No. 24 Missouri (4–0, 0–0 Big 12)

Last week: Idle

This week: vs. No. 21 Nebraska

If you had to peg one Big 12 team as the surprise story line of the season, Missouri would be the likely candidate. With a slew of unproven players on the roster, the Tigers’ outlook for the season was hazy. But with sophomore standout quarterback Blaine Gabbert leading the way, Missouri raced through the non-conference season with four solid wins, albeit against run-of-the-mill competition. One question remains: Are the Tigers for real? That answer will be discovered quickly as Missouri opens the Big 12 portion of its season with three consecutive games against ranked opponents, including a showdown this Saturday with fellow Big 12 North foe No. 21 Nebraska.

Colorado (1–3, 0–0)

Last week: @ West Virginia (L 35–24)

This week: vs. No. 2 Texas

For the first three quarters of Colorado’s face-off against West Virginia last week, the Buffaloes finally seemed to have the entire team on the same page for the first time all season. The Buffaloes were able to hang with the Mountaineers for most of the game, trailing by three at the start of the fourth quarter. But when time expired, the result for Colorado remained the same as West Virginia scored twice more to pull out to a 35–24 final score. Despite the glimmer of improvements Colorado showed against the Mountaineers, the 1–3 Buffaloes find themselves stumbling into their daunting Big 12 schedule. Up first for Colorado is No. 2 Texas. It could be a long two months in Boulder.

No. 15 Kansas Jayhawks (4–0, 0–0)

Last week: Bye

This week: vs. Iowa State

Averaging over 200 yards rushing and 300 yards passing a game, and coming off a bye week, the Jayhawks are dangerous. The Cyclones and Colorado take up the next two weeks on the schedule, and Kansas would love to enter the second half of the season undefeated and bowl eligible. Mark Mangino’s No. 15 ballclub needs to keep its nose clean in its brawls against the basketball team and avoid injury for the next few weeks, and KU could be looking at another BCS run as Big 12 North representatives.

The schedule hasn’t been too challenging to this point, but the Southern Miss game gave the defense a scare, something it doesn’t plan on replicating in divisional games against underwhelming Iowa State and Colorado offenses.

Kansas State Wildcats (3–2, 1–0)

Last week: vs. Iowa State (W 24–23)

This week: @ Texas Tech

A last-second win over Iowa State was a nice boost for the Wildcats, giving them their first win over an FBS opponent and also chalking up a Big 12 opening win for the first time in seven years. Heading to Lubbock isn’t the reprieve they might think they deserve, as the Red Raiders are still a legitimate Top 25 threat. An ever-potent offense could be hindered by Kansas State’s ability to run the football, but as Tech averages 39 points per game and the Wildcats only give up 17 a contest, something’s got to give.

Kansas State’s three-game stretch against Tech, Texas A&M and Colorado are the last games they have against currently unranked opponents, so picking up a win in Lubbock could be a defibrillator for the program in the fields of Manhattan.

No. 21 Nebraska Cornhuskers (3–1, 0–0)

Last week: Bye

This week: vs. No. 24 Missouri

Nebraska was one of five Big 12 teams to take week five off after destroying Louisiana-Lafayette 55–0. The Cornhuskers faced one challenge in their non-conference schedule in their 16–15 loss to No. 5 Virginia Tech, who was ranked No. 13 at the time.

Roy Helu Jr. leads the Big 12 and is sixth nationally in rushing with 464 yards in the Cornhuskers’ four games this year. Helu is also the team’s second-leading receiver with 11 catches for 91 yards.

Now, Nebraska starts its trek toward the Big 12 North crown against Missouri on primetime TV on ESPN Thursday night.

No. 19 Oklahoma Sooners (2–2, 0–0)

Last week: @ Miami (Fla.) (L 21–20)

This week: vs. Baylor

The Sooners stumbled once again last week in their loss against Miami. Freshman Landry Jones was again effective for Oklahoma in relief of Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford, still out after his week-one shoulder injury. Jones completed 60 percent of his passes, racking up 188 yards and a touchdown, but his counterpart from Miami was better. Jacory Harris, also a freshman, was good on 67.9 percent of his throws gaining 202 yards and three touchdowns.

Oklahoma, now a very long shot for the BCS National Title game, starts their Big 12 slate against Baylor, a team with an unsettled quarterback situation after the loss of Robert Griffin.

No. 15 Oklahoma State Cowboys (3–1, 0–0)

Last week: Bye

This week: @ Texas A&M

The Cowboys took a week off after finishing out the non-conference schedule with just one loss — to Houston in week two — and they now go on the road for the first time in 2009.

Health will be a concern for Oklahoma State, once again, as they are trying to nurse superstars Dez Bryant (hamstring) and Kendall Hunter (ankle) back to health.

Bryant, who has over 2,400 yards in his career, missed week four’s game against Grambling State after getting hurt in a nine-catch, 169-yard performance against Rice in week three. Hunter, who piled up 1,555 yards last season, injured his ankle in the loss to Houston and hasn’t seen the field since.

No. 2 Texas Longhorns (4–0, 1–0)

Last week: Bye

This week: vs. Colorado

Texas has had a week off to prepare for the Buffaloes. That will probably be more than enough. The second-ranked Longhorns come into the game with the fourth-ranked offense and 11th-ranked defense. Conversely, Colorado is 77th in offense and 102nd in defense. The Longhorns are bigger, faster, stronger and more skilled than Colorado. That being said, they have to avoid looking ahead too much to their epic rematch against Oklahoma next week.

Texas Tech Red Raiders (3–2, 0–1)

Last week: vs. New Mexico (W 48–28)

This week: vs. Kansas State

Although the Red Raiders game against the Lobos wasn’t particularly close, it was costly for Texas Tech. The Red Raiders lost the nation’s leading passer and their starting quarterback, Taylor Potts, after an apparent concussion on Saturday. Coach Mike Leach is refusing to comment on when he will be back and would not admit that Potts had been injured, but Potts checked out of the Covenant Medical Center on Sunday. Potts’ backup, Steven Sheffield, played well, throwing for 238 yards on 23 attempts for three touchdowns and an interception.

Baylor Bears (3–1, 0–0)

Last week: vs. Kent State (W 31–15)

This week: @ Oklahoma

While the loss of Robert Griffin didn’t slow down Baylor’s passing numbers, the team looked slow against a Kent State team that hasn’t offered much resistance this season. That’s not a good sign heading into conference time, especially traveling to a ticked off Sooner squad waiting in Norman. True freshman Nick Florence threw 20-for-27 and 216 yards against the Golden Flashes, but their defense will look like David to Oklahoma’s Goliath.

Baylor needs to find its offense quickly, with games against five ranked teams remaining on the schedule. Forget about Sam Bradford’s status for Saturday, OU’s Landry Jones could provide the Bears with enough fits on defense. Coach Art Briles needs to keep his boys staying positive and looking forward to get a bowl bid in 2009.

Texas A&M Aggies (3–1, 0–0)

Last week: vs. Arkansas (L 47–19)

This week: vs. No. 15 Oklahoma State

The Razorbacks handed A&M its first loss of the season on Saturday in the Aggies first contest against a BCS conference opponent. Texas A&M got off to a good start, taking a 10–0 lead in the first quarter, but then former Michigan quarterback Ryan Mallett took over the game, throwing for 271 yards and four touchdowns. The Aggies will open their Big 12 schedule next week against No. 15 Oklahoma State.