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We're moving on in our series on the Big 12 Blog pegging the single player each team in the Big 12 can't afford to lose. He's also the player that will be most responsible for the team's ultimate success.

What's that you hear? The faint whispers of realignment rumormongering?

Oh, we all hear them. And when they happen, it's time to compare the prospective team to its possible future home.

We always do these for the Big 12, and I definitely always learn a thing or two. I hope you do, too.

Here's our history:

• Nebraska vs. the Big Ten
• Texas A&M vs. the SEC
• TCU vs. the Big 12
• Missouri vs. the Big Ten
• Missouri vs. the SEC
• West Virginia vs. the Big 12

So, these Seminoles are a possibility for the Big 12? Some don't see favorable outcomes for FSU if it moved to the Big 12, and really, all-time records only tell us so much, but here's how Florida State has matched up with the rest of the Big 12.

Baylor

• Florida State is 1-2 all-time vs. the Bears, but the last meeting was in 1974.

Iowa State

• Florida State is 1-1 all-time vs. the Cyclones.
• The Seminoles narrowly edged Seneca Wallace and ISU in the season opener in Kansas City, 38-31. FSU led 31-14 at half, but Wallace led ISU back to within 38-31 early in the fourth quarter.

Kansas

• Florida State is 5-2 all-time vs. Kansas, but haven't met the Jayhawks since 1993.
• In that 1993 game, FSU tromped the Jayhawks, 47-0, on the way to its first national title.

Kansas State

• Florida State is 3-0 all-time against the Wildcats, but haven't met them since 1977. In Manhattan, that equates to the year 12 B.S. (Before Snyder).

Oklahoma

• Florida State is an eye-popping 1-6 all-time vs. Oklahoma.
• The Sooners beat FSU 13-2 in the 2000 Orange Bowl to win the national title.
• Last year, Oklahoma marched into Tallahassee and won, 23-13, with ESPN's College Gameday in attendance.

Oklahoma State

• Florida State is 3-1 all-time vs. OSU, but haven't met the Cowboys since 1985.
• Florida State won that game, the 1985 Gator Bowl, 34-23.

Texas

• Texas and Florida State have never played. I blame Dan Beebe.

TCU

• Florida State is 1-2 all-time vs. TCU, but the two teams haven't met since waaaaay back in 1965. I was only eight years old that day, but I remember bits and pieces of the game. FSU won the season opener in Fort Worth, 7-3.

Texas Tech

• Florida State is 4-1 all-time vs. Texas Tech.
• The two teams haven't met since 1987. FSU won that game, a season opener in Tallahassee, 40-16.

West Virginia

• Florida State is an impressive 3-0 vs. West Virginia.
• The two teams last met in 2009, and FSU beat the Mountaineers 33-21 in the Gator Bowl.
• The Seminoles and WVU were scheduled to meet in 2012, but WVU canceled the game to make room for a new nine-game conference schedule in the Big 12, instead of the seven-game conference schedule used in the Big East.

Overall record: 22-15

New Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby doesn't want to see any future expansion in college athletics, but recent events have given him no choice but to put the issue on the Big 12's agenda, as it is on other conferences'.

My opinion," he told USA Today on Tuesday, "is college athletics would be well served by some period of smooth water and not all of the angst and disorganization that goes with moves from one league to another."

We've heard that from the Big 12. Florida State is forcing Bowlsby's hand, though he wouldn't mention the school by name.

"I think the topic of expansion will be on every agenda going forward. But it's on every other conference's agenda going forward, too," Bowlsby told the paper.

Over the weekend, Florida State's chairman of its board of trustees opened up a big ol' can of realignment worms, however, when he offered credence to a long-held rumor rumbling around college sports. Could Florida State leave for the Big 12?

"On behalf of the Board of Trustees I can say that unanimously we would be in favor of seeing what the Big 12 might have to offer. We have to do what is in Florida State's best interest," Andy Haggard told Warchant.com.

