<
        >

          Big 12 Blog

          Poll: How will the Big 12 fare this weekend?

          • Jake Trotter, ESPN Staff WriterSep 11, 2014, 02:15 PM
            Close
              Jake Trotter covers the Cleveland Browns for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2011 covering college football. Before that, he worked at The Oklahoman, Austin American-Statesman and Middletown (Ohio) Journal newspapers. You can follow him on Twitter @Jake_Trotter.
            Follow on X

          This weekend figures to be one of the biggest in Big 12 history, as the league will face an unprecedented seven nonconference opponents from Power 5 conferences.

          Coming off its Sugar Bowl win over Alabama, Oklahoma will try to strike another blow for the Big 12 against the SEC when it welcomes Tennessee to Norman. Texas Tech will play host to another Big 12-SEC matchup in a meeting with old Southwest Conference rival Arkansas.

          The Big 12 will also be pitted against the Big Ten in three separate games. West Virginia travels to new Big Ten member Maryland, Iowa State goes to instate rival Iowa, and TCU will play Minnesota in just the second ever meeting between the two programs.

          Kansas will test its revamped offense at defending ACC Coastal Division champion Duke. And Texas will take on one of the preseason favorites to win the Pac-12 in UCLA.

          With so many losable games, Saturday could be a disaster for the Big 12, as it was for the Big Ten last weekend, when Michigan State, Ohio State and Michigan all fell in marquee matchups.

          On the other hand, Saturday is an opportunity for the Big 12 to deliver another statement about its legitimacy in the playoff era.

          But how will the league fare? We put the question to you in our weekly Big 12 poll.