As West Virginia joins a league stretching from Morgantown to Lubbock, Texas, Mountaineer fans will have a slew of new rivals.
As West Virginia joins a league stretching from Morgantown to Lubbock, Texas, Mountaineer fans will have a slew of new rivals.
Here is a look, from a football point of view, at the schools WVU will face in the Big 12, including undecided Missouri, which has designs on the SEC. For each team, next game is Saturday, unless noted.
Baylor Bears
Coach: Art Briles (fourth season, 19-24; ninth season overall, 53-52)
Current record: 4-2, 1-2 Big 12
Next game: At Oklahoma State
Home site: Floyd Casey Stadium (50,000), Waco, Texas
Average attendance, 2010-11: 40,282
Highest final AP ranking since 2000: None
Notable alums currently in NFL: K Matt Bryant (Falcons), P Daniel Sepulveda (Steelers)
Top underclassmen: QB Robert Griffin III, DB Mike Hicks, WR/PR Levi Norwood, DL Gary Mason Jr.
Season to date: Griffin is not only giving the Bears some rare star power, he's likely to land a prime seat at the Heisman Trophy banquet. He leads the nation in passer rating with these outrageous numbers: 142-of-182, 1,950 yards, 22 TDs, two interceptions.
The skinny: Conference USA fans remember Briles as the coach who transformed Houston from years of losing to winning a league title and becoming an offensive powerhouse. He's not doing a shabby job, as the Bears are coming off a seven-win season and are now averaging 44.3 points a game.
Iowa State Cyclones
Coach: Paul Rhoads (third season, 15-17)
Current record: 3-4, 0-4 Big 12
Next game: At Texas Tech
Home site: Jack Trice Stadium (55,000), Ames, Iowa
Average attendance, 2010-11: 48,731
Highest final AP ranking since 2000: 25th, 2000
Notable alums currently in NFL: QB Sage Rosenfels (Dolphins), QB Seneca Wallace (Browns)
Top underclassmen: QB Steele Jantz, RB James White, LB Jake Knott
The skinny: Celebrations broke out in Ames after the Cyclones beat Iowa in triple overtime. But after a road win against Connecticut, this team has been getting mopped up in league play.
Kansas Jayhawks
Coach: Turner Gill (second season, 5-14; sixth season overall, 25-44)
Current record: 2-5, 0-4 Big 12
Next game: At Texas
Home site: Memorial Stadium (50,071), Lawrence, Kan.
Average attendance, 2010-11: 44,372
Highest final AP ranking since 2000: 7th, 2007
Notable alums currently in NFL: CB Aqib Talib (Buccaneers)
Top underclassmen: QB Jordan Webb, RB James Sims, P Ron Doherty, WR/KR D.J. Beshears, LB Steven Johnson
The skinny: The Jayhawks play Nov. 15 at Kentucky. Oh yeah, that's in basketball. That's all you really need to know, but if you're morbidly curious, this team is giving up at least 42 points to every FBS opponent so far.
Kansas State Wildcats
Coach: Bill Snyder (20th season in second stint, 156-80-1)
Current record: 7-0, 4-0 Big 12 Next game: vs. Oklahoma
Stadium: Bill Snyder Family Stadium (50,000), Manhattan, Kan.
Average attendance, 2010-11: 49,751
Highest final AP ranking since 2000: 7th, 2002
Notable alums currently in NFL: CB Terence Newman (Cowboys), RB Darren Sproles (Saints), QB Josh Freeman (Buccaneers)
Top underclassmen: QB Collin Klein, WR Chris Harper, DL Meshak Williams
The skinny: Snyder is engineering his second miracle in Manhattan, aka "The Little Apple." The season didn't start well, with a 10-7 win against Eastern Kentucky, but the Wildcats have won in Miami, nipped Baylor and won at Texas Tech. And, yes, they re-established themselves as the Sunflower State bully by whacking Kansas 59-21. The next four weeks will determine if K-State is the real deal.
Missouri Tigers
Coach: Gary Pinkel (11th season, 80-53; 21st season overall, 156-93-3)
Current record: 3-4, 1-3 Big 12
Next game: At Texas
A&M
Home site: Faurot Field (71,004), Columbia, Mo.
