In 2008, the Big 12 scored points and put quarterbacks in New York for the Heisman Trophy Ceremony. With obscene offensive numbers, the media jumped on the bandwagon as the Big 12 barked at the heels of the SEC as the dominant conference in college football. How can the Big 12 shake its reputation as the second-most dominant conference? The answer lies in two places: College Station, TX and Lincoln, NE. The Big 12 needs Black Shirts and a Wrecking Crew. The Big 12 needs Nebraska and Texas A&M to be good again.
Certainly, OU and Texas can play with Florida and Alabama, but the Gators and the Crimson Tide are just a little better. Texas Tech and Missouri can play with LSU and Georgia, but the Bayou Bengals and the ‘Dawgs are a lot better. Year-in, year-out, from top to bottom, the SEC has more depth than any other conference, and it looks like that will continue in 2009.
The past few years the Big 12’s second tier has been Texas Tech, Missouri and Kansas. While this is great for the Red Raiders, Tigers and Jayhawks, the Big 12 as a whole isn’t really getting any better. It doesn’t need anymore second-tier teams. It would be an added bonus for the second tier to maintain their success, but the conference needs two more top-tier teams.
Unlike the second tier, the Aggies and Huskers have the resources, facilities, tradition and fan support to get there. In other words, Tech, Mizzou and KU are all tapped out; they’ve reached their maximum upside. We all know what Nebraska can be, and Texas A&M has an upside capable of competing with OU and Texas.
OU, Texas, Texas A&M and Nebraska should be mainstays in the Top 10-15, year in, year out. Right now, only OU and Texas are carrying their weight. It’s time for the Huskers and Aggies to pull theirs and help carry the Big 12 torch.
Relative to the SEC, the current state of affairs in the Big 12 is not good: it’s OU, Texas, and the rest. On the other hand, the SEC has Florida, Alabama, LSU and Georgia–all teams worthy of serious national consideration. And Tennessee will be back soon if Lane Kiffin can adjust to the cut-throat recruiting culture of the SEC.
Both Nebraska and A&M made mistakes with their previous coaching hires with Bill Callahan and Dennis Franchione but seem to be happy with their current regimes. It won’t be 2009, but in the next couple of years we’ll see if the former defensive mastermind Bo Pelini and former NFL Head Coach/GM Mike Sherman have recruited and developed well enough to become more than just a blip on the schedules of OU and Texas. The Big 12 needs it. Otherwise, no matter how many points they score or how many of its quarterbacks are invited to the Heisman ceremony, the Big 12 will be looking up at the SEC–again.
