I’ve owned Heartland College Sports for over 10 years. And I’ve written thousands and thousands of stories for the website. However, I’ve never had a dedicated Monday column for you. It only seems appropriate to start now and play off of Monday, Mundo and Musings. So here we go with another weekly edition of, Mundo’s Monday Big 12 Musings.
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Week 0 is a Drug High
We are 12 days away from Big 12 football returning with Kansas State vs. Iowa State in Dublin, Ireland to kick off the action, while the Kansas Jayhawks also play Week 0. I know on that Saturday I will wake up and be beyond excited. However, it’s like a drug high. It’s a quick fix, and I’ll like it in the moment, but as time goes on and I realize we won’t get a November Farmageddon match up, I will realize this was not a good trade off for the Big 12.
Granted, I know plenty of K-State and Iowa State fans taking a trip overseas, sight-seeing, maybe golfing, and capping it off with a huge Big 12 showdown. That sounds awesome. But losing a home game in Manhattan is brutal for many small businesses, and I’ve always believed that college football is meant to be played on campus.
There’s a belief that this is a good branding opportunity for the Big 12. Maybe it is. But at what cost? Everything comes at a cost, and I’m not convinced this one is worth it.
Related: How the Big 12 Stacks Up in the First AP Poll Rankings of the Year
If My Big 12 Predictions are Wrong…
I dropped my Big 12 predictions on Sunday, and naturally, they got a lot of attention and feedback from you. I’m good with that and appreciate the good, the bad and the ugly.
That being said, if I am wrong about a team being too high in my rankings, I believe it will be Utah. I think they will bounce back in a big way and reach the Big 12 Championship. But it’s risky because the adjustment to the Big 12 for new OC Jason Beck and QB Devon Dampier may be too much. I don’t think that will be the case, but it’s possible that Utah just has a really good defense, and mediocre offense, and they go 7-5. That is the team I could be the most wrong about near the top of my preseason rankings.
In the bottom half, I could be the most wrong about BYU. They return a ton of production, I am just scared to death of the quarterback situation. I think they’ll finished 10th in the Big 12. But if they have another huge year for the defense, with an offense led by LJ Martin, and reasonable quarterback play, they’ll be in the hunt for a Big 12 title entering the final month of the season, especially given their favorable early schedule.
No Big 12 Blue Bloods?
Andy Staples released his college football blue bloods, and no Big 12 teams were listed.
This is in no way shocking, as the college football blueblood hasn’t changed since in at least a generation. Clemson is really the only newcomer on this list (although they technically missed the cut), and it took them multiple national championships in the last 15 years to make that happen.
There is no Big 12 program knocking on the door of “blue blood” status, but can the Big 12 find the next Oregon? Absolutely. Texas Tech and Arizona State are topping that list to make the case. But BYU, Utah, Kansas State, Iowa State, TCU and Colorado fans are probably saying, “Don’t forget about us!”
Oh, and if you didn’t see Andy Staples on our Big 12 podcast, watch and subscribe here!
