Big 12: The Ricky Williams Show, Part 2

By Ray Holloman, CNN/SI

The real Ricky: Texas Tech's Ricky Williams looks to continue his namesake's rushing glory.   Spence M. Williams/Allsport   Projected Order of Finish NORTH 1. Nebraska 2. Colorado 3. Kansas State 4. Missouri 5. Iowa State 6. Kansas SOUTH 1. Texas A&M 2. Texas 3. Texas Tech 4. Oklahoma State 5. Oklahoma 6. Baylor

Top Storylines Pressure, pressure and more pressure Three coaches make their Big 12 debuts: Colorado's Gary Barnett, Baylor's Kevin Steele and Oklahoma's Bob Stoops. Barnett will certainly face much greater pressure to produce than he did at Northwestern. Want to talk pressure? Go chat with second-year Nebraska coach Frank Solich. After losing all of four games last year (a horrifying development for the Cornhuskers faithful), Solich needs to produce Tom Osborne-like results. Meanwhile, the battle for respect goes on in College Station -- Texas A&M won the league title last year, only to be flooded by a tide of K-State frenzy. Maybe two in a row will do the job.

Going Bowling Locks: Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas State, Texas A&M, Texas Maybes: Missouri, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech No Way: Kansas, Iowa State, Oklahoma, Baylor

Trev's Take CNN/SI's Trev Alberts offers his team to watch " Colorado should be much improved under Gary Barnett. Barnett is going to bring more discipline to the program than Rick Neuheisel did. You just can't succeed with a West Coast offense in Colorado, and Barnett promises to run the football. Barnett also knows that a key to success is emphasizing the Colorado-Nebraska rivalry. Nebraska is singled out on the schedule in a different color -- red -- and Barnett has 'banned' red on campus. Players can't even drive red cars!"

Top Five Offensive Players Ricky Williams, RB, Jr., Texas Tech No dreadlocks trailing in this Williams' wake -- just defenders. He finished second to King Ricky I in rushing last year; expect him to be tops in the Big 12 this season. Ryan Johanningmeier, G, Sr., Colorado The versatile lineman played three positions last season (both tackle spots and center) and played more downs (755) than any other Buffalo. He'll help shore up QB Mike Moschetti's weak side. Major Applewhite, QB, Soph., Texas Don't record over your Ricky Williams highlight tapes yet, but get ready for Texas's latest star to rule the Big 12 sky. Curtis Lowery, G, Sr. Texas Tech With With only one other returning starter on the offensive line, Lowery will have to pull more than his 325-pound weight. Darren Davis, RB, Sr. Iowa State Great running back, but it'll take more than one key player to turn this program around.

Top Five Defensive Players Jarrod Cooper, SS, Jr., Kansas State It isn't hard to figure out why they call the ponytailed Cooper "Bam-Bam." A devastating tackler, he also led the team with eight passes broken up last season. Ralph Brown, CB, Sr., Nebraska A four-year starter, Brown once batted down seven passes in a single game while reportedly leaping tall buildings during offensive sequences. Mark Simoneau, LB, Sr., Kansas State One of the biggest reasons Kansas State only allowed 13.3 points per game last season. Kenyatta Wright, LB, Sr.,Oklahoma State Standout pass rusher (five sacks in '98) has become one of the league's best linebacker covermen. Mike Brown, SS, Jr., Nebraska No shame in being the second-best Brown in the Cornhuskers secondary. Browntown Nebraska has become one place receivers don't want to wander into.

Top Special Teams Player David Allen, KR, Jr., Kansas State The nation's best returnman: 22.12 yards per return and four TDs last season.

You Don't Know Him Yet, But... Kwame Cavil, WR, Jr., Texas O.K., so you have heard of him, but only as the Longhorns complementary offensive threat behind Williams and Wane McGarity. This season Kavil becomes the top gun in Texas' backfield and as much of a household name as a man named Kwame can be.

Hot Coach Mack Brown, Texas Took Longhorns from periennal underachievers to national title contenders in one season. For an encore he signed the nation's best recruiting class.

Coach on the Hot Seat Dan McCarney, Iowa State Sure, a victory over arch-rival Iowa -- the first since 1982 -- helped, but in the what-have-you-done-for-me lately world of college sports, McCarney had better come up with the Cyclones' first winning season of the decade -- or hire a moving van.

Secret Weapon Eric Crouch, QB, Soph., Nebraska An injury to starter Bobby Newcombe pressed Crouch into service prematurely last season. He led the Huskers in all-purpose yardage (1,060) and finished second in rushing yardage (459) in Nebraska's run-happy offense, including an explosive 59-yard dash against UAB. With Newcombe back, head coach Frank Solich will find a way to utilize Crouch, possibly by switching between the two quarterbacks or using Crouch as a mobile third-down threat.

Toughest Schedule Baylor Already one of the worst teams in the conference, Bears must play five schools who got bowl bids last season.

Kansas State Schedule Kansas State The Wildcats face three eight-game winners out of the conference -- Utah State, Temple and UT-El Paso. Er, make that three teams who combined for eight wins.

Mark Your Calendar Colorado vs. Washington, Sept. 25 Sparks will fly when Gary Barnett leads the Buffaloes into Husky Stadium to face former Colorado coach Rick Neuheisel. Texas Tech vs. Colorado, Oct. 16 Best rusher in the league against a suspect rush defense might spell upset for the underrated Red Raiders. Texas A&M at Nebraska, Nov. 6 Big 12 title-game preview.