1. Oklahoma — The Sooners always seem like a safe pick to win the conference year after year. Last season didn’t pan out too well after starting the season ranked No. 1, but the Sooners are still solid either way.

2. West Virginia — The Sooners always seem like a safe pick to win the conference year after year. Last season didn’t pan out too well after starting the season ranked No. 1, but the Sooners are still solid either way.

3. Kansas State — The Wildcats turned a lot of heads with Collin Klein scrambling for dear life and 87.7 rushing yards per game. Bill Snyder and Co. hold a slight edge over TCU, but not by much.

4. TCU — The other new team annexed to the Big 12, TCU will face conference foe Kansas in only the second season of the game. Playing SMU in their third game and five ranked opponents in their last five games of the season, TCU will have to keep focused to finish the season strong.

5. Oklahoma State — Although Iowa State spoiled their BCS title contentions, the Cowboys finished the 2011 season as the outright Big 12 conference champions. Without quarterback Brandon Weeden, the Cowboys’ No. 2 ranking in the nation in points for may be up for the taking.

6. Texas — A new TV network and a three-quarterback rotation is what the Longhorns presented to the college football world last season. This season, nothing seems to be standing out yet.

7. Baylor — In his career Robert Griffin III has had 86 combined rushing and passing touchdowns. Take that away, and the Bears are in for a bumpy ride.

8. Iowa State — With the quarterback decided, Steele Jantz will lead the Cyclones into a home-favored season at Jack Trice. Jantz threw for 1,519 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2011.

9. Texas Tech — A new defensive coordinator under Tommy Tuberville is the hope for turning around a subpar defense in the upcoming season.

10. Kansas — Putting points on the board was something the Jayhawks had a hard time with last season. With Dayne Crist calling the shots from under center, things could change.