Big 12 college football preview, part 2: Oklahoma and Texas say goodbye

When Oklahoma and Texas go away the Large 12 for the SEC subsequent yr, it is going to clearly influence ticket gross sales for his or her soon-to-be former convention mates. The conference’s new media rights dealalthough strong, would not have fairly the identical ceiling as it could have with its longtime massive canines.

On the sphere, although, the convention has already moved on. Texas hasn’t made the Large 12 championship since 2018, and whereas OU loved a late-2010s dynasty, successful six straight convention titles from 2015 to ’20, the Sooners have fallen wanting the title sport for 2 straight years. Within the absence of both the Sooners or Longhorns, 4 totally different groups have taken half in two absolute classics — Baylor‘s 21-16, by-a-millimeter win over Oklahoma State in 2021 and Kansas State‘s time beyond regulation victory over TCU final December.

This might be the brand new regular: two groups utilizing the kiss of the close-games god to prevail over a great deal of equally gifted (and monied) groups, then placing on a traditional at Jerry World in Arlington, Texas. There are worse fates. However earlier than the 2 blueblood packages go away, they’ll attempt to lord over the Large 12 one final time. Texas and OU are each projected within the high 15 in each SP+ and FPI, and both or each might put collectively a gaudy file in the event that they’re capable of make peace with the aforementioned god of shut video games.

In video games determined by a couple of rating final yr (excluding their lopsided sport in opposition to one another), the Horns and Sooners went a mixed 11-1. That is customary of fine groups. However in one-score finishes? They have been an unimaginable 2-10. The wackiness of their ultimate Large 12 title race might come down to only how a lot they progress towards the imply in these video games.

Final week we previewed the seven Large 12 groups that dwell outside of Oklahoma or Texas. Now let’s speak in regards to the convention’s geographical coronary heart.

Each week by way of the offseason, Invoice Connelly will preview one other division from the Group of 5 and Energy 5 completely for ESPN+, in the end together with all 133 FBS groups. The previews will embody 2022 breakdowns, 2023 previews and burning questions for every group.