ACC commish (doesn't) talk FSU/Big 12

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby refused to address Florida State by name this week when asked about expansion, but made it clear the issue would remain on the Big 12's agenda, like every conference. ACC commissioner John Swofford took a similar approach when asked about the possibility of Florida State leaving for the Big 12. "I don't deal in hypotheticals, I deal with what's tangible. It's what we're doing as a league with the current 12-, soon to be 14-membership league, and we're moving ahead on the basis of that full membership.

TCU sets season ticket record with sellout

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

TCU will have a new league and a new stadium this fall. It will also have a new record for season ticket sales. The Horned Frogs announced Wednesday that they had sold out of an allotted 30,000 season tickets, shattering the school record of 22,500 sold for the 2011 season. The new Amon G. Carter Stadium will seat about 45,000. TCU set the old mark on the heels of a Rose Bowl victory over Wisconsin, but rejoining old Southwest Conference rivals has the Horned Frogs fan base fired up.

M. Tennis. MT Takes on No. 8 Duke in NCAA Round of 16

Source: Baylor Official Site

The Baylor men's tennis team travels to Athens. Ga., for round of 16 action of the NCAA Tennis Championships, hosted by the University of Georgia at the Dan Magill Tennis Center, May 18 - 22.

The Big 12's spring breakout players

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

We're taking a look at spring breakout players across college football today, and here's who made a big impact across the Big 12. Trey Metoyer, WR, Oklahoma: Metoyer may have had the best spring of anyone in the Big 12. The physical freshman spent last season in prep school, but walked in this spring and essentially earned a starting job. Then three Sooners receivers were suspended indefinitely. Metoyer was already going to play and probably going to start.

Kameel Jackson not transferring from OU

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

Oklahoma freshman receiver Kameel Jackson, who announced last week on Twitter that he was transferring to Texas A&M and then was suspended indefinitely by Sooners head coach Bob Stoops, has apparently had a change of heart about his status at the university. Jackson tweeted early Thursday morning that he has "decided to stay at OU." He also explained the reason he was suspended. "My suspensions came from my failure to meet my class attendance policy," Jackson said on Twitter.

Baseball. Baseball Wraps Up Regular Season vs. UT

Source: Baylor Official Site

Baylor's No. 7-ranked baseball team closes out the 2012 regular season with its annual split series against Texas. The Bears and Longhorns meet at 6:35 p.m. Thursday in Waco, then series shifts to Austin for a 6:30 p.m. game Friday and a 2 p.m. finale on Sunday.

Baseball. Baseball Wraps Up Regular Season vs. Texas

Source: Baylor Official Site

Baylor's No. 7-ranked baseball team closes out the 2012 regular season with its annual split series against Texas. The Bears and Longhorns meet at 6:35 p.m. Thursday in Waco, then series shifts to Austin for a 6:30 p.m. game Friday and a 2 p.m. finale on Sunday.

W. Tennis. No. 12 WT to Face No. 5 USC in NCAA Round of 16

Source: Baylor Official Site

Baylor's 12th-seeded women's tennis team will face fifth-seeded USC in the Round of 16 at the NCAA Championship in Athens, Ga.

Baseball. Ludy Named Bench Award Semifinalist

Source: Baylor Official Site

Baylor catcher Josh Ludy has been named one of 12 semifinalists for the 2012 Johnny Bench Award, as announced by the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission on Wednesday. The Johnny Bench Award is presented annually to the nation's top collegiate catcher as voted on by Division I coaches.

Video: Importance of DE depth for Texas

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

Sean Adams from HornsNation takes a look at the state of the Texas Football program. In this video, Sean looks at the depth on at the defensive end position.

The Big 12's returning 100-tackle defenders

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

The Big 12 had eight players notch at least 100 tackles in 2011. Of that group, five return. Here's a look at the Big 12's returning 100-tackle defenders. 1. A.J. Klein, LB, Iowa State: Klein's no joke. He shared Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors with Frank Alexander, and is the Big 12's leading returning tackler. Only Kansas' Steven Johnson had more than Klein's 116 tackles in 2011. He's physical and a sure tackler, and ISU's defense has enjoyed the benefits.

