Oklahoma State seeks 2nd title in booming Big 12

AP FILE PHOTO – Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy solutions a reporter’s query on the NCAA faculty soccer Huge 12 media days July 13 in Arlington, Texas. The Huge 12 goes into its Twelfth and last season as a 10-team convention.

Mike Gundy is the one Huge 12 head coach nonetheless round from the final time the convention was going via a lot change. That slightly greater than a decade in the past, in regards to the time Oklahoma State received its solely championship within the league.

With new commissioner Brett Yormark already in place, the Huge 12 goes into its Twelfth and last season with 10 groups earlier than getting larger.

“I don’t suppose there’s any query as this strikes ahead that the Huge 12 Convention is in an incredible place,” mentioned Gundy, the previous Oklahoma State quarterback in his 18th season as head coach at his alma mater.

Gundy feels the identical method about his Twelfth-ranked Cowboys, with fourth-year beginning quarterback Spencer Sanders amongst 10 returning offensive starters after they got here up solely inches in need of beating Baylor within the Huge 12 championship recreation final December — and possibly making the four-team School Soccer Playoff. Oklahoma State has had 17 consecutive profitable seasons, all with bowl appearances.

“We don’t actually get out of our field a lot at Oklahoma State,” Gundy mentioned. “We’ve got a tradition and a philosophy and a system we imagine in.”

Tenth-ranked Baylor had a 10-win enchancment from coach Dave Aranda’s debut solely a yr earlier. The Bears went 12-2, together with a 21-16 win within the Huge 12 title recreation after fourth-and-goal cease within the last minute. They host Oklahoma State on Oct. 1.

Blake Shapen turned Baylor’s prime quarterback after the sophomore beat out since-departed incumbent starter Gerry Bohanon in spring drills. Shapen was the Huge 12 championship recreation MVP in certainly one of his two begins final yr when Bohanon was injured.

4 new colleges be a part of the Huge 12 subsequent summer season, and three of them are in The Related Press preseason High 25: No. 23 Cincinnati, No. 24 Houston and No. 25 BYU. That matches the variety of present league members ranked: No. 9 Oklahoma, Baylor and Oklahoma State.

The Huge 12 was first a 10-team league in 2011 after Colorado left for the Pac-12 and Nebraska for the Huge Ten. Oklahoma State received the outright Huge 12 championship that season, the primary of six years in a row the league didn’t have a title recreation.

TCU and West Virginia joined the Huge 12 in 2012, the identical yr that Bob Bowlsby turned commissioner. Texas A&M and Missouri left then for the Southeastern Convention, the place they are going to be joined by previous nationwide champions Oklahoma and Texas no later than the 2025 season.

“You’ve seen nice coaches, nice groups, actually constantly play week in and week out,” mentioned Iowa State’s Matt Campbell, the league’s second-longest tenured coach in his seventh season. “It makes each recreation that will get performed on this convention actually particular.”

CHANGES BEHIND CENTER

As many as 9 Huge 12 groups might have a distinct beginning quarterback of their season opener than they did in 2021.

Tyler Shough is ready as Texas Tech’s starter for the second yr in a row. The previous Oregon switch performed within the first 4 video games final yr earlier than struggling a damaged collarbone.

Sanders missed Oklahoma State’s ’21 opener due to COVID-19 protocols. Max Duggan might begin for TCU once more, however was competing with Chandler Morris for that job. Jalon Daniels is predicted to start out for Kansas despite the fact that Jason Bean continues to be there.

Three incoming transfers have been named starters: Adrian Martinez at Kansas State (from Nebraska), Dillon Gabriel at Oklahoma (UCF), and Quinn Ewers at Texas (Ohio State). Georgia switch JT Daniels will seemingly begin for West Virginia, whose ’21 opening starter Jarret Doege is at Troy.

Hunter Dekkers succeeds Iowa State’s winningest QB. Brock Purdy had been the Cyclones starter for the reason that center of the 2018 season.

NEW COACHES

New Oklahoma coach Brent Venables was defensive coordinator for the Sooners throughout their 2000 nationwide championship season, then was Clemson’s DC for 2 nationwide titles earlier than returning to Norman.

Sonny Dykes took over at TCU after the previous 4 seasons at SMU. Dykes labored in an off-field position for the Horned Frogs in 2017 underneath Gary Patterson, their head coach to start out the previous 21 seasons.

Joey McGuire is the eighth coach at Texas Tech, together with three interim head coaches, over a 14-season span. He was a Baylor assistant the previous 5 years after profitable three Texas highschool state championships.

PRESEASON AP ALL-AMERICANS

Will McDonald IV, DE, senior, Iowa State. The Huge 12 chief in sacks in every of the final two seasons had 11 1/2 final yr, and in addition pressured 5 fumbles.

Bijan Robinson, RB, junior, Texas: He ran for 1,127 yards and 11 touchdowns in a season lower quick by a dislocated elbow.

Deuce Vaughn, RB, junior Kansas State: The 5-foot-6 dynamo totaled 1,872 yards from scrimmage (1,404 speeding, 468 receiving) and scored 22 TDs final yr.

Second-team preseason All-Individuals: Connor Galvin, OT, junior, Baylor; Siaki Ika, DL, junior, Baylor; Xavier Worthy, WR, sophomore, Texas.

THE PREDICTIONS

Baylor repeats, then Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Kansas State, Texas, TCU, Iowa State, West Virginia, Texas Tech, Kansas.