Way too Early Big 12 Preview

I was thinking about covering Women's softball, but cooler heads prevailed. Before people like Phil Steele and Street and Smith (who actually study this stuff) get their college fb preview mags out, I thought I would go out on a limb with a preview without being bogged down by facts and stuff.

North -
1. Missouri - I am basing this on the assumption that Missouri will not sell the rights to host their long time rival to Kansas City or St. Louis, and therefore will host the Big 12 North Championship game. Road games for the Tigers are: Bugeaters, Horns, Baylor and Iowa State.
2. Kansas - Mark Mangino expected to regain focus from home sale by regular season. Last year, Mangino was quoted as saying something to the effects of "cupcakes helped". This year's non conference - better known as preseason at Phog U - is full of pastries as well: Florida International, La Tech, at South Florida (must be a scheduling error) and Sam Houston State, led by senior Rhett Bomar. Kansas conference road games are: Bugeasters, Sooners, Sooners and Missouri. This difference is the reason I'm picking the Tigers.
3 (tie). Colorado, Nebraska, I could make a case for each of these teams to be 3-4. Maybe I'll actually research this later. Nebraska hosts Missouri, Kansas and Colorado, but that may just give them the opportunity to lose big at home. Colorado should be improved this year.
5. Kansas State - and Kansas State does not have Texas on the schedule to push around this year, or they could tie for third as well.
6. Iowa State - I expect Chizik's team to lose to South Dakota State or Kent State; upset Iowa and go winless in the Big 12.

South -
1. Oklahoma - the Sooners and Longhorns come into the season with defensive questions. Whoever solves them will win the South.
2. Texas - See above. New DC Will Muschamp may be the answer.
3. Texas Tech - Coach Leach continues to be on the outside looking in for a Big 12 South title.
4. Texas A&M - TAMU led the Big 12 in NFL picks. This team still has talent. They will improve with Sherman as coach, and get to a bowl game.
5. Oklahoma State - Mike Gundy will turn 41 this year. He will still be a man. Oklahoma State will be a sleeper pick of some prognositcators. And they will disappoint those same folks.
6. Baylor - The Bears will be more exciting this year with Art Briles at the helm, and will beat Iowa State for their sole Big 12 win. I want this to be wrong. At Houston, the Briles led Cougars often hit the bigger bullies with a surprise first half, then succumbed in the second half. I expect Baylor to inspire a couple of butt chewings at the half.