Most indispensable player: TCU

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

We're moving on in our series on the Big 12 Blog pegging the single player each team in the Big 12 can't afford to lose. He's also the player that will be most responsible for the team's ultimate success. Next up, the TCU Horned Frogs. Find more indispensable players here. Most indispensable player(s): QB Casey Pachall 2011 stats: 228-of-343 (66.5 percent) for 2,921 yards, 25 TD, 7 INT. 51 yards rushing, 2 TD Why TCU can't afford to lose him: Pachall didn't put up huge stats as a first-year starter and replacement for Andy Dalton, but he was really good and had three backs on his team that each had at least 100 carries.

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Source: Yahoo! NCAAB

Ranking Big 12 nonconference schedules

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

All nonconference schedules are not created equal. Some schedule ambitiously. Others prefer to pay for wins. To each his own. We'll be keeping track either way. Some games were cancelled, others were late fill-ins. Here's how it stands, from most to least difficult. 1. Oklahoma -- at UTEP, Florida A&M, Notre Dame The Sooners can't help that Notre Dame can't get its act together, but the storied program will visit Norman in October. Oklahoma also had to put together a last-minute game to kick off its season, traveling to El Paso to face the Miners, who went 5-7 in 2011.

Lunch links: Big 12 reached out to FSU?

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

It’s a progressive culture. Most of them travel by zip line. One reason Florida State should bolt to the Big 12? For a better schedule, writes Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman. The interest from Florida State is a testament to the Big 12's strength, writes Bobby La Gesse of the Ames Tribune. The Big 12 should make its move in relation to Florida State. Sean Keeler of Fox Sports explains the positives. Florida State's mad at the ACC? The league's downfall is the Seminoles' fault, writes Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel.

Big 12 defenders and the Heisman Trophy

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

Let's get this out of the way right now: None of these guys can win the Heisman. It's a new day, and simply put, we'll never see a defensive player win the Heisman. If Ndamukong Suh couldn't win it (and I would have voted for him if I'd had a Heisman vote that year), then nobody could. It wouldn't stop me from voting for a defender who deserved it, but lots of voters just won't make it possible. Charles Woodson did it in 1997, but we live in a new day full of high-powered, fast-paced offenses and he was a dynamic return man, too.

HornsNation links: Texas king for a day

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

HornsNation has more coverage of the Texas Longhorns: HornsNation roundtable : The HornsNation staff takes turns sitting in Mack Brown's throne to make their call about the Longhorns' quarterback decision. Issues facing Texas : Sean Adams looks at the issues facing Texas and how depth at defensive end is a key factor facing the Longhorns in 2012. Cayleb Jones Q&A: The incoming freshman wide receiver went to high school 10 minutes from the Texas campus but he's still viewing his transition as a very big move.

How does FSU stack up vs. the Big 12?

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

What's that you hear? The faint whispers of realignment rumormongering? Oh, we all hear them. And when they happen, it's time to compare the prospective team to its possible future home. We always do these for the Big 12, and I definitely always learn a thing or two. I hope you do, too. Here's our history: Nebraska vs. the Big Ten Texas A&M vs. the SEC TCU vs. the Big 12 Missouri vs. the Big Ten Missouri vs. the SEC West Virginia vs.

Bowlsby: Talk of expansion 'on agenda'

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

New Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby doesn't want to see any future expansion in college athletics, but recent events have given him no choice but to put the issue on the Big 12's agenda, as it is on other conferences'. My opinion," he told USA Today on Tuesday, "is college athletics would be well served by some period of smooth water and not all of the angst and disorganization that goes with moves from one league to another." We've heard that from the Big 12.

The Chance to be Great Again - Baylor [$$] (Rivals)

Source: Yahoo! NCAAF

Baseball. Baseball Tops UTSA, 14-3, for 40th Win

Source: Baylor Official Site

Baylor avenged an earlier loss at UTSA emphatically, defeating the Roadrunners 14-3 on Tuesday night for their 40th win of the season. The Bears pounded out 15 hits and tied a Baylor Ballpark record with eight stolen bases.

