ESPN

2012 record: 9-4
2012 conference record: 5-4 (third in the Big 12)
Returning starters: Offense: 10; defense: 9; kicker/punter: 1

Top returners: QB David Ash, RB Johnathan Gray, WR Mike Davis, WR Jaxon Shipley, LT Donald Hawkins, RT Josh Cochran, G Mason Walters, DE Jackson Jeffcoat, LB Jordan Hicks, CB Quandre Diggs, CB Carrington Byndom

Key losses: P Alex King, S Kenny Vaccaro, DE Alex Okafor, WR Marquise Goodwin

2012 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Johnathan Gray* (701 yards)
Passing: David Ash* (2,699 yards)
Receiving: Mike Davis* (939 yards)
Tackles: Kenny Vaccaro (107)
Sacks: Alex Okafor (12.5)
Interceptions: Quandre Diggs* (4)

Spring answers:

1. Under center: Texas has finally ended all the debate about its quarterback situation and settled on David Ash. While Ash has yet to be stellar in his first two years at Texas, the junior has steadily improved -- he was top 25 in pass efficiency rating in 2012 -- and has won the trust of new quarterbacks coach Major Applewhite. Applewhite believes Ash is the quarterback best suited to run the new up-tempo, spread attack.

2. Loaded at linebacker: One year after being the worst tackling team in the Big 12, Texas went into the spring looking to shore up its linebacker position. And it had plenty of options. Texas has seven linebackers who have started at least one game. Included in that group is Jordan Hicks, who is back after missing 10 games last year because of a hip injury. Hicks will team with true sophomores, Dalton Santos and Peter Jinkens for what should be a much faster and aggressive unit in 2013.

3. Along the lines: While there were a sprinkling of injuries along the offensive line this spring (Josh Cochran and Trey Hopkins), Texas appears to have finally solved the depth riddle at that position. Tackle Kennedy Estelle was able to get quality snaps and should prove to be a solid backup and Sedrick Flowers finally emerged as an option at guard. While Texas returns all five starter from a year ago along the line, the Longhorns know that in the new up-tempo offense it will have to lean heavily on these backups.

Fall questions

1. Speed thrills: Texas wants to move the ball fast. So fast that the offensive players were even taught how to quickly get the ball back to the official so that they could put it down and Texas could line up and run the next play. But Texas only decided it wanted to play this way in mid-December when there was a change in playcallers from Bryan Harsin to Applewhite. So Texas has only had a handful of practices to get up to speed. With a schedule that has Texas at BYU for the second game of the season there doesn’t appear to be much time to get things perfected.

2. Safety dance: Texas’ defense was the worst in school history and that was largely due to the play of the back seven on defense. And now the best player in that back seven, Kenny Vaccaro, is gone. He was a first-round draft pick. That has left Texas wondering who will step up and make some stop at the safety position. Adrian Phillips takes over for Vaccaro, but he was inconsistent last season. The coaches blamed a shoulder injury and the fact he missed the spring. Mykkele Thompson and Josh Turner also missed their share of tackles but both are being called on to be possible starters.

3. Receiving praise: Texas has not had a 1,000-yard receiver since Jordan Shipley in 2009. Mike Davis had 939 yards last year and appears poised to break the 1,000-yard mark this season. But to do that he will need help. And right now there are some questions as to where that help will come from. Texas wants to go with four wide receivers but two of the four players expected to fill those roles -- Cayleb Jones and Kendall Sanders -- are currently suspended because of legal issues. Both will probably be back. But even then, Texas is very thin at wide receiver and needs some other players to step up to help take the double teams away from Davis.

AUSTIN, Texas -- Before hyperbole and highlights steal away the sanity of everyone with burnt orange hearts, let's get this straight: David Ash is the starting quarterback for Texas. No question.

Backup? Ah, now that is where the riddles begin.

Freshman Tyrone Swoopes stole the show and the imagination of those watching the Texas spring game Saturday. Sure, it was only one series. But it was the first series in which the first-team defense was not only scored on but made to look confused by a freshman and a patchwork line. OK, given where this defense has been -- the worst in school history just a scant five months ago -- maybe the 10-play, 31-yard drive Swoopes engineered for a field goal was not such a huge accomplishment. Then again, given where this offense has been in terms of quarterbacks since Colt McCoy, having a starter and a potentially electrifying option just steps away on the sideline ... consider it a cattle prod in the side of Bevo.

