ESPN

2012 record: 7-6
2012 Big 12 record: 4-5
Returning starters: Offense: 6; defense: 9; kicker/punter: 2

Top returners: DE Devonte Fields, CB Jason Verrett, WR Brandon Carter, S Sam Carter, S Elisha Olabode, RB Waymon James, K Jaden Oberkrom, RB B.J. Catalon

Key losses: WR Josh Boyce, LB Kenny Cain, DE Stansly Maponga, C James Fry, OG Blaize Foltz, RB Matthew Tucker, WR Skye Dawson

2012 statistical leaders (*returners)

Passing: Trevone Boykin* (2,054 yards)
Rushing: B.J. Catalon* (584 yards)
Receiving: Josh Boyce (891 yards)
Tackles: Kenny Cain (86)
Sacks: Devonte Fields* (10)
Interceptions: Jason Verrett* (6)

Spring answers

1. Offensive line getting straightened out. James Fry and Blaize Foltz were big losses on the interior of the offensive line, and replacing them was a big concern for the Frogs' quiet spring. The spring ended with senior Eric Tausch atop the depth chart at center and sophomore Jamelle Naff winning the right guard job to replace Foltz. Tausch started at left guard last season and moved over, but sophomore Joey Hunt slid up to replace him. Neither Naff nor Hunt have much experience (Hunt earned his lone career start in a loss to Iowa State), but they'll be leaned on this season.

2. New targets acquired. Josh Boyce and Skye Dawson took their talents to the next level, leaving the Frogs in search of a pair of new starters. LaDarius Brown and Brandon Carter were sure things, but strong springs helped fellow juniors Cam White and David Porter win starting jobs at receiver. There aren't many open gigs for a team returning 15 starters, but that's one that will have a big impact.

3. Mallet dropping the hammer. Junior Marcus Mallet emerged late last season and finished with five tackles for loss and a forced fumble among his 18 stops. Now, he looks like the likely candidate to replace departed Kenny Cain and a possible breakout talent on a loaded TCU defense. The 6-foot-1, 216-pounder finished atop the depth chart after a good spring.

Fall questions

1. Is Casey Pachall back to his old self? It's probably safe to operate under the assumption that Pachall will win his job back in fall camp, but beating out Trevone Boykin isn't the same as leading the Big 12 in passing efficiency, like he was last year before his DUI arrest that ended his season. You don't win a Big 12 title with average quarterback play, which brings me to my next question.

2. Can TCU really handle a Big 12 schedule? TCU was competitive last year, sure, and only had one game that it wasn't competitive in. But TCU's not trying to be competitive. It didn't come to the Big 12 to do that. It came to win, and it's proven exactly nothing in that realm just yet. Managing a difficult week-to-week schedule is one thing. Winning just about every week is another. Ask K-State's 2012 team and Oklahoma State's 2011 squad how easy that is.

3. Is the defense for real? On paper, this unit should be absolutely dominant after finishing No. 1 in the Big 12 in total defense and returning nine starters, including Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Devonte Fields at defensive end. That sounds like Texas' defense from last year, who fell off the map and allowed more rushing yards than any team in school history. Sometimes, you just never really know. This is a new season and last year means nothing. Prove it again.

FORT WORTH, Texas -- On some days last season, Gary Patterson had to look down at his depth chart and cue up his own version of the Talking Heads classic, "Once in a Lifetime."

You may ask yourself, "Well, how did I get here?" ...

And you may tell yourself, "This is not my talented stable of running backs"
And you may tell yourself, "This is not my accurate, experienced QB"

It was a rough season for the Frogs in purple, especially for a coach like Patterson who had won fewer than seven games in a season just once since 2002, his second season as the full-time head man in Fort Worth. TCU struggled through more injuries than any team in the Big 12 last season, and lost six games, capped by a heartbreaker in a bowl game it dominated for more than three quarters.

It won just seven games, but a funny thing happened the end of a season that felt exhausting from a weekly grind in a new Big 12 the Frogs had longed for since being left outside of major conference football following the breakup of the Southwest Conference in the mid-90s.

"I think we gained a lot more respect fan-wise from being 7-5 than a being 11-2 beating Boise State at Boise State, which to me is an unbelievable win," Patterson told ESPN.com in a recent interview. "To me, that speaks volumes to where we’re at and I think our kids should to understand that, what we’re doing."

How'd that happen? People took notice of the Frogs' struggles off the field and saw they were still competitive on the field.

"Everybody was wondering how we could handle things on a week to week basis, and I thought we, except for one half of football against Oklahoma State, we felt like we were in every ball game that you had," Patterson said.

Four players were kicked off the team following a campus drug sting in January, including star linebacker Tanner Brock and a pair of other likely starters.

The Frogs left 2011 planning on having three backs in 2012 who ran for at least 700 yards, but Ed Wesley left the team after spring practice and Waymon James missed the final 11 games after injuring his knee in the Frogs' Big 12 opener against Kansas in Week 2.

Quarterback Casey Pachall, then the nation's leader in passer rating, left the team less than three weeks later to seek inpatient treatment for drug and alcohol addiction in the wake of a DUI arrest.

