Parity, it seems, reigns in the Big 12. Only, more so in the middle than at the top.
Going into the 2015 season, the gap between TCU or Baylor and the rest of the conference seems greater than the gap between the Big 12's No. 3 and 8 teams.
While the Horned Frogs and Bears will open in the top 10 of the preseason polls, no other Big 12 team is guaranteed a spot in the top 20. And while TCU and Baylor will surely claim the top two spots when the preseason Big 12 poll is released, it's anyone's guess how the following six teams will be slotted.
Still, there's a chance a third school could challenge Baylor and TCU for Big 12 supremacy. Below is the case for and against which team that might be:
Kansas State
The case for: Bill Snyder is still coach. And the Wildcats have met or exceeded preseason expectations in every year since the league went to a round-robin format in 2011. K-State should boast one of the best defensive backfields of the Snyder era. The schedule also flips K-State's way; TCU, Baylor and Oklahoma all travel to Manhattan.
The case against: Nobody in the league has more offensive production to replace than the Wildcats. And even after the spring, quarterback, running back and receiver all remain questions. The Wildcats also graduated a pair of All-Big 12 linemen in B.J. Finney and Ryan Mueller. K-State being relevant in the conference race again would require one of Snyder's better coaching jobs -- and that's saying something.
Oklahoma State
The case for: The Cowboys appear to have a budding star at QB in Mason Rudolph, who was sensational in three true freshman starts last season; his entire receiving arsenal is back, as well. On the other side, Oklahoma State has one of the most experienced defenses returning, headlined by Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year candidate Emmanuel Ogbah. Like K-State, the Pokes also get TCU, Baylor and Oklahoma in Stillwater.
The case against: Rudolph's sample size is small, and he wouldn't be the first QB to endure a sophomore slump (see Trevor Knight, Davis Webb). The Cowboys should be better along the offensive line, but they can't be any worse than they were last season when they gave up a Big 12-worst 40 sacks. While they return eight defensive starters, the Pokes ranked seventh in the league last season in yards per play and points per drive. The Cowboys have a dominant player in Ogbah, but the overall defense has yet to prove it can be dominant as a whole.
Oklahoma
The case for: The Sooners have star power in running back Samaje Perine, receiver Sterling Shepard and linebacker Eric Striker; all three are All-American-caliber. For all its issues last season, OU could've easily gone 10-2 had it not been for fourth-quarter blunders against TCU (pick-six), K-State (19-yard missed FG) and OSU (re-kick to Tyreek Hill). New coordinator Lincoln Riley has a track record of producing efficient offenses, and the receiving corps should be more balanced around Shepard.
The case against: The Sooners were obliterated by Baylor and Clemson for a reason. The pass defense was the worst of the Bob Stoops' era, as OU lacked difference-makers at the backend after cornerback Zack Sanchez. The Sooners are an unknown at QB; Baker Mayfield appears to be the favorite to start, but his only Big 12 victory came two years ago against Kansas.
Texas
The case for: Charlie Strong recruited one of the best freshman classes in the country, headlined by linebacker Malik Jefferson. The Longhorns should be stout again along the defensive front, even with Malcom Brown, Cedric Reed and Jordan Hicks gone. Texas has some budding standouts in the secondary, as well, notably safety Jason Hall.
The case against: It's still hard to fathom Texas' defense being any better than last year's, and all that equated to was a 6-7 record. The Longhorns' top returning receiver, Marcus Johnson, had just 27 receptions last season. At QB, Texas is still trying to replace Colt McCoy. The offseason failed to deliver a transfer, meaning Texas will have to ride with Tyrone Swoopes and Jerrod Heard, and hope one has a magical breakout season.
West Virginia
The case for: For the first time in the Big 12, the Mountaineers have a defense to reckon with. Karl Joseph and Daryl Worley spearhead what should be the top secondary in the league. Linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski is also a tackling machine. Skyler Howard surprisingly clinched the QB derby before the end of spring ball, suggesting he's ready to build off the playing time he got late last season.
The case against: Replacing the production receivers Kevin White and Mario Alford supplied last season will pretty much be impossible. In turn, the Mountaineers figure to lean more on running backs Rushel Shell and Wendell Smallwood, but the offensive line will be minus their two best run-blockers from last season in Mark Glowinski and Quinton Spain. With Shaq Riddick gone, pass rush could once again be an Achilles' heel for the defense.
Texas Tech
The case for: Like Rudolph, QB Pat Mahomes was electric after taking over for Webb late; he threw for almost 600 yards and six TDs in a near upset of Baylor in the season finale. The Red Raiders should be able to surround him with plenty of firepower. DeAndre Washington is back after becoming the first Tech back to surpass 1,000 yards in 16 years; Jakeem Grant and Devin Lauderdale have the potential to form one of the better receiving duos in the league. The Red Raiders also quietly own one of the Big 12's best offensive lines, anchored by All-Big 12 tackle Le'Raven Clark.
The case against: Tech fielded one of the worst defenses in the history of the conference last season. The hiring of coordinator David Gibbs, return of end Pete Robertson, eligibility of linebacker Mike Mitchell and arrival of freshman defensive tackle Breiden Fehoko should make a difference. Even then, the defense could still have a long ways to go.