08/16/2008

By JIM VERTUNO  / Associated Press

Oklahoma and Missouri are the favorites to meet in the Big 12 title game at the end of the season. It's only fitting they're the highest ranked teams in the league before it starts.

Oklahoma, last season's Big 12 champion, is No. 4 in The Associated Press preseason rankings released Saturday. Missouri, the defending North division champion, debuts at No. 6.

Other Big 12 teams in the rankings are No. 11 Texas, No. 12 Texas Tech and No. 14 Kansas.

For Oklahoma and coach Bob Stoops, the Sooners are aiming for their sixth conference title. They were the only team to beat Missouri (twice) last season, including a 38-17 win in the league title game.

Win another Big 12 title and the Sooners could get a crack at another national championship. Some voters thought them worthy of the top spot now, giving the Sooners four votes for No. 1.

Missouri could be the team to spoil all that. The Tigers have quarterback Chase Daniel, who was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy this season, and a taste of how close they came to success last season. The Sooners aren't on the regular season schedule this year, but the Tigers' season could hinge on a trip to Texas (Oct. 11) and their annual rivalry with Kansas.

It's the South division where the sparks could really fly.

Oklahoma may be the highest ranked team in the division, but the annual matchup with Texas (Oct. 4) and against Texas Tech (Nov. 22) loom large again.

The Longhorns are trying to get over the 10-3 hump of the last two seasons after an undefeated national championship season in 2005. Last season's three conference losses were the most since 1997, and they lost to both Oklahoma and Texas A&M for the first time since 1993.

The Red Raiders could be the wild card. Their No. 12 preseason ranking is their highest since they were No. 8 to start the 1977 season.

Tech returns 18 starters, 10 on coach Mike Leach's pass-happy offense that can pile up huge points. Graham Harrell to Michael Crabtree is the most dynamic pass-catch combination in the country.

The Red Raiders host Texas on Nov. 1 and travel to Oklahoma three weeks later. But the Red Raiders have never beaten both UT and OU in the same season under Leach.

Kansas went 12-1 last season, the Jayhawks' only loss coming against Missouri. They have a much tougher road this year with Oklahoma, Texas and Tech — three teams they didn't play last season — all on the schedule.