidence and rapport with his receivers. Bell only ran for 24 yards, too. Considering how badly the OU passing attack fared a week ago, the 400-yard showing was a real eye-opener against a Tulsa team that went 11-3 a year ago. The question marks surrounding Bell and his ability to replace Trevor Knight were answered on Saturday, at least for one week.

WR Quenton Bundrage, Iowa State

Bundrage exploded against Iowa for seven catches, 146 yards and three touchdowns in the close 27-21 loss. His touchdowns came from 67, 26 and 17 yards out, and those final two came late in the fourth quarter as Iowa State mounted a rally.

CB Kip Daily, Kansas State

The senior cornerback nabbed an interception in the first quarter against UMass and returned it 38 yards for the first touchdown of the game. He picked off a second pass on a fourth down late in the third quarter, ensuring KSU would have no trouble in a 37-7 win over the Minutemen. Those were the first two interceptions in his career. Daily is up to 16 tackles and two pass breakups on the year after recording only one tackle in six games last season.

QB Ford Childress, West Virginia

Not bad at all, kid. In his first career start, Childress threw for 359 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-7 win over Georgia State. The redshirt freshman and former ESPN 150 recruit hit on 25 of his 41 attempts and recorded a solid QBR of 74.2. He might be just what the Mountaineers are looking for in their hopes to end their quarterback battle.

RB Jeremy Smith, Oklahoma State

Smith found the end zone three times in an easy 59-3 win over FCS Lamar. He had a modest 40 rushing yards on the day, but OSU really didn’t need much from Smith to get the victory. Smith now leads the Big 12 in rushing touchdowns with six.

At long last, we can put an end to all the offseason chatter and preseason hype. All those expectations get thrown out the window on the first weekend of college football.

Who’s going to rise to the occasion and live up to those expectations? And who already has a lot on the line entering the season opener? Here are 10 Big 12 players, coaches and positions that have plenty to prove this weekend.

1. Texas offensive coordinator Major Applewhite: The first-year playcaller worked all offseason to implement an up-tempo offense at Texas, and Mack Brown has set high goals for pace and plays per game. Will the tempo make Longhorn players more mistake-prone or wear them out faster? We’ll find out how much progress has been made Saturday when they faces New Mexico State.

2. West Virginia RB Charles Sims: Coach Dana Holgorsen likes Sims and his revamped stable of backs so much, he’s redshirting 2012 leading rusher Andrew Buie. How’s that for some pressure to perform? Sims, a Houston transfer, may have to help carry the offense while WVU’s quarterback situation remains unresolved.

3. Kansas State QB Jake Waters: Waters was named the starter Monday but will still have to split snaps with Daniel Sams to some extent. Much is expected of the junior college transfer who has been on campus for only eight months. With Sams ready to play at any moment, he’ll need to be sharp against North Dakota State.

4. Oklahoma State RB Jeremy Smith: OSU has been spoiled at the running back position with Kendall Hunter and Joseph Randle, and Smith will try to keep that trend going as the new feature back. What kind of dent can he make against a Mississippi State unit that ranked No. 11 in the SEC in run defense last season?

5. Oklahoma defensive coordinator Mike Stoops: Stoops’ first year back in Norman wasn’t exactly the smashing success most expected, and he’ll put a defense on the field against Louisiana-Monroe that features only four returning starters. With West Virginia coming to town the next week, Stoops’ rebuilt D needs to get off to a good start Saturday.

6. Oklahoma State offensive line: The Cowboys lost left tackle Devin Davis for the season to a torn ACL this week, and line coach Joe Wickline will have some interesting decisions to make as he reworks his lineup before Saturday’s game against Mississippi State. Parker Graham could slide over from guard to tackle, or a few others could fill the vacancy. Not a good problem to have when you’re prepping for an SEC foe instead of an FCS cupcake.

7. TCU linebackers: LSU’s potent power run game will give the Frogs' linebacker corps as good a test as it’ll get all season. The departure of leading tackler Joel Hasley earlier this month makes that task even tougher. Juniors Marcus Mallet, Paul Dawson and ex-safety Jonathan Anderson have to step up.