Defensive end Ross Forrest, who had six tackles for loss, suffered a shoulder injury in fall camp and fellow end Stansly Maponga battled an ankle and foot injury for much of the season, missing two games.

Matthew Tucker, the lone running back left with major experience, played through an ankle injury of his own, missing just one game.

Still, the Frogs battled on, losing a three-overtime heartbreaker to Texas Tech and losing to Big 12 co-champion Oklahoma after a possible game-winning touchdown pass was batted down as time expired to help the Sooners clinch their eighth title since 2000.

"I’ve been through 7-5 seasons before, and a couple plays here or there and, now you could have just as easily been 5-7, but you could have won 9 or 10, too, so how do you make up the little things?"

That's the challenge ahead for the Frogs, who look fit to contend for a Big 12 title in 2013 behind a defense that finished No. 1 in the league in total defense despite injuries and being forced to rely on more freshmen than ever before under Patterson. Pachall's back, too, battling to regain his job from Trevone Boykin.

Being competitive isn't good enough anymore. TCU's not out for respect anymore. It's time to start hunting trophies, preferably of the crystal bowl variety with the Big 12 logo etched on it.

"We’re not into moral victories. We’ve played well against those teams in the past, the key is to be able to recruit depth," Patterson said. "We’ve got to keep getting better at every position."

Year 1 was certainly one of the most difficult for Patterson, who took over the TCU job back in 2000. It won't get much easier in a deep Big 12 in 2013, but this time around, the Frogs would love it if the offseason isn't littered with personnel losses.

"You’ve got to come with it every week in our league," Patterson said. "As far as I’m concerned, you wouldn’t want any different."

It's hard not to wake up with a smile on your face on a day like today. Sure, I cover football, but the first two days of the NCAA tournament are two of the best of the year. In just a few hours, 16 college basketball games will tip off and we'll do the same thing again on Friday.

To celebrate, we'll have a little theoretical bracket competition in the Big 12 with next season's teams.

Here's how I'm seeding the league's 10 teams:

1. Oklahoma State
2. TCU
3. Texas
4. Oklahoma
5. Baylor
6. Texas Tech
7. Kansas State
8. West Virginia
9. Iowa State
10. Kansas

So, how would a 10-team bracket play out? Here's how I slot it. Feel free to provide your own conclusions in the comments. The Big 12, like this year's NCAA tournament, is wide open. Anything could happen, but assume that these games are played during this week. (Note: Players injured this spring will be included, as will early enrolling freshmen. Freshmen not on campus are not eligible for these games).

Play-in games (at Hutchinson Junior College in Hutchinson, Kansas):

No. 7 Kansas State vs. No. 10 Kansas: KU's got a bit more experience on its side, but experience doesn't mean much in this latest iteration of the Sunflower Showdown. Bill Snyder gets the best of the Jayhawks on the kind of field he knows very, very well. Kansas State 38, Kansas 20

No. 8 West Virginia vs. No. 9 Iowa State: This game was too close for comfort in November, but Iowa State's Sam Richardson makes enough plays to outgun an inexperienced WVU offense and a still-learning defense. West Virginia goes with experience at quarterback in Paul Millard, but the timing is still a bit off. Iowa State 31, West Virginia 30

FIRST ROUND (in the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas)

No. 1 Oklahoma State vs. No. 7 Kansas State: These two have had some classic battles over the past two years, but OSU quarterback Clint Chelf finishes without a turnover, and that gets the job done. If OSU hadn't thrown an interception against Kansas State in Manhattan last year, the Pokes might have pulled the upset. Cowboys running back Jeremy Smith goes off against Kansas State's new defensive line. Oklahoma State 47, Kansas State 31

No. 2 TCU vs. No. 9 Iowa State: Iowa State beat the heck out of TCU in Fort Worth last year, but that was just days after the Frogs lost quarterback Casey Pachall. Pachall is back, and so is running back Waymon James. Iowa State's green linebackers get bowled over by James' power. TCU 21, Iowa State 13

No. 3 Texas vs. No. 6 Texas Tech: Texas Tech is still searching for its offensive identity, and Texas defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat isn't all about giving the Red Raiders time to do it. The Red Raiders get off to a nice start, though Texas' running game seizes control in the second half. Tech's Michael Brewer hits Jace Amaro for a pair of long gains and finds Eric Ward for the game-winning touchdown in the final seconds. Sounds oddly familiar, no? Texas Tech 31, Texas 27

No. 4 Oklahoma vs. No. 5 Baylor: Oklahoma's quarterback gets off to a decent start, but Baylor's defense is still red-hot and Baylor's Bryce Petty outguns Oklahoma's Blake Bell in the debut for both quarterbacks. It's a breakout game for redshirt freshman Baylor receiver Jay Lee, too. The Sooners' young defense is caught off guard. Baylor 41, Oklahoma 31

SEMIFINALS (at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas)

No. 1 Oklahoma State vs. No. 5 Baylor: Baylor sprung the upset late in the season, and leads by double digits early in this one before Chelf rallies with a pair of touchdown passes to Charlie Moore and a third to Blake Jackson. The senior is trying to prove he deserves the job permanently, but OSU seals the game with a late score on the ground from J.W. Walsh in the short-yardage formation, overcoming 185 rushing yards from Baylor's Lache Seastrunk. Oklahoma State 44, Baylor 31

