Big XII Bubble Watch

The Big XII race appears to be sorting itself out, as there is starting to be some seperation between the top 6 teams. The question still remains as to how many tournament teams the Big XII can muster. Oklahoma and Baylor remain the biggest question marks on the bubble as to whether the Big XII will get four, five, or six teams into the dance. The postseason outlook for the Big XII...

#5 Kansas (24-2) (9-2) RPI: 6; SOS: 58
W - vs. Arizona, at USC
L - at Kansas State
To Play: vs. #25 Kansas State, at #22 Texas A&M
- Kansas should be able to win the rematch against Kansas State, as the Wildcats have been struggling as of late, and the Jayhawks should be able to contain the Aggies front line. This would give Kansas either the #1 or #2 seed heading into the Big XII tournament and have them at 29-2. While the record is impressive, they haven't played the most difficult of schedules and if they don't win the Big XII they might not garner a #1 seed.

#7 Texas (22-4) (9-2) RPI: 5; SOS: 3
W - vs. Tennessee, at UCLA, vs. St. Mary's, vs. Kansas
L - at Missouri
To Play: vs. Oklahoma, at. #25 Kansas State
- Texas seems in prime position to take the Big XII title. Though they will need to play their best on the road against Kansas State, a game that will test their front line. Texas has played a great schedule and has three wins against the top 6 teams in the country. If they can manage to win out and make it to the finals of the Big XII tournament, they could sneak into a #1 seed, but they profile best as a #2 seed. If they drop two of their last five, they would probably become one of the most dangerous #3 seeds in the tournament.

#25 Kansas State (18-7) (8-3) RPI: 29; SOS: 33
W - at Oklahoma, vs. Texas A&M, vs. Kansas
L - vs. George Mason, at Xavier, at Missouri, at Texas Tech, at Nebraska
To Play: at Baylor, vs. Texas, at Kansas
- Losing to Missouri, Texas Tech, and Nebraska have really hurt Kansas State in conference play. They now have tough trips to Baylor and Kansas with a visit by Texas to close out the season. If Kansas State goes 2-3 the rest of the way, they should still be dancing, but a win over Baylor or Texas would help cement what has been a solid season for the Wildcats behind Michael Beasley. A 21-9 mark for the season could slot the Wildcats as a #5 or #6 seed that no one will want to play.

#22 Texas A&M (20-6) (6-5) RPI: 39; SOS: 80
W - at Ohio State, vs. Texas
L - at Texas Tech, at Kansas State, vs. Oklahoma State, at Texas
To Play: at Oklahoma, at Baylor, vs. #5 Kansas
- The Aggies have not made things easy on themselves with inconsistent play throughout the conference season. They have a tough stretch ahead of them and really need to take one or both of the OU and Baylor games. The Aggies need to win 3 of their last 5 to avoid going 8-8 in conference and putting themselves in a difficult position come tournament time. Even if the Aggies go 23-8, it might not be enough to make them a #6 seed in the tournament. And while this is an Aggies team that is built for close games in the post season, life as a #7 or #8 seed would make life extremely difficult.

Oklahoma (18-8) (6-5) RPI: 26; SOS: 13
W - vs. Arkansas, vs. Gonzaga, at West Virginia, Baylor twice
L - vs. Stephen F. Austin, at Kansas by 40, at Colorado
To Play: at #7 Texas, vs. #22 Texas A&M
- The Sooners have done well as of late and appear to be finally healthy heading down the stretch. They have impressive RPI and SOS numbers that should help them in front of the selection committee. They have been wildly inconsistent this season, looking very good at times, and at other times, far from it. They should win at least 3 of their final 5, which should be enough to get them in the dance, but a win over Texas A&M would be nice to solidify their place in the tournament. They should end up as a #8 or #9 seed in the dance, which would be a nice accomplishment for a young program under Jeff Capel.

Baylor (17-8) (5-6) RPI: 40; SOS: 38
W - at Notre Dame, at Texas A&M
L - vs. Arkansas, Oklahoma twice, at Oklahoma State
To Play: vs. #25 Kansas State, vs. #22 Texas A&M
- Baylor has CBS executives worried. What once was easily the feel good story of the tournament has fallen on shaky times, as Baylor has free falled the past few weeks as it has forgotten how to play defense. While three easy games will help to turn things around, Baylor really needs to protect their home floor against either one or both of the games against KSU and A&M. A 20-10 record should let the Bears sneak in, but they really need one more big win to cement their resume and not have to rely on mediocre computer numbers. One or two wins in the Big XII tournament wouldn't hurt either.