Average attendance, 2010-11: 62,618
Highest final AP ranking since 2000: 4th, 2007
Notable alums currently in NFL: QB Blaine Gabbert (Jaguars), DE Ziggy Hood (Steelers)
As West Virginia joins a league stretching from Morgantown to Lubbock, Texas, Mountaineer fans will have a slew of new rivals.
Here is a look, from a football point of view, at the schools WVU will face in the Big 12, including undecided Missouri, which has designs on the SEC. For each team, next game is Saturday, unless noted.
Baylor Bears
Coach: Art Briles (fourth season, 19-24; ninth season overall, 53-52)Current record: 4-2, 1-2 Big 12Next game: At Oklahoma StateHome site: Floyd Casey Stadium (50,000), Waco, TexasAverage attendance, 2010-11: 40,282Highest final AP ranking since 2000: NoneNotable alums currently in NFL: K Matt Bryant (Falcons), P Daniel Sepulveda (Steelers)Top underclassmen: QB Robert Griffin III, DB Mike Hicks, WR/PR Levi Norwood, DL Gary Mason Jr.Season to date: Griffin is not only giving the Bears some rare star power, he's likely to land a prime seat at the Heisman Trophy banquet. He leads the nation in passer rating with these outrageous numbers: 142-of-182, 1,950 yards, 22 TDs, two interceptions.The skinny: Conference USA fans remember Briles as the coach who transformed Houston from years of losing to winning a league title and becoming an offensive powerhouse. He's not doing a shabby job, as the Bears are coming off a seven-win season and are now averaging 44.3 points a game.Iowa State Cyclones
Coach: Paul Rhoads (third season, 15-17)Current record: 3-4, 0-4 Big 12Next game: At Texas TechHome site: Jack Trice Stadium (55,000), Ames, IowaAverage attendance, 2010-11: 48,731Highest final AP ranking since 2000: 25th, 2000Notable alums currently in NFL: QB Sage Rosenfels (Dolphins), QB Seneca Wallace (Browns)Top underclassmen: QB Steele Jantz, RB James White, LB Jake KnottThe skinny: Celebrations broke out in Ames after the Cyclones beat Iowa in triple overtime. But after a road win against Connecticut, this team has been getting mopped up in league play.Kansas Jayhawks
Coach: Turner Gill (second season, 5-14; sixth season overall, 25-44)Current record: 2-5, 0-4 Big 12Next game: At TexasHome site: Memorial Stadium (50,071), Lawrence, Kan.Average attendance, 2010-11: 44,372Highest final AP ranking since 2000: 7th, 2007Notable alums currently in NFL: CB Aqib Talib (Buccaneers)Top underclassmen: QB Jordan Webb, RB James Sims, P Ron Doherty, WR/KR D.J. Beshears, LB Steven JohnsonThe skinny: The Jayhawks play Nov. 15 at Kentucky. Oh yeah, that's in basketball. That's all you really need to know, but if you're morbidly curious, this team is giving up at least 42 points to every FBS opponent so far.Kansas State Wildcats
Coach: Bill Snyder (20th season in second stint, 156-80-1)Current record: 7-0, 4-0 Big 12 Next game: vs. OklahomaStadium: Bill Snyder Family Stadium (50,000), Manhattan, Kan.Average attendance, 2010-11: 49,751Highest final AP ranking since 2000: 7th, 2002Notable alums currently in NFL: CB Terence Newman (Cowboys), RB Darren Sproles (Saints), QB Josh Freeman (Buccaneers)Top underclassmen: QB Collin Klein, WR Chris Harper, DL Meshak WilliamsThe skinny: Snyder is engineering his second miracle in Manhattan, aka "The Little Apple." The season didn't start well, with a 10-7 win against Eastern Kentucky, but the Wildcats have won in Miami, nipped Baylor and won at Texas Tech. And, yes, they re-established themselves as the Sunflower State bully by whacking Kansas 59-21. The next four weeks will determine if K-State is the real deal. Missouri Tigers
Coach: Gary Pinkel (11th season, 80-53; 21st season overall, 156-93-3)Current record: 3-4, 1-3 Big 12Next game: At Texas
A&M
