I came across an interesting story from David Ubben of ESPN.com regarding the future of, what else, the Big 12.
Ubben looks at what everyone knows: Texas and Oklahoma run the show. Once the Big 12 is no longer the Big 12, the South schools will say, 'Welcome to our world' having played UT and OU every year. The North schools are saying some variation of, 'Oh crap...'
Ubben suggests that someone must rise up and legitimately challenge UT and OU in order for this league not to be considered weak or top-heavy.
Missouri has a five-year bowl streak and 30 wins the past three seasons on its side, and both schools (Texas Tech) made late-season visits to the BCS rankings' top 2 in 2007 and 2008.
The big difference between the two is their success against the powers. Texas Tech has beaten Oklahoma and Texas in successive seasons. Missouri's Gary Pinkel has never beaten either. That will have to change for the Tigers to climb the Big 12 ladder.
Yup...there's really no other way to put it.
I remember a couple years back I headed down to Austin, TX to watch the Tigers take on the Longhorns. MU was ranked and playing well at the time.
Let me just tell you how that game went. First half touchdowns:
Texas: 5
Mizzou: 0
Yeah, it was a long ride home.