Swoopes provided that shock to the system by first scampering 21 yards around and through the first-team defense. He followed that by slipping underneath the tackles of Adrian Phillips and Jordan Hicks and going for seven more yards. And while it wasn't anywhere near the stuff legends are made of, it was enough to plant Swoopes at the forefront of the endlessly spinning next-big-thing wheel.

Oh, and by the way, he is also now in front of Connor Brewer and Jalen Overstreet as the third-string quarterback despite being on campus for just three months. Case McCoy, the on-paper No. 2 QB, remains the next hurdle for Swoopes to clear before he plays. Building Swoopes up with a redshirt year so he can learn and grow is no foregone conclusion, Texas coach Mack Brown said.

"We are trying to get the best quarterback that we need," Brown said. "And obviously Case will be gone in a year so someone needs to be ready to go."

Read the rest of the story at HornsNation.

You can only be inspired by our friends at the ACC Blog, but today, we'll start looking at a few of the Big 12's best teams and asking you the big question: Do you buy them as a Big 12 title contender?

Or is any talk of a title simply pretending?

Let's start with the team I believe will be the most polarizing in these debates: the Texas Longhorns.

Texas has recruited solidly, though it's not necessarily pulling in top-five classes with ease lately. The defense struggled to stop the run, but the offseason began with a good taste in Texas' mouths after a dramatic Alamo Bowl comeback against a good Oregon State team for one of the Big 12's best nonconference wins of the season.

Major Applewhite is finally taking over as playcaller and he's got to help David Ash mature and find the consistency to make Texas a contender for some major hardware for the first time since the 2009 season.

Two of Texas' best defenders -- linebacker Jordan Hicks and defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat -- will be back on the field after missing most of 2012 with injuries. Receiver Mike Davis elected to come back for his senior season after proving himself as a deep threat last season, offsetting a strong running game with four great backs headlined by Malcolm Brown and Johnathan Gray, two of Texas' best signees in its 2011 and 2012 recruiting classes.

The Longhorns won at least 10 games in nine consecutive seasons before missing a bowl game in 2010. Texas has steadily improved since that disaster, but is this the year Texas breaks back into the double digits and wins a Big 12 title?

Vote in our poll. Is Texas a contender or a pretender?

As spring camps begin, we'll offer up a preview and let you know what to watch for in each team's 15 practices over the next couple of months. Texas will start spring practice first, so today we start with the Longhorns.

Schedule: The Longhorns begin spring practice on Thursday and will host a spring game on March 30.

What's new: Offensive playcalling duties have fallen to co-coordinator Major Applewhite now, who was promoted when partner Bryan Harsin left to become Arkansas State's head coach. Defensive coordinator Manny Diaz mulled a move after the season, but ultimately stuck around to help revive a defense that struggled in 2012.

On the mend: Defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat will likely be limited after undergoing surgery on a torn pectoral, but linebacker Jordan Hicks should return following a hip injury that cost him his 2012 season and a sexual assault charge that was eventually dropped stemming from an incident during the Longhorns' bowl trip.

Stepping up: Kenny Vaccaro's versatility will be tough to replace, but figuring out who will try and fill his role at safety will be huge for Texas' defense during the spring. My money is on Mykkele Thompson, but don't rule out junior Josh Turner or even a position move for physical junior cornerback Quandre Diggs.

New faces: Texas is welcoming a handful of early enrollees this spring, headlined by quarterback Tyrone Swoopes. Offensive lineman Jake Raulerson, the 2013 class' first commit, is also enrolled along with linebacker Deoundrei Davis and tight end Geoff Swaim, the nation's No. 4 junior college player at the position.

Breaking out: Linebacker Peter Jinkens already made an impact as a true freshman, but don't be surprised if he leaves spring practice with a starting gig, beating out a few older players like Steve Edmond and Kendall Thompson. Jinkens earned a start against Iowa State and snagged an interception in Texas' Alamo Bowl win over Oregon State, but the 6-foot-1, 213-pounder from Dallas could be a budding star in a linebacking corps that needs help after a disappointing 2012.

Under the radar: Texas struggled in the kicking game throughout 2012, making just 11 of 19 attempts, the lowest percentage of any Big 12 team. Nick Jordan had to carry the load as a freshman while Penn State transfer Anthony Fera battled a groin injury. They'll be back to battle this spring, and though it won't get much attention in a camp loaded with intrigue, its importance can't be overstated for a team that doesn't hang points by the buckets and played in six games decided by one possession a year ago.