8. Baylor QB Bryce Petty: There might not be a more hyped player in the Big 12 entering the opener. Most assume the junior with only 14 career passing attempts will end up becoming the league’s best quarterback by December. He gets to prove a lot of people right -- or wrong -- Saturday versus Wofford.

9. Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury: The man who molded Johnny Manziel in 2012 now must find a way to work wonders with a true freshman quarterback on the road. How will Davis Webb or Baker Mayfield operate his offense, and how much confidence will they have? Few coaches have more to prove this season than Kingsbury, and if his team isn’t ready SMU will give Tech a battle on Friday night.

10. TCU QB Casey Pachall: Even if he does earn the start for TCU this weekend -- Gary Patterson is sticking to his strategy of not naming a starter until kickoff -- you have to imagine Trevone Boykin will enter the game if Pachall has some early struggles against an LSU defense that, despite losing so many starters to the NFL, should still have legitimate talent at all three levels. Remember, Pachall started only one Big 12 game last season before leaving the program, and it was a not-so-stellar 20-6 win over Kansas. So much is expected of him this season, and the presence of Boykin puts pressure on Pachall to be as good as advertised.

STILLWATER, Okla. -- It finally hit Jeremy Smith that he would be the featured running back when one of Oklahoma State’s famed former featured runners followed him on Twitter.

It was Oklahoma State legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Thurman Thomas.

“I pretty much smiled when he did,” Smith said. “Looking up to those guys, Thurman and Barry (Sanders) -- the thing here is 'Tailback U.'

"We've proven that. We’re going to keep that going."

The onus has now fallen on to Smith to keep the Cowboys’ venerable running back tradition going.

At long last.

After backing up All-Big 12 running backs Joseph Randle, Kendall Hunter and Keith Toston the past four seasons, Smith’s turn as the bell-cow back has finally arrived.

“I’m too ready,” said Smith, a fifth-year senior. “I feel blessed to have this opportunity.

“It’s my turn now.”

Oklahoma State’s running back history is one of the richest in the country. Thomas elevated it to another level with two first-team All-American seasons in the ‘80s before going on to star with the Buffalo Bills. Then in 1988, Sanders put together one of the greatest individual seasons by any player in college football history on his way to capturing the Heisman.

Even as Oklahoma State has evolved into a spread attack under coach Mike Gundy -- Thomas and Sanders’ quarterback -- the Cowboys have continued to produce outstanding running backs. Oklahoma State has featured a 1,000-yard running back in each of the last six seasons.

Coaches and teammates believe Smith has all the tools to become the seventh.

"He's got the skills, he's got the ability, he's got the knowledge," said position coach Jemal Singleton.

“He definitely has the capability."

Smith has definitely been a capable wingman the past four seasons, averaging 6.2 yards per carry. Among Oklahoma State running backs with more than 100 career carries, Sanders owns a better average. Because of his powerful running style, Smith has been especially efficient in the red zone, underscored by his 25 career rushing touchdowns.

“Jeremy is extremely explosive,” Singleton said. “He’s got a really good burst. When he sticks his foot in the ground, he can get going.”

Really, the only knock on Smith has been durability.

After rushing for an Oklahoma State freshman-debut record 160 yards, Smith had to redshirt after suffering a shoulder injury. Nagging injuries hampered him the past two seasons, too.

Smith, however, said being on the field full-time should actually help his durability.

"I won't be trying to warm myself up all the time,” Smith said. “That won’t be a problem at all. I'll always be warm.”

Keeping Smith warm and healthy will be paramount for the Pokes, who have no other seasoned rusher on the roster. Smith, however, has inspired confidence he can handle the load with the work his teammates say he put in during the offseason. Smith’s massive biceps inspire confidence, too.

“I always tease him,” Gundy said, “if I looked like him, I’d just move to (Los Angeles) and walk around in swim trunks all day.”

Good thing for the Cowboys, Smith will be in Stillwater for one more season. With hopes of keeping Oklahoma State’s tailback tradition up and rolling.

“Be looking for a big year,” Smith said. “Not going to be any letdown -- I promise you that.”

