Recapping this year's Lindy's CFB preview magazine

[ChrisMWilliams]

Lindy’s picks ISU ninth in Big 12, linebackers honored | Cyclone Fanatic

[Cyforce]

picked 9th last year and finished 8th. Just wondering how many times we have to ***** slap Tech before someone notices.

[State43]

And people are too high on Baylor, CW included. I have no reason to believe they will be competitive. Briles looked like a rockstar because he had a hiesman QB taking snaps. He is gone and now replaced with an average QB. Now that the gameplan doesn't include scoring 40+ to beat BU and having possible the worst Defense in the Big 12. I would even feel KU may steal one against them.

[LegendofRodA]

And people are too high on Baylor, CW included. I have no reason to believe they will be competitive. Briles looked like a rockstar because he had a hiesman QB taking snaps. He is gone and now replaced with an average QB. Now that the gameplan doesn't include scoring 40+ to beat BU and having possible the worst Defense in the Big 12. I would even feel KU may steal one against them.

This.

They should start a TV documentary series and call it "Life without RG3: The Short-lived rise and fall of Baylor Football"

[FootballinTexas]

Lindy’s picks ISU ninth in Big 12, linebackers honored | Cyclone Fanatic

TCU can't be good enough to handle all of the offseason problems and still sit #3.

Big 12 Blog - ESPN

[cyclones500]

Comments in this thread, so far, as I post this, make reference to Tech, Baylor and TCU.

Relative to where ISU is slotted, TT & BU placements could be swapped quite easily. I think preseason magazines go to flip-a-coin after the first tier (that is, decisive ranking gets less "important" as you go further down the list).

If Iowa State had finished fourth or fifth last season, and everything else (schedule, returning players) were the same in 2012, and Lindy's put ISU 9th — I would have a hard time with that. Many good things happened last season, but Big 12 finish was far from head-turning.

TCU: Top five, certainly possible ... why the experts would think MWC power could touch ground in the Big 12 and make enough immediate impact to top Texas, OSU and KSU this season, seems like a reach.

I'm sure going game-by-game with each team matters, too. I won't even look at that for a couple of months.

I expect most projections to have Iowa State between 7th and 9th. As fans, we'll love this in another six months if we see an upper-division finish.

[d4nim4l]

This is what I have predicted. Two teams that rose up last year (OSU and Baylor) lose a very large chunk of their explosive offenses. Also, the biggest reason I slotted both TCU and OSU above ISU is by virtue of both of those being road games for the Cyclones. With how the schedule sets up and who has what returning I could see ISU as high as 5th.

Final Big XII Standings
1. Oklahoma
2. West Virginia
3. Texas
4. Kansas State
5. TCU
6. Oklahoma State
7. Iowa State
8. Baylor
9. Texas Tech
10. Kansas

[RustShack]

We make the run the KSU did last year, if not better.

[cyclones500]

This is what I have predicted. Two teams that rose up last year (OSU and Baylor) lose a very large chunk of their explosive offenses. Also, the biggest reason I slotted both TCU and OSU above ISU is by virtue of both of those being road games for the Cyclones. With how the schedule sets up and who has what returning I could see ISU as high as 5th.

Final Big XII Standings
1. Oklahoma
2. West Virginia
3. Texas
4. Kansas State
5. TCU
6. Oklahoma State
7. Iowa State
8. Baylor
9. Texas Tech
10. Kansas

It would be no surprise if that's closer to reality than Lindy's.

[clone4good]

It doesn't matter how good the other positions are we are in serious trouble if our weaknesses are offensive and defensive line.

[RustShack]

It doesn't matter how good the other positions are we are in serious trouble if our weaknesses are offensive and defensive line.

I don't think DL will be a weakness anymore finally. OL is pretty iffy, but we have had some pretty good recruits the last few years who also fit the current scheme better than KO and Hicks did(obviously their talent made up for it a little), and Yancy seems to be doing a pretty good job getting these guys in the proper shape and weight. OL might skip a beat but I think they will gel and get better as the season goes on. Injurys last season might have helped since some of these guys got to see the field... got a little jump start.

[jay moe]

I like that we are picked ninth, nothing but motivation for the players!

[ribsnwhiskey]

It doesn't matter how good the other positions are we are in serious trouble if our weaknesses are offensive and defensive line.

Lindys, as well as all other preseason mags, are complete crap. These guys have no clue what ISU's weaknesses are. If they spend more than 20 minutes analyzing our team, it cuts into their profit margin.

[rholtgraves]

Baylor will drop off but I don't think they will drop as far some on here think. They return 7 starters on offense and 8 on Defense. Tech might actually be better than some think because they return so many players (9 starters on offense and 10 on defense) and during the season last year they had some of their best go down with injuries. Plus the last two recruiting classes have been very good (#20 in 2011 and #26 in 2012 according to rivals).

[State43]

This is what I have predicted. Two teams that rose up last year (OSU and Baylor) lose a very large chunk of their explosive offenses. Also, the biggest reason I slotted both TCU and OSU above ISU is by virtue of both of those being road games for the Cyclones. With how the schedule sets up and who has what returning I could see ISU as high as 5th.

Final Big XII Standings
1. Oklahoma
2. West Virginia
3. Texas
4. Kansas State
5. TCU
6. Oklahoma State
7. Iowa State
8. Baylor
9. Texas Tech
10. Kansas

+1
that is exactly how I would rank them as of now. UT has the ability to slide anywhere depending on the QB and WR growth. WVU looks great on paper but how they handle the week in and week out pounding of this conference and recovering from probable injuries will be tested. TCU is a huge ? imo. KSU in my opinion couldn't peak what they did last season. They got maximum potential from that team winning pretty much all the close games. I think they have a 8-9 win season this time. Tech has to be better so it's good we get them in Ames. OSU will take a step back but their OLine is so solid they will still produce wins. OU is always solid due to talent. KU is KU.