At first, it seemed an odd form for a wake-up call, but it was a wake-up call nonetheless. There before me (or, on the TV screen before me) stood Steve Spurrier. The expression was one that I’ve seen countless times before twisting his face into a harsh grimace the kind of wincing one expects to see on the face of a 5-year-old getting a booster shot.
Sage Rosenfels had just failed miserably in his attempt to hook up with Reidel Anthony and we all know that Steven Superior takes as kindly to incomplete passes as Marlon Brando to a health food store. His reaction was not what sparked this moment of clarity. But rather, it was that face, that look of sheer annoyance sans a Florida visor that woke me from my mental hibernation. It all became clear: The 2002 college football season is but a Danny Wuerfful deep ball away which is to say that it’s not very far.
Even after a less-than-stellar post-season performance (3-5, with the South Division claiming all three W’s) the Big 12 sits high atop the landscape of college football with four teams in the top eight of the ESPN/USA Today preseason Top 25. The first month of the season provides ample opportunity for the Big 12 to prove its greatness with four games against a down, but always dangerous, Big Ten and six battles with the Pac 10.
So, in the spirit of the conference, I thought we’d take a look at the first 12 weeks of the 2002 season with respect to the Big 12
Week One Texas Tech at Ohio State: Armed with one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the nation in Kliff Kingsbury (68 percent completion on 578 attempts, 3,506 yards passing with 25 touchdowns vs. nine interceptions) the Red Raiders are entering very dangerous territory in Columbus. The Buckeyes return all four starters up front on what is one of the top defensive lines in the nation. Strong Safety Mike Doss is already a two-time All-American. Expect this season to make it three straight. In his first season as Horseshoe defensive coordinator, Mark Dantonio put together the second-best pass defense in the Big Ten; they’ll start this season in much the same fashion. I know, I know, there’s also a certain match-up at Arrowhead Stadium the same day. My thoughts on that one? (KU fans know where I’m going with this.) Think 1993 Kickoff Classic. Enough said. Sorry ISU. Edge Ohio State
Week Two Kansas at Iowa State: How’s this for a season opener? On the road, in the conference against a team that has humiliated you to the tune of 87-24 the last two meetings. Is the talent gap as wide as the inflated combined score might suggest? I don’t think so. There are far easier ways for a coach to open his era, but Mark Mangino isn’t complaining. Let’s face it. It’s not a stretch to say that there could be a couple of chinks in the armor after facing a Florida State team that returns 17 starters and features linebackers that could double as Olympic sprinters. Also, Mangino and his staff will have gotten an early look at the Cyclone attack, whereas Dan McCarney goes into the conference opener without a single frame of video on the newly hatched Mangino/Quartaro scheme. Edge Kansas
Week Three Baylor vs. Samford: What? There is a compelling storyline somewhere in this matchup. Ah, yes, here it is: Baylor fans (and you know who you are) consider yourselves forewarned: Drop this game and your application for admission into I-AA will be waiting for the Bears taped to the locker room door 2.5 seconds after the game clock expires. Under the direction of Kevin Steele, the Bears have gone a lofty 0-24 in conference play and overall have lost 29 straight Big 12 games. The Samford Bulldogs were a 5-5 division I-AA team a year ago, 5-5. Edge Please Baylor, please!
Week Four Nebraska at Penn State: Two tradition-rich programs that, if you subscribe to the Knee-Jerk Reactionary School of Thought, are in the middle of a downward spiral. Not so. Nebraska is still Nebraska, and PSU finished the season on enough of an upswing to find a home at 24th in the preseason poll. JoePa gets a week after opening with Central Florida to prepare for the Big Red ground assault. Frank Solich and the ‘Huskers will fine-tune Eric Crouch replacement Jammal Lord on a steady diet of Arizona State, Troy State and Utah State before heading to Happy Valley. News flash: Nebraska will run right at you. Counter news flash: Penn State’s run defense was merely a rumor a year ago (11th in the Big Ten, 100th in the country allowing 206 yards per game). Edge Nebraska
Week Five Kansas State vs. USC: By this point in the season, the Wildcats will be 3-0 by about 120 points. They open with Western Kentucky, Louisiana-Monroe and Eastern Illinois. I’m being generous to those three programs by capping it at 120 points, by the way. This was a sluggish 10-6 K-State victory in last year’s season opener; Southern Cal will put up more crooked numbers this time around. Carson Palmer (the most enigmatic quarterback this side of Chris Simms) now has had a second off-season to study the intricate Norm Chow offense, all five starters back on the offensive line, both starting receivers, and one would hope a burning desire to shut up his critics. KSU’s defense will once again be their best offense, but the six new starters on D aren’t quite ready for the Trojan Offensive. Edge USC
