Big 12 Football: Conference Teams at the Halfway Point and Bowl Projections

We are halfway through the conference season, and fans are gaining a clearer picture of what there teams are going to be this year.

The Big 12 this year is starting to resemble the 2009 version. A combination of great quarterbacks and a number of schools hiring new defensive coordinators has resulted in Big 12 games resembling the late 80's WAC.

The Big 12 features some of the greatest offenses in country. Five of the top 11 offenses in the NCAA are Big 12 teams.

The conference teams are struggling on defense, but overall, it is still the strongest conference year in quite some time.

Six games into the season, nine of the 10 conference teams still have a realistic shot at making a bowl game.

Lets take a look at where each conference team stands at the halfway point.

Kansas Jayhawks 2-4, 0-3

The Jayhawks are in their second year under Turner Gill.

The offense has improved in Gill's second year, putting up 425 yards and 31.7 points per game.

As expected, sophomore James Sims has provided the Jayhawks with a strong running threat. Sims has rushed for 455 yards and six touchdowns.

Sophomore quarterback Jordan Webb is completing over 65 percent of his passes for 206 yards per game with 11 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Webb's growth from his freshman season makes the Kansas offense a threat to score on anyone.

The issue with KU is that their defense is terrible, even by Big 12 standards.

The Jayhawks set an NCAA record when they gave up over 600 yards rushing to Georgia Tech. The KU pass defense is allowing opponents to complete 70 percent of their passes. On the ground, KU is allowing 6.2 yards per rush.

Their defense is a sieve, and unless they make a drastic turnaround, it is going to prevent the Jayhawks from going to a bowl game.

With Kansas State, Texas, Iowa State, Baylor, Texas A&M and Missouri remaining on the schedule, the best KU fans can hope for is a 2-4 finish.

Do not be surprised to see KU give KSU all they can handle this weekend and possibly pull the upset. If KU does not turn the ball over, they have the offensive firepower to outscore the Wildcats.

KU has a legitimate shot to win their next three games because they can outscore those teams. If they do not get two wins out of KSU, Texas and ISU, then expect them to end the year on a 10-game losing streak.

KU will not make a bowl game this year.

Iowa State Cyclones 3-3, 0-3

The Cyclones started off the year winning three hard fought games in non-conference play.

Once Big 12 play started, their luck ran out, and ISU is 0-3 in the conference.

The ISU football team under Paul Rhoads plays as hard as any team in the country. Rhoads gets every last ounce of effort out of the talent available.

ISU's offense has been inconsistent, with QB Steele Janz leading some inspiring comebacks but also throwing costly interceptions.

Janz has limited experience under center and is basically learning on the job. He should be a much better quarterback next year.

ISU lost RB Shontrelle Johnson to a season ending knee injury. James White stepped into the starters role and has responded with 384 yards rushing and five touchdowns.

Senior WR Darius Reynolds has stepped his game up and is having a monster year. Reynolds is averaging 18.6 yards on his 28 receptions and has scored six touchdowns.

The ISU defense is allowing 447 yards and 36 points per game, but features two of the best linebackers in the conference.

Jake Knott and A.J Klein are difference makers who will compete for All-Conference honors.

Knott leads ISU with 63 total tackles and has added 3.5 tackles for loss. Kelin has 40 tackles, four tackles for loss, an interception and a sack.

ISU faces A&M, Texas Tech, Kansas, OSU, OU and KSU to complete their schedule.

Realistically, they have a chance to beat KU and KSU. They would have to play well above their heads to beat Tech in Lubbock to get their sixth win and qualify for a bowl game.

ISU players play as hard for their coach as any team in the country. They could pull an upset, but right now, they are staring a four-win season right in the face.

Do not expect ISU to qualify for a bowl game.

Missouri Tigers 3-3, 1-2

The Missouri Tigers probably have the most reason for optimism heading into the second half of the season.

The Tigers are only 1-2 in conference play, but appear to have hit their stride as a team.

James Franklin has improved with every game at QB and is developing into on of the most dangerous offensive threats in the league.

He has completed 61 percent of his passes for 248 yards per game and 10 touchdowns with only four interceptions. Franklin has also rushed for 390 yards and seven touchdowns.

