Tag: Big 12 Conference

Texas softball wins series over No. 1 Oklahoma

After Oklahoma won the first of a three-game series 5-2 on Friday, the Longhorns registered consecutive 2-1 victories.

The No. 1-ranked Oklahoma Sooners have been the gold standard of college softball in recent seasons. At least for a weekend, the No. 5 Texas Longhorns had something to say about that.

After Oklahoma won the first of a three-game series 5-2 on Friday, the Longhorns registered consecutive 2-1 victories on Saturday and Sunday in Austin.

The Longhorns improved to 31-6 (11-4 Big 12), while the Sooners dropped to 35-3 (13-2 Big 12). Saturday’s win for Texas saw an end to Oklahoma’s 40-game Big 12 Conference winning streak.

“We probably did what most people thought was impossible and that’s to beat Oklahoma two days in a row,” said Longhorns head coach Mike White.

White pointed to the team’s pitching and defense as reasons for the victory.

In the circle, Texas’ Citlaly Gutierrez pitched an efficient game Saturday, giving up one run on six hits while striking out two batters, throwing 94 pitches. Texas got a combined effort from Teagan Kavan and Estelle Czech on Sunday as Katie Stewart’s 2-run home run proved to be the difference in Texas getting the series victory.

Ranking Big 12 college towns from worst to first

Which Big 12 towns would you most like to visit?

Many different factors go into which college towns reign supreme.

Boulder, Colorado, for example, is an excellent choice for outdoor enthusiasts, as you can either hit the ski slopes or take a hike.

There are no wrong choices. No matter where you go, you can find a unique experience that will entertain you before, during or after a game.

But again, there are many factors to consider when picking your next destination. Do you like small towns or big cities? Are you looking for nightlife activities or are you traveling with kids? Do you prefer warm or cold weather? And, of course, which types of food do you love?

You’ll get a good grasp of my preferences below as I rank each Big 12 college town from worst to first:

Oklahoma Sooners’ transfers making a big impact early in 2023-2024

The Oklahoma Sooners have a whole new group this season and those newcomers are making a name for themselves.

Ever since [autotag]Porter Moser[/autotag] took over at the University of Oklahoma, he has had to build his team through the transfer portal. That’s not how many coaches, including Moser, would like to do it, but it’s been necessary with all of the departures.

Each year, he’s found a few good players, but through eight games, he might not have found anyone better than [autotag]Javian McCollum[/autotag]. The former Siena Saint is averaging 14.3 points per game on 47.8% from the field, 37% from three and is a 90% free throw shooter. He’s coming off another big game, this time against the Providence Friars, scoring 19 points and grabbing seven rebounds. The 19 points match his season high from the season opener.

He had such a big game that the Friars head coach, Kim English said McColloum reminds him of NBA Hall of Famer Allen Iverson. McCollum talked about that comparison.

“I’ve seen some Allen Iverson clips, and I appreciate him for saying that,” McCollum said. “Allen Iverson is cold, so that’s big coming from him.”

But it’s not just McCollum who the Sooners landed in the transfer portal. They have several guys who are making immediate impacts. They are longer, faster, more athletic, and seem to blend a lot better than in years past.

Now, we’ve seen Moser’s teams have good moments in nonconference play in the regular season, but we all know the [autotag]Big 12 conference[/autotag] is a different animal. That gauntlet is tough to manage. That’s why it’s important to stack wins before that begins.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

Jonathon Brooks nabs All-Big 12 second team despite injury

Jonathon Brooks was a sensational piece to the Texas Longhorns backfield and deserves the award.

Despite suffering an unfortunate ACL injury, Texas running back Jonathon Brooks was recognized for his outstanding performance by being awarded a spot on the All-Big 12 second team on Wednesday. Continue reading “Jonathon Brooks nabs All-Big 12 second team despite injury”

How did Big 12 teams finish relative to preseason expectations in USA TODAY Sports 1-133 re-rank?

With the regular season over, how did the Big 12 land in USA TODAY Sports latest 1-133 re-rank of every college football team in the nation?

It’s championship week in college football. But for some teams, it’s the beginning of the offseason, while others wait on their bowl destinations.

It was a unique season in the Big 12. A number of teams met or exceeded expectations in 2023. And several were incredibly disappointing based on preseason expectations.

Let’s take a look at how each of the Big 12 teams ranked in the USA TODAY Sports 1-133 rankings in the preseason compared to how they now rank after the regular season.

Pregame social media buzz ahead of Texas vs. Texas Tech

Texas hopes to put on a show in front of Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark today.

We’ve reached the final week of the regular season. Continue reading “Pregame social media buzz ahead of Texas vs. Texas Tech”

By the Numbers: No. 13 Oklahoma Sooners vs. TCU Horned Frogs

A statistical look at how the Oklahoma Sooners and TCU Horned Frogs stack up heading into their Black Friday Showdown.

The Oklahoma Sooners vs. the TCU Horned Frogs may look like a mismatch based on their records coming into the game. However, the [autotag]TCU Horned Frogs[/autotag] are a bit reminiscent of the Sooners from 2022, who struggled in one-score games.

TCU was really good in one-score games a year ago, but haven’t been as fortunate this season. They’re a young team that has had some growing pains. In particular, they’ve gone as redshirt freshman [autotag]Josh Hoover[/autotag] has gone. When he’s protected the football, the Horned Frogs have been hard to beat.

The same can be said for the Sooners. In their two losses, Oklahoma turned the ball over six times. In their other nine games, the Sooners turned the ball over just six times.

The other big storyline in this game is the health of [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag]. Brent Venables said earlier in the week that he expects Gabriel to be available. But if he’s not, Jackson Arnold will get the first start of his career. We’ve seen some good things from the true freshman former five-star quarterback. But how will he respond to his first start on a short week?

This game has a chance to be a weird one given the early kickoff and coming on Black Friday. Will the home Sooners show up? Will they stay explosive in the passing game even if it is [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] at the helm?

Here’s a statistical look at the two sides for this Black Friday affair in this week’s By the Numbers.

No. 13 Oklahoma at BYU Cougars: Sooners Wire Staff Predictions

The Oklahoma Sooners get set to take on the BYU Cougars on Saturday, Sooners Wire’s Staff predicts the outcome.

The Oklahoma Sooners go on the road for one final time in the Big 12. This trip is one they’ve never taken: Provo, Utah.

Oklahoma has only played the Cougars twice before, but never in Provo. The Sooners hope to scratch BYU from the short list of teams Oklahoma has never defeated.

The Sooners still have a lot to play for. They’ll need help, but a berth in the Big 12 title game isn’t out of the question.

The Sooners are a heavy 24.5-point favorite going into the 11 a.m. CT kick. How will the game turn out? Like we do each week during the season, the staff here at Sooners Wire provides their predictions for Oklahoma vs. BYU.

Big 12 Bowl Projections: Sooners face Pac-12 power in latest projections from USA TODAY Sports

According to the latest Big 12 bowl projections, the Oklahoma Sooners take on the Utah Utes.

The final two weeks of the regular season are upon us. It’s crunch time for the conference title and College Football Playoff contenders. While the playoff is out of reach for the Sooners, they still have an outside shot at a Big 12 title game berth.

They’ll need to take care of business against BYU and TCU over the next nine days. But if the Sooners finish strongly and get a little help, one final trip to Arlington is certainly in the cards.

But at the moment, they’re on the outside looking in, and that affects where they’re heading in USA TODAY Sports’ latest bowl projections.

Let’s take a look at where the Big 12’s projected postseason landing spots.