In just over 100 days, Texas will kick off the season against Louisiana on Sept. 4. For Steve Sarkisian, the goal is simple: Get over the “Tom Herman only goes 8-4 or worse” hump and bring momentum into the program.
As for the rest of the Big 12, normalcy is back. There will be a full nonconference slate this season, and everyone is scheduled to play all nine conference games. Baylor, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas missed out on a Big 12 matchup last season due to COVID-19.
Once again, Lincoln Riley and the Oklahoma Sooners are the favorites to bring back the Big 12 crown. This season, however, there will be more than just conference championship hopes for the Sooners. Oklahoma is looking to make another College Football Playoff and not get blown out by an SEC program again. National championship buzz is palpable in Norman.
Here’s a look at a projection of every Big 12 football team’s final record for the upcoming 2021 season:
Baylor Bears (5-7)
Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
How It’ll Play Out
Wins: Texas State, Texas Southern, Kansas, BYU, Texas Tech
Losses: Iowa State, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Texas, TCU, Oklahoma, Kansas State
Iowa State Cyclones (10-2)
AP Photo/Eric Gay
How It’ll Play Out
Wins: Northern Iowa, UNLV, Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Texas, Texas Tech, TCU
Losses: Iowa, Oklahoma
Kansas Jayhawks (1-11)
AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki
How It’ll Play Out
Wins: South Dakota
Losses: Coastal Carolina, Baylor, Duke, Iowa State, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Texas, TCU, West Virginia
Kansas State Wildcats (7-5)
Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports
How It’ll Play Out
Wins: Stanford, Southern Illinois, Nevada, Texas Tech, Kansas, West Virginia, Baylor
Losses: Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Iowa State, TCU, Texas
Oklahoma Sooners (12-0)
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
How It’ll Play Out
Wins: Tulane, Western Carolina, Nebraska, West Virginia, Kansas State, Texas, TCU, Kansas, Texas Tech, Baylor, Iowa State, Oklahoma State
Losses: None
Oklahoma State Cowboys (9-3)
Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports
How It’ll Play Out
Wins: Missouri State, Tulsa, Boise State, Kansas State, Baylor, Kansas, West Virginia, TCU, Texas Tech
Losses: Texas, Iowa State, Oklahoma
TCU Horned Frogs (9-3)
Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports
How It’ll Play Out
Wins: Duquesne, California, SMU, Texas, Texas Tech, West Virginia, Kansas State, Baylor, Kansas
Losses: Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Iowa State
Texas Longhorns (9-3)
Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
How It’ll Play Out
Wins: Louisiana, Arkansas, Rice, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Kansas, West Virginia, Kansas State
Losses: TCU, Oklahoma, Iowa State
Texas Tech Red Raiders (4-8)
Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
How It’ll Play Out
Wins: Houston, Stephen F. Austin, FIU, Kansas
Losses: Texas, West Virginia, TCU, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Baylor
West Virginia Mountaineers (6-6)
How It’ll Play Out
Wins: LIU, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Baylor, Kansas
Losses: Maryland, TCU, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Texas
