Written by: Joseph Yun
Twitter: 2Yoon2ZeroBlitz
As the major power players in FBS get set to kick off this weekend, it’s time to look at the second conference that has elected to play this fall amidst an ever-evolving pandemic. As previously mentioned in the ACC article, I’ll be breaking down the schedule of each conference by kickoff date. Like the ACC, the Big 12 has chosen to have non-conference games on its schedule.
TCU was to have kicked off against in-state foe SMU Friday night but the game was postponed due to an outbreak. Fellow Lone Star State rival Baylor also had its non-conference match against Louisiana Tech postponed prior to the article’s writing.
How will each Big 12 team fare in this new normal state of college football? Will there be a conference champion not named Oklahoma?
Baylor
Sat. 9/12 Louisiana Tech (PPD)
Sat. 9/19 BYE
Sat. 9/26 HOME vs Kansas (W)
Sat. 10/3 AWAY @ West Virginia (L)
Sat. 10/10 BYE
Sat. 10/17 HOME vs. Oklahoma State (L)
Sat. 10/24 AWAY @ Texas (L)
Sat. 10/31 HOME vs. TCU (W)
Sat. 11/7 AWAY @ Iowa State (L)
Sat. 11/14 AWAY @ Texas Tech (W)
Sat. 11/21 BYE
Sat. 11/28 HOME vs. Kansas State (W)
Sat. 12/5 AWAY @ Oklahoma (L)
Predicted Record: 4-5
- Baylor is playing a truncated schedule due to the aforementioned postponement of the Louisiana Tech game. There’s enough firepower on offense in the form of QB Charlie Brewer and RB John Lovett but the offensive line is a severe issue. The defense has lost key pieces to the NFL so new head coach Dave Aranda will have his work cut out for him. OC Larry Fedora is well renowned as an offensive mind and this is a homecoming of sorts.
Iowa State
Sat. 9/12 HOME vs. Louisiana (W)
Sat. 9/19 BYE
Sat. 9/26 AWAY @ TCU (L)
Sat. 10/3 HOME vs. Oklahoma (L)
Sat. 10/10 HOME vs. Texas Tech (W)
Sat. 10/17 BYE
Sat. 10/24 AWAY @ Oklahoma State (L)
Sat. 10/31 AWAY @ Kansas (W)
Sat. 11/7 HOME vs. Baylor (W)
Sat. 11/14 BYE
Sat. 11/21 HOME vs. Kansas State (L)
Fri. 11/28 AWAY @. Texas (L)
Sat. 12/5 HOME vs. West Virginia (W)
Predicted Record: 5-4
- Matt Campbell has worked wonders in Ames but the schedule is tough in 2020. The Cyclones have a pretty solid defense returning so that will be their calling card along with star QB Brock Purdy.
Kansas
Sat. 9/12 HOME vs. Coastal Carolina (W)
Sat. 9/19 BYE
Sat. 9/26 AWAY @ Baylor (L)
Sat. 10/3 HOME vs Oklahoma State (L)
Sat. 10/10 BYE
Sat. 10/17 AWAY @ West Virginia (L)
Sat. 10/24 AWAY @ Kansas State (W)
Sat. 10/31 HOME vs. Iowa State (L)
Sat. 11/7 AWAY @ Oklahoma (L)
Sat. 11/14 BYE
Sat. 11/21 HOME vs. Texas (L)
Sat. 11/28 HOME vs. TCU (W)
Sat. 12/5 AWAY @ Texas Tech (L)
Predicted Record: 3-7
- It’s going to be a rough year for Les Miles and the Jayhawks especially with the month of November looming large as make or break. They lost nearly everyone of note due to graduation or the NFL. Is it basketball season yet in Lawrence?
