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2015 College Football Preview: Big 12
By: Staff Writer - StatFox
Published: 8/11/2015  at  7:22:00 AM
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2015 College Football Preview: Big 12

To get you prepared for the upcoming college football season, we begin our run of all FBS conference previews over the next several weeks. In this preview, we’ll take a look at the Big 12:

BAYLOR BEARS

BetDSI Sportsbook preview for this school:

2014 Statistics:
SU Record: 11-2
ATS Record: 7-5
Over/Under: 7-5
Points Scored: 48.2 PPG (1st in FBS)
Points Allowed: 25.5 PPG (49th in FBS)
Odds to Win 2015 BCS National Championship: 15/1

2015 Preview:
Offense: Starters Returning: 8
Defense: Starters Returning: 9
The likely replacement for departed Bryce Petty is 6-foot-3 junior QB Seth Russell (804 pass yds, 9.5 YPA, 8 TD, 1 INT) who has a pair of 1,000-yard receivers at his disposal in WR Corey Coleman (1,119 rec yds) and WR KD Cannon (1,030 rec yds). Baylor also runs well with RB Shock Linwood (1,252 rush yds, 16 TD). The 4-2-5 defensive set is loaded with stars like DE Shawn Oakman (11 sacks), DS Orion Stewart and CB Xavien Howard (4 INT each).

IOWA STATE CYCLONES

BetDSI Sportsbook preview for this school:

2014 Statistics:
SU Record: 2-10
ATS Record: 4-7
Over/Under: 5-7
Points Scored: 23.2 PPG (99th in FBS)
Points Allowed: 38.8 PPG (118th in FBS)
Odds to Win 2015 BCS National Championship: 75/1 (Field)

2015 Preview:
Offense: Starters Returning: 7
Defense: Starters Returning: 6
ISU will be pass-happy again with inconsistent QB Sam B. Richardson (2,669 pass yds, 5.9 YPA, 18 TD, 9 INT) as the team’s best rusher (421 yds). He has a trio of experienced receivers in WRs Quenton Bundrage (676 rec yds, 9 TD), D’Vario Montgomery (605 rec yds) and Allen Lazard (593 rec yds). Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year FS Kamari Cotton-Moya (77 tackles, 8 PBU) is the lone standout in a pathetic defense (FBS-worst 528.9 YPG allowed).

KANSAS JAYHAWKS

BetDSI Sportsbook preview for this school:

2014 Statistics:
SU Record: 3-9
ATS Record: 5-7
Over/Under: 3-8
Points Scored: 17.8 PPG (118th in FBS)
Points Allowed: 33.3 PPG (106th in FBS)
Odds to Win 2015 BCS National Championship: 75/1 (Field)

2015 Preview:
Offense: Starters Returning: 4
Defense: Starters Returning: 2
The Jayhawks will struggle again with some potentially devastating absences. It’s not clear when top QB Michael Cummings (1,715 pass yds, 7.0 YPA, 9 TD, 6 INT) will return from a knee injury suffered in the spring game, while top RB Corey Avery (631 rush yds) and top WR Rodriguez Coleman were both dismissed from the team in June. DE Ben Goodman (1 sack) and WLB Courtney Arnick (45 tackles) are the only returning defensive starters.

KANSAS STATE WILDCATS

2014 Statistics:
SU Record: 9-4
ATS Record: 8-5
Over/Under: 8-5
Points Scored: 35.8 PPG (23rd in FBS)
Points Allowed: 23.2 PPG (29th in FBS)
Odds to Win 2015 BCS National Championship: 110/1

2015 Preview:
Offense: Starters Returning: 6
Defense: Starters Returning: 6
Junior QB Joe Hubener (9-17, 235 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT) and explosive WR Deante Burton (171 rec yds) have large shoes to fill with QB Jake Waters and WRs Tyler Lockett and Curry Sexton gone. RB Charles Jones (540 rush yds, 13 TD) fizzled in Big 12 play, but has four senior O-Linemen to run behind. Seniors SS Dante Barnett and CB Morgan Burns (3 INT each) lead a talented secondary, while DE Jordan Willis (4 sacks) and OLB Elijah Lee (4.5 sacks) are standouts on a front seven that will miss leading tackler Jonathan Truman.

OKLAHOMA SOONERS

BetDSI Sportsbook preview for this school:

2014 Statistics:
SU Record: 8-5
ATS Record: 5-8
Over/Under: 9-4
Points Scored: 36.4 PPG (21st in FBS)
Points Allowed: 25.9 PPG (56th in FBS)
Odds to Win 2015 BCS National Championship: 35/1

2015 Preview:
Offense: Starters Returning: 7
Defense: Starters Returning: 6
The Sooners have a well-balanced offense with stud RB Semaje Perine (1,713 rush yds, 21 TD) and a stacked receiving corps led by WR Sterling Shepard (970 rec yds, 5 TD). QB Baker Mayfield (2,315 pass yds, 6.8 YPC, 12 TD, 9 INT in 2013 at Texas Tech) is expected to beat out fellow junior QB Trevor Knight (2,300 pass yds, 7.3 YPA, 14 TD, 12 INT). Oklahoma’s stout defense is headlined by LBs Eric Striker (9 sacks, 17 TFL) and Dominique Alexander (107 tackles). CB Zack Sanchez (6 INT) is an incredible athlete.

OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS

BetDSI Sportsbook preview for this school:

2014 Statistics:
SU Record: 7-6
ATS Record: 6-7
Over/Under: 6-6
Points Scored: 27.6 PPG (76th in FBS)
Points Allowed: 31.2 PPG (94th in FBS)
Odds to Win 2015 BCS National Championship: 110/1

2015 Preview:
Offense: Starters Returning: 8
Defense: Starters Returning: 8
The Cowboys offense has a shoddy running game (3.51 YPC, 106th in nation) and green QB Mason Rudolph (853 pass yds, 9.9 YPA, 6 TD, 4 INT), but three quality receivers remain with WRs Brandon Sheperd (737 rec yds), David Glidden (598 rec yds) and James Washington (6 rec TD). OSU’s front seven is fierce -- especially DE Emmanuel Ogbah (11 sacks) and LB Ryan Simmons (96 tackles) -- but the secondary is awful (269.2 passing YPG, 110th in FBS).

TCU HORNED FROGS

BetDSI Sportsbook preview for this school:

2014 Statistics:
SU Record: 12-1
ATS Record: 11-2
Over/Under: 8-5
Points Scored: 46.5 PPG (2nd in FBS)
Points Allowed: 19.0 PPG (8th in FBS)
Odds to Win 2015 BCS National Championship: 15/1

2015 Preview:
Offense: Starters Returning: 9
Defense: Starters Returning: 5
TCU’s national title aspirations start with do-it-all QB Trevone Boykin (4,608 total yds, 41 total TD) and WR Josh Doctson (1,018 rec yds, 11 TD). Senior RB Aaron Green (922 rush yds, 7.1 YPC, 9 TD) is also outstanding. The Frogs were nasty up front (FBS-low 2.78 YPC; 8.6 TFL per game, 2nd in nation) and return DEs James McFarland and Terrell Lathan (12.5 sacks combined). The secondary still needs work, but FS Derrick Kindred (4 INT) can play.

TEXAS LONGHORNS

BetDSI Sportsbook preview for this school:

2014 Statistics:
SU Record: 6-7
ATS Record: 7-6
Over/Under: 4-9
Points Scored: 21.4 PPG (109th in FBS)
Points Allowed: 23.8 PPG (32nd in FBS)
Odds to Win 2015 BCS National Championship: 200/1

2015 Preview:
Offense: Starters Returning: 8
Defense: Starters Returning: 5
Athletic QB Tyrone Swoopes (13 TD, 11 INT) will run an up-tempo offense to boost scoring (21.4 PPG, 106th in FBS). Senior WR Marcus Johnson (313 rec yds) is a so-so top target, but RB Jonathan Gray (637 rush yds, 7 TD) is a capable No. 1 back. The front seven lost a ton, but 320-pound DT Hassan Ridgeway (6 sacks) and freshman LB Malik Jefferson are emerging stars. CB Duke Thomas (3 INT) and S Dylan Haines (4 INT) lead a strong secondary.

TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS

BetDSI Sportsbook preview for this school:

2014 Statistics:
SU Record: 4-8
ATS Record: 6-6
Over/Under: 6-6
Points Scored: 30.5 PPG (55th in FBS)
Points Allowed: 41.3 PPG (126th in FBS)
Odds to Win 2015 BCS National Championship: 75/1 (Field)

2015 Preview:
Offense: Starters Returning: 9
Defense: Starters Returning: 8
Whoever wins the starting job between QB Davis Webb (7.4 YPA, 24 TD, 13 INT) and QB Patrick Mahomes (8.4 YPA, 16 TD, 4 INT) will have plenty of weapons in the Air Raid offense, such as WRs Jakeem Grant (938 rec yds) and Devin Lauderdale (7 rec TD). RB DeAndre Washington (1,103 rush yds) also oozes with talent. New DC David Gibbs is tasked with producing more takeaways, and has the personnel to do so in DE Pete Robertson (12 sacks), Ohio State transfer WLB Mike Mitchell and CB Justis Nelson (16 PBU).

WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS

BetDSI Sportsbook preview for this school:

2014 Statistics:
SU Record: 7-6
ATS Record: 7-6
Over/Under: 4-8
Points Scored: 33.5 PPG (36th in FBS)
Points Allowed: 27.6 PPG (74th in FBS)
Odds to Win 2015 BCS National Championship: 300/1

2015 Preview:
Offense: Starters Returning: 6
Defense: Starters Returning: 8
Clint Trickett and Kevin White are gone, but junior QB Skyler Howard (7.5 YPA, 8 TD, 0 INT) still has WR Jordan Thompson (598 rec yds) and Kevin White’s brother, freshman WR Ka’Raun White. Junior RBs Rushel Shell (788 rush yds, 7 TD) and Wendell Smallwood (722 rush yds) could also have a bigger role. The D-Line will likely struggle again, but SAM Nick Kwiatkoski (103 tackles) is one of four senior starters at linebacker. The secondary is excellent, headlined by S Karl Joseph (92 tackles) and CB Daryl Worley (3 INT).


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