STILLWATER, Okla. -- Last season Oklahoma State became the first FBS team since 1996 to have three 1,000-yard passers.

Two of those passers -- Clint Chelf and J.W. Walsh -- are back. But their teammates don’t seem to care which wins the starting quarterback job. They say they can put up the points with either. Or, perhaps, even both.

“Doesn’t matter to me at all,” said Josh Stewart, who led Oklahoma State in receiving last year. “They both put up big numbers without even playing the whole season.

“We’re very confident in both of them.”

The Cowboys have reason to be.

After Brandon Weeden set school records during Oklahoma State’s Fiesta Bowl run in 2011, the Cowboys were left without a clear succession plan at quarterback going into 2012. Chelf and Walsh battled incoming freshman Wes Lunt for the job during spring. Then days after spring ball, coach Mike Gundy stunned everyone, even his own players, by naming Lunt the starter.

“We really had no clue what our season would look like because we didn’t have a quarterback until summertime,” Stewart said. “And it was Wes, which was a shocker to everybody because it was a freshman coming in. We had Clint, who was a veteran and J-Dub, who performed really well in the spring game. Wes was the last person we were thinking.

“It was a shocker.”

Lunt showed why Gundy picked him to start by throwing for 436 yards and four touchdowns in a shootout loss to Arizona the second game of the season. But a week later, Lunt was out of the lineup with a knee injury, and Walsh was in. And the offense kept on humming, as the Cowboys racked up 576 yards against Texas, then 625 against Iowa State.

After Walsh suffered his own knee injury -- and Lunt got knocked out again with a concussion -- Chelf was in. And the offense kept on humming. With Chelf at the helm, the Cowboys scored 55 points against West Virginia, 59 against Texas Tech and 48 at Oklahoma in a heartbreaking, overtime loss in which the Cowboys led virtually the entire game.

All told, despite shuffling through three inexperienced quarterbacks, Oklahoma State finished third in the nation in scoring, averaging almost 46 points a game.

“We were very fortunate they didn’t have any experience and still played pretty well,” Gundy said. “You feel a little better this year because they’ve been out there, they’ve played on the road, they’ve been in tough environments, they’ve executed and they certainly know the offense better than they did a year ago.”

Gundy hasn’t made either quarterback available to the media this preseason. He hasn’t indicated when he’ll name a starter, either – although he did say he would have done so already if the Cowboys weren’t facing an SEC opponent in the opener.

Because he ended last season as the starter, Chelf is the favorite to get the nod over Walsh against Mississippi State in Houston. But their teammates hinted a two-quarterback attack isn’t off the table, either.

“I’d be looking out for both of them,” said running back Jeremy Smith. “I think it’s going to be a one-two punch with those guys.”

Walsh is the better runner, and operated Oklahoma State’s goal line package late last season when he returned from injury. Chelf, meanwhile, is more comfortable throwing downfield out of the pocket.

“I think that’s got to be the scariest thing for rest of the Big 12, if we put both those guys back there at different times,” said receiver Blake Jackson. “That’s really dangerous.”

Whether they play Chelf, play Walsh or play both, the Cowboys ought to be dangerous on offense once again. Due in large part to their two quarterbacks.

“This year, we know what we have,” Stewart said. “We know what our quarterbacks can do.

“And we’re very confident, because both are great.”

ESPN.com’s Jake Trotter talks with Oklahoma State running back Jeremy Smith about taking over as the leader in the Cowboys’ backfield and his expectations for the offense.

Nine Big 12 players are on the list for the Doak Walker Award, given annually to college football's top running back.

• B.J. Catalon, TCU
• John Hubert, Kansas State
• Waymon James, TCU
• Glasco Martin, Baylor
• James Sims, Kansas
• Lache Seastrunk, Baylor
• Jeremy Smith, Oklahoma State
• James White, Iowa State
• Damien Williams, Oklahoma

Very nice haul from the Big 12. Running back is probably the Big 12's strongest position of any to start the season, and you can see that on this list. Two teams (Baylor, TCU) have multiple backs on the watch list, and there's no question about any of those guys. I'm very surprised Texas didn't get a name on the list. In theory, Johnathan Gray, Malcolm Brown and Joe Bergeron all had a case to be on here. Texas Tech's Kenny Williams probably could have been added to this list, too, and perhaps Oklahoma's Brennan Clay.