The Race for the NIT:

Texas Tech (14-11) (5-6) RPI: 62; SOS: 6
- Tough games down the stretch with this Saturday vs. Iowa State as the only one that they will be favored to win. Great computer numbers, but will need to pull an upset somewhere down the stretch.

Missouri (14-12) (4-7) RPI: 86; SOS: 21
- The kindest closing schedule of the NIT hopefulls, with games vs. Colorado, Oklahoma State, and Iowa State looming. Missouri could do the unthinkable if they suspend half their team and then make the NIT. I will be rooting for them.

Oklahoma State (13-12) (4-7) RPI: 111; SOS: 37
- This may come down to the Bedlam Series for the Cowboys as they will probably need to beat Oklahoma at home along with Nebraska at home and Missouri on the road if they hope to have any chance at the NIT. With their sluggish computer numbers, they will need to have a winning record overall and close to .500 in conference.

Nebraska (15-9) (4-7) RPI: 133; SOS: 134
- While the win over Kansas State gave them life, the computer numbers remind you that those 15 wins came against lesser foes. They will need to do some work and get more than just the visit from Colorado. That means beating Oklahoma at home or OSU on the road. Or if they prefer to dream big, A&M or Texas on the road. The computer numbers and the conference record might leave the Huskers at home.

Iowa State (14-12) (4-7) RPI: 135; SOS: 66
- If Iowa State hopes to see a postseason of any sort they will have to do their work away from Ames. Kansas and Kansas State are the only remaining visits they have, but don't count them out as wins are possible at Texas Tech, Missouri, and Colorado. But it may take them two or all three of those road games to make it to the promised land that is the NIT.

Big XII Weekend Capsule: Week 6, Part 2

Oklahoma (16-8) (4-5) at Texas Tech (13-10) (4-5)

- Both teams are fighting for their postseason life as Oklahoma desperately needs a win to keep their tournament hopes alive and Texas Tech needs the win to keep their NIT hopes a live. Oklahoma looked like they were in good position to be the sixth team to represent the Big XII, but after losing Blake Griffin to an injury, and then Longar-Longar, Oklahoma has played wildly inconsistent, losing their third straight in a devisating loss at Colorado. It was thought that Longar-Longar was out for the year, but apparently used an herbal remedy that had him back for the mid-week win over Iowa State. Oklahoma finally had their full lineup and got contributions from Tony Crocker and Austin Johnson and it showed in a good win against Iowa State. If Oklahoma doesn't have to rely on Blake Griffin on the offense end, this becomes a very dynamic basketball team. Texas Tech proved that even under new coach Pat Knight, they will be extremely tough to beat at home. The win over Kansas State was impressive as they got 30 points from Alan Voskuil? Really? The Oklahoma game will tell if it was just a one game outburst or if the Red Raiders have figured out how to get a full team contribution on the offensive end.

Prediction: Texas Tech 71, Oklahoma 65

#11 Texas (20-4) (7-2) at Baylor (17-6) (5-4)

- The Longhorns work is hardly over as they must recover quickly from their Big Monday win over #3 Kansas. They learned a lot about themselves in the Kansas game, and the biggest lesson is that this Texas team is going to win with their defense. If Texas plays hard on the defensive end, they can play with any team in the country. But Texas still has a few issues they need to resolve. DJ Augustin is still struggling to adjust to the way teams are defending him, and he is still stuck in a bad shooting slump. Texas will need DJ to get back to normal if they hope to win conference games on the road. Texas could also used more improved play out of the post. Connor Atchley and Damion James played great, but Texas still needs contributions out of Dexter Pittman, Clint Chapman, and Alexis Wangmene. While Texas is winning games off their defense, Baylor is losing them from no defense. They are letting opponents score at will. If they defend even just a little bit, their offense is good enough that they will be able to get back to winning games. Offensively Baylor will continue to use their guards to attack. They have one of the deepest and most talented back courts in the country and they will get their points. However, Baylor needs to not forget about Kevin Rogers. Getting Rogers involved makes him more active on the boards as well and gives Baylor some more balanced scoring.