So, here we are. After two years of attrition and a role as the hunted, the Big 12 is doing some hunting of its own? Or is it? The league just added TCU and West Virginia for 2012 after Texas A&M and Missouri bolted for the SEC, leaving the Big 12 with eight members. That move was a year after Nebraska and Colorado left the Big 12 for the Big Ten and Pac-12, respectively, costing the conference its namesake. Could Florida State move the Big 12 one step closer to a return to 12 members?

Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds tamped down some of the discussion, telling the Austin American-Statesman that there was "no traction" to the reports.

He did not add a "yet" on the end of that sentence, but more than a few assumed that was the case. How could the Big 12 and Florida State at least not sit down at a table for an exchange of ideas?

Where does the Big 12 stand right now? Bowlsby's not showing his hand.

"It's all about driving value for the member institutions," Bowlsby said. "There is a case to be made for optimal value being driven by the status quo, and there is a case to be made for some form of expansion. And I'm not prejudging or adopting either side of that right now."

He is, however, discussing it. And while that happens, there won't be many calm waters in college football.

We're moving on in our series on the Big 12 Blog pegging the single player each team in the Big 12 can't afford to lose. He's also the player that will be most responsible for the team's ultimate success.

Next up, the Texas Longhorns.

Find more indispensable players here.

Most indispensable player(s): DEs Alex Okafor and Jackson Jeffcoat.

2011 stats: Jeffcoat: 63 tackles, 17 TFL, eight sacks, three PBUs. Okafor: 52 tackles, 12.5 TFL, six sacks, three PBUs, two forced fumbles.

Why Texas can't afford to lose them: There's no differentiating between these two. Without one, the other is less effective. Jeffcoat is a physical specimen that becomes unblockable all too often for Big 12 offensive coordinators' liking. Okafor's no physical slouch, but his experience paid off in big-time production in 2011.

This year, the duo is probable the No. 1 and No. 2 defensive ends in the entire Big 12. With the high-quality passing offenses that populate the Big 12, their worth is immense. There's nobody else on the roster who can duplicate this kind of production and disruption, and their presence gives the Longhorns a luxury few other Big 12 teams possess.

Texas gave up the fewest passing touchdowns of any Big 12 teams, and surrendered 17 fewer yards per game than any other team in the Big 12. Does that secondary, which is already very, very talented, look anywhere near as good if the pass rush up front isn't solid with what's sometimes just a four-man rush? No way.

DC Manny Diaz loves his blitzes, but if he wants to back off, Okafor and Jeffcoat assure him that quarterbacks will be rushed and will face pressure. That's only going to be more true in 2012.

No doubt about this one: Texas can't afford to lose this duo. If it does, the defense will suffer.

We finished our Ultimate Big 12 Road Trip: 2012 this week, and it's time to take a gander at how it shook out:

• Week 1: West Virginia vs. Marshall
• Week 2: Kansas State vs. Miami
• Week 3: Texas at Ole Miss
• Week 4: Kansas State at Oklahoma
• Week 5: Texas at Oklahoma State
• Week 6: West Virginia at Texas
• Week 7: Oklahoma vs. Texas at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas
• Week 8: Kansas State at West Virginia
• Week 9: Notre Dame at Oklahoma
• Week 10: Oklahoma State at Kansas State
• Week 11: Kansas State at TCU
• Week 12: Oklahoma at West Virginia
• Week 13: Oklahoma State at Oklahoma
• Week 14: Oklahoma at TCU

Some of you were, well, not happy about my weekly selections. Shocking, I know.

