Forced to play second fiddle to their cousins in the Big 12 South recently, the North Division is in a bit of flux entering the 2007 campaign. Half of the group has never won the division title, but that could change this year as Missouri and their high-powered offense looks to build on an 8-5 season a year ago that could've been much better.
Since the inception of the Big 12 Conference in 1996, only three teams -- Nebraska, Kansas State and Colorado -- have won the North Division. And the North has lost in the conference title game each of the last three seasons.
Big 12 North Betting Preview
This year, one of the teams which has been on the outs in the Big 12 North looks to break through, while one of the old guard looks to return to power. And the rest, well, they can play for a bid in the Insight Bowl.
The Missouri Tigers' last league title was the 1969 Big 8 crown, and the Tigers have never played for the Big 12 championship in its 11-year history. But this may be the year. Mizzou returns 14 starters from a team that coulda', shoulda' gone 11-2 last year. The Tigers possess a high-powered offense but, of course, a questionable defense.
Missouri also gets their biggest rival for the North title this season, Nebraska, in Columbia in Week 6. They have to follow that up with a visit to Oklahoma, but Texas isn't anywhere to be found on the Tigers' slate, unless they meet up at the Alamodome in the Big 12 title game Dec. 1. Missouri is listed at 2/1 to win the North Division this season, 8/1 to win the Big 12, and upwards of 75/1 to win the national championship.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers won the North last season for the first time since 1999. Still, they weren't good enough to beat Texas, Oklahoma or even Oklahoma State. The Huskers have had some success under coach Bill Callahan, but have not yet returned to national title contention. This year Big Red returns just 11 starters, which is tied for the second-fewest in the conference. But while the Huskers lose QB Zac Taylor, the Blackshirts on the other side provide Nebraska with a more balanced team than Missouri.
The Huskers visit Texas and Colorado this season, but don't have to play Oklahoma. It is very possible, however, that the North title will simply come down to that Oct. 6 bout between this team and the Tigers in Columbia. Nebraska is listed at even-money to win the North this year, 7/2 to win the Big 12 and around 30/1 to win the national title.
The Kansas State Wildcats have won three North crowns, the last coming four seasons ago when they went on to pound top-ranked Oklahoma in the conference title game. But this isn't those great Wildcats option teams under coach Bill Snyder we're talking about now.
K-State went 7-6 in new coach Ron Prince's first year last season running a new pass-oriented offensive attack. With 14 starters back, the Wildcats should be even better on both sides of the ball this year. However, trips to Texas and Nebraska will be tough. It seems that at the moment, K State is the best-of-the-rest, behind Missouri and the Huskers, in the North. The Wildcats are posted at 3/1 to win the North, 8/1 to win the Big 12 and around about 200/1 to win the national championship.
Just 2-10 in coach Dan Hawkins' first season in Boulder last year, four of the Colorado Buffaloes' losses were by five points or less. There are signs, though, that this program is getting back on track after the debacle of the demise of the Gary Barnett era. Actually, the Buffaloes have won four of the last six North Division titles. And they've got 15 starters back this season.
And if you've got to play Oklahoma, Nebraska and Missouri, you'd like to do it at home, which is what the Buffs get to do. Colorado is a sleeper this year at 7/1 to win the North and 12/1 to win the Big 12.
The Kansas Jayhawks have never played for the Big 12 title, and their last conference championship came when the Jayhawks shared the Big 8 crown in 1968. KU went 6-6 last year, losing twice in OT, once by one point and once by three. The Jayhawks return 14 starters this year, and don't have to play Oklahoma, Texas or Texas Tech. And they get Nebraska at home and Missouri on a neutral field. There are several questions, though, on offense this year.
Kansas is listed at 7/1 to win the North this year and 25/1 to win the Big 12.
The Iowa State Cyclones have a new coach in Gene Chizik after 12 years -- and five bowl games -- with Dan McCarney. The Cyclones won just four games last year, and only return 11 starters from that team, tied for the second-fewest total in the conference. This program also has never played for the Big 12 title, and hasn't won a league title since 1912. Yes, you read that right, 1912, when ISU played football in the Missouri Valley Conference.
With a young team learning new schemes this season, the 10/1 odds on the Cyclones to win the North and 25/1 odds to win the Big 12 seem a little short.
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Originally Posted by pags11
