The 2006 college football season was one that Big 12 faithful would like to soon forget.

The conference wasn’t in its finest hour. Big 12 schools went 3-5 in bowl games, were 3-8 in non-conference match-ups against BCS conference teams, and only two teams finished in the final Top 25 poll.

An influx of young talent at skill positions and four teams ranked in the USA Today preseasone poll make 2007 look like a more promising season for the conference. The Big 12 and its teams have an opportunity to leave the memory of an unsuccessful season behind with a strong showing this year.

KANSAS STATE

The Wildcats success will largely depend upon the continued maturation of sophomore quarterback Josh Freeman. Freeman was the National Player of the Week following a four-touchdown performance in KSU’s upset versus Texas last year. His encore the next week, however, included no touchdowns and three interceptions against Kansas. But Freeman will have help if his inconsistency continues. The Wildcats leading rusher Leon Patton returns with an experienced offensive line. Former walk-on turned All-Big 12 defensive end Ian Campbell leads a defense with seven returning starters. The non-conference schedule is tough with trips to Auburn and Fresno State and a face-off with San Jose State in Manhattan. Kansas State should still have a chance to at least wind up in the Houston Bowl or Independence Bowl at season’s end.

COLORADO

Colorado’s abysmal 2-10 record last year was its worst since 1984. Head coach Dan Hawkins hopes a more experienced group will direct the program back to prominence this season. The offense returns nine starters, including senior speedster Hugh Charles at running back. A deep receiving corps accompanies Charles. The Buffaloes didn’t lose anyone who caught a pass last season. Jordon Dizon is one of the Big 12’s best linebackers and will haunt opposing running backs. Senior Terrence Wheatley is a four-year starter at cornerback. Wheatley was second in interceptions in the Big 12 last year and will lead an unproven secondary. Colorado will compete with Kansas, Kansas State, and Iowa State to avoid the bottom of the Big 12 North standings. A bowl game is not completely out of the question but looks to still be a year away.

NEBRASKA

Hopes are elevated in Lincoln after last year’s Big 12 North title. The Cornhuskers will count on senior transfer quarterback Sam Keller to lead them back to the Big 12 Championship Game. Keller will have to quickly adjust to coach Bill Callahan’s offense to be as productive as last year’s starter, Zac Taylor, who won the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year award. Running backs Marlon Lucky and Cody Glenn combined to average 5.2 yards per carry last season and will split carries once again. Senior linebacker Bo Ruud is a candidate to win this year’s Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Award. Ruud’s counterpart, senior middle linebacker Corey McKeon, is a fierce run-stopper. Nebraska would like to land in a BCS bowl this year but a berth in the Cotton Bowl or Holiday Bowl is more likely.

IOWA STATE

The Cyclones have a new head coach for the first time in 12 years. Gene Chizik was the defensive coordinator at Auburn during its undefeated season in 2003 and held the same position at Texas during its national championship in 2005. Chizik hopes to instill the same kind of defensive prowess in Ames, Iowa. Senior linebacker Alvin Bowen can help Chizik achieve this goal. Bowen led the nation with 12.9 tackles per game last season. Chizik has a proven leader on the other side of the ball as well. Senior quarterback Bret Meyer will be the starter for the fourth consecutive season. Meyer must utilize his experience as the offense returns only three other starters. Iowa State is unlucky in that it finds both Texas and Oklahoma on its schedule this year. Chizik’s best-case scenario for this season is to get the Cyclones back to .500.

TEXAS

Sophomore quarterback Colt McCoy was putting up Heisman-like numbers in his freshman season before getting injured early in the Kansas State game. McCoy is expected to be the Big 12’s best quarterback and is the preseason Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. Add in running back Jamaal Charles and wide receiver Limas Sweed and the Longhorns have one of the best trios in the nation. Junior Rashad Bobino and seniors Robert Killebrew and Scott Derby will be the starting linebackers for the second straight year and will be one of the country’s finest units. Strong safety Marcus Griffin is a hard hitter in the middle of the field and will be the heart of the defense. A legitimate Heisman candidate, battle-tested skill players, and a dominating defense make Texas a threat to return to the National Championship.