Prediction: #11 Texas 89, Baylor 86

Missouri (14-11) (4-6) at #18 Kansas State (17-6) (7-2)

- Missouri has done a remarkable job staying in the conference race and keeping their team together after all the suspensions. Keon Lawerence has stepped up and provided scoring in the absence of Stefon Hannah. But Missouri needs to keep getting contributions from every man on their roster to have any chance of competing. Kansas State has struggled with consistency since their win over Kansas. They have lost both games on the road to Missouri and Texas Tech. Kansas State is a young team and they need to realize that everyone will be coming out and playing their best games against them. Also, Michael Beasley and Bill Walker can't afford to have off nights. They need to carry their team night in and night out if they want to continue to be at the top of the Big XII.

Prediction: #18 Kansas State 85, Missouri 76

Big XII Weekend Capsule: Week 5, Part 1

The Big XII experienced a return to normalcy this week as the conference began to sort itself out. Kansas, Kansas State, Texas, Baylor, and Texas A&M all won and created some seperation from the rest of the conference. Kansas is still the favorite to win the title, but spots two through five will be a complete dog fight. This weekend's games are rather tame as Baylor's trip to Kansas is the only one worth noting.

#18 Texas A&M (19-4)(5-3) at Missouri (13-10)(3-5)

-The Aggies officially have momentum back on their side as they have found their identity over the last few games. They have gotten back to dominating in the paint, playing hard defense, and using kick outs to their shooters on the perimeter. This is Texas A&M basketball and they have the weapons needed to play it. Byron Davis maybe the biggest surprise of this team as he has completely outplayed DeAndre Jordan to this point and has provided scoring and rebounding when Joseph Jones inevitably gets in foul trouble. The trip to Columbia shouldn't cause too many problems as long as the A&M backcourt can keep from turning over the basketball. The Tigers pulled off a heart-warming win against a sleeping Kansas State team, but were overmatched by the Jayhawks. This one should be another contest that Missouri will need lady luck on their side, if they hope to get a win.

Prediction: #18 Texas A&M 74, Missouri 63

#12 Texas (18-4)(5-2) at Iowa State (13-10)(3-5)

- Another team that poses a dangerous threat to the Longhorns because of their front court play. If Texas can defend the interior this game won't be close, but the Longhorns have yet to prove that they are capable of doing so. If that is the case, then the Longhorns will once again need to shoot well. It would also be nice to see Damion James return to form offensively and become the double double mis-match that he's capable of being. After a good start, Iowa State has struggled. They need to slow the game down and attack the Longhorns in the paint if they have any hope of winning this game. They also need to take advantage of a Longhorns team that seems to start slow in every game. If they can dictate the pace and attack inside, it will be very difficult to come back from any early holes. The biggest question that the Cyclones have to answer, is whether they can do anything to slow down AJ Abrams and DJ Augustin.

Prediction: #12 Texas 74, Iowa State 67

Oklahoma (15-7)(3-4) at Colorado (9-13)(1-7)

- It is always nice to see Colorado on the schedule when you need to bounce back from two straight losses. The injury to Longar Longar definitely hurts this team and will but more pressure on the guards of Oklahoma to step up and accept some sort of the scoring burden that is now facing the Griffin brothers. They also need to have more than four players score in their games. Austin Johnson needs to give this team some kind of contribution from the point guard spot. He was a non-factor against the Longhorns and has been uninspiring for most of the season. As for Richard Roby, he knows how Dwayne Wade feels. An NBA prospect on a terrible team, Roby continues to help his team, all by his lonesome. Colorado needs anyone else to step up and play well to take the defensive focus off of Roby even a little bit. They also are going to have their hands full covering the Griffins in the post. Hopefully three Colorado players at once will be enough to stop Blake Griffin. It should be a low scoring affair that even the coaches, players, and families wish they weren't a part of.