Josh in Goleta, Calif., writes: Dear Mr. Ubben,Your ultimate road trip is the ultimate joke. In 12 weeks you have listed 6 teams out of 10. Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Texas Tech were left out. How were these teams were left out thus far? I could think of at least 4 games that could be switched because of a better rivalry with the 4 teams left out. Your focus is just to narrow. Your blog is ok, but I'm not looking for a bandwagon blogger. You were all Oklahoma last year and this year your all Kansas State. Same old stuff. Very boring. Even the people commenting on the blog are getting boring their the same people. Your leadership is lacking, and I let ESPN know it in a similar e-mail to this one that I sent to the network. I'd suggest you begin to include the entire readership before you get s***-canned. Josh

Ouch. Well, Josh, I hate to break it to you, but we operate this blog like a meritocracy. I write about every team, but a visit to a game during the season?

You earn those by winning. My goal isn't to see every team. It's to see every game that's relevant in the Big 12 title race.

Here's how it shook out by team:

• Kansas State (4) -- One home game, three road games
• Oklahoma (6) -- Three home games, two road games, one neutral site
• Oklahoma State (3) -- Two road games, one home game
• Texas (4) -- Two road games, one home game, one neutral site
• TCU (2) -- Two home games
• West Virginia (4) -- Three home games, one road game

That's a pretty great season of Big 12 football. I took this trip week by week. I didn't start out at the beginning hoping to see this team X many times or this team X many times.

I want to see the best game in the Big 12 every week. This is what that schedule looks like. Want to change that between now and December? There's one solution, Big 12 teams.

Win.

What do you think about The Ultimate Big 12 Road Trip?

2011 overall record: 7-6
2011 conference record: 4-5

Returning starters

Offense: 8; defense: 6; kicker/punter: 1

Top returners

RB Christine Michael, WR Ryan Swope, OT Luke Joeckel, OT Jake Matthews, DE Damontre Moore, LB Sean Porter, LB Jonathan Stewart, S Steven Campbell

Key losses

QB Ryan Tannehill, RB Cyrus Gray, WR Jeff Fuller, PK Randy Bullock, DT Tony Jerod-Eddie, CB Terrence Frederick, S Trent Hunter

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Cyrus Gray (1,045 yards)
Passing: Ryan Tannehill (3,744 yards)
Receiving: Ryan Swope* (1,207 yards)
Tackles: Jonathan Stewart* (98)
Sacks: Sean Porter* (9.5)
Interceptions: Trent Hunter, Steven Terrell* (2)

Spring answers

1. Manning that line: There’s no mistaking the strength of this team. Even though there’s not a lot of depth in the offensive line, five players with starting experience return. Tackles Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews are future pros, while senior center Patrick Lewis enters his fourth season as a starter. Sophomore Cedric Ogbuehi has made a nice transition from tackle to guard. The Aggies will lean on this bunch all season long.

2. Swope to the rescue: After hauling in 11 touchdown passes a year ago, Swope picked up right where he left off in Kevin Sumlin’s new offense and ended the spring with a pair of touchdown catches in the Maroon & White spring game. He’s going to need some help this fall, but there’s no substitute for a senior receiver who knows how to get open, and more importantly, knows how to find the end zone.

3. Steven Jenkins steps up: One of the defensive stars of the spring for the Aggies was Jenkins, who looked like a natural at weakside linebacker in the new 4-3 scheme. Jenkins was fifth on the team last season in total tackles (61) despite starting in only six games. His spring performance was just what Texas A&M needed on defense, especially at the linebacker position. He and Sean Porter should be quite a tandem in the fall, as both can go get the quarterback.

Fall questions

1. Stopping the run: The Aggies feel pretty good about their ability to get to the quarterback. But when it comes to the middle of that defensive line and stopping the running games they’re going to see in the SEC, that’s where the problem lies. Chances are that some younger players are going to have to come through on the interior of that defensive line, and that’s never the way you draw it up going into the fall.

2. Williams’ eligibility: One of the most dynamic players on the field this spring for Texas A&M was running back Brandon Williams, who transferred from Oklahoma. He has the kind of speed that turns missed tackles into touchdowns. The only problem is that the Aggies probably won’t know until sometime in August if he’ll be eligible this season. The NCAA would have to grant him a waiver, which would allow him to play without sitting out a season.