No. 2 TCU vs. No. 6 Texas Tech: Texas Tech's offense gets completely suffocated by TCU's defense, and defensive end Devonte Fields makes life tough for Tech's Brewer. Tech can't establish the running game to offset the rush, and TCU's cornerbacks lock down the Red Raiders' screen game, too. Ugly, ugly game to watch. For anyone but TCU fans, anyway. TCU 20, Texas Tech 10

CHAMPIONSHIP (at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas)

No. 1 Oklahoma State vs. No. 2 TCU: Are we allowed to have a Big 12 title game (and semifinals) without Texas or Oklahoma involved? The league's top two squads in my book survived a pair of games to reach the finals, and both teams are solid on both sides of the ball. Oklahoma State's offense is better. TCU's defense is better. Both teams' weaker units are still solid, though. At the end of the game, it's exactly what we wanted to see. Chelf, Smith and Tracy Moore going head to head with Fields and Jason Verrett for the Frogs. OSU has been there before and drives the length of the field before kicker Bobby Stonebraker proves Oklahoma State's edge in the special teams is the difference with a 45-yard, game-winning field goal. Oklahoma State 31, TCU 28

Cue up One Shining Moment!

We're back again looking at a different Big 12 team with title aspirations next fall. The Frogs limped (literally) through their first season in the Big 12, dealing with more injuries and personnel losses than any team in the Big 12, but still managed to finish 7-6 and earn a whole bunch of respect in its first season as a team in a BCS automatic qualifier conference.

So what happens in Year 2? Do you buy that a Big 12 title is in reach? Vote in our poll whether you believe TCU has a real chance or not. With Casey Pachall back on the field and back in practice, hopes are certainly high, but the Frogs' biggest asset is the Big 12's No. 1 offense from 2012 that returns nine starters.

Pachall still has to officially beat out Trevone Boykin, who was streaky but showed some promise filling in for Pachall over the last 2/3 of the 2012 season.

Defensive end Devonte Fields, the AP's Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, highlights the Frogs' hyped defense alongside cornerback Jason Verrett, the league's top shutdown corner from a year ago who led the league with six interceptions and 16 pass breakups. Great secondary play is a must-have in the Big 12, and TCU's got it.

The Frogs have to deal with the loss of receiver Josh Boyce, but the position is still strong with Brandon Carter returning and LaDarius Brown looking ready for an increased role after catching 27 passes for 385 yards and five scores last season.

The running backs will be a strength for the Frogs next season with Waymon James returning from a knee injury and B.J. Catalon and Nebraska transfer Aaron Green providing depth and variety to James' powerful running style.

Will it be enough to truly contend for a Big 12 title for the first time ever? Or are the Frogs a paper tiger bound for disappointment in 2013? Cast your vote. We'll revisit the results later.

TCU opened spring practice Friday for the second time as a Big 12 member. Let's take a closer look.

Schedule: The Frogs began spring practice on Friday, which will be the first of 15 NCAA-allowed practices. TCU rarely holds a spring game, and will not hold one this season.

What's new: Very, very little, especially on defense. TCU lost coach Randy Shannon to Arkansas this offseason, but returns 15 starters from last year's seven-win team, second most in the Big 12 (only Texas has more) and 24th nationally. Shannon was replaced by DeMontie Cross, who comes to TCU from Kansas' staff under Charlie Weis. On the field, there are big pieces that must be replaced (defensive end Stansly Maponga and wide receiver Josh Boyce), but the Frogs will largely have the same personnel next season as they had in 2012.

All eyes on: Quarterback Casey Pachall. He's the biggest story of spring in the Big 12 by far. Pachall was one of the Big 12's best at the position a year ago, but left the team after a DUI arrest to seek treatment for drug and alcohol addiction. He's back on the team now and TCU's Big 12 title hopes hinge on him returning to form after time away from the game. He's also going to be watched closely when he's off the field. Will he be able to make the necessary adjustments to make his new lifestyle a permanent, healthy change?

New faces: TCU will be welcoming three early enrollees this spring, headlined by quarterback Zach Allen, the nation's No. 56 pocket passer. He'll be joined by tight end Bryson Burtnett from Springtown, Texas, and Georgia offensive tackle Eason Fromayan. There aren't many immediate contributors in that group, I'd say, but it's always good for freshmen to get a head start in spring practice.

Question marks: We've mentioned this previously, but you can't underestimate the importance of offensive line play in the Big 12. It can make any offense look great, and TCU will have to replace two of its best players on the line in guard Blaize Foltz and center James Fry. Sorting out their replacements will be a primary objective this spring.

Position battle: TCU's running back spot is going to be really strong and intriguing. I expect all the backs to get carries in the fall, Waymon James will be returning from a knee injury and trying to hold off B.J. Catalon to retain his starting position. What people really want to see, though, is Nebraska transfer Aaron Green's debut as an eligible player. He was one of the nation's top 10 prospects in the 2010 recruiting class and sat out last season after coming home to Texas.

Earlier this week, I asked you to vote for which incoming freshman you thought would have the biggest impact in 2013.

The fans spoke, and West Virginia receiver Shelton Gibson finished solidly in the No. 1 spot with 33 percent of the vote. He was well ahead of the No. 2 finisher, Baylor receiver Robbie Rhodes, who grabbed 23 percent of the vote.

