Scout.com: 2009 Big 12 South Schedule Breakdown

2009 Big 12 South Schedule Breakdown

Oklahoma State QB Zac Robinson

By Staff

CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Apr 8, 2009

While Oklahoma and Texas will likely start the season ranked in the top five (possibly even the top three), it'll be Zac Robinson's Oklahoma State that could be the star of the Big 12? Why? Check out the schedule. Check out the analysis and breakdown for each Big 12 South team's slate.

2009 Big 12 South Team Schedule

Toughest schedules
Based on home games as well as who the teams play. when

West
1. Oklahoma
2. Baylor
3. Oklahoma State
4. Texas
5. Texas Tech
6. Texas A&M

Baylor Bears

Realistic best case record with this schedule: 8-4
Barring total disaster worst case record: 4-8
Realistic record: 5-7

Non-Conference Schedule: at Wake Forest, Connecticut, Northwestern State, Kent State
Games vs. the Big 12 North: at Iowa State, Nebraska, at Missouri
Summary: There are some sneaky tough games against Wake Forest and Connecticut in non-conference play to go along with the layups against Northwestern State and Kent State. To have any hope of going bowling, the Bears have to go at least 3-1 before dealing with the start of Big 12 play against Oklahoma on the road. Iowa State would be one of the winnable games on the conference slate, but it's made tougher by being on the road. If nothing else, Baylor could be a major fly in the ointment for teams like Oklahoma State, Nebraska, Texas, and Texas Tech all coming to Waco.

Sept. 5 at Wake Forest
Sept. 12 OPEN DATE
Sept. 19 Connecticut
Sept. 26 Northwestern State
Oct. 3 Kent State
Oct. 10 at Oklahoma
Oct. 17 at Iowa State
Oct. 24 Oklahoma State
Oct. 31 Nebraska
Nov. 7 at Missouri
Nov. 14 Texas
Nov. 21 at Texas A&M
Nov. 28 Texas Tech

Oklahoma Sooners

Realistic best case record with this schedule: 12-0
Barring total disaster worst case record: 7-5
Realistic record: 10-2

Non-Conference Schedule: BYU, Idaho State, Tulsa, at Miami
Games vs. the Big 12 North: at Kansas, Kansas State, at Nebraska
Summary: For almost anyone else, the non-conference schedule would be a nightmare facing BYU, Tulsa and Miami in Miami before starting out Big 12 play against Baylor. It'll all be a tune-up before the Texas showdown, and things don't ease up with a trip Kansas the following week. OU plays eight teams that went to bowl games last year and gets only two of them in Norman. Going to Nebraska will be one of the fun showdowns of the college football season to kick off an interesting November. Playing Oklahoma State in Norman will help the conference title hopes, but going on the road to Texas Tech will be a firefight.

Sept. 5 BYU (in Arlington)
Sept. 12 Idaho State
Sept. 19 Tulsa
Sept. 26 OPEN DATE
Oct. 3 at Miami
Oct. 10 Baylor
Oct. 17 Texas (in Dallas)
Oct. 24 at Kansas
Oct. 31 Kansas State
Nov. 7 at Nebraska
Nov. 14 Texas A&M
Nov. 21 at Texas Tech
Nov. 28 Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State Cowboys

Realistic best case record with this schedule: 11-1
Barring total disaster worst case record: 7-5
Realistic record: 9-3

Non-Conference Schedule: Georgia, Houston, Rice, Grambling State
Games vs. the Big 12 North: Missouri, at Iowa State, Colorado
Summary: Georgia. September 5th. If it's time for Oklahoma State to be a real, live player in the college football world, and if it wants to get the taste of the Holiday Bowl out of its mouth, it needs to beat the Dawgs at home to set the tone for the season. The week after against Houston isn't going to be a whole bunch easier in what could be the most exciting offensive shootout of the Big 12 non-conference season. Things get a lot easier after that with a rebuilding Missouri coming to Stillwater the toughest game to deal with until a Halloween battle with Texas. Colorado will be improved, but facing the Buffs along with Iowa State from the North isn't a bad thing considering it means OSU doesn't have to deal with Nebraska. The Texas and Texas Tech games are at home, but the regular season ends at Oklahoma.