Seastrunk has a great chance to win this award, but guys like Williams, Sims, James and Hubert could all make the list of finalists.

Texas' Cedric Benson (2004) was the last player from the Big 12 to win the award. The Longhorns are the only school in college football with three winners all-time. Texas Tech (Byron Hanspard, Bam Morris) is one of just three schools in college football with multiple winners since the award began in 1990.

The field of Big 12 running backs is deep in 2013, and the vote for the league's leading rusher reflected that. Baylor's Lache Seastrunk has had a brief run of success, but the spectacle of that success has him on the short list of the league's best returning offensive players.

He's my pick to lead the Big 12 in rushing this season, but collected just 26 percent of the fan vote from our readers. "The field" earned a solid 38 percent of the vote. Oklahoma State's Jeremy Smith would lead that group for me, possibly followed by Waymon James at TCU, despite a crowded backfield. We'll get to your emails and some surprising picks in a bit.

Kansas State's John Hubert would be my No. 2 pick to lead the league in rushing, but he earned just 15 percent of the vote. Like Seastrunk, Oklahoma's Damien Williams isn't very experienced at the major college level, but he earned 13 percent of the vote. Kansas' James Sims brought up the rear of the vote with 8 percent of the vote. Kansas' backfield is crowded with Tony Pierson and Taylor Cox, and Sims is a workhorse who's tough to bring down near the line of scrimmage, but his yardage comes with a big pile of carries.

Who would the fans campaign for? Here's a bit of what you had to say:

Marshall Stirtz in Iowa writes: For the Big 12 leading rusher in 2013, I believe that maybe not as an individual but as a team Iowa State should have one of the best rushing offenses in the Big 12

Cole in Wilson, N.C., writes: Charles Sims -- West Virginia. Saw he was the 5th ranked 2014 pro prospect (RB) and he is on a team desperate for offense and has not even named a QB ... so looks like they will be executing a lot of running plays as well as screens and WVU's favorite "drop pass" that they made popular in the Orange Bowl against Clemson

Phillip in Vernon, Texas, writes: I think with a healthy OL and new OC, Johnathan Gray will have a breakout year 2013 and challenge for the leading rusher title in the Big 12!!!

Stephen Lopez in Fort Worth, Texas, writes: What about Waymon James and/or Aaron Green? James rushed for 99 yards vs Kansas before being taken out in the fourth quarter (Lache Seastrunk rushed for 103 yards vs Kansas) and had 168 yards in two games. I bet if he wasn't injured, he would have had an incredible season and would be on this list. And Aaron Green was same situation as Lache Seastrunk was in before transfering: 5 star recruit out of high school, went to a school where they didn't have a lot of playing time, then transferred. I think he is poised for a grand season. And don't you forget about B.J. Catalon, Kyle Hicks.

Clifford Mitchell in Guthrie, Okla., writes: You know Jeremy Smith will lead the league in rushing. He's a better runner than Randle was, Tailback U for a reason. We have the best O-line returning and we're the only spread in the country that proves year-in-year-out we can run the football. Kid at Baylor tremendous talent, but I am afraid his mouth has already written some checks his you-know-what won't be able to cash. One of those runners from UT would look good in OSU's backfield unfortunately for them poor line and no qb play...keep up the good work and Bedlam decides Big 12 ship and I'm goin with the Pokes

Sean in Flower Mound, Texas, writes: I would make a strong case for the Big 12's most overlooked RB -- TCU's Waymon James. To refresh memories, he went out in the 2nd game in 2012, but had already accumulated 168 yards rushing on a rediculous 9.9 per carry mark for the season at the time of the injury ... ran for 99 yards on 12 carries while adding two receptions and a season-long 28-yard kickoff return in that game at Kansas. He's TCU's human bowling ball who increased his ypc mark each year and looks to explode next year as the featured back with a true throwing threat back to force defenses not to load the box.