I'd agree with those two having an immediate impact. I don't know if you can expect either to finish with 90 catches, but I'd be surprised if both Gibson and Rhodes didn't both make their presence known next fall. For freshmen, opportunity might be more important than skill itself. Both players obviously have the latter, but Baylor and West Virginia's offenses both provide opportunity. With a pair of receiving corps that are drained (more so West Virginia than Baylor), the pass-happy offenses will have to find targets. Rhodes is in the middle of the road when it comes to size, but Gibson's small and shifty frame could help him get open and get touches early in his career.

Oklahoma safety Hatari Byrd will have an opportunity with a pair of lost safeties from last year's team, and he edged out Ra'Shaad Samples with 18 percent, compared to Samples' 17 percent. Samples is entering a situation similar to Rhodes and Gibson, but Oklahoma State has a few more established weapons like Josh Stewart, Tracy Moore and the expected return of Michael Harrison, as well as the late emergence of Austin Hays.

Incoming TCU running back Kyle Hicks grabbed just 9 percent of the vote. It sound like the other 91 percent of voters didn't believe he could fight through Aaron Green, B.J. Catalon and Waymon James to earn some touches in TCU's offense.

These guys will be fun to watch over their careers, and it's not all about the first season on campus.

Signing day is in the rear-view mirror, but a handful of freshmen will be on campus this spring before the rest take the field in the fall. Which ones do you think will have the biggest impact? Vote in our poll.

Robbie Rhodes, WR, Baylor: Rhodes was the nation's No. 3 receiver and joins Baylor's high-powered offense in need of pass-catchers. Everybody wanted the 6-foot-1, 185-pound Fort Worth, Texas, native, but Baylor got him and he'll have early opportunities to make an impact.

Hatari Byrd, S, Oklahoma: Oklahoma lost both safeties from last year's team, and Byrd was given indications from the coaches that a starting position is definitely within reach for the nation's No. 14 safety in the class. Mike Stoops knows secondaries, and the 6-foot-1, 192-pound Fresno, Calif., native will be fun to watch.

Shelton Gibson, WR, West Virginia: Like Baylor, West Virginia needs some help at receiver, and Gibson was the Mountaineers' highest-rated signee. The 5-foot-11, 173-pound Cleveland Heights, Ohio, native has 4.4 speed and received offers from a ton of schools as the nation's No. 26 receiver.

Ra'Shaad Samples, WR, Oklahoma State: The best skill-position players tend to lean toward the Big 12, and Samples is the latest to do so. Oklahoma State's top signee hails from Dallas, and the 5-foot-11, 170-pounder will try to make an impact in Oklahoma State's pass-first offense. There will be plenty of balls to go around, but we'll see if he can grab his share.

Kyle Hicks, RB, TCU: The Frogs flipped the running back from the Longhorns late in the recruiting process, and Hicks is part of TCU's influx of talent from the metroplex. Over half its recruiting class is from DFW and Hicks is the Frogs' highest-ranked recruit. The 5-foot-10, 190-pounder will have to fight through Waymon James and Nebraska transfer Aaron Green to grab some carries. Can he make it happen?

Which new guy will have the biggest impact? Get your votes in now.

We're grading each Big 12 team's season right now, and we'll move on to the next team on the list: The TCU Horned Frogs.

OFFENSE: You have to wonder what could have been for TCU in Year 1 in the Big 12 if Casey Pachall had stayed on the team, Ed Wesley hadn't left in May and Waymon James' knee had remained healthy more than a couple games into the season. Ifs and buts, candy and nuts, etc., but that wasn't the case. The early season was plagued by turnovers and missed opportunities in the red zone even with Pachall, and that's factored into this grade. The toughest thing for this offense to swallow was how strong its receivers were, but Pachall's replacement, Trevone Boykin, couldn't get Josh Boyce and Brandon Carter the ball consistently enough to make this an offense good enough to hang in the upper half of the Big 12. Boykin played gutsy ball and used his legs well, and had an ability to hit the big play when TCU often needed it, and clearly grew throughout the season. After TCU got blasted at home by Iowa State, I all but eulogized TCU's season. A bowl game was out. And then it wasn't. Against K-State, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, the offense looked really, really rough, and let winnable games slip out of reach. The Frogs had a really impressive season, but the post-Pachall offense wasn't the reason why it happened. GRADE: C

DEFENSE: The Frogs got my vote as the Big 12's best defense. Stansly Maponga was a bit underwhelming on the defensive line, but Devonte Fields was better than anyone could have ever thought, winning the league's Defensive Player of the Year honors as a true freshman who only started to begin the season because DE Ross Forrest missed the season with a shoulder injury. Jason Verrett emerged as the league's best shutdown corner, a far cry from his awful outing to begin 2011 when RG3 torched Verrett and the Frogs. Elisha Olabode and Sam Carter filled out a strong secondary that forced 32 turnovers, tied for the most in the Big 12. Joel Hasley and Kenny Cain played well for an underrated linebacking corps that was gutted by the loss of Tanner Brock before the season and rising star Deryck Gildon being ruled ineligible and leaving for junior college. Nobody dealt with losses as heavy as TCU, and they happened on both sides of the ball. Gary Patterson strung together an amazing defense, despite it all, and led the league in total defense and yards per play. The Frogs gave up just 4.92 yards per play, nearly half a yard per play fewer than any other team in the Big 12. GRADE: A+