Home site: Faurot Field (71,004), Columbia, Mo.Average attendance, 2010-11: 62,618Highest final AP ranking since 2000: 4th, 2007Notable alums currently in NFL: QB Blaine Gabbert (Jaguars), DE Ziggy Hood (Steelers)Top underclassmen: RB Henry Josey, P Trey Barrow, QB James Franklin.The skinny: Should the Tigers prowl away to the SEC, former Toledo coach Gary Pinkel will find the going a little tougher than in the old Big 12 North, where he won three titles in four years before his team was sacrificed in the league title game. An overtime loss at Arizona State may ultimately keep Mizzou from bowling.Oklahoma Sooners
Coach: Bob Stoops (13th season, 135-32)Current record: 6-1, 3-1 Big 12. Next game: At OklahomaHome site: Memorial Stadium (82,112), Norman, Okla.Average attendance, 2010-11: 84,936Highest final AP ranking since 2000: 1st, 2000Notable alums currently in NFL: QB Sam Bradford (Rams), RB DeMarco Murray (Cowboys)Top underclassmen: QB Landry Jones, RB Dominique Whaley, K Mike HunnicuttThe skinny: If you paid attention to the NFL last weekend, you know that Murray, not Emmitt Smith or Tony Dorsett, now holds the Dallas Cowboys' single-game rushing record. The Sooners are no less explosive this year, by land or by sky.Oklahoma State Cowboys
Coach: Mike Gundy (seventh year, 54-29)Current record: 7-0, 4-0 Big 12Next game: vs. BaylorHome site: Boone Pickens Stadium (60,218), Stillwater, Okla.Average attendance, 2010-11: 52,375Highest final AP ranking since 2000: 13th, 2010Notable alums currently in NFL: WR Dez Bryant (Cowboys), K Dan Bailey (Cowboys)Top underclassmen: RB Joseph Randle, WR Justin Blackmon, DB Broderick Brown, K Quinn SharpThe skinny: See this offense, tallying 550 total yards a game? This is what Dana Holgorsen has tried to bring to Morgantown, to a large degree. At least Holgorsen won't be seeing Brandon Weeden in his first trip to Stillwater. Texas Longhorns
Coach: Mack Brown (14th season, 137-36; 28th season overall, 223-110-1)Current record: 4-2 ,1-2 Big 12Next game: vs. KansasHome site: Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium (100,119), Austin, TexasAverage attendance, 2010-11: 100,730Highest final AP ranking since 2000: 1st, 2005Notable alums currently in NFL: QB Colt McCoy (Browns), TE Jermichael Finley (Packers), CB Quentin Jammer (Chargers)Top underclassmen: RB Malcolm Brown, WR Mike DavisThe skinny: This is the program with the Longhorn Network, which has been the top asset (or poison pill) in the latest round of the conference realignment craziness. That hasn't exactly translated to the field, as the Longhorns have been crushed by the Oklahoma schools 93-43.Texas Christian Horned Frogs
Coach: Gary Patterson (11th season, 103-30)Current record: 5-2, 3-0 Mountain West. Next game: vs. Brigham Young, FridayHome site: Amon G. Carter Stadium (44,358), Fort Worth, TexasAverage attendance, 2010-11: 39,081Highest final AP ranking since 2000: 2nd, 2010Notable alums currently in NFL: QB Andy Dalton (Bengals), RB LaDainian Tomlinson (Jets)Top underclassmen: QB Casey Pachall, DL Stansly Maponga, RB Waymon James, WR Josh BoyceThe skinny: The Horned Frogs are a two-point loss to Baylor and an overtime loss to SMU from being the BCS-busting talk of the nation again. Patterson's team hasn't slipped much from the Rose Bowl squad of last season. Texas Tech Red Raiders
Coach: Tommy Tuberville (second season, 13-7; 14th season overall, 123-67)Current record: 5-2, 2-2 Big 12Next game: vs. Iowa StateHome site: Jones AT&T Stadium (60,454), Lubbock, TexasAverage attendance, 2010-11: 55,826Highest final AP ranking since 2000: 12th, 2008Notable alums currently in NFL: WR Michael Crabtree (49ers), WR Wes Welker (Patriots)Top underclassmen: QB Seth Doege, WR Eric Ward, WR Alex TorresThe skinny: Another Holgorsen reunion game looms in Lubbock, and Tuberville hasn't tinkered with the Red Raiders' formula - run, gun and outscore the other team. Scores of games this year include 35-34, 45-34, 45-40, 41-34 and 41-38.
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