Prediction: Oklahoma 52, Colorado 44

Last Week: 4-2
Overall: 18-6

Big XII Weekend Capsule: Week 4, Part 1

A wild Wednesday was the big story, as Kansas State jumped to the front of the Big XII with their upset win over #2 Kansas. Texas A&M also thrust itself back into the mix in the conference with a trouncing of the #10 Longhorns on their home floor. A few teams have fallen out of the conference race, but eight teams still remain in the thick of the conference race.

#22 Kansas State (15-4) (5-0) at Missouri (12-9) (2-4)

- With two games against Missouri and Nebraska, and one each against Oklahoma State and Texas Tech, 11-0 in conference can be classified as definite possibility as opposed to good possibility. The win against the Jayhawks turns Kansas State into a team with the confidence to make a run during March. They also are a team I don't think anyone wants to see during March. If point guard, Jacob Pullen's 20 point outburst is a sign of maturity out of the freshman, then the Wildcats suddenly become a very dangerous team. Lost in all of the excitement of Wednesday night was Missouri's loss at home to Nebraska. It was confirmation that Missouri will have a slow and painful fall to the bottom of the Big XII. And this season will be hard to watch for Tigers fans.

Prediction: #22 Kansas State 87, Missouri 73

#25 Baylor (16-3) (4-1) at #10 Texas (16-4) (3-2)

- Both teams come off a game where their weak interior defense was exposed. Baylor had a week to think about their home loss to Oklahoma at the hands of the Griffin brothers, and a week to get ready to take on the Texas Longhorns. This game is full of intreaguing matchups as Damion James will face off against Kevin Rogers, DJ Augustin against Aaron Bruce, and Curtis Jerrells will try and stop AJ Abrams on one end, and score against Justin Mason on the other end. Baylor relies on their guard play to win games, and Curtis Jerrells has emerged as the go to player for the Bears. The Austin product has come close to beating the school that spurned him each of the last two years, and they have the talent this year to finish the job. The Longhorns come off an embarrasing defeat against the Aggies in College Station. Texas needs Damion James to reassert himself offensively and exploit mismatch problems against the Bears. The only positive out of the Texas A&M might be the play of Dexter Pittman, as the sophomore scored 14 points and pulled down 7 rebounds. Time will tell however, whether it was one game or a turning point.

Prediction: #10 Texas 75, #25 Baylor 74

Oklahoma State (10-10) (1-5) at Texas Tech (11-8) (2-3)

- Oklahoma State has managed to lose five straight in conference, most in close games. Their one win came against the Red Raiders in Stillwater. They have been able to play with anyone during the streak, but haven't been able to get over the hump late in close games. James Anderson has played well, but the Cowboys have relied too much on the outside shot. Terrell Harris needs to find his confidence and Ibrahim Thomas needs to find a way to stay on the court if this team is going to be successful. Texas Tech is winless on the road in conference and unbeaten at home. Lucky for them, they get to try for redemption in the rematch against Oklahoma State in the tropical oasis of Lubbock*. Martin Zeno has to play well for this team to win as he opens up everyone else on the floor. Freshman guard John Roberson continues to improve each game, and is a huge boost for the Red Raiders when he is playing confidently on his home floor.

Prediction: Texas Tech 64, Oklahoma State 57

Last Week: 5-1
Overall: 14-4

Every Rebuilding Story Isn't a Fairy Tale

Much of the talk in the Big XII this season has been upon the Disney quality turnaround that is going on under Scott Drew down in Waco. He has managed to build Baylor up from the ashes and get that program into the top 25, for the first time since the Old Testament. He deserves every ounce of credit and recognition that he is receiving. Unfortunately, another, less publicized rebuilding story in the Big XII isn't going as well as planned.

Missouri head coach Mike Anderson was brought to Columbia after the 2006 season to rebuild the Tigers tainted program. While building a formidable program at UAB with his high full court pressure system, Missouri called on Anderson to not only get their program back to an NCAA caliber program, but to also clean up the mess created by Quin Snyder.

Under Snyder, Missouri had become a program that brought in questionable character, and had questionable discipline along with suspect NCAA compliance. Snyder did everything the wrong way, and it was quickly becoming unraveled around him. Anderson not only had to get the program back on a winning track, but he had to clean up a program that had quickly become a constant in the news for all the wrong reasons.