OVERALL: It's tough to grade the Frogs, whose seven-win season felt like a 10-win season, considering the circumstances. The offense had to play with one hand tied behind its back at times, without basically its entire offensive backfield. The defense lost almost as much, but filled in the holes at linebacker and Fields was a breakout star. Every win down the stretch was emotional, but you can't ignore there were only two of them in the final seven games of the year. TCU's impact on the Big 12 in Year 1 was bigger than its number in the win total. It showed a lot of toughness and to some degree, answered the "depth" question. Still, 7-6 is 7-6. GRADE: B-

Before the season began, I released my picks for the Big 12's 1,000-yard rushers in 2012. The Big 12 had five 1,000-yard rushers in 2011, but I picked the league to have four in 2012.

There were 61 1,000-yard rushers this season across college football, but only three came from the Big 12. Here's how I picked them from the Big 12 this year.

1. Joseph Randle, RB, Oklahoma State: Randle led the Big 12 in rushing by a wide margin this season. That's 404 yards, to be exact. He racked up 1,417 yards and 14 touchdowns in 13 games this year. Easy selection, and Randle delivered. He's on his way to the NFL now.

2. Collin Klein, QB, Kansas State: Klein averaged nearly a yard more per carry this season, but carried the ball just 207 times this year, compared to 317 last year. He came up just short with 923 yards, but had 23 touchdowns, seven more than any other player in the league. He also missed a little over half of the Oklahoma State win with a head injury.

3. Malcolm Brown, RB, Texas: Brown suffered an ankle injury and missed five games in the middle of the season. He never really regained his status as the featured back. He had two 100-yard games in his first three games, and the one he didn't, he had two carries. Brown averaged 5.3 yards on his 64 carries, but managed just 324 yards this year.

4. Waymon James, RB, TCU: James got off to a good start with a 99-yard game against Kansas in his second game of the year, but suffered a season-ending knee injury and finished with just 168 yards in two games.

Basically, the moral of this story is don't let me pick you to rush for 1,000 yards. You will get hurt.

I missed two players this season who topped 1,000 yards. Here they are:

James Sims, RB, Kansas: I loved Sims' talent, and might have picked him to hit 1,000 yards, but I wasn't sure how his season would look on a team with more promising backs and him having to wait out a three-game suspension under a new coaching staff. (Ask Christine Michael how adjusting to new staffs can go, even if you're talented.) Sims, though, emerged as the team's best back by far and led the Big 12 in yards per game. He averaged more than 112 yards a game and finished with 1,013 yards in just nine games.

Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor: Never saw this one coming, either. I thought Seastrunk could have a moderate impact this year on a team with a lot of serviceable backs, but he absolutely blew up after rushing for just 181 yards entering November. He had at least 136 yards in each of his final four games and had 1,012 yards after never receiving more than seven carries in a game before November.

The season has come and gone, and brought with it lots of change in the Big 12 Power Rankings. Still, with all the games officially over, here's how I ranked the Big 12 to close the season:

1. Kansas State (11-2, 8-1 Big 12, last week: 1) K-State's year met an unsatisfying end in the desert with another ugly bowl loss. Like last season, the loss was to a team not very far outside of the BCS title picture. Oregon knocked off K-State, but the loss didn't mar all the fantastic things K-State accomplished this year.

2. Oklahoma (10-3, 8-1, last week: 2) Oklahoma suffered a bad bowl loss too, but it mostly exposed defensive deficiencies that may get worse next year. Oklahoma shared a Big 12 title this season, but lacked a big, impressive win. It did have two home losses, but the gap between K-State and OU and the rest of the Big 12 is wide in the standings.

3. Baylor (8-5, 4-5, last week: 4) No team was hotter than the Bears, who closed the season with four consecutive victories, including a home win against then-BCS No. 1 Kansas State to kick off the finish. The streak that featured three wins against ranked teams and the blowout bowl victory over UCLA has Baylor thinking big in 2013.

4. Oklahoma State (8-5, 5-4, last week: 3) The Pokes were better than their record this year, with blowout wins over decent teams such as Texas Tech, West Virginia and TCU. OSU wishes it had those Arizona and Texas games to do over again, but winning eight games with the injuries at quarterback is no small feat. The Pokes will be loaded for 2013, especially if Joseph Randle returns.

5. Texas (9-4, 5-4, last week: 5) Texas rescued a bowl win against a top-15 team, but David Ash still must be better if the Longhorns are going to return to Big 12 prominence. The tenor of spring practice will be heavily influenced by how an ongoing sexual assault investigation plays out. Regardless, until it's over, it's a possible distraction that could substantially affect personnel.

6. TCU (7-6, 4-5, last week: 6) With a bowl win, TCU might have slid inside the league's top five, but coughing up a late lead put a really frustrating end to a gutsy season from the Frogs. Trevone Boykin and Matthew Tucker did their best filling in for injured players, but the Frogs didn't have enough offense without Casey Pachall and Waymon James to win big in 2012.

