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For all the dreary weather talk about the Big 12 Conference in recent years – hell, let’s face it, there’s probably someone out there bad-mouthing the conference, and for good reason – the conference as a whole has actually looked good thus far, as our friends over at Frogs O’ War recently pointed out. Here’s how the Big 12 has shook out against other conferences so far this season: 1-0 versus ACC, 1-2 versus Big Ten, 2-0 versus Pac-12, 0-1 versus SEC (um, that one is on the Texas Longhorns), and 9-1 against the Group of Five conferences.
Add in newly invited members like the UCF Golden Knights, the Cincinnati Bearcats, the Houston Cougars and BYU Cougars, and those numbers shake out like this, instead: 1-1 versus the ACC, 2-2 versus the Big Ten, 5-0 versus the Pac-12, 0-1 versus the SEC (again, that’s our bad), and 12-1 versus Group of Five opponents.
In other words, that’s not too bad.
It’s almost worth saying that Texas and the Oklahoma Sooners aren’t leaving the conference in too bad of shape.
WHAT THE WISE MEN ARE SAYING ABOUT THE LONGHORNS
Austin American-Statesman: The start of Big 12 play raises the stakes for Steve Sarkisian, Texas
Austin American-Statesman: Taking stock of Texas’ 2-1 start heading into Big 12 opener
Austin American-Statesman: Roschon Johnson leads the way as Texas backs ‘dominate that game’
Austin American-Statesman: Golden: Texas looks right again, just in time for start of Big 12 play
Austin American-Statesman: How our five pregame questions facing Texas worked out for the Horns
Austin American-Statesman: How the Texas Longhorns graded out in their win over Rice
Austin American-Statesman: Bohls: A Texas passing tandem worthy of high praise and expectations
Dallas Morning News: National reaction to Texas’ dominant win vs. Rice: Bijan Robinson, Longhorns run all over Owls
Dallas Morning News: 5 takeaways from Texas’ 58-0 demolition of Rice: Longhorns put on a rushing clinic
247Sports: Grading the Longhorns: Offense makes positive strides in rout of Rice
247Sports: Pick Six: Texas cleanses the palate before heading into conference play
247Sports: Morning Brew: You know when you’ve found your starting quarterback? When the players say so.
247Sports: The Good, Bad and Ugly from Texas’ 58-0 rout of Rice as Longhorns find their starting quarterback
Inside Texas: Texas-Rice Postmortem: Defense/special teams
Inside Texas: Texas’ perimeter emphasis boosts entire offense versus Rice
Inside Texas: In the rear view mirror: Texas vs Rice
ICYMI IN BURNT ORANGE NATION
Texas bounces back in 58-0 annihilation of overmatched Rice
Initial thoughts from Texas’ 58-0 shutout win over Rice
Inside the Numbers: Texas found efficiency against an outmatched opponent
Instant Reaction Live stream: Texas dominates Rice
Texas runs all over Rice: Post-game celebration thread
Podcast: Casey Thompson remains QB1 and improvements on the O-Line
Kickoff time set for Texas at TCU
RECRUITING ROUNDUP
247Sports: The Stampede: Visit intel, Texas’ standing with priority targets
247Sports: Nick at Nite: Nuggets on two key cornerback targets in 2022
247Sports: NickKnacks: Texas makes big impact on four-star Brenen Thompson on official visit
247Sports: Longhorns still in line for official visit from Omari Abor
Inside Texas: Scoop: Rice was nice; individual recruiting updates; save the date Oct. 16th
BIG 12 BREAKDOWN
Inside Texas: Who won Week 3 in the Big 12?
The Athletic: After 25 years of conference grief, how the Houston Cougars became proud members of Big 12
Our Daily Bears: Baylor’s on the right path to compete for Big 12 titles
Our Daily Bears: Baylor at Oklahoma State set for 6 PM kickoff on ESPN2
Our Daily Bears: Sunday Thoughts: Gerry Bohanon is the real deal
Viva the Matadors: Game Thread: Florida International
Frogs O’ War: Around the Big 12: A day late and a bit surprised
Frogs O’ War: Quick Look: SMU Mustangs
Crimson and Cream Machine: Oklahoma Football: OU wins Nebraska’s way
Crimson and Cream Machine: OU falls one spot to No. 4 in AP Poll
Crimson and Cream Machine: Recap: OU outlasts Nebraska in 23-16 slugfest
Cowboys Ride For Free: Oklahoma State survives the blue turf at Boise State in 21-20 win
The Smoking Musket: Big 12 Roundup and Power Rankings: Who has the best non-conference win?
The Smoking Musket: What I think after bringing the Black Diamond Trophy back home
The Smoking Musket: West Virginia holds off No. 15 Virginia Tech with goal line stand to win the Black Diamond Trophy
Wide Right & Natty Lite: Iowa State Football Post-Mortem: UNLV
Wide Right & Natty Lite: Cyclones roll Rebels, 48-3
Bring On The Cats: K-State No. 25 in AP Poll; coaches remain stupid
Rock Chalk Talk: A (semi) statistical recap of Baylor
Rock Chalk Talk: Bears beat KU in Big 12 opener
WHAT WE’RE READING
SB Nation: The NFL’s crackdown on taunting is as bad as we thought
SB Nation: NIU coach says Michigan ‘built their team to beat Ohio State’
SB Nation: The Jaguars’ ‘Hang In There’ post is even sadder than their record
NEWS ACROSS THE FORTY ACRES AND BEYOND
- Texas’ win over the Rice Owls last weekend was its first shutout since 2017.
58-0
— Longhorn Network (@LonghornNetwork) September 19, 2021
Texas gets the shutout and Texas GameDay Final presented by @TheZebraCo is live on LHN now. pic.twitter.com/w9wqVqajlR
- Can’t get enough of this, folks.
Number three on the day for Bijan Robinson #Devy pic.twitter.com/SrWOLjAkB2
— Greg Brandt (@devywarehouse) September 19, 2021