Anderson instituted a new zero tolerance policy in his first season, and had a successful year on and off the court. Off court issues were limited and the Tigers had a surprising 18-12 finish. Hoping to build off that success this year, the Tigers endured some ups and downs, but looked like they had turned a corner in a big 97-84 home win against the #13 Texas Longhorns. A few uninspired performances later it was obvious that Missouri hadn't turned the corner, but it was the off the court problems that was more disappointing for Missouri.

This past weekend, the team leader in scoring and assists, senior Stephon Hannah was hospitalized with a broken jaw after an altercation at a local night club. Hannah had been one of the bright spots this season averaging 28 minutes, 14.7 ppg, 5.3 apg, 3 rpg, and 1.9 spg. Losing him for the season will be a serious blow, but yesterday the other shoe dropped, as Anderson suspended all the players involved in the incident indefinitely. In doing so he has ended any hopes Missouri had of making the NIT this season. They will lose two starters and two reserves that make up 24.9 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 3.1 apg, and 1.2 spg. Not to mention losing 5 players out of their 9 man rotation. For Missouri, the season is over, and it is a waste.

However, Anderson should be applauded. The suspension isn't fair for the guys on the team that had something to play for. It's a shame. But he did what needed to be done. He sent a message that the old culture of Missouri will not fly. He said he will not stand for it, and he will win only if it means winning the right way. He made the hard decisions and in today's college landscape that is rarely seen. It is difficult for any coach to make monumental decisions that effect the result in the wins and loss column. He was brought to Missouri to win, and he has made a decision that will make that impossible.

But what he showed is integrity and a determination to accomplish his goals his way. Hopefully this season will not jeopardize his future with Missouri, because while Scott Drew will be hailed with national accolades throughout the month of March, Mike Anderson will be sitting at home, fighting to get Missouri back on the right track. But before he can get it back on the right track, he has to finish cleaning out the skeletons from the Quin Snyder era. He isn't there yet, but the fortitude he has shown in the past week leaves no doubt in my mind that he will get there. And one day, he will get recognized for his efforts. He's a coach of the year in my book. We need more like him in this game.

Big XII Weekend Capsule: Week 3, Part 1

The big story is obviously the 5 OT thriller in College Station on Wednesday, as Baylor announced their presence as a contender in the Big XII and the loss signaled real trouble for the Aggies. Not to be lost in all the excitement is a convincing win by Kansas State, and another blowout victory for Kansas.

Nebraska (11-5) (0-3) at #2 Kansas (19-0) (4-0)

- Something has to give, right? Or not. Nebraska comes into this game winless in conference play and it isn't going to change heading into the Phogg. Aleks Maric had 21 and 9 in a two point home loss to Baylor, but until he can get any consistent production from his backcourt, Nebraska will stay in the cellar of the Big XII. Kansas has won their four conference games by an average of 20 points a game. Kansas is content attacking teams inside with Dorell Arthur and Darnell Jackson, but this team has weapons galor and the only thing that can stop them, is themselves.

Prediction: Kansas 86, Nebraska 63

#18 Texas A&M (15-4) (1-3) at Oklahoma State (10-8) (1-3)

- All kinds of problems for the Aggies, who drop their third straight in conference play and are reeling. Freshman standout DeAndre Jordan was moved to the bench for the Baylor game which has to be a disappointing sign for the Aggies, who needed him to be a productive player on the offensive end, which he just hasn't been yet. The one positive was the play of sophomore Byron Davis who scored 30 points and had 14 rebounds in the starting role against Baylor. The real problem with this team continues to be the inability to fill the void left by Acie Law. Donald Sloan and Dominique Kirk are capable players, but no one has stepped up to provide the mental toughness, leadership, and late game heroics that Law provided the Aggies. They had hoped Josh Carter would have stepped up to become their go to guy, but he has relied to much on his streaking shooting and hasn't become that all-around swingman that the Aggies needed him to become. While Oklahoma State has also lost three straight in conference, it isn't as much of a surprise as it was for Texas A&M. It is a rebuilding year as the Cowboys rely solely on freshman James Anderson to provide their offensive fire power. Byron Eaton has continue to improve as a tough, physical point guard, but the Cowboys are in dire need from a more consistent offensive production from Terrell Harris and Marcus Dove. Anderson seems to be the only player that can create his own shot and is a dangerous threat each time down the floor. The Cowboys will stay in games because of their defense, but they will need more help for Anderson if they hope to start picking up in the win column.

