College Football: 2018 Saturday Blitz staff season projections

Big 12

Champion: Oklahoma

Runner-up: West Virginia

For the first time in what feels like forever the Big 12 is wide open. Sort of. The conference has taken a step back in terms of national intrigue thanks to the departure of an impressive array of quarterbacks.

Baker Mayfield and Mason Rudolph are both gone and, outside of Will Grier at West Virginia, the rest of the presumed contenders will be working with a new man under center (errr, in the gun).

Oklahoma remains the favorite in our projections thanks in large part to the talent on their roster and the pedigree of their incoming starter at quarterback. Kyler Murray might have signed a $5 Million deal to play baseball with the Oakland Athletics, but he’ll hold the keys to the Sooners football fate for at least one season.

If Murray stumbles, perhaps even being benched in favor of Austin Kendall, all bets are off. Grier and favorite target Kenny Stills V are going to break some passing records this season, making WVU an intriguing dark horse pick to win the Big 12.

One more thing

You know which team wasn’t picked to win the Big 12? Texas. Yikes. Iowa State, TCU and Oklahoma State all received first-place votes. The Longhorns did not. I’ll just leave that there.