7. Texas Tech (8-5, 4-5, last week: 8) Tech's finish was ugly, and narrowly surviving against a barely mediocre Minnesota team didn't really impress many folks. The Red Raiders' losing four of five in Big 12 play didn't inspire much confidence, but the future will be really, really intriguing in Lubbock.

8. West Virginia (7-6, 4-5, last week: 7) West Virginia's ugly bowl loss to Syracuse removed any question about the conference's biggest disappointment in 2012. The defense is nowhere near good enough to be competitive in the Big 12, and the offense didn't have enough juice to outscore very many good teams.

9. Iowa State (6-7, 3-6, last week: 9) Beating teams twice is never easy, but Iowa State had an opportunity to move up in these rankings with a win over the Golden Hurricane. Instead, Tulsa dominated the final three quarters, and did so on the line of scrimmage. A second lopsided bowl loss in as many years is not the finish Paul Rhoads wanted.

10. Kansas (1-11, 0-9, last week: 10) No bowl, and not much to report, but the recruiting class is loaded up with about 70 percent junior college commits. We'll see how that looks in the fall, but this spring should be interesting, too.

It's always fun looking back on what we thought in the preseason, and today, we'll take another look.

Here's who made the postseason team.

How did our All-Big 12 preseason team stack up at season's end?

QB: Geno Smith, West Virginia

Smith lost his spot to Collin Klein, but still had a solid season worthy of All-Big 12 honors in most seasons. The Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year was second in the league in passer rating and threw 40 touchdown passes to just six interceptions, and was second in the league with 4,001 passing yards.

RB: Joseph Randle, Oklahoma State

Randle had the season most expected him to, easily leading the league in rushing with 1,351 yards, over 300 yards more than any other back in the Big 12.

RB: Waymon James, TCU

James got off to a solid start with 168 yards and a touchdown on his first 17 carries of the season, averaging nearly 10 yards a touch. However, a knee injury suffered in the second game of the year against Kansas ended his season far too soon. KU's James Sims replaced him on the postseason team.

All-Purpose: Collin Klein, QB, Kansas State

Klein's rise made it clear that there was no need for an All-Purpose spot on the postseason team from ESPN.com. He accounted for 37 touchdowns and carried Kansas State to a Big 12 title on the way to an invitation to the Heisman Trophy presentation.

WR: Stedman Bailey, West Virginia

He was Studman Bailey this season, catching 23 touchdowns and earning a spot on the postseason team, as well as a nod as a Biletnikoff Award finalist. No other Big 12 receiver had more than 13 touchdowns and Bailey's 1,501 receiving yards were second-most in the Big 12. He obviously made the postseason team.

WR: Kenny Stills, Oklahoma

Stills was OK, but even he admitted his season was "sub-par." He was surpassed on the team by Terrance Williams, but earned a second-team nod after catching 75 balls for 897 yards and 11 scores, fifth-most in the Big 12.

WR: Tavon Austin, West Virginia

Austin was probably the most dangerous player in the Big 12 this season. Nobody was better in the open field and 909 of his 1,266 receiving yards came after the catch. Ridiculous. He also rushed for 598 yards and three scores on just 61 carries. He made the postseason team.

C: Joe Madsen, West Virginia

Madsen held onto his spot on my postseason team with a solid year for the Mountaineers, who finished third in the league in total offense. Kansas State's B.J. Finney closed the gap by season's end, but I went with Madsen on the preseason and postseason teams.

OL: Gabe Ikard, Oklahoma

Ikard had the season most thought. He was arguably the Big 12's best offensive lineman in the preseason and proved to be that player throughout 2012.

OL: Lane Taylor, Oklahoma State

Taylor was loaded with experience for a lot of good offense, and looked the part of an experienced lineman this season. OSU needed three different quarterbacks this year, but the Pokes had the nation's No. 5 offense and gave up just 10 sacks, the fewest in the Big 12.

OL: Cyril Richardson, Baylor

Richardson was the only player who could challenge Ikard as the league's best lineman, and it was razor-thin this season between the two. Either way, Richardson did what most thought he would, helping Baylor rank No. 1 nationally in total offense.

OL: Mason Walters, Texas

Walters was good this season, but he was the only lineman on this list who didn't make my postseason team. I replaced him with Texas Tech's LaAdrian Waddle.

Pretty solid preseason team. No true busts on the entire team, and not a lot of breakout players who came from nowhere to make the team. We'll look at the defense a little later on.

As the bowl season approaches, we're going to be looking a little closer at each game. We'll go down the Big 12 bowl schedule in chronological order.

BUFFALO WILD WINGS BOWL

TCU (7-5) vs. Michigan State (6-6)

Where: Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Ariz.

When: Saturday, Dec. 29, 10:15 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

About TCU: The Frogs have been through more in the past year than any team in the Big 12, dealing with the losses of impact players like quarterback Casey Pachall (left team to seek drug/alcohol treatment) and Waymon James (knee injury). Still, they've held it together and grabbed the best win of their season on the road on Thanksgiving night with a physical win over Big 12 power Texas. A 4-0 start had TCU ascending into the top 15, but the loss of Pachall left the offense in the hands of redshirt freshman Trevone Boykin, who's turned in an admirable effort, but ultimately, the Frogs have gone as far as the defense will take them this season.

