Big 12 Roundtable - Rise of the North

Were Saturday's games a sign that the Big 12 North may be on its way back?

It's a bit too early to say the North is "back," but it was certainly the biggest shot the division has fired since K-State thrashed #1 OU in the championship game in 2003. I still have a tough time saying the winner of the Red River Shootout isn't the favorite to win the conference but everything certainly opened up after Saturday.

How seriously do we take the hot starts at Mizzou and Kansas?

Somebody needs to explain to me how, in a week where the Top 25 was laid to waste, Missouri isn't ranked higher than 17 (specifically behind Hawaii). All the Tigers have done is go on the road in the SEC for a win and beat Illinois who just beat preseason darling Penn State and is currently favored over #5 Wisconsin despite being unranked. What does Hawaii have to offer besides a higher preseason ranking?

I'm still taking a wait and see approach on Kansas. It's likely the best team Mangino has had in Lawrence but it remains to be seen how good that really is. This week's game in Manhattan will tell us quite a bit.

Pick one team from the opposite division that you truly hate, and say why; follow this up by picking another team from the opposite division that you don't mind pulling for, and say why.

I wish I could say it was Oklahoma as that was Nebraska's traditional rival but when I dig deep I realize I have nothing but respect for the Sooners. Therefore, it has to be Texas. The Horns have absolutely owned Nebraska since the expansion and they have an easily inverted hand signal that makes hating them that much easier.

As for a following, it's always been Texas Tech. There's just something loony about Lubbock. They play a fun, if ultimately unsuccessful in the big picture, brand of football and I have some tenuous family ties there.

The NCAA has enacted a rule allowing you to bring back one senior that graduated last year to play for your team for the rest of the season. Would you do it? And if so, who?

How about early entries? No? Because I'd love to have Brandon Jackson to save some wear and tear on Marlon Lucky. As good as Carriker and Moore were, I'd go with Stew Bradley. More than big time talent the thing the Blackshirts seem to lack is a leader.

Rank the conference teams

I'll go with my preferred neutral field point spread approach. How would be favored over whom? I'm not a linesmaker, but here's my best estimation...

1) Oklahoma
2) Missouri
3) Texas
4) Nebraska
5) Kansas State
6) Colorado
7) Kansas
8) Texas A&M
9) Oklahoma State
10) Texas Tech
11) Baylor
12) Iowa State

Fellow respondents:
Double T Nation
Corn Nation
Husker Mike
Crimson and Cream Machine
Every True Son
Buffs.tv
Clone Chronicles
Bring on the Cats
Big Red Network
Midwest Coast Bias