Henry Josey has stepped up big time at running back and is averaging an amazing 9.7 yards per carry for the season. He has rushed for 717 yards and six touchdowns.

T.J. Moe and Michael Egnew are once again leading the Tigers in receptions. Expect their numbers to improve as Franklin settles into his role.

The Missouri defense is allowing only 3.0 yards per rush. They are one of the top defenses in the league.

Mizzou has to face their southern portion of their schedule. The Tigers will play OSU, A&M, OU, Baylor, Texas, Texas Tech and Kansas to finish the season.

I expect Missouri to win four of those final six games.

The Tigers should finish 7-5 and 5-4 in the conference. Expect the Tigers to go to the Holiday Bowl.

Texas Tech Red Raiders 4-2, 1-2

Texas Tech started the year off 4-0, but has lost their last two games to Texas A&M and Kansas State.

Much like every other Big 12 team, the Red Raiders have a prolific offense but a suspect defense.

The Red Raiders were dealt a huge blown when running back Eric Stephens was lost for the season to a knee injury against A&M. Stephens gave the Red Raiders a legitimate run threat. Without him, they have struggled to run on the ground.

Seth Doege has stepped in at quarterback and has led the Tech offense with 361 yards passing per game and 18 touchdowns to only four interceptions.

The Tech wide receivers have struggled with injuries. Eric Ward and Alex Torres lead the Red Raiders with 38 and 35 receptions respectively. Tech is waiting for Darrin Moore to return to the field after multiple injuries.

The Tech defense is allowing 407 yards per game. They are giving up 219 yards per game on the ground and 4.7 yards per carry. Tech's inability to stop the run hurt them in their two losses to A&M and KSU.

Tech has OU, ISU, Texas, OSU, Missouri and Baylor remaining on the schedule. A 2-4 or 3-3 finish is realistic.

Tech is looking at the Pinstripe Bowl, Holiday Bowl or the Houston Bowl. If they go 7-5 with a win over Texas, then expect an invite to the Pinstripe Bowl.

Texas Longhorns 4-2, 1-2

The Texas Longhorns are in a rebuilding year.

They have a freshman quarterback, freshman running back and their best receiver is a freshman. While David Ash, Malcolm Brown and Jaxson Shipley form a good nucleus for their future, the Texas OL is killing their offense right now.

Ash is a developing quarterback who will continue to struggle in the passing game, as should be expected for a kid a few months out of high school.

Malcolm Btown is averaging five yards per carry and is a legitimate threat to rush for 1,000 yards this year. If he can really get rolling on the ground, then he could carry the Texas offense.

Texas' weakness at the offensive tackle position means that Ash is learning on the run this year.

Texas' front seven is struggling to stop the run. They are allowing opponents 4.3 yards per carry.

The Texas defensive line is struggling to provide any kind of pass rush with only seven sacks on the season. Alex Okafor and Jackson Jeffcoat have one sack between them this year.

The youth on Texas' team indicates that they should improve as the season goes on. The problem is that with their weak offensive line, pressure on Ash could create turnovers and impede the offenses growth.

Texas has Kansas, Tech, Mizzou, KSU, A&M and Baylor left on their schedule. Texas can realistically be outscored by four or five of those teams.

Expect Texas to end up 7-5 and in the Alamo Bowl. 

Baylor Bears 4-2, 1-2

Baylor has the most dynamic player in the conference in quarterback Robert Griffin III.

Griffin has put up video-game like numbers, completing 78 percent of his passes for 325 yards per game and 22 touchdowns with only two interceptions. He is the most important player to his team when compared to any other individual player in college football.

Senior wide receiver Kendall Wright is having an All-American type season, with 55 receptions for 757 yards and nine touchdowns through six games.

The issue with Baylor is their defense's inability to stop anyone. While not quite Kansas bad, the Baylor defense is very poor.

Baylor hired Phil Bennett as a defensive coordinator in the offseason, but he has not done much to improve the defense.

Baylor is allowing 32.7 points per game. They are a team of all offense and no defense.

Baylor has OSU, Mizzou, Kansas, OU, Tech and Texas remaining on their schedule. Expect Baylor to go 2-4 to finish the season with wins over KU and Texas.