All eyes on: Quarterback David Ash. Being just OK is no longer acceptable. He was reasonably efficient last season with a passer rating of over 153, but faltered late in the season and struggled with inconsistency. If Texas is going to be great, he has to be great, and most importantly, consistent. No more well-deserved benchings in favor of Case McCoy. Ash limited his interceptions and was fifth in the league in passer rating, but he's got to be even better as a junior.

Every year, there's lots of turnover and change for every college program. What do the Big 12 teams need to do before next fall? Let's continue our look with the Longhorns down in Austin.

1. Figure out the offensive identity. Bryan Harsin is gone, and he's probably taking most of his pre-snap shifts with him. Will Major Applewhite still look to run a power offense? Texas has recruited and developed its offensive line really well lately, but David Ash has matured, and even with a wealth of backs in Malcolm Brown, Johnathan Gray, Joe Bergeron and Daje Johnson, Texas hasn't been able to keep them healthy or get consistent production out of one for an entire season. Will Applewhite put more responsibility in Ash's hands? He was good at times last season, but the rising junior was inconsistent. His ceiling is probably a legitimate Heisman campaign. His floor is probably getting benched in favor Connor Brewer or Jalen Overstreet -- or maybe even incoming freshman Tyrone Swoopes. Where will he fall on the spectrum? Will Texas continue to try to pound the trenches?

2. Plug up the middle of the defense. Texas' defense made no sense last season. The personnel is absolutely there to be great up front. The defensive tackles are deep and talented, led by guys like Malcom Brown, Ashton Dorsey, Desmond Jackson and Chris Whaley. The linebackers were solid, even without Jordan Hicks, who should be back next season. Peter Jinkens is a rising star and a few others have potential. Coordinator Manny Diaz didn't take another job, electing to stay in Austin and attempt fix the most underwhelming unit in the Big 12. It all starts with the ability to stop the run, something Texas never did consistently last season. Fix that, and the rest of this defense comes around, I say.

3. Discover and develop leadership. Texas was still a pretty young team last season after rebooting on both sides of the ball after the 2010 season. The freshmen and sophomores who contributed in 2011 are juniors and seniors now, but the team is losing guys like Alex Okafor and Kenny Vaccaro, players who had been around awhile and served as role models for younger guys. Look for Jackson Jeffcoat and David to fill the role this year, but other players, like Malcolm Brown or Jaxon Shipley, might emerge, too. We'll see who steps up in the spring.

More offseason to-do lists:

• Texas Tech
• West Virginia

Defensive numbers are always harder to project than offensive numbers, because they're so dependent on other teams' schemes. Still, let's take a look back at the most likely players to top 100 tackles before the season, and how they did this season.

The Big 12 had nine players with 100 tackles this season. There were 89 players in FBS with at least 100 tackles. Let's have a look at projections vs. reality.

1. Jake Knott, LB, Iowa State: Knott was on track to hit 100, but a shoulder injury ended his career four games early. He was stuck on 79 tackles to end the season after nine games, capped by a home win over Baylor.

2. A.J. Klein, LB, Iowa State: Klein was third in the Big 12 with 117 tackles, closing strong with 33 tackles in his final two games. After Knott's injury, Klein had six or fewer tackles in three consecutive games, but the strong finish helped him easily clear the 100-tackle threshold.

3. Arthur Brown, LB, Kansas State: Brown made nine tackles in K-State's loss to Oregon to hit the 100-tackle mark on the number and finish ninth in the Big 12 in tackles.

4. Jordan Hicks, LB, Texas: Hicks got off to a great start, making 20 tackles in Texas' first two games, but a hip injury ended his season early against Mississippi in the third game of the season. He earned a medical redshirt and will still be a sophomore next season.

5. Mike Hicks, S, Baylor: Baylor's linebackers shouldered the load for tackles this year and were much stronger up front. Hicks needed just 67 tackles this season.

6. Alex Elkins, LB, Oklahoma State: Elkins was Oklahoma State's leading tackler, but finished the season with just 75 tackles. In four of his last five games, he had five or fewer tackles.

Here are the guys we overlooked:

Bryce Hager, LB, Baylor: Hager came out of nowhere to lead the Big 12 with 124 tackles. He made just 13 tackles in 2011.