3. Experience at quarterback: Most in and around the Texas A&M program felt like sophomore Jameill Showers exited the spring as the guy to beat at quarterback. Redshirt freshman Johnny Manziel is still in the race, though. However it shakes out in the fall, the Aggies are going to line up with one of the least experienced quarterbacks in the SEC. Showers only played in four games and threw five passes last season in mop-up duty for Tannehill.

I've been inspired by the boys at the Big Ten Blog, and this should be a fun walk-through each week in the new-look Big 12 next season. I'll pick one game a week during the season that I'd attend if it were entirely up to me. I don't make the call, and things change as games are played, of course. I'll include road nonconference games, too.

• Week 1: West Virginia vs. Marshall
• Week 2: Kansas State vs. Miami
• Week 3: Texas at Ole Miss
• Week 4: Kansas State at Oklahoma
• Week 5: Texas at Oklahoma State
• Week 6: West Virginia at Texas
• Week 7: Oklahoma vs. Texas at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas
• Week 8: Kansas State at West Virginia
• Week 9: Notre Dame at Oklahoma
• Week 10: Oklahoma State at Kansas State
• Week 11: Kansas State at TCU
• Week 12: Oklahoma at West Virginia
• Week 13: Oklahoma State at Oklahoma

Here's the Week 14 slate in the Big 12:

• Oklahoma State at Baylor
• Kansas at West Virginia
• Texas at Kansas State
• Oklahoma at TCU

My pick: Oklahoma at TCU

Really, really tough call here. I may do some research between now and then and try to be two places at once. Ultimately, this one will come down to what the Big 12 standings look like at season's end.

I could easily see Kansas State and Texas both a) play for a game with serious Big 12 title implications and b) play the Big 12 game with the fewest pass attempts since, uh, a long time ago.

For now, though, I'll go with two teams with two of the best offenses in the Big 12 and close my Big 12 regular season with another visit to newcomer TCU.

The Sooners' linebackers are solid, but face a tough task in Matthew Tucker, Ed Wesley and Waymon James, the best trio of running backs in the Big 12, who all topped 700 yards and 100 carries in 2011. Quite the platoon, no doubt.

Oklahoma could have a lot on the line in this one, and one final game away from home for senior Landry Jones, who's improved away from Owen Field tremendously throughout his career. TCU's defense wasn't outstanding in 2011, but Gary Patterson's staked a claim as a defensive coach, and this could be a game that gives the Horned Frogs a chance to prove themselves and perhaps earn a Big 12 title on the final weekend of the season.

It'd be quite the dream scenario for the boys in purple. Oklahoma's been by far the best Big 12 program in the history of the league. Now, the Sooners come to town with the Big 12 title on the line?

What an atmosphere that would be in brand-new Amon G. Carter Stadium. I know the Horned Frogs will be dreaming about that one all season if the wins start rolling in.

Could TCU win a Big 12 title in its first season in the league? Could Oklahoma wrap up its eighth since 2000? I can't wait to find out.

So, is Florida State going to make the jump to the Big 12 or not?

If FSU president Dr. Eric Barron had his way, then certainly not. For one, he doesn't see it as a jump at all, at least not in the ways that matter most to him.

Barron wrote a memo on Monday expressing a commitment to the ACC, and harshly criticizing a possible move to the Big 12.

From colleague Joe Schad:

In the memo, Baron includes more reasons for not moving that include "The ACC is an equal share conference.

"So, when fans realize that Texas would get more dollars than FSU, always having a competitive advantage, it would be interesting to see the fan reaction" and "We would lose the rivalry with University of Miami that does fill our stadium."

And "It will cost between $20M and $25M to leave the ACC, and we have no idea where that money would come from." And "The faculty are adamantly opposed to joining a league that is academically weaker."