OKLAHOMA

To beat Oklahoma, teams are going to have to run the ball. OU ranked first in pass defense last year in the Big 12 and return the entire starting secondary. Safeties Reggie Smith and Nic Harris are both juniors who combined for 109 tackles and seven interceptions last season. The defensive line and linebackers are less experienced but stacked with former highly recruited players. Freshman running back DeMarco Murray is the most buzzed about player in Norman since Adrian Peterson. Even if Murray struggles in his first year, senior Allen Patrick is ready to carry the load, much like he did last year when Peterson was injured. The quarterback spot is a concern as none of the three options have any real experience. The Sooners have an opportunity to win the Big 12 South and as usual an October showdown with Texas will likely determine that.

OKLAHOMA STATE

The Cowboys may be the most entertaining team to watch in the Big 12. Junior quarterback Bobby Reid’s rocket arm, senior running back Dantrell Savage’s quickness, and senior wide receiver Adarius Bowman’s incredible hands are going to make for a season’s worth of memorable plays. OSU lost three quality offensive linemen but will reload with younger talent. Senior linebacker Rodrick Johnson and sophomore linebacker Chris Collins are the strength of a defense that otherwise contains a lot of holes. Fortunately for the Cowboys, the offense should put enough points to compensate for a weak defense. OSU will get a test the first week of the season when it travels to Georgia. The Cowboys should end up in the Holiday Bowl or Sun Bowl with another solid season.

TEXAS A&M

The Aggies are known for their brand of suffocating defense. This year it will be the offense that is more explosive, though. The running back combination of 274-pound Jorvorskie Lane and elusive Mike Goodson is sure to give opposing defensive coordinators nightmares. Junior quarterback Stephen McGee will start once again. McGee showed he is an efficient passer last year by completing 62 percent of his passes while throwing only two interceptions. The defense has more question marks, but also has a clear star. Senior defensive end Chris Harrington is the Aggie’s only preseason All-Big 12 defensive player. Harrington is effective at both stuffing the run and pressuring the quarterback. Texas A&M’s best-case scenario is probably ending up in the Cotton Bowl unless they can upset Oklahoma and Texas.

TEXAS TECH

Red Raider quarterbacks have thrown for more than 4,000 yards in each of the past five seasons. Junior Graham Harrell is expected to make it six this year. Harrell is going to have to do it with a brand new offensive line. Junior left tackle Louis Vazquez is the only remaining piece from a unit that allowed only 19 sacks last season. Senior wide receiver Danny Amendola is Harrell’s favorite returning target and has drawn favorable comparisons to Tech’s all-time receiving leader, Wes Welker. The Red Raiders were ninth in Big 12 defense last year. They aren’t expected to improve with only five returning starters. Texas Tech should put up gaudy offensive numbers once again in 2007, but a loaded Big 12 South will prevent them from going anywhere further than the Houston Bowl.

BAYLOR

The last time the Bears went to a bowl game was in 1994. If Baylor wants to break the streak this year, it will start with an experienced defense. The team’s two leading tacklers from last year return. Senior linebacker Nick Moore and sophomore linebacker Joe Pawelek will make it tough to run the ball on the Bears. Sophomore quarterback Blake Szymanski started three games last year but it looks as if Kent State transfer Michael Machen will be the starter in 2007. Machen threw 11 touchdowns and 18 interceptions in his brief career with Kent State. Senior running back Brandon Whitaker will not only be the leading rusher but a primary target out of the backfield in Baylor’s newly implemented spread offense. Baylor’s offense is too inexperienced to imagine the Bears playing in a bowl game.

— Edited by Erick R. Schmidt