(This is Part II of a two-part series.  To view Part I, click here.)

To recap from Part I, our predictions of the Big XII South so far (from 6th place to 1st) are:

6. Baylor

5. Texas A&M

4. Oklahoma State

Read on to find out who we think will finish in the top three spots.

3. Texas Tech – I normally wouldn't have the Red Raiders ranked this high, but their schedule this year warrants it. I was discussing them with my mother the other day (I know, she's the best), and I was telling her how fortunate teams are to play road games that they would lose at home anyway. Tech has that, in that they play Missouri and Texas in Columbia and Austin respectively. They have a couple of swing games in Lubbock against A&M and OU which should collectively determine where they finish in the South. And I think we're all aware at this point of what can happen when teams travel to the tortilla-laden land of Lubbock, Texas. Is there a worse place for an opposing team to go play a road football game? I mean, Stillwater is boring but at least it's cozy; Waco and College Station are both very friendly; Austin is Austin; but going to Lubbock is like following Alice to Wonderland. Anything can happen, especially at night.

Anyway, this Raiders team is kind of an inverse of teams from years gone by. Their usually unalterable offensive line is all gone, save one, and for once they have a quarterback returning in Graham Harrell. When is the last time Tech had a quarterback return for more than one year of statistical stardom? The Reagan Era? Whenever it was, I'm sure Mike Leach looked exactly the same as he does right now. He has to be on the Joe Torre-David Robinson “We've looked exactly the same for the last 25 years” all-star team. I love Mike Leach. Actually I love his interviews.  He's like the anti-Pete Carroll (though Les Miles could be mistaken as such, thank you, thank you, I'll be here all...well actually today is my last day but thank you nonetheless). He just doesn't care at all about what other people think about him or his team, which is probably one reason why Tech is so consistently pesky.  They're like the David Eckstein of college football, just annoyingly talented and invariably good. So when you turn on TBS this fall for the late late game and see a score of Texas Tech: 71 Oklahoma: 55 and Graham Harrell has dropped 700 yards deep into the Lubbock night, don't say I didn't warn you.

And opponents beware because with Vince Gi...I mean Mike Leach captaining this ship Tech could raid the Big XII and strike gold in early December.

2. Oklahoma – When the majority of analysts discussing your team are opening with “well, if they can just figure out who they can start at quarterback, then they should be ok”, that's not usually a good thing. But in the Sooners case, it's an impairment that can be overcome.  That is, if they can recover from the torching they took via lady liberty back in January. Their secondary is unfathomable, their receiving class underrated, their special teams correctly rates as one of the best in the nation, and they should have no trouble replacing All Day with somebody who runs at least most of the day or a duo who both run part of the day. They get A&M at home as well as their orange-headed stepchild to the north, so that helps.  The key will be finding somebody who can figure out how to turn around and stretch his arm (with the ball) towards the man standing behind him. The problem will be in getting that same person to do the same thing in front of him, down the field.

And Coach Stoops is still a little hazy on who will be taking snaps when the Sooners open with UNT on September 1. The battle ensues between junior Joey Halzle, and freshmen Sam Bradford and Keith Nichol.

Whoever it is had better figure it out fast, as OU will be tested right away when Miami (who has the entire Big XII on its non-conference schedule) comes to Norman on September 8th. If they escape The U and figure out the Horns, then only a trip to Lubbock stands between the Sooner Schooner and the road to San Antonio. Despite their quarterbacking quagmire the defense will keep them in all their games.  And say what you want about Bob Stoops, but he's led Sooner nation valiantly for eight straight years to the tune of 86-19. So the boys in crimson and cream look to make it five South titles in six years, but, for that to happen, Stoops might have to pull his grandest trick yet: a three-part act transitioning from all-world-car-dealer to receiver-turned- quarterback to whatever-2007-brings and keeping the train on the tracks for BCS Bowldom.

Let's just hope this year he adds a defensive coach to drive home another bowl win.  Perhaps Rhett Bomar is available? (you had to know it was coming)