Tony Jefferson, S, Oklahoma: Oklahoma's scheme change under Mike Stoops funneled a whole lot more tackles Jefferson's way, and he was there to make the plays. He had just 74 tackles in 2011, but racked up 119 this season to finish second in the Big 12.

Ben Heeney, LB, Kansas: Heeney made a rousing eight tackles in 2011, but emerged as a playmaker this season to finish fourth in the Big 12 with 112 tackles.

Eddie Lackey, LB, Baylor: The juco transfer became Baylor's biggest big-play threat on defense late in the season with a pair of pick-sixes, but he also made 104 tackles.

Karl Joseph, S, West Virginia: The true freshman became WVU's defense's biggest playmaker, racking up takeaways but making 102 tackles.

Ahmad Dixon, S, Baylor: Baylor had two safeties make 100 tackles last year, but Dixon was the only one this year. It's hard to believe Baylor had three 100-tackle defenders this year, though. Dixon had 102.

Cody Davis, S, Texas Tech: Davis is the least surprising player who I didn't project for 100 tackles. He's been a huge part of Tech's defense, and nearly topped 100 stops in 2011. This year, he made 101 as a senior four-year starter.

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.

Texas suspends quarterback Case McCoy and linebacker Jordan Hicks for Valero Alamo Bowl game after violating team rules.

Texas' season had suddenly taken the feel of the 2010 debacle. A 4-0 start gave way to a narrow home loss to West Virginia and an embarrassing performance against Oklahoma in the form of a 42-point loss.

Mack Brown's job status was a topic of conversation in Austin, and the prospect of improving on last year's 8-5 record looked like anything but a guarantee. The Longhorns were playing their worst football of the year and injuries to key contributors like running back Malcolm Brown, linebacker Jordan Hicks and defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat weren't helping.

Texas got a narrow win over Baylor the following week before a fourth-quarter comeback to avoid an embarrassing loss to Kansas. The past two weeks, though, Texas has gotten back to playing its best football of the season, locking down defensively and seeing a pair of performances from quarterback David Ash that made anyone in burnt orange feel a whole lot better about the future.

"The guys have just understood that we didn’t play well at times against West Virginia. We didn’t play well at all against Oklahoma. I think they just circled the wagons," Brown said. "Young guys are growing up on defense. The offense continues to build and grow."

The result: Texas is 8-2 heading into a bye week before hosting TCU on Thanksgiving night instead of its annual date with rival Texas A&M, which left for the SEC after the 2011 season.

Still, win that game and Texas travels to Manhattan, Kan., to play spoiler against No. 1 Kansas State, which would likely be playing for a place in the BCS National Championship Game.

"I think the biggest thing is that they quit listening to any outside sources and went back to work," Brown said. They understood that the only thing that’s important when it comes to football is the product that we put on the field. And for two weeks, the product wasn’t very good, and it needed to get better.

"That’s what we did. We went back to work, tried to correct the mistakes that were being made, tried to figure out more about who we were on defense specifically with young linebackers and young safeties and challenged those guys, and they’ve stepped up. Now we’ve just got to finish strong."

Doing so would pay off in a big way. Beat TCU at home, upset K-State in The Little Apple and the Horns will be tough to turn down for the BCS, perhaps sliding into one of college football's premier bowls over those Sooners who beat them so badly in Dallas back in October.

Texas would be back to its 10-game winning ways and riding a seven-game winning streak to a strong finish. Still, even a loss to K-State would likely land the Horns in the Cotton Bowl for the first time since 2003.

Brown helped turn a bad situation into a good one.

"Every team is different, every player’s different, every coach is different and there’s a key to each kid. There’s a key to each coach," Brown said. "My job is to make sure I’ve turned the right key. That’s just something you learn through experience, is how to handle each situation."

Here's where you can find this week's games. My predictions will be up in the morning, and I'll also be revealing where I'm headed this weekend.

Let's hear your predictions in the comments.

No. 12 Oklahoma at Iowa State (noon ET, ABC) The Sooners already have a pair of losses to teams in the top three of the BCS. This week they travel to Ames to face an Iowa State team looking to earn its sixth win and qualify for a third bowl game in four years. Iowa State will be playing without linebacker Jake Knott, the Big 12's leading tackler who likely won't return after undergoing surgery on his shoulder on Monday.