About Michigan State: Michigan State lost four of its final six games, but one of those wins came against Big Ten champion Wisconsin on the road. That was the end of what looked like a promising season for the Spartans, picked by many to win the league. Its first three losses in Big 12 play came by a combined five points, and its next two came by just a combined seven points. The Spartans are very likely better than their record, but there's no hiding from the disappointment of a 6-6 regular season in a weak Big Ten after coach Mark Dantonio had guided MSU to consecutive 11-win seasons entering 2012.

Horned Frogs to watch: We already told you TCU's defense makes this team run, so keep your eyes on the unit's two biggest talents. It starts with DE Devonte Fields up front and CB Jason Verrett in the secondary. Michigan State's a running team, so Fields may get more action, but he'll be ready. He's more of a pass rusher, but the true freshman earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors from the media. Verrett was the Big 12's best shutdown corner, but offensively, Josh Boyce and Brandon Carter are almost as good as any receivers in the league. Boykin's been effective with his arm and legs, but if MSU doesn't cover Boyce and Carter well, you'll see a big day through the air. Boykin's hit both on big plays down the field against Oklahoma and West Virginia this season. The Frogs will certainly try to stretch the field in this one.

Spartans to watch: Michigan State's offense begins and ends with running back Le'Veon Bell. TCU will get to know the 244-pound workhorse -- he even inspired some early season Heisman buzz -- very well by the game's end. He's carried the ball at least 29 times in seven games this season, and logged 350 carries on the season. That's the most in the nation, and no back in the Big 12 carried the ball more than 257 times. The Spartans also have five receivers with at least 340 yards receiving, but defensively, TCU's offensive line will have to focus lots of energy on star defensive lineman William Gholston. He's got 12 tackles for loss this season and has broken up nine passes.

Did you know? This isn't a new bowl game, it's just a new sponsor. The Big 12 has had a long-standing relationship with the Insight (previously Insight.com) Bowl, sending a team every year since 2006 and every year but four since the Big 12's inception. This year, the bowl just welcomes a new sponsor. The most eye-opening stat for TCU this season? It's played 16 true freshmen this season ... and 11 seniors.

Gary Patterson walked onto the practice field on Sunday unsure of what he'd find.

The Horned Frogs have played 16 true freshman this season, tied with Texas for the most in college football. Before this season, Patterson had never played more than six true freshmen.

It has just 11 scholarship seniors and nearly 70 percent of the 76 players who have taken the field this season for the Frogs have been either freshmen or sophomores.

On Saturday, Patterson's Tadpoles rallied from a double-digit deficit in the game's final three minutes to force overtime, but lost an emotional home game in triple overtime.

How his young players' spirits would respond was anyone's guess.

What he found brought a smile to his face: His team practiced better after the emotional loss than it did after a road victory at Baylor the previous week.

Coaches love to say the true measure of a team is how it responds to a loss. Patterson's got his answer in the toughest of scenarios.

"They’ve done what they have to. We’ve got to keep showing up and find a way to win, but really, through everything, they’ve handled it well," Patterson said. "They’re good kids."

Truth is, they've only had to play because TCU's faced unprecedented losses since the end of last season. The most high-profile case was earlier this month when junior quarterback Casey Pachall left the team to seek treatment for addiction after a DWI arrest. In January, four players were removed from the team after being swept up in a campus drug sting as part of nearly 20 student arrests.

One of three 700-yard rushers from a year ago, Ed Wesley, left the team for personal reasons after the spring and entered the NFL supplemental draft. The team's best remaining running back, Waymon James, suffered a knee injury earlier this season and will miss the rest of the year. Matthew Tucker missed last week's game, too, leaving much of the backfield duties to freshman B.J. Catalon.

True freshman Devonte Fields only earned a starting job after one of the team's leaders, Ross Forrest, injured his knee in the preseason and will miss the season.

Totaled up, more than 20 players Patterson thought he'd have this fall after the 2011 season are missing from the roster.

"Some years you just have those kinds of years. What I’ve always told them is in great programs, the next guy always steps up and that’s what has to happen, the next guy has to step up," Patterson said. "I think they’ve been good. Freshmen don’t know any better. They came in here to win championships."

Doing that in 2012 will be difficult with undefeated Kansas State looking strong in the driver's seat and TCU trying to weather the tougher back half of its schedule with redshirt freshman Trevone Boykin at the helm, replacing a seasoned veteran in Pachall.

Still, Patterson's been impressed with his team's response.

"What the kids understand is what we haven’t done as a coaching staff is we haven’t quit. We just keep coaching ‘em up and trying to find a way to win and I think kids respond to that," he said. "We’re trying to coach them like they’re juniors and seniors, get them to grow up and they have, even though we lost last week, I think we played better than we did last week against Baylor, as a football team."

The inaugural season in the Big 12 hasn't gone as planned, but there's still plenty on the table to play for in Fort Worth. Most of all, respect, and sending a message to the rest of the Big 12 that personnel losses won't affect the Frogs' ability to compete. So far, it hasn't, with wins over Baylor and a near-upset of a top-15 team in Texas Tech.