Prediction: #18 Texas A&M 62, Oklahoma State 61

Missouri (11-8) (1-3) at Colorado (9-9) (1-3)

- Missouri has not been able to build of their upset of the Longhorns and are 0-4 on the road and have lost 3 straight in conference. They have played terribly on the defensive end, giving up 92 points against Texas Tech this week. They also have relied too much on their outside shot. Against Colorado they will need to attack the undersized Buffaloes with DeMarre Carroll, who got into foul trouble early against Texas Tech. Carroll provides the Tigers with some inside balance to their heavy guard lineup. As is the case with Colorado, their biggest test each game is managing to rebound and defend the paint with only two players over 6'6" that see playing time. Colorado will have to grind it out and slow the pace down against the Tigers, who like to pressure and run. If Colorado turns the ball over, this game could get out of hand. The Buffaloes also need to find some scoring outside of Richard Roby. Roby is the only Colorado player who is scoring night in and night out.

Prediction: Missouri 65, Colorado 59

Last week: 5-1
Season record: 9-3

Big XII Weekend Capsule: Week 2, Part 2

Baylor (14-2) (2-0) at Nebraska (11-4) (0-2)
- In a game where confidence and momentum play such a role in a team's season, this is exactly the start Baylor was hoping for, and exactly what Nebraska did not need from the start of conference play. Baylor has played solid and taken advantage of two winnable road games. Their experience has led the way has Henry Dugat has averaged 19 through the first two games and Aaron Bruce and Kevin Rogers have played well. Baylor needs to continue to rely on their experience until their talented youth can start to exert themselves in conference play. Nebraska's loss to Kansas was expected, but the loss at Colorado kills their early season hopes of being relevant in the Big XII. Aleks Maric needs to do even more than his 16.5 conference ppg for this Nebraska team if they hope to do anything. They will also need more consistent play from their entire roster and someone to step up and be the second and third scoring option on this team.

Prediction: Baylor 77, Nebraska 69

#3 Kansas (17-0) (2-0) at Missouri (11-6) (1-1)
- Missouri of course followed their upset win over #13 Texas by losing at Iowa State this week. Missouri is learning a new system and trying to endure a change in culture for a program warped with scandal. Winning will make it an easier process, but to do that, you need to win the games you can. DeMarre Carroll and Stefhon Hannah are going to produce every game, but the team needs to play consistently to succeed in the conference. They've proven they can beat a good team in Texas, but they need to follow those up by beating teams like Iowa State. And instead of heading into this game sitting pretty at 2-0, they will face an uphill battle after Kansas beats them. This Kansas team has bigger fish to fry as they will be a favorite to win the National Title. They can score inside with Arthur and Jackson, have a premier swing man in Brandon Rush, a great two guard in Mario Chalmers, two great point guards in Russell Robinson and Sherron Collins, and even solid role players in seniors Sasha Khan and Roderick Stewart. This team is dangerous. The only potential road block is the fact that this team underachieves on the biggest stage, but they don't have to worry about that until after Conference play.

Prediction: #3 Kansas 91, Missouri 76

Colorado (9-7) (1-1) at #19 Texas (13-3) (0-1)
- Colorado got a big win against Nebraska this week, but will have a tough time building on it on the road in Austin. What they do have going for them is a disciplined system from Coach Bdzelik, that when followed will cause the Longhorns problems on the offensive and defensive ends. While they only play two players over 6'6", Colorado boasts a stable of big guards (3 starters at 6'5" or 6'6") that will cause match up problems for the Longhorns' small back court. It also helps that Texas has played uninspired basketball over the past month, culminating in an uninspired and atrocious defensive display in Columbia last weekend. With a week to think about the 97 points given up, the Longhorns should come out hungry to play. But the uninspired play is the least of their worries. DJ Augustin has played sloppy over the past several games and he needs to refine his decision making on the court. More importantly, the introduction of Gary Johnson has not gone as smoothly as hoped. It has affected Johnson's play (19 min, 0-4 vs. Missouri) as well as Connor Atchley's play. Atchley has seemingly regressed from the early season form he showed, and much of it can be attributed to the Longhorns once again trying to figure out every one's offensive roles. Equally worrisome has been the inability to find any consistency from the bench. Wangmene has provided solid minutes with his hustle and defense, but the inability of Dexter Pittman, Clint Chapman, and JD Lewis to contribute in any significant way has been disappointing. But we all know the biggest disappointment. It has been the struggles of sophomore guard Justin Mason who's minutes keep dwindling as he loses more confidence, his shot worsens, and his defense begins to slip. Mason needs to find some sliver of hope soon, or he will be lost for the season, and probably out of the rotation. Texas needs to take advantage of these winnable early conference games and get back on track as a team. The first step will be getting back to outworking their opponents, and the rest will come.