TCU at No. 21 West Virginia (3 p.m. ET, FOX) The Big 12's two new members go head to head in Morgantown, and both have already taken a pair of lumps in Big 12 play. Both teams have dealt with impactful injuries, and both teams enter with two-game losing streaks. TCU's defense will be a tough assignment for a West Virginia offense that's inexplicably stalled since starting 5-0.

No. 23 Texas at No. 18 Texas Tech (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC) Texas Tech will debut its "Lone Star Pride" uniforms against their Lone Star rivals. Texas is missing linebacker Jordan Hicks and running back Malcolm Brown, but superstar freshman Johnathan Gray has earned his first start after his first 100-yard game last week against Kansas. The Red Raiders are likely out of the Big 12 race, but the winner of this game may find themselves in the Cotton Bowl at season's end.

Kansas at Baylor (3:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Net) The Big 12's lone winless teams in league play meet in Waco. Somebody's got to get in the win column by day's end. The difference? Baylor's gone four games without a win. Kansas has gone 17. The Jayhawks lost a heartbreaker a week ago to Texas, but Baylor's high-flying offense hasn't been able to keep up with a porous defense that leaves its margin of error small.

No. 24 Oklahoma State at No. 2 Kansas State (8 p.m. ET, ABC) Kansas State remarkably has yet to face a team this season with more than one conference loss. Oklahoma State is only the latest. The Cowboys lost a tight game to Texas early this year that has cost them a possible spot in the top 15-20. A win here, though, and the defending Big 12 champions are suddenly a factor in the league title race. A win for K-State means one step closer to a possible BCS National Championship Game bid.

Whole lot of fun this past weekend in the Big 12, with three of the four games coming down to the final possession. That's more like it.

Here's how I slot the league after five weeks.

1. Kansas State (4-0, 1-0, last week: 1) The Wildcats were off, but next week should be interesting. I'd argue Bill Snyder enjoys beating no team more than rival Kansas, and the Sunflower Showdown will be on in Manhattan this weekend.

2. West Virginia (4-0, 1-0, last week: 2) Geno Smith broke records and the hearts of Baylor's defensive backs on Saturday, but you have to be concerned a bit about the defense. Smith is out in front of the rest of the Heisman field by about a miles after throwing 20 touchdowns without his first interception. A much tougher Texas secondary and defensive line awaits in Austin this week.

3. Texas (4-0, 1-0, last week: 3) The Longhorns logged a huge win, but there's nowhere for them to go in these power rankings. WVU has looked pretty great every week, and hasn't allowed any room for the Longhorns to pass. We'll settle this on the field in a mammoth showdown between top-11 teams in Austin this week. Texas has tackling issues and didn't run the ball well until the final quarter at Texas, but can Jordan Hicks and Malcolm Brown getting healthy change that?

4. Oklahoma (2-1, 0-1, last week: 4) The Sooners were off this week, but a big test awaits in Lubbock. Oklahoma hasn't won there since 2003 and Texas Tech infamously ended OU's "Chase for 8" title run a year ago -- beginning the Sooners' gradual descent to the Insight Bowl. The Red Raiders, meanwhile, are undefeated and have a lot to prove. The Sooners do too, but this should be a great matchup that perhaps gets overlooked on the national scene with WVU-Texas and Georgia-South Carolina on the slate.

5. TCU (4-0, 1-0, last week: 5) I'm starting to wonder if TCU is in this spot on reputation alone. There's something to be said for winning despite playing sloppy, but TCU has been really, really sloppy. The rain was a factor, and SMU is a huge rivalry game, but the Frogs managed only 156 yards on offense. At West Virginia or Baylor, they call that a first quarter. The Frogs get a hungry, talented Iowa State team in Fort Worth this week.

6. Baylor (3-1, 0-1, last week: 6) You're kidding me if you think the Bears deserve to drop for going on the road and losing by seven to a top-10 team. Would any of the three teams below them have done any better? Doubtful at best. It's a tough loss for the Bears, but they're resilient, and dropping out of the top 25 for that seems a little unfair to me. The defense has a lot to work on, and the coverage was awful at times, but you can't ignore the offense. In that environment, it's really hard to score 63 points. I don't really care what the defense does.

