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The Big 12 North: so bad it's good

Sporting News, The, Sept 30, 2005 by Matt Hayes

Nine flippin' seconds to play, and Marshall coach Mark Snyder decides to get all tricky and forego a short field goal to throw one more into the end zone. Just kick the field goal, run off the field a winner, and give us more ammunition for the pathetic state of the Big 12 North Division, will ya?

Instead, we get a you've-got-to-be-kidding-me interception from Kansas State's Justin McKinney, and everyone in purple goes home happy. Then again, that near loss simply makes it easier to mock the Big 12 North--or, as we like to call it, the Big East Lite.

"You've got some teams in transition right now," says Nebraska coach Bill Callahan.

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Transition? Missouri lost to New Mexico--at home. Nebraska struggled with I-AA Maine. And before Iowa State beat Iowa, the Cyclones struggled to hold off I-AA Illinois State.

This division is so bad, it's good. Where else can a team lose three league games and still have a chance to win the conference championship? Colorado lost three last year and won the North, and you better believe it could happen again. Just think, we could--hold your breath--see Kansas playing in the Big 12 title game.

The league doesn't begin conference play until October 1, but the only team that still is somewhat of a mystery is Colorado, which plays at Miami this week. If the Buffs roll into the Orange Bowl and beat the Canes, one can only assume that huge Big 12 road game against Texas will be a cakewalk. Right?

If you're looking for a North Division favorite, check out Iowa State. Why do we say this? Only because the Cyclones somehow got out of playing Texas and Oklahoma for the second straight season.

Other than that, we'd just as soon take Kansas State. All things (read: teams) being equal--trust us, they are--we'll take the team with karma. Hey, anyone else in the North Division play Marshall this season?

The Big 12 North: so bad it's good

Sporting News, The, Sept 30, 2005 by Matt Hayes

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