Barron writes, "We can't afford to have conference affiliation governed by emotion."

I can think of a couple schools in the Big 12 (or, ones that were, anyway) who would disagree.

AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. -- Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher tried Monday to quell the mini-firestorm that has engulfed his program, after fanning the flames with one comment in particular this past weekend.

While the school has released statements reaffirming its commitment to the ACC, the chair of the school's board of trustees and Fisher both said this weekend they would have no problem if the Seminoles looked elsewhere to gauge what is in their best interest.

Ahem, Big 12.

Fisher specifically said Saturday to The Orlando Sentinel, "There have been no officials talks, but I think you always have to look out there to see what's best for Florida State," Fisher said. "If that (jumping to the Big 12) is what's best for Florida State, then that's what we need to do."

When asked about those comments during the ACC spring meetings Monday, Fisher said, "All I said Saturday was, I said I never read the contract, I have no idea what the contract was. I said the powers to be will make decisions for Florida State. That’s the Board of Trustees and the president. They’ll do what’s best for Florida State. We’re in the ACC and that’s where we’re at. I’m not a decision-maker."

Florida State athletic director Randy Spetman was not at the meetings Monday because he was attending a previously scheduled event at the Air Force Academy.

Fisher is referring to the new TV deal the ACC reached with ESPN. Andy Haggard, the board of trustees chair, voiced his unhappiness with some of the particulars of the new deal in a weekend interview with Warchant.com. But Haggard turned out to be misinformed and has since backed off his comments.

Either way, the damage has been done and the expansion rumors have begun to swirl once again, leading to renewed questions about the future of Florida State and the ACC. It also has drawn comparisons to in-state rival Florida, which already generates much more money from its TV deal with the SEC.

"TV revenue is big," Fisher said. "That’s your largest contributor, your sales and tickets and your marketing. That’s what’s changed the landscape of college athletics, in particular college football. College football's driving that train. That’s why there’s controversy. Nothing’s about money, but everything's about money."

When asked whether fans should have a voice in what happens, Fisher said, "You have to ask the president and trustees. Fans are always a part of everything we do, but you have to make a decision about what’s logical. Fans don’t always know the details. But they always have an opinion. Your powers to be have to listen to those things but you have to make decisions based on rational thoughts. When explanations are made then they’ll understand."

As for whether he has voiced his own opinion to the school's administration, Fisher flat out said no.

"We’re in the ACC," he said. "We’re happy to be here. That’s where we’re playing. If they adjust, they adjust but that has nothing to do with me. We’re in the ACC. We’ve got a good football conference."

ESPN's "College GameDay" is heading to Aggieland.

Now that votes upon votes upon votes have been cast, Texas A&M nudged out Nebraska to win the opportunity to have "GameDay" shoot a commercial on Texas A&M's campus. Texas A&M collected 225,803 votes, while Nebraska received 222,972 votes.

You write one blog post about Texas A&M having the chance to show its SEC stuff by beating a Big Ten school at something, and the SEC faithful rallies fast and in full force. I guess it really is a family affair in this part of the country.

Seven more SEC team ranked in the top 25 in voting. Here's a look at where they ranked:

1. Texas A&M, 225,803

6. Arkansas, 23,965

10. South Carolina, 14,328

14. Missouri, 11,701

18. LSU, 8,856

19. Alabama, 8,638

20. Tennessee, 7,408

25. Florida, 4,974

You can look at the complete top 25 here.

There's no escaping the hottest rumor in college football right now: Is Florida State coming to the Big 12?

The chairman of the FSU board of trustees made headlines over the weekend when he told Warchant.com, "On behalf of the board of trustees, I can say that unanimously we would be in favor of seeing what the Big 12 might have to offer. We have to do what is in Florida State's best interest."

So what does our ACC blogger, Heather Dinich, say?

