Big 12 is dominating the season for a dozen reasons

The "Big 12" reasons why the Big 12 is the best conference (so far) this season:

1. Quarterbacks from the conference could finish 1-2-3 in this year's Heisman Trophy balloting, which is absurd, although an offspring of the current league has hogged votes in the past.

The last time one conference had the top three finishers was 1972, when the Big Eight produced the winner, Johnny Rodgers of Nebraska, runner-up Greg Pruitt of Oklahoma and Rich Glover of Nebraska.

2. Missouri's prolific offense has not had a "three-and-out" all season. Think about that. Not one first down, second down, third down, punt. The Tigers, with Chase Daniel at quarterback, scored on 15 consecutive possessions in one stretch (13 touchdowns, two field goals).

Again, that's absurd.

"We have a degree of consistency we're playing at," Coach Gary Pinkel said.

No kidding.

3. The Big 12's overall record this year is 44-16. The Southeastern Conference's is 44-20. The Pacific 10's is 25-27.

4. The Big 12, unlike the Big Ten, has abandoned its run-oriented, cold-weather principles and evolved football to its highest, spread-offense level.

Texas, once coached by Darrell Royal, won national championships running the Wishbone.

"The most proud Coach Royal was when he could win a game without throwing a pass," Texas Coach Mack Brown said this week. "It was a different time, a different place."

Take 1960, for example. Nebraska completed 24 of 72 passes for 321 yards . . . for the season. This year, Nebraska completed 20 of 36 passes for 345 yards . . . in its opener.

5. Top-ranked Oklahoma has not lost a fumble. Think about that and then think about USC's Joe McKnight.

6. Oklahoma State has scored a school-record 50 or more points in four straight games. There have been 43 major-college games this year where 52 or more points have been scored. The Big 12 has been involved in 17 of them.



7. Missouri has punted 10 times this year, none in the last two games.

8. Texas has scored 236 points in five games, the most since scoring 281 in 1915, yet quarterback Colt McCoy wonders what his numbers could be if the coaches took the wraps off.

Texas Tech's Graham Harrell has launched 237 attempts, Daniel of Missouri has 156, Oklahoma's Sam Bradford has chucked it 146 times.

"You look across the board," McCoy said, "you look at Chase, you look at Graham, and you look at Sam, those guys are throwing the ball a ton. They're lighting it up, they're all accurate, they're all leaders on their teams. It must be pretty nice to sling it around so many times and put up ridiculous numbers. That's like a dream for a QB."

McCoy didn't even mention Kansas' Todd Reesing, who has 205 passes.

Poor McCoy, he's stuck in the Stone Age, having only completed 103 of 130 passes (79%) for 1,280 yards and 16 touchdowns.