Baseball. Baseball Places 10 on Academic All-Big 12

Source: Baylor Official Site

Ten Baylor baseball student-athletes were named to the 2012 Academic All-Big 12 Conference Baseball Team, as announced by the league office Tuesday. Baylor placed five members on each of the two teams, and Kolt Browder was one of three Big 12 team members with perfect 4.0 GPAs.

W. Tennis. WT: Three Earn ITA Texas Region Awards

Source: Baylor Official Site

Baylor's women's tennis team claimed three Texas Region awards handed out by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, ITA officials announced on Tuesday.

Softball. Softball Trio Garners Big 12 Honors

Source: Baylor Official Site

The Baylor softball team had three players named to the All-Big 12 team, the conference office announced Tuesday.

M. Tennis. Men's Tennis' Zsiga Earns Regional Honor

Source: Baylor Official Site

Freshman men's tennis player Mate Zsiga was named 2012 Texas Region Rookie of the Year by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.

Chat: FSU/Big 12, Snyder, top coaches

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

Thanks for coming to this week's chat. Here's the full transcript. Got more to say? Here's where you can reach me. Justin (Stillwater, OK): Any Big 12 coaches on the hot seat heading into next season? What about any assistant coaches who are due a head coaching gig? David Ubben: No, not really. Texas Tech's Tommy Tuberville is the closest thing, but Tech should be better, and he's not legitimately on the hot seat yet. As for assistants, both of Texas' coordinators could have some opportunities at season's end.

KSU's Mark Simoneau enters CFB HOF

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

Kansas State linebacker Mark Simoneau has only been out of the NFL a couple years. Now, he's headed into the National Football Foundation's College Football Hall of Fame. Simoneau was one of 14 players and three coaches who will be inducted into the hall after an announcement on Tuesday. Simoneau earned consensus first-team All-America status in 1999, and was a four-year starter and three-time captain under Bill Snyder in Manhattan. He won the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year award as a senior in 2009, too.

Chat today at 3 p.m. ET

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

We're back chatting in our usual slot this week, so come have fun with us. We'll get started at 3 p.m. ET. Here's the link. We'll start at 3 p.m. sharp, but I'll get to your questions if you send them in early and keep them coming once we start. See you all there.

Weis' two key lessons from South Bend

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

Charlie Weis' struggles during his five-year tenure at Notre Dame are well-documented. Entering his first season at Kansas with a few familiar faces, Weis is looking to learn from those mistakes and bring a winning edge to a program coming off a two-win campaign in 2011. The two biggest lessons he learned with the Irish? College kids ain't easy, and building a cohesive coaching staff is essential. From the Hutchinson News' Lucas Fahrer: "I learned early on at Notre Dame that an 18-year-old kid is not like a 23-year-old young man," Weis said Thursday during a sit-down before his speaking engagement at Prairie Dunes Country Club.

Most indispensable player: Texas

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

We're moving on in our series on the Big 12 Blog pegging the single player each team in the Big 12 can't afford to lose. He's also the player that will be most responsible for the team's ultimate success. Next up, the Texas Longhorns. Find more indispensable players here. Most indispensable player(s): DEs Alex Okafor and Jackson Jeffcoat. 2011 stats: Jeffcoat: 63 tackles, 17 TFL, eight sacks, three PBUs. Okafor: 52 tackles, 12.5 TFL, six sacks, three PBUs, two forced fumbles.

Entering the Hall: Gabe Rivera

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

Texas Tech legend Gabe Rivera earned the nickname "Señor Sack" throughout his four-year career in Lubbock from 1979-82. Now, he can add "College Football Hall of Famer" to his résumé. Rivera was one of 14 players and three coaches to be inducted into the National Football Foundation's College Football Hall of Fame at an announcement on Tuesday. Rivera was a consensus All-American in 1982, and his 105 tackles that season still stands as a record among Red Raiders defensive linemen.