Patterson has no choice to play freshmen and sophomores now, but when those players become juniors and seniors, they'll be plenty tested and ready to chase those championships they signed up to earn for TCU.

"The kids have played hard, we’ve just got to keep moving forward," Patterson said.

Here's what I learned after five Big 12 games in Week 8:

K-State is the unquestioned leader for the Big 12 title. Any questions? Kansas State has three road victories against Top 25 teams this year and walked into Oklahoma and West Virginia and handed both Big 12 contenders humbling losses. Coach Bill Snyder has this team playing up to its potential, doing the same things it did last year ... just better.

Baylor has work to do to get into the postseason. The Bears are stuck in a three-game losing streak and are slumming at the bottom of the Big 12 standings at 0-3, just ahead of Kansas at 0-4. Baylor is a pretty good team, but the Big 12 is deep, and somebody has to get swallowed up. Baylor has four ranked teams left on its schedule and stands at just three wins overall. With Iowa State, Kansas and Oklahoma State left, the opportunities will be there for the Bears, but only KU looks like a gimme, and the Jayhawks nearly beat Baylor last year, even with RG3.

TCU is playing gutsy, gutsy football. The Horned Frogs have lost more players than anybody in the Big 12, but they keep chugging along and nearly grabbed a huge win against Texas Tech. Trailing by double digits with three minutes to play, Trevone Boykin hit LaDarius Brown for a 60-yard score to get the Frogs back in it. TCU played without Brandon Carter for much of the game, and its best offensive lineman, Blaize Foltz, was missing, too. Preseason All-Big 12 DE Stansly Maponga was out, and the team's top two backs after spring football, Ed Wesley (left team) and Waymon James (knee), are gone this season. Boykin is playing only because of the Casey Pachall mess earlier this fall, but TCU keeps hanging on. Saturday would have been one of the most emotional wins in a long time for the Frogs, but this team is still good and will be scary in 2013.

Texas Tech is a force to be reckoned with. The Red Raiders have one bad loss to a very good team in Oklahoma and eked out a triple-overtime, comeback win on the road against a good TCU team. How good are the Red Raiders? Well, they're one of just three teams (K-State, Oklahoma State) to control their fate in the Big 12 title race, so we'll find out exactly how good next week when they travel to Manhattan, Kan. The Red Raiders look legit, but in case you weren't watching on Saturday night, so did K-State, and significantly more so.

There is still hope for Oklahoma State. Beating Iowa State by three touchdowns isn't easy, even if the Cyclones' offense is struggling. Oklahoma State did it, and did it with its backup quarterback, J.W. Walsh. I generally think the quarterback "controversy" is a joke. This offense is built to run with Wes Lunt commanding things, and it will be his when he comes back, but when will that be? Oklahoma State is crazy if it hasn't had a frank conversation about a medical redshirt at this point. The Cowboys have just one Big 12 loss but a whole lot to prove with five more ranked teams on the schedule in the next five weeks. OSU still hasn't really beaten anybody, but it'll have plenty of chances.

West Virginia has hit rock bottom ... I think. Geno Smith said it after the game, and he's right: This is a terrible, terrible time for a bye week. The Mountaineers have two weeks to do some soul searching before hosting a young but improving TCU team. Those offensive issues last week against Texas Tech may have been a sign of things to come, and TCU knows a thing or two about playing some defense. Coach Gary Patterson learned a lot from these past two games, I'm sure. We know the WVU defense can't stop anybody, but will the offense regain its form? We won't know for another couple of weeks.

TCU

Record: 5-1, 2-1 Big 12

The Frogs' season feels a lot more traumatic than it's actually been. In four days, TCU lost its best player and its first game, and it felt much like the sky was falling. After last week's 49-21 win over Baylor, things are looking up in Fort Worth.

Casey Pachall's DWI arrest and disenrollment from the university to seek treatment for drug and alcohol addiction was the biggest story of the season for the Frogs, and Iowa State came into the new Amon G. Carter Stadium and ruined the first Big 12 game ever in the Frogs' new pond. Trevone Boykin struggled and turned the ball over four times.

Last week, with a full week to practice at QB after playing just one day at QB the week before, he threw four touchdowns. The Frogs are second in the Big 12 and 14th nationally in total defense. The team's best running back, Waymon James, is out for the year with a knee injury and Matthew Tucker's been banged up, too. He sat out the loss to Iowa State. That was a big loss, and with no QB and a running game left to B.J. Catalon and Aundre Dean, the Frogs looked pretty average. That defense leads the nation in turnovers forced, though, and will keep the Frogs in plenty of games down the stretch. The final six games of the schedule will be brutal and truly tell us just how good TCU can be.

Offensive MVP: Brandon Carter and Josh Boyce, WRs. I'm not going to put Pachall on here, though he's the clear candidate. He's gone. Carter and Boyce have been outstanding and produced similar output in the passing game. They've combined for 56 catches, 806 yards and eight touchdowns over the first half of the season, which included a rain-soaked night against SMU, too.

Defensive MVP: Devonte Fields, DE. Fields is my defensive player of the year in the entire Big 12, and the true freshman has been the breakout star of the entire league, even though he hasn't gotten much press on a national level. He leads the Big 12 with 6.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss, two more than any player in the Big 12.