Big 12 Preview: It's Texas' Time

My 2009 Big 12 Preview is now up. You can read it here.

Yes, I am picking Texas to win the league, not Oklahoma. All due respect to Sam Bradford and gang, but I actually believe Texas is the better team this year (of course, Texas fans will argue that the 'Horns were the better team last year, too).

Here are five reasons why:

1. Colt McCoy: There is only one guy in the country not named Tim Tebow who has a shot at winning the Heisman this season. McCoy is that guy. He was magnificent during Texas' great 12-1 run in 2008, passing for 3,859 yards and 34 touchdowns and rushing for another 561 yards and 11 touchdowns. McCoy is a fantastic leader, a superb athlete and a true gamer. Possibly the greatest quarterback in the history of Longhorn program. That's saying quite a bit.
2. Will Muschamp: One day he'll be the head coach at Texas. But for now Muschamp seems content to serve as defensive coordinator. And why not? It's a role he's thrived in. Mushchamp has transformed the Texas defense—once a little bit soft—into the best in the Big 12. His energy is contagious. The players buy into it. And he's getting results.
3. Sergio Kindle: Yeah, it hurts to lose superstar defensive end Brian Orakpo, but Kindle is a more than capable replacement. He recorded 10 sacks in 2008 and is capable of more in 2009. I'm not saying Kindle is better than Orakpo. But he might actually be more talented.
4. Oklahoma's Hangover: In 2007, Ohio State charged all the way to the BCS Championship Game, only to get thumped by LSU. And though the Buckeyes returned basically all of the key pieces from that 2007 team in 2008, and though everyone expected them to cruise through their Big Ten schedule, Jim Tressel's boys didn't actually seem to round into form until November. But by that point, it was too late. Losses to USC and Penn State had already knocked Ohio State out of the title race. Blame the post-BCS hangover. Beware, Sooners fans: History tells us it's awfully difficult to bounce back after getting so close to the dream.
5. Revenge: Let us not forget this little fact: Texas beat Oklahoma last season. And yet Oklahoma got the nod for the Big 12 title game (and, by default, the BCS Championship Game) anyway. Don't think for a second the Longhorns have forgotten that, folks.

Photo: Colt McCoy threw for nearly 4,000 yards in 2008. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)