Dogs will be Dogs

By Big12-Fans Writer Zach Ocken

Every year at the beginning of the season, the Big 12 is warned to watch out for a few of the little guys. Recently these have mainly been in the North due to the big guys being down a bit. Every year it seems that most of these teams fall flat on their face, but a few manage to make some noise.

The big question is when will one of these Mighty Mice make the big noise? When will the little guy bust out the loud speaker and crash the Big 12 championship? Here is a list of the 4 favorite dogs and the new flavor Baylor. I will list them as I see their chance for breaking in first, worst chance to best:

Baylor

Far and away the most improved team on this list, Baylor will be a favorite on the preseason dogs list for a few years. All of that though does not diminish the fact that they are in the South and have not made any major splashes in the recruiting game, even in the recruiting ranch that is Texas. I look for Baylor to be a decent team for the next few years but don’t expect as much as a sniff of the Championship Game.

Oklahoma State

By far the worst fall of any of the teams on this list and again they are in the South. Okie State has proven that they can attract some big time players from time to time but a blue chipper here or there does not keep up with the OU’s and Texas' of the world. I see them improving on where they stand but it will be a stretch for them to crash the party.

Kansas

What can I say? The defense is National Championship caliber, their offense , not so much. If this team can get some offensive recruits the North will have something to worry about. Until then, don’t look for anything too special, a few big wins here and there and maybe a late season shot but I don’t see them getting in yet.

Iowa State

Everyone’s favorite dog in the preseason. This year it was looking really good with the win over Iowa. Big 12 play has been another story. Although they have won 3 straight they are still on the outside looking in. If this team can get consistent they will make a Championship game, until then they will be sitting for the last week.

Missouri

Next year the 30 year old senior Brad Smith leaves, but it seems as if the Tigers have already found his replacement. It will be interesting to see if they can go from a primarily run team to a primarily pass team. If they make a decent transition the Tigers may be able to pull off the North crown next year. If they can’t Pinkle may be looking for a new job.

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