7. Texas Tech (4-0, 1-0, last week: 8) Texas Tech got a huge road win on Saturday night, but let's still have a little perspective: The Red Raiders beat the No. 9 team in the league by 11 points in a game that was probably a touch closer than that. The defense is vastly improved and looked good on Saturday night. How much improved? We'll get a better idea this week when the Red Raiders host Oklahoma. Plenty of upward mobility is possible in both the polls -- Tech debuted at No. 24 in the coaches poll -- but the media remains unconvinced.

8. Oklahoma State (2-2, 0-1, last week: 7) Oklahoma State's two losses aren't that bad really, but two losses is a lot more than zero losses. OSU looks likely to rebound, but for now, you've got to slot them below Texas Tech. The Red Raiders haven't been tested like Oklahoma State has, but though it's unfair to say OSU failed its tests, they certainly didn't pass them. The Cowboys didn't have much of a dropoff with J.W. Walsh, who might be the league's best backup quarterback. The Cowboys are off this week before traveling to Kansas. Will Wes Lunt be back by then? My guess is yes, but OSU will be fine if he's not.

9. Iowa State (3-1, 0-1, last week: 9) The Cyclones couldn't make it three in a row against Texas Tech, but Iowa State may quietly have a case as the Big 12's best defense. We'll find out if that's the case as the season goes along, but they slowed a healthy, productive Tech offense in a big way. TCU this week in Fort Worth presents a different challenge, but Iowa State will have a chance to impress against a top-15 team it's definitely capable of beating.

10. Kansas (1-3, 0-1, last week: 10) KU was off this week, but the Jayhawks get back in action with a trip to Manhattan against K-State. The Wildcats have lit up the Jayhawks for 59 points in blowout wins in each of the past two seasons. How much better is Dave Campo's defense? This week will be a good measuring stick.

Here's what I'm keeping an eye on in this week's four games across the Big 12:

PODCAST
Texas Tech head coach Tommy Tuberville talks about being undefeated through the first three weeks, this weekend's game against Iowa State, starting conference play and more. Listen

1. Who's the man? I'm skeptical of Wes Lunt's supernatural healing powers. So, considering his knee was immobilized until Monday, and he wasn't expected to practice until today, I'm also skeptical that he'll play a down Saturday against Texas, the roughest and best defense in the Big 12 with the biggest and fastest defensive line. Call me crazy, but that doesn't sound like the best idea for your true freshman's long-term health. Still, Lunt was listed as a co-starter alongside J.W. Walsh on this week's depth chart. Will he play? We may find out Friday when OSU releases its injury report. Walsh will get a much tougher test, but he looked pretty solid against Louisiana-Lafayette.

2. Are we done yet? I agree with coach Gary Patterson -- the red zone turnovers are out of character for the Frogs. Still, they've turned potential blowout wins into just OK wins in two consecutive weeks. The Frogs turned it over four times in the red zone against Kansas and twice against Virginia. How much longer can they get away with that? SMU would love to take advantage, so TCU had better fix it.

3. Feeling the need for speed: Tevin Reese and Tavon Austin are on the short list of the Big 12's fastest players. They've both had huge games early on this season, but which speedster outraces the other in Morgantown? It may ultimately decide the game. They both have a teammate who can go up and grab jump balls, but with two questionable defenses, these two may have the day's biggest highlights.

4. Is it real? Is it spectacular? Texas Tech leads the nation in total defense, which is unlikely to last but impressive nonetheless. Just how good is this defense? The first three games told us pretty much nothing, except that the Red Raiders are better than last year and won't be giving up chunks of yardage to bad teams. Iowa State is not a bad team and has plenty of playmakers. What can Tech prove as its schedule toughens up?

5. Calvin's last stand: Heading into this weekend, it feels like Texas' running game versus Oklahoma State's defensive line is one of the biggest mismatches on the Week 5 slate. Will that be the case? The Longhorns have looked efficient and physical running both inside and outside the tackles, and Arizona worked over OSU's defense with a zone read. If anybody's going to slow down Texas, it's Calvin Barnett getting a push up front and mucking up the Longhorns' schemes.

6. All Tuckered out. Matthew Tucker was pretty average against Virginia, gaining 52 yards on 15 carries. He's the one back Patterson says he trusts, but what will he look like on the road against SMU? TCU needs him to play big this year, and he needs to show something before Big 12 play really hits its stride. Can he top 100 yards?