Before FSU decides to pursue a $20 million divorce from the ACC for a chance at better revenue in the Big 12, it should consider just how comfy ACC competition is. FSU isn’t ready for the Big 12. Heck, it wasn’t ready for Wake Forest last year (I know, I know, ‘guys were hurt’ …). Regardless of what conference the Noles play in, they still have to win to be relevant, and the ACC and its fans have grown weary of the program falling short of expectations in recent seasons. FSU hasn’t won the league title since 2005. Virginia Tech has won it three times since then, including in 2010, when the Hokies beat the Noles 44-33 in Charlotte.

Strong words.

Is Florida State ready for the Big 12? There's no doubt the Big 12 is tougher than the ACC. Only the SEC is a better league than the Big 12, and excluding the excellence at the top, a case could be made for the Big 12 as a better league from top to bottom.

Sure, Florida State's not going to run the Big 12 like it ran the ACC.

The Seminoles won 12 ACC titles from 1992 to 2005, helping stake its claim as a national power under Bobby Bowden.

Since 2005, the first year of the ACC Championship Game, Florida State's been shut out of the ACC's winner's circle.

But could Florida State compete? Absolutely. Jimbo Fisher has the 'Noles on the way up, and a move to the Big 12 wouldn't affect FSU's recruiting at all.

A national power in a talent-rich state? Florida State only has 25 players on its roster not from Florida. The talent will be there, and Fisher's brought in some of the best recruiting classes in school history in recent years.

It's been a rough run for FSU, but the 'Noles could compete. They won't dominate or win Big 12 titles by the bushelful, but they'll certainly compete, and if they do win, would only further validate the program in a much tougher conference.

Talk about Florida State and the Big 12 has mostly been an unsubstantiated rumor for months, and several sources fueled local media reports that the league hadn't even considered the Seminoles as a possible future member.

However, in wake of the ACC's new media deal with ABC/ESPN which is expected to fetch less than the Big 12's new pending deal, Florida State is making itself very hard for the Big 12 to ignore.

"On behalf of the Board of Trustees I can say that unanimously we would be in favor of seeing what the Big 12 might have to offer. We have to do what is in Florida State's best interest," Florida State Board of Trustees chairman Andy Haggard told Warchant.com.

Haggard was disappointed the conference controlled third-tier TV rights for football, but universities held them for basketball. It's more evidence, Haggard said, of the conference favoring the North Carolina-based basketball schools like North Carolina and Duke. However, an ACC spokesman said ESPN controlled the rights for both football and basketball, and that Haggard was mistaken.

As for the academic side of the debate, Haggard says leaving the ACC, a conference much stronger academically than the Big 12, wouldn't be a big factor.

"No FSU graduate puts on his résumé or interviews for a job saying they are in the same conference as Duke and Virginia," he said. "Conference affiliation really has no impact on academics."

So what's it all mean?

Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher told the Orlando Sentinel he's open to a conference move.

"There have been no official talks, but I think you always have to look out there to see what's best for Florida State," Fisher said. "If that [jumping to the Big 12] is what's best for Florida State, then that's what we need to do."

Writes the Sentinel's Mike Bianchi:

Late Saturday, though, FSU president Dr. Eric Barron issued a statement in regard to the uproar that was fueled by discussion of the ACC's new TV contract:

"Florida State University regrets that misinformation about the provisions of the ACC contract has unnecessarily renewed the controversy and speculation about University's athletic conference alignment. Florida State respects the views of the Chair of its Board of Trustees that, of course, any university would examine options that would impact university academics, athletics or finances. At the same time, Florida State is not seeking an alternative to the ACC nor are we considering alternatives. Our current commitments remain strong."

Still, if we've learned anything in recent years about institutions of higher earning switching conferences, it is this: Without fail, they all say they are steadfastly committed to their current league only until another league offers them more money.