Kansas State
Sat. 9/12 HOME vs. Arkansas State (W)
Sat. 9/19 BYE
Sat. 9/26 AWAY @ Oklahoma (L)
Sat. 10/3 HOME vs. Texas Tech (W)
Sat. 10/10 AWAY @ TCU (L)
Sat. 10/17 BYE
Sat. 10/24 HOME vs. Kansas (W)
Sat. 10/31 AWAY @ West Virginia (L)
Sat. 11/7 HOME vs. Oklahoma State (L)
Sat. 11/14 BYE
Sat. 11/21 AWAY @ Iowa State (W)
Sat. 11/28 AWAY @ Baylor (L)
Sat. 12/5 HOME vs. Texas (L)
Predicted Record: 4-6
- Chris Klieman is a solid head coach that has proven himself to be capable of the task of following the legend Bill Snyder. The schedule is a tough ask to get to .500 but KSU will battle like most KSU teams are traditionally apt to do.
Oklahoma
Sat. 9/12 HOME vs. Missouri State (W)
Sat. 9/19 BYE
Sat. 9/26 HOME vs Kansas State (W)
Sat. 10/3 AWAY @ Iowa State (W)
Sat. 10/10 The RRR(S) vs. Texas (Cotton Bowl) (W)
Sat. 10/17 BYE
Sat. 10/24 AWAY @ TCU (W)
Sat. 10/31 AWAY vs. Texas Tech (W)
Sat. 11/7 HOME vs. Kansas (W)
Sat. 11/14 BYE
Sat. 11/21 HOME vs. Oklahoma State (W)
Sat. 11/28 AWAY @ West Virginia (W)
Sat. 12/5 HOME vs. Baylor (W)
Predicted Record: 10-0
- Oklahoma is primed for yet another big season due to its coaching and talent on the roster. They have to navigate a tricky September but should have the firepower to blow teams out. The defense gets another year of DC Alex Grinch running a defense that saw massive improvement from years past. Lincoln Riley is breaking in yet another new quarterback in highly touted Spencer Rattler and Riley’s reputation as an offensive savant precedes him. Projected starting RB Kennedy Brooks opted out but there’s help in the backfield. Rattler should have receiver help with Theo Howard (UCLA transfer) and Charleston Rambo. Can the Sooners fine-tune things for a breakthrough when it matters most outside of the conference?
Oklahoma State
Sat. 9/12 BYE
Sat. 9/19 HOME vs. Tulsa (W)
Sat. 9/26 HOME vs West Virginia (W)
Sat. 10/3 AWAY @ Kansas (W)
Sat. 10/10 BYE
Sat. 10/17 AWAY @ Baylor (W)
Sat. 10/24 HOME vs. Iowa State (W)
Sat. 10/31 HOME vs. Texas (L)
Sat. 11/7 AWAY @ Kansas State (W)
Sat. 11/14 BYE
Sat. 11/21 AWAY @ Oklahoma (L)
Sat. 11/28 HOME vs. Texas Tech (W)
Sat. 12/5 AWAY @ TCU (L)
Predicted Record: 7-3
- The Pokes have one of the best offensive personnel not named Oklahoma in the country. They have an impressive QB/RB/WR trio in Spencer Sanders/Chuba Hubbard/Tylan Wallace coming back along with solid backup receivers. Hubbard lit the world on fire in 2019 and Wallace was having a Biletnikoff type of season before getting hurt. The offense is there but can the defense live up to the potential? Bedlam will of course dominate their season. Texas and Baylor are the key swing games.
TCU
Sat. 9/12 HOME vs. SMU (PPD)
Sat. 9/19 BYE
Sat. 9/26 HOME vs Iowa State (W)
Sat. 10/3 AWAY @ Texas (L)
Sat. 10/10 HOME vs. Kansas State (W)
Sat. 10/17 BYE
Sat. 10/24 HOME vs. Oklahoma (L)
Sat. 10/31 AWAY @ Baylor (L)
Sat. 11/7 HOME vs. Texas Tech (W)
Sat. 11/14 AWAY @ West Virginia (L)
Sat. 11/21 BYE
Sat. 11/28 AWAY @ Kansas (L)
Sat. 12/5 HOME vs. Oklahoma State (W)
Predicted Record: 4-5
- TCU will have to struggle a bit to replace their top two quarterbacks, Jalen Reagor, and Jeff Gladney to name a few. They still have the talent and head coach Gary Patterson is a master at making do with what he has. He’s one of the more talented coaches in the nation. With the losses in key personnel, it will be a fight to get .500 in 2020.
