Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin
It's fashionable to consider the Big 12 South Division as one of the most difficult divisions in college football. Despite the apparent balance in recent seasons, only three teams have won the title and Texas and Oklahoma have claimed all of the championship game appearances since 1999.
But with Texas Tech developing into a possible BCS buster and other strong teams across the division, it's time to look at those developments with a critical eye.
1. Does any team have the ability to knock off Oklahoma? The Sooners made history last season with the first back-to-back championships in conference history. They may be even better this year with quarterback Sam Bradford and a talented offensive line returning. The Sooners' biggest concern will be filling in playmakers at middle linebacker and cornerback, where All-Big 12 selections Rufus Alexander and Reggie Smith played before leaving school. How well Oklahoma plays offensively will determine whether coach Bob Stoops can resurrect his "Big Game Bob" image in another BCS bowl game.
2. Is Texas Tech's defense good enough to push them into conference championship contention? Most of the offensive weapons are back and the Red Raiders return 10 starters from last year. New defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill will be starting his first full season calling defenses and will have a deep defensive front and two starting linebackers. But until they produce consistently, the Red Raiders' defense will be the biggest question mark concerning whether they can contend.
3. How much will new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp's arrival mean for Texas? The Longhorns have backslid over the last two seasons from their 2005 national championship level and the lack of defensive consistency has been the primary reason. Texas coach Mack Brown hired the fiery Muschamp from Auburn hoping he would pump some life into a unit that has appeared stale. Muschamp's work with a green secondary will be particularly important to determine whether the Longhorns can contend for their first Big 12 division title since 2005.
4. Will we see a kinder, gentler Mike Gundy along the Oklahoma State sidelines? Don't bet on it. Gundy's rant got him unquestioned national attention -- some good and some bad. But it didn't help his team play better late in games as it often struggled to make key plays. Finding replacements for leading rusher Dantrell Savage and top receiver Adarius Bowman will be the first tasks.
5. How long will it take Mike Sherman to get the Aggies back into contention? The former Green Bay Packers coach has instilled some tough discipline for a team that sometimes appeared to be lacking it last season. Sherman's most immediate chore will be to help an inexperienced offensive line grow up fast. The Aggies have some of the best running backs in the conference in Mike Goodson, Jorvorskie Lane, Bradley Stephens and Cornell Tarrant. But all of that talent won't do the Aggies much good if they don't have any holes to run through.
6. Can Baylor ever be a factor in the Big 12? The Bears have the seventh-longest drought among Division I-A teams with no bowl appearances since 1994. New coach Art Briles brings a high-powered offensive philosophy along from Houston, where he helped the Cougars make four bowl trips in the last five seasons. He has enviable depth at quarterback where Blake Szymanski, Miami transfer Kirby Freeman and heralded freshman Robert Griffin will challenge for the starting position. But new defensive coordinator Brian Norwood will have few playmakers outside of linebacker Joe Pawelek and safety Jordan Lake. And the Big 12 South is no place to try to win consistently without a stout defense.
7. And finally, will the South Division reclaim its dominant position over the North? Oklahoma claimed its second-straight title, but the North appeared to be making inroads with Colorado stunning Oklahoma and Texas Tech and Kansas State beating Texas for a second-straight season. Kansas and Missouri both had shots at the national title game if they could have won the Big 12 championship. North teams had a 10-8 edge in regular-season cross-division games, giving them their first advantage since 1998. Will this trend continue again in 2008?
Tim Griffin joined ESPN.com in February 2008. He has covered the Big 12 since its inception, among a variety of beats during a 24-year career at the San Antonio Express-News. Griffin, a Memphis State University graduate, lives in San Antonio with his wife and son.