The Kansas City Star's Blair Kerkhoff says the Big 12 should prick its ears up and pay attention to the restless comments wafting into Big 12 country from Tallahassee.

Even if Haggard’s anger is based on a false notion, Florida State to the Big 12 was being rumored before the latest public comments, largely the stuff of message board speculation.

A source close to the conference told The Star this week that no realignment conversations had taken place between the Big 12 and any other school since the introduction of Bob Bowlsby as commissioner last week.

But the Big 12’s expansion committee, made up of athletic directors and presidents, has not been disbanded.

The rumor is still in its beginning stages, and Florida State's football program has been down since playing in BCS games six times between 1998 and 2005.

Still, the Seminoles are a commanding national brand in the game, and the Big 12 would be silly if it didn't at least offer serious attention to the situation from the South.

Louisville's been assumed as the school at the top of the Big 12's expansion list if it moved beyond a 10-team league. If Florida State's rumblings become serious, that would have to change.

Only two running backs in the 2011 class were projected to have more success than Aaron Green.

Texas' Malcolm Brown and Georgia's Isaiah Crowell have done just that, leading their respective teams in rushing in the 2011 season.

Green, however, was stuck on Nebraska's bench behind Rex Burkhead and fellow newcomer Ameer Abdullah. He rushed just 24 times for 105 yards and two touchdowns.

He decided he wanted a change of pace, and tweeted this week that he planned to transfer to TCU. No official announcement has been made, but if Green does indeed land in Fort Worth, the impact could be a welcome sign for the whole new world TCU has opened up with its Big 12 membership.

TCU has three 700-yard rushers returning in 2012 for its inaugural season in the Big 12, but do the Horned Frogs land Green if they're still stuck in the Mountain West?

Do they even sniff Green?

He's just a transfer, and will sit out a year, but he was the No. 11 player in the nation in 2011. How many of those has TCU ever landed?

More importantly, how many more will they get?

Those are all rhetorical questions with very scary answers for the rest of the Big 12. Green isn't from the Dallas metroplex, he hails from San Antonio.

On the recruiting trail, I've predicted that TCU will see huge dividends in the DFW area. Green doesn't exactly personify that idea, but TCU is a program in a major metro area that's proved it can win on the big stage.

Can it continue to win big in a bigger league? Green apparently didn't need much convincing to believe it could.

It'd be foolish for Green to try and earn a waiver to play immediately. After this season, two of TCU's three rushers who received at least 100 carries in 2011 will graduate, and Green looks like a perfect fit. I said he should go to TCU as soon as he announced plans to leave Nebraska.

Can TCU win big in the Big 12? Green looks poised to help the Horned Frogs prove they can.

Marquise Goodwin already has a reputation as one of the fastest players and best athletes in the Big 12.

The aspiring Olympic hopeful only solidified that reputation on Saturday, winning his third consecutive Big 12 title in the long jump.

He leaped 26 feet and 10.5 inches to break the conference championship and stadium record in Manhattan, Kansas on his first jump.

"I popped off my longest jump of the competition on the first jump," Goodwin said in a statement. "That was big for me because I had to run over and run the 100 meters in between jumps. I knew everybody was going to come out and do well, but that jump ended up winning it so it was all good."

Goodwin's jump was a personal best and two inches longer than any other athlete in the nation. He is the only athlete in Big 12 history to win both the indoor and outdoor long jump two straight years.

Last year, Goodwin caught 33 passes for 421 yards and two touchdowns. He also carried the ball 22 times for 220 yards and returned 11 kicks for 247 yards.

He planned to redshirt the 2011 season and focus on reaching his goal of qualifying for the Olympic team, but Goodwin returned to the team and showed up to fall camp just before the season began.

The 5-foot-9, 177-pounder will be a senior in 2012.

Texas State's Chandler Hall held Sam Houston State without a hit in the Southland Conference softball championship Sunday. The win sends the Bobcats to their second straight NCAA Tournament appearance.