Oklahoma St

Big XII Player Grades

The weekend is here, and as we progress deeper into the month of November the national title race begins to take shape. But there are also conference (and divisional) championships to determine, and the three games that Billy and I have chosen will have a direct effect on who wins the Pac-10, SEC West and Big 12 South. But in the case of Alabama's trip to Baton Rouge, division bragging rights may take a backseat to some pure old-fashioned hatred as an old friend returns to the place he once called home.

OVERRATED PLAYERS

This is the third of six annual statistical projections of BCS conference starters. The lineups are based on the Starting Fives series of articles released two weeks ago, along with a couple of changes due to recent developments.

BIG 12 FIVE-YEAR STANDINGS

This ranking tries to answer a simple question: Who has been the best team in the Big 12 over the last five years?

Perhaps because they were reserves last season, or hidden in the shadows of bigger-name teammates, or simply not yet ready to shine.. these 10 Sleepers are ready to the steal the national headlines and emerge as legitimate NBA Draft prospects.

Unlike the NBA, where most starting lineups are set in stone weeks before the season, NCAA starting fives are highly unsettled and constantly in flux. Going through the BCS leagues this week, I'll be projecting the starting fives for each team. Also included is the team's most important bench option, and some notes on other possible lineups.

Well, Monday marked the time for someone else to take the heat for Clemson's disappointing 3-3 start to 2008. In two meetings with athletic director Terry Don Phillips this morning, Tommy Bowden came to this basic conclusion:

It was best for the program that he step down as head coach of the Clemson Tigers.