Alex in Ames, Iowa, writes: Referring to your rushing leader question, I think you have to have the ISU backfield at least on the radar. I don't specify an individual because there are too many options to be certain. James White and Shontrelle Johnson are the obvious frontrunners, but DeVondrick Nealy and Aaron Wimberly are two guys that have impressed coaches in the spring. Woody, of course will do his work as a pound-it-out back as well. The biggest reason for the excitement is the focus on the pistol offense ISU will have with the new OC, coupled with the strong offensive line. The Cyclones may not field the Big 12's leading rusher, but don't be surprised if they lead the league as a team.

On Tuesday, we asked about the Big 12's leading passer. Who will lead the league in rushing this season?

If you don't like any of the top candidates, e-mail me your case for another back.

Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor: Broke out in the final half of the season, highlighted by a 185-yard game in a win over then-No. 1 Kansas State. He's the Big 12's most explosive player and racked up an average of 138 yards a game over the final six games of the season. Can he continue that?

Damien Williams, RB, Oklahoma: Williams rushed for at least 90 yards in six games last season and broke huge runs against UTEP and Texas. He's got great balance and vision, and the juco transfer could springboard to a productive NFL career with one more solid season in Norman.

John Hubert, RB, Kansas State: Hubert has been rock solid over the past two seasons in Manhattan, topping 950 yards twice as Collin Klein's right-hand man on the way to a Big 12 title last season. Klein is gone, but Hubert's carries are sure to go up with Bill Snyder's ground-based offense.

James Sims, RB, Kansas: Sims isn't short on touches as the only consistent member of Kansas' offense for the past two seasons. He's the Big 12's leading returning rusher and received at least 18 carries in every Kansas game he played in last season. He was suspended for the first three games and still logged a 1,000-yard season, and had five games with at least 27 carries in 2012.

The field: Lots of great candidates here who could break out for a big year. Would you vote for them? Oklahoma State's Jeremy Smith tops this list for me, but could one of Texas' talented backs earn your vote or another at West Virginia, despite the depth? Send me an e-mail here and make your case for another Big 12 back.

Vote in our poll and we'll review the results later.

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

Phil Steele knows college football, and rolled out his preseason all-conference teams recently, including the Big 12.

You can see the full conference picks here, but plenty of interesting selections from the college football guru. ESPN.com's teams won't be released until much later this offseason, but here's a few thoughts on Steele's teams:

• Is it a little bit crazy to pick a guy who has thrown 10 career passes as your first-team All-Big 12 quarterback? Absolutely. If I had to pick one, though, would I tab Baylor's Bryce Petty as the first-team All-Big 12 quarterback to close the season? Yes, I would. Generally, I see preseason honors as a "Who's had the best career to this point?" type of deal and not as much of a prediction, but that's a personal belief and not anything the Big 12 officially states when it sends out preseason All-Big 12 ballots. Petty is an intriguing choice as the Big 12's No. 1 quarterback that's obviously going to draw attention, but I'm not going to be one to argue.
• I'd say selecting Petty as the Big 12's No. 1 QB says just as much about the rest of the guys in the Big 12 than it does about Petty. Steele tabbed TCU's Casey Pachall as his second-teamer, Texas' David Ash as his third and Oklahoma's Blake Bell on the fourth team. I'd say Clint Chelf or Michael Brewer belongs in that mix, but none of those guys have the statistical potential of Petty. Pachall makes great decisions on the field, but TCU's offense doesn't give him the capability to routinely roll up 400-yard games. Ash is above average, but he's not a world-beater (doesn't need to be for Texas to win a Big 12 title, I might add) and still has to prove he can be more consistent.
• This might be the deepest season at running back we've seen in a long time. I'd put John Hubert or James Sims ahead of Oklahoma's Damien Williams, but good selections from Steele to give Andrew Buie, Johnathan Gray and Malcolm Brown a little love, too. Opportunities are all that's limited Jeremy Smith from having a big year. He'll have them now, and I'm betting on him to be the seventh consecutive Oklahoma State running back to top 1,000 yards.
• Conversely, this could be one of the weakest years for wide receivers. There are a lot of above average receivers in the league, but there's not a guy that jumps out as one defenses really fear and spend a ton of time game-planning for. Mike Davis and Josh Stewart are good, somewhat obvious picks for the first team, but I'd go with Jalen Saunders ahead of Tracy Moore, and probably Eric Ward, too.
• Tough picks this year at safety, which has been easy for a while in the Big 12 with Tony Jefferson and Kenny Vaccaro hanging around. Tons of depth at that position. Steele went with Ty Zimmerman and Daytawion Lowe as his first-teamers. I'd probably say Joseph over Lowe by a hair but even when you get down to third-teamers like Baylor's Ahmad Dixon or fourth-teamers like Iowa State's Jacques Washington and Texas' Adrian Phillips, you're talking about guys who can really, really play. Could be a very defensive year in the Big 12, relative to what we're used to seeing in this league. Look at the cornerbacks, too. The dropoff from the first to third teams is negligible. Aaron Colvin and Jason Verrett have NFL-type measurables, but so do Justin Gilbert and Quandre Diggs and third-teamers Carrington Byndom and Joe Williams could be strong.
• Steele illustrates the weight of Delvon Simmons' departure from Texas Tech. The defensive lineman was on Steele's second team before leaving school and electing to transfer. Kliff Kingsbury said last week he wants guys who want to be Red Raiders, but it's still a big loss for the Tech defense.
• What about the kickers? It seems like everybody in the league hates their kicker these days, but two guys on Steele's list have their jobs up for grabs. Iowa State's Edwin Arceo is a second-teamer, but he'll be battling freshman Cole Nettlen to even get on the field once fall camp begins. Fourth-teamer Ron Doherty from Kansas is on the chopping block, too. Weis was displeased with just about every facet of his special-teams units last year, and completely revamped the way the units are coached. Every assistant coach now is in charge of one facet of special teams, instead of having one special teams coach. He brought in juco kicker Nick Pardula to try and fix those issues, too. He'll compete with Doherty in the fall, but Weis raved about Pardula's big leg when I talked with him last month. First-teamers Jaden Oberkrom from TCU and Iowa State's Kirby Van Der Kamp are certified studs, but it could be an ugly year elsewhere in Big 12 special teams.

We looked at the 3,000-yard passers on Tuesday, but what about the guys on the ground? The 1,000-yard mark is the benchmark for a good season running the ball, and the Big 12 had just three players reach it in 2012. Three more had at least 925 yards, but who's going to run for 1,000 yards next season?

Here's who I'm taking:

1. Lache Seastrunk, Baylor: He has physical skills no other back in the league can match, and big-time confidence to go with them. He basically rushed for 1,000 yards in little more than a month last year. I have no doubt he'll do it again. He carries a status into the season as the most dangerous player in the league with the ball in his hands. I'll be shocked if he doesn't top 1,000 yards easily, barring injury.

2. James Sims, Kansas: This will be out of necessity. Sims notched his first 1,000-yard season in 2012 and did so with zero help from the passing game. Everybody knew he'd be getting the ball at least 25 times a game, and they still couldn't stop him. Jake Heaps will add some more balance to help soften up the box, but Sims is still the most reliable player on KU's offense.

3. John Hubert, Kansas State: Hubert's been overshadowed by Collin Klein, and logging over 500 carries in the running game the past couple of seasons has limited what Hubert could do. Still, he's had more than 950 yards in each of the past two seasons. Daniel Sams or Jake Waters will still run the ball, but not as much as Klein did. Look for Hubert to benefit and play the role of bell cow for this offense.

4. Jeremy Smith, Oklahoma State: Oklahoma State has had a 1,000-yard rusher for six consecutive seasons, the longest streak in the Big 12 and one of the nation's longest. It's still a pass-first offense, but that streak's not ending under new offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich. Smith's role was marginalized last season behind Joseph Randle despite topping 600 yards back in 2011, but he's going to be the main guy ahead of Desmond Roland this year. He's experienced and a solid blocker, too. That'll keep him on the field a whole lot. He's also got deceptive speed for his size.

Just missed: Damien Williams, Oklahoma.

Note: Texas, TCU, Texas Tech and West Virginia will have plenty of rushing yards, but the carries will be split too many ways for one player to top 1,000 yards.