Baylor will return to the Houston Bowl.

Texas A&M Aggies 4-2, 2-1

The Texas A&M Aggies feature one of the best offenses in the league. The problem is that they have the worst pass defense in the league.

The Aggies lost two games late in the fourth quarter to Oklahoma State and Arkansas because they struggled to stop the pass.

The Aggies have been led by senior quarterback Ryan Tannehill on offense. The reigning Walter Camp offensive player of the week has been consistently great under center. Tannehill is completing 67 percent of his passes for 290 yards per game and 13 touchdowns with only six interceptions.

The Ags feature the best offensive line in the conference and are pounding out 227 rushing yards per game.

While the Ags are struggling in pass defense, their run defense has been excellent. The Ags are allowing 73 yards per game and only 2.2 yards per carry on the ground.

The Aggies also feature the nation's best pass rush with 26 sacks through six games.

Junior outside linebacker Sean Porter is putting up All-American numbers, with 38 total tackles and 7.5 sacks through six games.

If the Aggies can improve a little on pass defense or start creating more turnovers, then they have a legitimate shot at running the table.

The Aggies have ISU, Mizzou, Oklahoma, KSU, KU and Texas remaining on their schedule. Expect a 5-1 finish with a loss at OU.

The Aggies will finish 9-3 and make a return trip to the Cotton Bowl.

Kansas State Wildcats 6-0, 3-0

KSU keeps finding ways to win football games. They are definitely the surprise team of the conference this year.

The Wildcats run the ball and play excellent run defense and special teams. That is the same formula that Bill Snyder used to build KSU into a national power in the late 90's.

KSU is averaging 206 yards rushing per game while only allowing 96 yards per game. The Wildcats only give up 3.2 yards per rush.

Quarterback Collin Klein leads the KSU rushing attack with 578 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. Klein is not much of a passer, but in this system, he excels at not making mistakes and letting the defense and special teams do their job to give the offense short fields.

KSU is not flashy, but simply knows how to win. They will wait for their opponents to make a mistake and then capitalize on them.

The Wildcats have KU, OU, OSU, A&M, Texas and ISU remaining on their schedule. I do not think KSU will be able to keep up with the offenses of OU, OSU and A&M. Expect KSU to go 2-4 in their remaining games.

KSU will finish 8-4 and go to the Insight Bowl in Tempe, AZ.

Oklahoma State Cowboys 6-0, 3-0

Oklahoma State has the most explosive offense in all of college football. They are averaging 49 points and 552 total yards per game.

They have an excellent passing game led by senior quarterback Brandon Weeden and uber-wide receiver Justin Blackmon. 

OSU has an excellent offensive line that allows them to rush for 155 yards per game.

They truly make you pick your poison when you are on defense. They can beat you with the pass of the run.

The OSU defense gives up lots of yards but makes up for them by forcing turnovers. The OSU defense has forced 20 turnovers on the year. They excel at giving the ball back to their offense on short field so the offense can score again and continue its onslaught.

OSU is attempting to prove this year that you can win championships without a championship defense.

The Cowboys have Missouri, Baylor, KSU, Tech, ISU and Oklahoma remaining on their schedule. Expect OSU to go 5-1 during that stretch, although I think they will beat OU in Norman.

OSU will represent the Big 12 in the Fiesta Bowl.

Oklahoma Sooners 6-0, 3-0

OU has the best defense in the conference, allowing only 15.8 points and 317 total yards per game.

Their defense is led by defensive ends Ronnell Lewis and Frank Alexander. Lewis has 37 tackles and 3.5 sacks on the year, while Alexander checks in with 30 and 6.5.

The Sooner offense is prolific, with Landry Jones completing 67 percent of his passes for 362 yards per game.

Senior wide receiver Ryan Broyles will be a unanimous first team All-American and has 60 receptions for 815 yards and nine touchdowns in six games.

OU looks like the most complete team in the conference. They have the most likely path to an undefeated season and an appearance in the BCS game.

Oklahoma has Tech, KSU, A&M, Baylor, ISU and OSU remaining on their schedule. Expect them to drop the Bedlam game to OSU.

OU will give the Big 12 a second BCS team this year and will play in the Orange Bowl.