Lunch links: Florida State/Big 12 fallout

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

I don't like the sound of that. A lot of amenities disappear when an H turns into an M. Florida State to the Big 12? Uh, not so fast. Or at least, not yet, says Texas AD DeLoss Dodds. Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman explains. Colleague Ivan Maisel weighs in on what each side should do in the Florida State-Big 12 debate. Mack Brown would like to see the Big 12 remain at 10 teams, reports Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

HornsNation links: Finding the right fits

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

HornsNation has more coverage of the Texas Longhorns: Carter Strickland writes : Usually by this time of year, Texas has a full deck of elite recruits. By changing gears and taking their time, the Longhorns are finding better fits. Kendall Sanders Q&A: The 2012 signee starred as a DB in high school but is ready to make the transition to WR with the Horns. Paul Boyette Q&A: The incoming freshman talks about being overlooked in the class and becoming the next great Texas DT.

Grading my Big 12 sack projections

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

We've taken a look at the projections from 2011 for the league's best, and it's time to continue: 3,000-yard passers 1,000-yard rushers 1,000-yard receivers So, what about the defense? Last April, we projected three Big 12 players to notch double-digit sack totals in 2011. Here's how it shook out: 1. Brad Madison, DE, Missouri -- Madison had, believe it or not, the most sacks of any player returning to the Big 12 next season. Most impressive?

M. Golf. Men's Golf Aims for Return to NCAA Championship

Source: Baylor Official Site

The Baylor men's golf team, making its 15th consecutive postseason appearance, seeks the program's sixth NCAA Championship berth at the NCAA Ann Arbor Regional, hosted by the University of Michigan.

SoonerNation links: Latu hopes to start

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

From Jake Trotter: Junior college transfer Will Latu will enroll at Oklahoma this summer with his sights set on grabbing a starting spot, just like a former Sooners tackle once did. From Bob Przybylo : After suspending three receivers last week, Oklahoma is in need of wideouts for the class of 2013. Roundtable: Should Aaron Colvin be moved back to cornerback? From Brandon Chatmon : Every weekday during the summer, SoonerNation will be evaluating a scholarship player on the Oklahoma roster.

M. Basketball. Men's Hoops Signs San Antonio's Waller-Prince

Source: Baylor Official Site

San Antonio product Taurean Waller-Prince has signed a Financial Aid Contract for 2012-13, Baylor head coach Scott Drew announced Tuesday.

Mapping out The Ultimate Big 12 Road Trip

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

We finished our Ultimate Big 12 Road Trip: 2012 this week, and it's time to take a gander at how it shook out: Week 1: West Virginia vs. Marshall Week 2: Kansas State vs. Miami Week 3: Texas at Ole Miss Week 4: Kansas State at Oklahoma Week 5: Texas at Oklahoma State Week 6: West Virginia at Texas Week 7: Oklahoma vs. Texas at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas Week 8: Kansas State at West Virginia Week 9: Notre Dame at Oklahoma Week 10: Oklahoma State at Kansas State Week 11: Kansas State at TCU Week 12: Oklahoma at West Virginia Week 13: Oklahoma State at Oklahoma Week 14: Oklahoma at TCU Some of you were, well, not happy about my weekly selections.

FSU president blasts move to Big 12

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

So, is Florida State going to make the jump to the Big 12 or not? If FSU president Dr. Eric Barron had his way, then certainly not. For one, he doesn't see it as a jump at all, at least not in the ways that matter most to him. Barron wrote a memo on Monday expressing a commitment to the ACC, and harshly criticizing a possible move to the Big 12. From colleague Joe Schad: In the memo, Baron includes more reasons for not moving that include "The ACC is an equal share conference.

Baseball. No. 7 Baseball Returns Home to Host UTSA

Source: Baylor Official Site

Baylor's No. 7-ranked baseball team returns home to host UTSA at 6:35 p.m. Tuesday at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears will be looking to snap a season-long three-game losing streak and avenge an April 24 loss at UTSA.

The Ultimate Big 12 Road Trip: Week 14

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

I've been inspired by the boys at the Big Ten Blog, and this should be a fun walk-through each week in the new-look Big 12 next season. I'll pick one game a week during the season that I'd attend if it were entirely up to me. I don't make the call, and things change as games are played, of course. I'll include road nonconference games, too. Week 1: West Virginia vs. Marshall Week 2: Kansas State vs. Miami Week 3: Texas at Ole Miss Week 4: Kansas State at Oklahoma Week 5: Texas at Oklahoma State Week 6: West Virginia at Texas Week 7: Oklahoma vs.