Texas
Sat. 9/12 HOME vs. UTEP (W)
Sat. 9/19 BYE
Sat. 9/26 AWAY @ Texas Tech (W)
Sat. 10/3 HOME vs. TCU (W)
Sat. 10/10 VS. Oklahoma (L)
Sat. 10/17 BYE
Sat. 10/24 HOME vs. Baylor (W)
Sat. 10/31 AWAY @ Oklahoma State (W)
Sat. 11/7 HOME vs. West Virginia (W)
Sat. 11/14 BYE
Sat. 11/21 AWAY @ Kansas (W)
Fri.. 11/27 HOME vs. Iowa State (W)
Sat. 12/5 AWAY @ Kansas State (L)
Predicted Record: 8-2
- Is Texas finally going to be “back”? The Longhorns had to replace both coordinators in the offseason but the replacements could be improvements over their predecessors. They were an awfully young team that had to rely on its depth due to huge injuries. Star EDGE Joseph Ossai returns along with most of the secondary. Sam Ehlinger needs to improve his level of play from Tim Tebow to a passable NFL caliber starter. Gone are NFL rookies Devin Duvernay and Collin Johnson. The Horns do return one of the best offensive tackles in Sam Cosmi to anchor the line though.
Texas Tech
Sat. 9/12 Home vs. Houston Baptist (W)
Sat. 9/19 BYE
Sat. 9/26 HOME vs Texas (L)
Sat. 10/3 AWAY @ Kansas State (L)
Sat. 10/10 AWAY @ Iowa State (L)
Sat. 10/17 BYE
Sat. 10/24 HOME vs West Virginia (L)
Sat. 10/31 HOME vs.Oklahoma (L)
Sat. 11/7 AWAY @ TCU (L)
Sat. 11/14 HOME vs. Baylor (L)
Sat. 11/21 BYE
Sat. 11/28 AWAY @ Oklahoma State (L)
Sat. 12/5 HOME vs. Kansas (W)
Predicted Record: 2-8
- Matt Wells is a good coach with some issues on defense and stars on offense (if they are healthy). The schedule isn’t kind for the Red Raiders. Expect a lot of shootouts. Two wins won’t be reflective of the program’s standing, however. They could get to bowl eligibility with some luck here and there. QB Alan Bowman returns along with star WR T.J. Vasher.
West Virginia
Sat. 9/12 HOME vs Eastern Kentucky (W)
Sat. 9/19 BYE
Sat. 9/26 AWAY @ Oklahoma State (L)
Sat. 10/3 HOME vs. Baylor (W)
Sat. 10/10 BYE
Sat. 10/17 HOME vs. Kansas (W)
Sat. 10/24 AWAY @ Texas Tech (W)
Sat. 10/31 HOME vs. Kansas State (W)
Sat. 11/7 AWAY @ Texas (L)
Sat. 11/14 HOME @ TCU (W)
Sat. 11/21 BYE
Sat. 11/28 HOME vs. Oklahoma (L)
Sat. 12/5 AWAY @ Iowa State (L)
Predicted Record: 6-4
- Morgantown is one of the most impressive college atmospheres in the nation even if the teams might not be on a yearly basis. Not sure if WVU has the personnel to keep up with the big boys of the conference just yet. The defense lost their coordinator Vic Koenning after allegations of abuse and mistreatment of players arose during the offseason so that’s a big blow. The Mountaineers offense needs a QB to arise, whether its former OU QB Austin Kendall or Bowling Green transfer Jarret Doege. It’s going to be a battle in year two of Neal Brown’s tenure.
Conference Championship: Oklahoma vs. Texas
Conference winner: Oklahoma