7. Throw it to the guys in white. Nick Florence has put up big numbers. But when I saw the Bears play SMU, he tested fate pretty often, throwing the ball into coverage a handful of times but getting away with it. He wasn't picked off all night. He did it again last week against Louisiana-Monroe, with one really bad interception and another that came on a ball thrown while he was being hit. Simply put: He can't throw interceptions this week. More than one will all but eliminate Baylor's opportunity to win this game. He has to make better decisions.

8. They just keep coming, Clones. Texas Tech has about 74 receivers on its team who can be productive in this offense, and Seth Doege finds them all. Still, Tech might have the league's deepest receiving corps and Doege spreads it out really well. It'll be a tough test for the Cyclones. Texas Tech has already had 13 players catch at least four passes through just three games. ISU's defense showed up big time against OSU last year, and it may need a similar effort to win this one.

9. Can you say Heisman? What's the deal with David Ash? Did we see a flash on the road against Ole Miss a couple of weeks ago? Or was this the beginning of a special season for Ash in Austin? We'll get a pretty good idea in Stillwater on Saturday. OSU's corners, Brodrick Brown and Justin Gilbert, are as good as any in the Big 12.

10. Big test for a big D. Texas' defense, unlike Texas Tech's, has not been overly strong through its first three games. Saturday could be a good opportunity for the Longhorns' D to prove what it can do long-term. The Longhorns have the horses to be elite, but giving up 31 points to Ole Miss won't impress anybody. Tackling issues were pervasive in that win. Linebacker Jordan Hicks isn't healthy, and his status is up in the air, but I'd expect him to play, despite an injured hip.

Colleague Travis Haney made his list of the nation's top 30 breakout players, and no surprise, the Big 12 played a big part in the list.

All good selections from Haney, and five players from the Big 12 made the list.

The top pick: safety Tony Jefferson.

He's broken out and the secret's out in Big 12 country, but if the Sooners keep winning, expect Jefferson to gain a ton of national notoriety. The biggest piece of that will be his move to free safety that should allow him to rack up stats that will turn more heads, too.

Jefferson is No. 6 on the list, and Longhorns linebacker Jordan Hicks is right behind him at No. 7.

No question about it: The Ohio native and former No. 1 linebacker in the nation coming out of high school has all the skills necessary, but like Texas' corners did last year, don't be surprised if Hicks turns a question mark into a strength by the end of the season.

He's mature and already looks like a leader. He made 65 stops a year ago, and will be even more comfortable in Year 2 of Manny Diaz's defensive scheme.

Baylor's Terrance Williams gave the Big 12 three consecutive picks on the list at No. 8.

Williams might have had the quietest 900-yard receiving season in the country a year ago, but as the No. 1 target for Nick Florence this year, there won't be any room for NFL-bound Kendall Wright to overshadow Williams, who just may be an NFL first-round pick next April.

A fourth player? Somebody few Big 12 fans have really gotten a chance to see. Penn State didn't play any Big 12 teams last season, but Brown fled the NCAA sanctions in State College to try and find a new home in Norman. He caught 36 balls a year ago and would have been the Nittany Lions' No. 1 target this year, but now, he'll start and try to find his role in the Sooners' pass-happy offense.

Brown's at No. 16, and the Big 12's final player on the list is defensive tackle Calvin Barnett, a juco transfer trying to find his place at Oklahoma State.

Mike Gundy's been very impressed with Barnett already, saying he's further along than any other juco transfer the school's ever invited into the program.

Everything seemed fine on the 40 Acres this time two years ago.

The defensive cupboard was well-stocked and Mack Brown was talking up the squad, openly inviting high expectations for his defense and claiming they might be the best in his time in Austin.

With the Acho brothers up front and three future NFL draft picks in the secondary, who could blame him?

"It didn’t turn out that way," Brown said this week.

The Longhorns defense was good, but not good enough. It led the Big 12 in total defense, but forced just 18 turnovers for 11th in the Big 12.

Oh, and Texas went 5-7.

The Longhorns bounced back with eight wins in 2011, and in 2012 the hype is back for a defense loaded with NFL talent once again. There is talk that it might be among the nation's best, if not the nation's best.

"I want our defense to live up to those expectations," Brown said. "All of us sitting here in preseason have expectations, especially at a school like the University of Texas. But, until you produce on the field, and we’ll have a better idea of how they look on Saturday, then we’re not sure how good they will be."