FSU's not ready for Big 12 competition?

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

There's no escaping the hottest rumor in college football right now: Is Florida State coming to the Big 12? The chairman of the FSU board of trustees made headlines over the weekend when he told Warchant.com, "On behalf of the board of trustees, I can say that unanimously we would be in favor of seeing what the Big 12 might have to offer. We have to do what is in Florida State's best interest." So what does our ACC blogger, Heather Dinich, say? Before FSU decides to pursue a $20 million divorce from the ACC for a chance at better revenue in the Big 12, it should consider just how comfy ACC competition is.

Baylor Basketball: Year-by-Year Look at the Bears' Progress from NCAA Violations

Source: Bleacher Report NCAAB

It started in the summer of 2003.

Patrick Dennehy, a transfer from the University of New Mexico, went missing. His father had not heard from him on Father’s Day. He did not show up to a party most thought that he would attend, and his roommate returned from a trip to find that his dog had not been fed.

On June 25, Dennehy’s car was found in Virginia, which prompted a wider search for the young man.

All the while, Carlton Dotson, a teammate of Dennehy, told his cousin that he had shot and killed Dennehy after an altercation while firing guns.

The body of Patrick Dennehy was found weeks later in a pit near Waco, Texas, the home of Baylor University, and Dotson was taken into custody and charged with the murder of his teammate.

However, there was more to the story than just a murder. The Baylor Bears men’s basketball team and head coach Dave Bliss were hiding much more, all of which was revealed after an NCAA investigation.

In the end, the committee found that multiple players were found to be using marijuana and alcohol, a fact ignored by Coach Bliss. In addition, Bliss himself illegally funded Dennehy’s transfer and tuition, against NCAA rules, and, along with some assistant coaches, violated recruiting rules by attending unofficial games.

Following the revelations of these infractions and the fact that Bliss tried to cover up the murder as drug-related, Bliss resigned, and the Bears were faced with one of the biggest scandals in NCAA history.

As punishment, the school placed itself on probation, reduced basketball scholarships to only seven for two years and banned postseason play for one year. On top of that, the NCAA instituted a non-conference season ban for the 2005-06 season, increased the probationary period for the university and further restricted recruiting efforts.

Yet how has a program so decimated by the actions of two men become one of the top programs in the country?

The following is a year-by-year analysis of each season after the 2003 scandal, detailing just how current head coach Scott Drew built a program from the bottom, with the help of some very impressive recruiting classes.

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Video: Top 20 roundtable -- West Virginia

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

"College Football Live's" panel of experts preview West Virginia's upcoming season.

Lunch links: Big 12 expansion possibilities

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

Puppies, y'all. Feel like you're behind on all this "Florida State to the Big 12?" talk? Coley Harvey of the Orlando Sentinel will get you caught up. Could Big 12 expansion be the key to ushering in four major conferences? Dennis Dodd of CBSSports.com examines the issue. How would the Seminoles fit in the new Big 12? The Big 12 needs to explore the idea of admitting Florida State and research their interest, writes the Austin American Statesman's Kirk Bohls.

Texas speedster wins another Big 12 title

Source: Big 12 Football Blog

Marquise Goodwin already has a reputation as one of the fastest players and best athletes in the Big 12. The aspiring Olympic hopeful only solidified that reputation on Saturday, winning his third consecutive Big 12 title in the long jump. He leaped 26 feet and 10.5 inches to break the conference championship and stadium record in Manhattan, Kansas on his first jump. "I popped off my longest jump of the competition on the first jump," Goodwin said in a statement.

M. Basketball. Men's Hoops Trio Headed to Europe with Athletes In Action

Source: Baylor Official Site

Three members of Baylor's 2012 Elite Eight men's basketball team will embark on a two-week competitive tour May 26-June 10 in Germany and Poland with Athletes In Action.