Week Six Nebraska at Iowa State: With scintillating showdowns such as Missouri vs. Troy State, Kansas at Tulsa, Oklahoma vs. South Florida, and Texas at Tulane all on the docket this week, do you blame me for going back to the well with two teams we’ve already mentioned? Didn’t think so. Nebraska heads to Ames after an off-week, ISU will have played five consecutive Saturdays, including Florida State and the battle for the state at Iowa. Nebraska has hammered the Cyclones by an average score of 53-15 the last five years, including a 77-point can-opening back in 1997. Has Iowa State improved drastically since then? Absolutely. Will it make a difference this week? Absolutely not. Edge Nebraska
Week Seven Colorado vs. Kansas State: Say what you will about their ridiculous non-conference slate (and we do say quite a bit) but this will be the third straight season, and fifth in the last six campaigns, that the Wildcats open the conference schedule against a member of the Big 12’s ruling class (’97 at Nebraska, ’98 vs. UT, ’00 at CU, ’01 at OU, ’02 at CU). Each team enters this one after an off-week on the heels of Pac 10 opponents. If they’re both undefeated to this point in the season, then Colorado is in the top five and Kansas State has sneaked into the top 25. The triumvirate of Chris Brown, Marcus Houston (provided he’s ever healthy) and Bobby Purify, all bringing different styles to the table, will prove too much for a proud Wildcat D to overcome. Edge Colorado
Week Eight Oklahoma vs. Texas: Score me a ticket to this and I’ll drive you to Dallas. I’m not as annoying as my writing may suggest, I promise. I’ll even keep my mouth shut as you listen to boy band after boy band just find me a damn ticket! Chris Simms must still be having disturbingly dark nightmares about the Sooner defense, and the entire Lone Star State will be on high alert to make sure WR Roy Williams finds his way to the Cotton Bowl this time around. The Sooner secondary is replacing the best safety in the history of the conference, but they’ve got three starters back to lead one of the top units in all the land. Even with the position change of Nathan Vasher to CB, the OU receiving corps has their way behind a confident, and healthy, Jason White. The winner essentially ties down the South Division and can make early reservations for Tempe (more on that later). Edge Oklahoma
Week Nine Kansas vs. Texas A&M: The Aggies’ last trip to Lawrence didn’t go as smoothly as they had expected, scratching out a 24-21 victory in 1998. If the Jayhawks can somehow manage a 1-1 record through their first two games, then it’s this writer’s belief that they could have five wins by the time A&M comes to town. With four games remaining on the schedule, two of them (at Missouri and the season ender vs. Oklahoma State) seem at least within reach and they’re sandwiched around Kansas State and Nebraska. That means grabbing W number six here could ultimately mean the difference between a possible bowl berth and a seventh straight losing season. This edition of the Wrecking Crew follows a similar blue print to those of seasons past: a stud at every unit and a reputation which will be well deserved. Seven starters return for an Aggie defense ranked 10th nationally at the end of the season. This is said to be one of Mike Hankwitz’s best groups, which says an awful lot. Edge Texas A&M
Week Ten Texas Tech at Colorado: Tech has played CU very tough, losing by two on the road in ’98 and blasting the Buffs by 21 in Lubbock a year later. The Texas Tech run defense should be much improved from a year ago (74th nationally) as six of the front seven starters return. Did we mention that Oklahoma comes calling to Boulder a week after the Red Raiders? If a crimson and cream welcome mat awaits Mike Leach at the hotel, then we’ll know that CU is looking ahead. We think they will be. Edge Texas Tech
Week Eleven Colorado vs. Oklahoma: smooth segue, I know. Both teams need this game if there are to be any, ANY aspirations for a national title. The Buffs ground game will be grounded. With seven starters back on a defense that gave up a paltry 89 yards per game and 2.4 yards per carry, the Sooners will be stout and stingy. Home field hasn’t meant much the last two seasons for Colorado (5-5 at Folsom in that stretch) and it won’t mean much here. Bob Stoops has a week to prepare for this one. Think OU will be ready? Edge Oklahoma. By the way, Texas is at Nebraska this week. Even if it’s in Lincoln, we’re taking Texas. You saw what this kind of speed can do to the ‘Huskers in the Rose Bowl.
Week Twelve Texas vs. Baylor: Again, what? Humor me; it’s been a long day. Edge Texas
There are three more Saturdays on the schedule before the Big 12 championship game in Houston. And I’d like to finish up the slate and tie the whole season up in a nice little package, complete with a projected bowl line-up and my thoughts on who has the inside track for the Lou Groza Award. But know two things: I am a man of my word (I said 12 weeks, you got 12 weeks) and I do have other things I need to go do right now. Take these prognostications however you will. I am but a simple hack, voicing my thoughts from what some have called a warped mind. After all, I nearly had a paradigm shift from the mere sight of a visor-less Steve Spurrier.
James Sido is an anchor for 6Sports