Sept. 5 Georgia
Sept. 12 Houston
Sept. 19 Rice
Sept. 26 Grambling State
Oct. 3 OPEN DATE
Oct. 10 at Texas A&M
Oct. 17 Missouri
Oct. 24 at Baylor
Oct. 31 Texas
Nov. 7 at Iowa State
Nov. 14 Texas Tech
Nov. 19 Colorado
Nov. 28 at Oklahoma

Texas Longhorns

Realistic best case record with this schedule: 12-0
Barring total disaster worst case record: 7-5
Realistic record: 11-1

Non-Conference Schedule: UL Monroe, at Wyoming, UTEP, UCF
Games vs. the Big 12 North: Colorado, at Missouri, Kansas
Summary: UL Monroe, at Wyoming, UTEP and UCF ... there's your non-conference schedule. Ooooooh. Playing Texas Tech on September 19th is an odd date considering the rest of the Big 12 will be waiting for their turn at the conference at bat. The biggest down side will be the three weeks away from Austin against Oklahoma, Missouri, and Oklahoma State over the last three weeks of October. However, November should be a walk in the park facing three teams that didn't go bowling last season and getting Kansas at home. Fine, so the trip to Texas A&M is always going to be tough, but if the Longhorns are still in the national title chase at that point, they're not going to blow it then.

Sept. 5 UL Monroe
Sept. 12 at Wyoming
Sept. 19 Texas Tech
Sept. 26 UTEP
Oct. 3 OPEN DATE
Oct. 10 Colorado
Oct. 17 Oklahoma (in Dallas)
Oct. 24 at Missouri
Oct. 31 at Oklahoma State
Nov. 7 UCF
Nov. 14 at Baylor
Nov. 21 Kansas
Nov. 26 at Texas A&M

Texas A&M Aggies

Realistic best case record with this schedule: 8-4
Barring total disaster worst case record: 4-8
Realistic record: 6-6

Non-Conference Schedule: New Mexico, Utah State, UAB, Arkansas
Games vs. the Big 12 North: at Kansas State, Iowa State, at Colorado
Summary: Year two of the Mike Sherman era starts out with a yawn facing New Mexico, Utah State, and UAB in September before finally getting a real battle. The Arkansas game will be a good measuring stick, and it could be a must-win with Oklahoma State and road games at Kansas State and Texas Tech to kick off Big 12 play. Fortunately for the Aggies, that game against the Wildcats, along with games against Iowa State and at Colorado, means they play the three teams from the North that didn't go bowling last year. While the Texas Tech and Oklahoma games are on the road, OSU and Texas have to come to College Station. While playing the Longhorns at home will be a plus, having to go on the road for four games in five weeks will be rough.

Sept. 5 New Mexico
Sept. 12 OPEN DATE
Sept. 19 Utah State
Sept. 26 UAB
Oct. 3 Arkansas (Dallas)
Oct. 10 Oklahoma State
Oct. 17 at Kansas State
Oct. 24 at Texas Tech
Oct. 31 Iowa State
Nov. 7 at Colorado
Nov. 14 at Oklahoma
Nov. 21 Baylor
Nov. 26 Texas

Texas Tech Red Raiders

Realistic best case record with this schedule: 10-2
Barring total disaster worst case record: 6-6
Realistic record: 8-4

Non-Conference Schedule: North Dakota, Rice, at Houston, New Mexico
Games vs. the Big 12 North: Kansas State, at Nebraska, Kansas
Summary: Tech always gets dogged for its non-conference schedule, and this is another one of those seasons. There's a road game at Houston, and that's about it with home layups against North Dakota, Rice, and New Mexico. However, the Big 12 opener at Texas was thrown into mid-September meaning the team had better be ready to fly after the game against the Owls. While the trip to Nebraska will be tough, the other two games against the North (Kansas State and Kansas) are at home, and there's no Missouri. The Red Raiders will try to gain a measure of revenge against Oklahoma in Lubbock in late November, but that comes after a trip to Oklahoma State. Helping the overall cause is a well-timed off-week on November 7th before facing the Cowboys.

Sept. 5 North Dakota
Sept. 12 Rice
Sept. 19 at Texas
Sept. 26 at Houston
Oct. 3 New Mexico
Oct. 10 Kansas State
Oct. 17 at Nebraska
Oct. 24 Texas A&M
Oct. 31 Kansas
Nov. 7 OPEN DATE
Nov. 14 at Oklahoma State
Nov. 21 Oklahoma
Nov. 28 at Baylor