Brown's tempering the expectations a bit this time around, but he knows what he has.

The league's No. 1 and No. 2 defensive ends are anything but an unknown commodity. Both Jackson Jeffcoat and Alex Okafor could hear their names called in the first round of next April's NFL draft, though Jeffcoat said this week he wants to stay and get his degree from Texas.

Cornerbacks Quandre Diggs and Carrington Byndom morphed a question mark at cornerback into one of the team's strengths late in the season, and safety Kenny Vaccaro might be the best overall defender in the Big 12.

The one thing most closely resembling a question mark? The middle of the defense.

"I’ve consistently talked about the loss of the four seniors down the middle," Brown said, "and that we’ve got new, young guys in their places."

Linebackers Emmanuel Acho and Keenan Robinson were the vocal leaders of the defense last season, but have been replaced by super recruits Steve Edmond and Jordan Hicks, joining a speedster on the outside in linebacker Demarco Cobbs, who played quarterback, receiver, safety and returned kicks and punts in high school.

Tackle Kheeston Randall is gone, too, but the Longhorns look well suited to replace him by plugging juco transfer Brandon Moore and reformed running back Chris Whaley at the top of a rotation of five capable contributors in the middle of the defense.

Adrian Phillips moves up to replace four-year starter Blake Gideon at strong safety opposite Vaccaro.

"Until they prove it on Saturday that they’re ready to show that leadership and show that ability to handle Big 12 football at a fast pace, then we have to wait until they prove it before we can anoint them as a great defense," Brown said.

Here's guessing we won't wait long.

Camp is open in Austin. Before we get too deep in sweltering hot practices, I'll offer up a quick preview of what you need to know heading into the season.

See more fall camp previews.

Next up: Texas.

Media's predicted finish: Third.

Biggest storyline: Texas was a lot better last year than it was in 2010's five-win season, but how much better will Texas be in 2012? Eight wins won't cut it with the expectations facing this year's team. An offense full of freshmen is now an offense full of sophomores, but the Longhorns are still trying to climb back up the mountain after a Big 12 title in 2009 and two forgettable seasons since. Is this the year the Horns reach the summit once again?

Biggest question mark: Quarterback. No question about this one. For now, coach Mack Brown still says the position isn't settled between David Ash and Case McCoy, but Ash has reportedly received nearly all of the first-team reps since a strong performance in the win over California in the Holiday Bowl. Ash has the bigger upside and more impressive physical attributes, but he's got to start making good on that upside. He'll have plenty of help around him with a strong backfield and two good, young receivers in Jaxon Shipley and Mike Davis.

Who needs to step up: The linebackers. Junior Jordan Hicks is the leader of the group, but there's a huge leadership void there with the loss of Emmanuel Acho and Keenan Robinson. That leadership has shifted to guys like Alex Okafor, Kenny Vaccaro and Jackson Jeffcoat. Steve Edmond is a big presence and a promising player at 255 pounds in the middle of the defense, and former blue-chip recruit Demarco Cobbs is ready to take over at the other outside linebacker spot. He missed six games last season with a broken arm, but he's got absurd speed for his position.

Fun fact: Texas has exactly 12 players on its roster who are not from Texas. Who came from furthest away? How about freshman kicker Michael Davidson, from Aberdeen, Scotland.

New addition: Don't underestimate the impact of newcomer Anthony Fera, who gives Texas a huge upgrade at one of its biggest question marks: kicker. He may also get in the mix at punter, but Fera's an experienced kicker who transferred to Texas after the NCAA hammered Penn State with severe sanctions, including a four-year bowl ban. He made 14 of 17 kicks last season. Texas' defense should produce a lot of close, low-scoring games. Here's guessing Fera will have a big influence on how many of those are wins and how many are losses.

Don't forget about: WR Mike Davis. Shipley grabbed a lot of headlines last year, but Davis is still a big talent, too. The junior grabbed 45 passes for 609 yards and a touchdown last year. I'd be shocked if he doesn't have a major boost in production this year.

Breaking out: RB Johnathan Gray. Gray was the nation's top running back in the 2012 recruiting class, and joins Malcolm Brown and Joe Bergeron in a loaded backfield for the Longhorns. Still, where he fits and what kind of impact he'll have is one of the league's most fascinating developments. It's not every day the nation's Gatorade Player of the Year shows up on a Big 12 campus.