Sunday's prediction.
Every year we see teams go back to mediocrity after a breakout year, top 10 finish, etc. There are two possible BCS conference candidates for biggest turnaround in the wrong direction: Texas Tech and Cincinnati.
#53: When there is a tossup like this, you have to figure the margin for error is smaller in the Big 12 than the Big East, so Texas Tech will likely take the crown here. Texas Tech went 11-1 last regular season, the sole loss being at Oklahoma. They then followed up their stellar regular season with an embarrassing loss to Ole Miss. They lost key personnel. Their coach isn't pleased with his contract situation. The schedule, while not that much more difficult than last year's, isn't as kind as it was for the breakout season last year. They play at Texas, at Nebraska, at Oklahoma State, they get Oklahoma and Kansas at home, and even playing Baylor at a neutral site might be a difficult way to end the season. Texas A&M should also be improved this year (how many years in a row have I thought this same thing???) and hungry after some of the things Coach Leach said about the Aggies this off-season in regards to the NFL draft. They always have a cake-walk in the non-conference (they usually have 2 I-AA teams, only 1 this year), but look for Houston and New Mexico to put up a little bit of a fight before falling, Houston being the more likely to pull off the upset. I think you are looking at a 7-win season for the Red Raiders. I am sure the Bearcats will give Tech all they can handle, as they battle for the biggest slide among BCS conference teams, but I give the edge to Tech, based on the strength of the Big 12.
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