Prediction: #19 Texas 71, Colorado 61

That's Quack-tastic! Big XII in drivers seat for National Title

The Big XII may rank fourth in the Sagarin Conference rankings ahead of the Big Ten and ACC, but outside the top 4 teams, this conference is terrible. And yet, thanks to three ligaments in Dennis Dixon's knee (which I will say, sucks. He was fun to watch.) Oregon's National title hopes are gone, falling on the road at lowly Arizona. (A gift from younger Stoops to older Stoops)

The Oregon loss pretty much assures that the Big XII Champion is going to be playing for the National Title. I thought that Oregon was going to end up getting screwed anyways, because of the strength of schedule and voters boost that the Big XII Round Robin winner would get. As the new #2, #3, and #4 in the BCS with Texas most likely climbing into the top 10 before everything said and done, the Big XII has the most top heavy conference in the country. Am I saying they are the best teams in the country, definitely not. But when you have to get up for three games a season as opposed to every single one in the SEC, it makes it a little easier to run the table.

Assuming Missouri can get a road win at Kansas State this week, and Kansas can beat the streaking Cyclones of Iowa State, the Kansas and Missouri will meet as the #2 and #4 teams in the BCS with the winner moving on to the Big XII Championship game. This is the biggest game the Big XII North will have seen since the Nebraska-Colorado days, if not ever. It is certainly the first time the North has mattered in the last 5 years.

If Oklahoma can survive two dangerous offensive teams that can't play a lick of defense in Texas Tech (in Lubbock) and Oklahoma State (at home) then Oklahoma will be playing the winner of the North showdown for the right to play in the National Championship. If everything holds up, that game will be #2 vs. #3 in the BCS Rankings in a game that will be the first Big XII Championship game anyone has cared about in five years.

What does all this mean for Texas? Well it means that Texas got another fortuitous bounce in their improbable (and undeserving) darkhorse candidacy for the BCS. Oregon might not drop behind Texas in the BCS standings, but if Dennis Dixon is injured I don't think they can win both of their last two games at UCLA and vs. Oregon State. The loss also allows for Arizona State to control their destiny in the Pac-10. If they can win this weekend against USC, they will knock USC out of the BCS and lock up the automatic bid for the Pac-10, exactly what Texas would want. This is getting to the point of silliness as Texas continues to march towards a BCS birth. I still think that if Oklahoma wins the Big XII Title, a 10-2 Texas gets the nod from the BCS bowls because of their fan base, over a 2-loss Missouri or a 1-loss Kansas. Unfair? Yes. Am I going to complain? No.

A few other notes on the Oregon game:

- Was it me or did watching Brady Leaf (younger brother of Ryan Leaf) play just have a sense of impending doom about him? The Leaf cross has to be a heavy one to bare, and while I'm sure he is a talented player, I had a sick sense of enjoyment watching him lose and not comeback in that game. He's a Leaf, you just want to see if he's going to get drunk, yell at reporters, and throw interceptions.

- The Ryan Leaf sideline interview was priceless. For most people I'm sure it was seeing a late 90s celebrity being unearthed for an awkward appearance. However, being in Texas I did know that Leaf had landed on his feet (if you can call it that) as a volunteer Quarterbacks coach at West Texas A&M. While this is just too easy to make jokes about, Ryan Leaf reminds you that before you laugh, they are 11-0, #4 in the country in Division ? and are getting great quarterbacks play. Thank you for that resume reading Ryan, but don't call us, we'll call you. He did a solid job of holding it together and not looking too excited to be back on the football map for his 5 minutes of fame, until of course he told Chris Fowler that he missed him. I don't think I'm the only one that found that to be an extremely uncomfortable moment. If only he could have tried to kiss Erin Andrews.

