2B
Monday, August 19, 1996
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Big 12 kicks off premier season
By Evan Blackwell Kansan sportswriter
College football has a new kid in town, and if all the preliminary indications are correct, the rest of the nation will be dealing with this bully all season.
The Big 12 Conference is ready to roll with its inaugural season, and the accolades for the merger of the Big Eight and Southwest Conferences already are in. The Big 12 will be broken into two divisions — North and South. The two division winners will meet in the Big 12 championship game Dec. 7 in St. Louis.
North Division:
Six Big 12 teams are ranked in the Associated Press Top 25, with defending national champions Nebraska at No. 1.
The Cornhuskers were dominant last season, going 12-0 and defeating Florida 62-24 in the Fiesta Bowl. While Nebraska seems to be the team to beat once again, the Cornhuskers
once again, the Continue do have one question
do have one question mark entering this season.
With the departure of All-American quarterback Tommie Frazier, Nebraska's quarterback
to the arm of junior Scott Frost, a transfer from Stanford University.
"Quarterback is probably the biggest question on offense," said Nebraska coach Tom Osborne. "We will probably rely on Scott Frost, who is quite talented."
Nebraska's offense will once again depend on its talented corps of running backs. Sophomore Ahman Green returns as the team's leading rusher from a year ago with 1,108 yards. Green and the rest of the Nebraska backs will be running behind one of the best offensive lines in college football, led by junior center Aaron Taylor.
The speedy Cornhusker defense returns seven starters and should be especially strong at linebacker. Senior Jared Tomich was an Associated Press first-team All-American last season, and senior Terrell Farley was a second-team selection.
Nebraska should receive a strong challenge in the North from Colorado. The No. 5 Buffaloes will be bolstered by the return of senior quarterback Koy Detmer, who missed much of last season with a torn knee lig.
son with a torn knee amment. Detmert will have a talented array of receivers for the high-powered Colorado offense. Seniors Rae Carruth and James Kidd and Phil Savoy will return for the Buffs.
Senior Matt Russell was a first-team All Conference selection a year ago, and he'll spark a defense that could be the key to Colorado making a run at Nebraska and at the national championship.
- The Sunflower State once again will be represented well in the college football world. No. 21 Kansas State rode a veteran defense to a 10-2 record a year ago, and the Wildcats should once again be strong at stuffing opponents. Seniors Joe Gordon, Mario Smith and junior Chris Canty return in
the secondary. How ever, K-State will have to replace three departed starters on the defensive line.
Senior quarterback Brian Kavanagh will take
fulltime this season. Kavanagh, the backup who led the Wildcats to their victory in the Holiday Bowl will get help from senior receiver Kevin Lockett and junior tailback Eric Hickson. Senior center Jason Johnson is one of three returning starters on an experienced offensive line.
The Wildcats' in-state nemesis, the Kansas Jayhawks, also are hoping to build momentum off one of their finest seasons. The Jayhawks were also 10-2 a year ago and enter this season at No. 24.
The Kansas offense threw the ball much more last year, and much of the same should be expected this season.
See BIG12,Page 5
1996 Big 12 Football Schedule
BAYLOR COLORADO IOWA ST. KU KSU MISSOURI NEBRASKA OU OSU TEXAS TEX. A&M TEX. TECH.
BAYLOR Oct. 28 Baylor Nov. 16 Baylor Oct. 12 NU Oct. 19 Baylor Nov. 23 OSU Nov. 2 Texas Nov. 9 Baylor Oct. 5 2 Texas T
COLORADO Nov. 9 CU Nov. 19 KU Nov. 16 CU Nov. 2 MU Nov. 29 NU Oct. 12 OSU Oct. 26 CU Sept. 28 TA&M
IOWA ST. Nov. 9 CU Nov. 2 ISU Nov. 23 KSU Sept. 28 ISU Nov. 29 ISU Oct. 19 OSU Oct. 12 ISU
KANSAS Oct.19 KU Nov. 2 ISU Nov. 9 KU Nov. 23 MU Oct. 26 NU Oct. 5 OU Nov. 16 KU Oct. 12 KSU
K-STATE Nov. 16 CU Nov. 23 KSU Nov. 9 KU OCT.12 MU Oct.5 KSU Oct.26 KSU Oct. 19 TA&M Aug. 31 KSU
MISSOURI Nov. 16 Baylor Nov. 22 MU Sept.28 ISU Nov. 23 KU Oct.12 MU Nov. 9 NU Oct. 26 MU Aug. 31 Texas
NEBRASKA Oct.12 Neb. Nov. 29 NU Nov. 16 ISU Oct. 26 NU Oct. 5 KSU Nov. 9 NU Nov. 2 OU Oct. 26 MU Oct. 12 Dallas Nov. 16 TA&M Nov. 23 OU
OKLAHOMA Oct.19 Baylor Oct. 5 OU Oct. 26 KSU Nov. 2 OU Nov. 9 OSU Oct. 12 Dallas Nov. 16 TA&M Nov. 23 OU
OKLAHOMA ST. Nov. 23 OSU Oct. 12 CU Oct. 19 OSU Oct. 26 MU Nov. 9 OSU Oct. 5 Texas Nov. 2 OSU Sept. 7 Texas T.
TEXAS Nov. 2 Texas Oct. 26 CU Nov. 16 KU Aug. 31 Texas Oct. 12 Dallas Oct. 5 Texas Nov. 29 TA&M Nov. 9 Texas T.
TEXAS A&M Nov. 9 Baylor Sept. 28 TA&M Oct. 12 ISU Oct. 19 TA&M Nov. 16 TA&M Nov. 2 OSU Nov. 29 Texas
TEXAS TECH Oct. 5 Texas T Oct. 12 KU Aug. 31 KSU Oct. 19 Texas T. Nov. 23 OU Sept. 7 Irving Nov. 9 TA&M Oct. 26 TA&M
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