- Dennis Dixon is an amazing player and he would have cemented the Heisman had he played the entire game, I'm sure of that. However, the collapse of Oregon once he was out of the game speaks volumes about this Ducks team. Many people like to compare Oregon and Dennis Dixon to Texas and Vince Young, and while they are similar players and Vince was the only reason Texas won the National Championship, that Texas team was a lot more talented and I think that without Vince with they could have won with their defense, special teams, and running game against a team in the bottom half of the division. You would have liked to see more from Oregon's defense and offense, being a team that was supposedly going to play for the National Title. Though I'm sure we'll be saying that about Kansas, Oklahoma, or Missouri in the coming weeks.

2007 Season Preview: Missouri Tigers

In preparation for the 2007 College Football season, Drinking the Forty will look at every team in the Big XII, sizing up the conference for the 2007 season.

Missouri was the big surprise of 2006 behind the arm sophomore Chase Daniel and a high-powered offense. After starting the season 6-0, Missouri stumbled down the stretch, finishing the season with an 8-5 record, falling short in the Big XII North. Chase Daniel was the surprise of the Big XII, leading an offense that scored over 30 points a game, averaging over 400 yards of offense.

In 2007, Chase Daniel returns to lead the offense once again. He looks to build on a season where he threw for 3,527 yards and 28 touchdowns, with only 10 interceptions. He will have the same supporting cast back as they return senior tailback Tony Temple (1063 yds/7 TD) as well as his top 3 targets from a year ago. Senior receiver William Franklin led the way with 48 catches, 829 yards, and 6 touchdowns, while dual threat tight ends, senior Martin Rucker (53 rec/511 yds/5 TD) and junior Chase Coffman (58 rec/638 yds/9 TD) will continue to cause match up problems for every defense they face. The offensive line returns the entire left side in a unit that was solid a year ago. With all the same faces Missouri can only improve in what is an extremely dangerous offensive juggernaut.

The defense is where the question marks lay with this Missouri team. Last year they were able to dominate weaker opponents, but were unable to stop high caliber opponents. The defense has many holes to fill as they lost their top three tacklers from a year ago. They will rely heavily on junior linebacker Brock Christopher (87 tackles), and a defensive line that returns three starters. The secondary will also need to replace to starters from a year ago.

Missouri's season will begin in October when they host #20 Nebraska and visit #8 Oklahoma in consecutive weeks. If they can split those two games they will be well on their way towards a Big XII North Championship, if not a Big XII Championship. The offense should be superb again this year, but their season will come down to whether Chase Daniel can play like a champion in big games, and if Missouri can have an above average defense. They should be a contender, but their defense will really have to over achieve for them to make it to the Big XII Championship.

The Big XII Response: Missouri

With Kevin Durant's announcement, fans across the Forty Acres have been forced to imagine a world without Kevin Durant. Well, a campus without Kevin Durant. While anyone and everyone with an opinion has chimed in with their thoughts on Kevin's decision, Drinking the Forty not withstanding, we wondered what our neighbors around the Big XII felt on Durant's departure and what it means for their chances in the Big XII next season. So we contacted our correspondents around the Big XII...okay we tried to make new friends around the Big XII, and asked for their input. So over the next few weeks we will feature, the Big XII Response. Today's correspondent comes from the fine folks at the Tiger Board.

Kevin Durant leaving for the NBA is obviously a loss for the Big 12 Conference. Durant was a marquee player who drew a lot of attention from the national media to the Big 12 and that is never a bad thing. For the Missouri Tigers, the loss of Durant means the Tigers will have a better shot at knocking off the Longhorns next year. It will be hard for the Horns to replace that kind of scoring and that kind of defense.

I don't expect the Tigers to be significantly better next year, but an NCAA appearance is not out of the question. Had the Tigers been able to win a couple more conference games this year, I think they would have been selected. I think a 2-3 game improvement is definitely within the Tigers' grasp.

http://www.tigerboard.com/

**Yes, this idea was taken from Deadspin. They're good at what they do. Imitation is the finest form of flattery.