Texas Longhorns

After a bit of a delay, thanks to some legal wrangling, West Virginia is finally free.

The Big East and the Mountaineers have settled their lawsuit, and West Virginia is officially on its way to the Big 12 for 2012.

That means it's off the Big East blog and onto the Big 12 blog, too.

To help the Big 12 get to know its newest member, Big 12 blogger David Ubben asked Big East blogger Andrea Adelson for her thoughts.

David Ubben: AA, Les Miles had my favorite quote of the 2011 season in relation to West Virginia. "They were having a football party and invited us. I knew our guys would show up."

You were there, Andrea. What can Big 12 fans expect when they go to Morgantown? Is it a football party every weekend?

Andrea Adelson: Define "every weekend." West Virginia fans show up for the super gigantic games against teams like LSU and Pitt, but there has been concern that the fan base is "fair weather." Note -- 46,000 fans came out to watch Bowling Green. Now, the truth is, no fan in America gets up for the cupcake patsy schedule. But this rubbed Dana Holgorsen the wrong way, and he ripped on the fans after that game:

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So, the Big 12 schedule's been officially released. A few dates may shift here and there, but the weeks are locked into place. Time for some analysis and notes.

MUST-SEE DATES

Sept. 15: TCU at Kansas: It's been awhile since Lawrence hosted a game that came anything close to must-see, but this qualifies. TCU takes part in the first Big 12 game of the season, and Charlie Weis makes his debut in the conference to see what his Jayhawks have to offer.

Sept. 22: Kansas State at Oklahoma: Another solid early-season game in the Big 12. This could easily be a matchup of two top-10 teams, and maybe even top five if the ball bounces K-State's way. OU rolled by 41 in Manhattan last year, but K-State will have a chance to validate its 2011 season with a good performance in this one.

Sept. 29: Baylor at West Virginia: The Mountaineers play their first Big 12 game at home a week later. It'll be pretty crazy to see a packed Milan Puskar Stadium full of yellow with a Big 12 logo on the turf and a new-look Baylor team look for its own brand of validation without RG3.

Oct. 13: Texas vs. Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. The Big 12's version of the Granddaddy of Them All. The league's best rivalry resumes at the State Fair of Texas this weekend, which unfortunately falls on the same weekend as Austin City Limits. For the hipster/college football crossover fans, this is your worst nightmare.

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A strong second half from Texas sparked the Longhorns' 69-58 win over Oklahoma on Tuesday night at the Lloyd Noble Center. UT outscored the Sooners 41-25 in the final 20 minutes.

Early turnovers by the Sooners and back-to-back three-pointers from J’Covan Brown, followed by another trey from Myck Kabongo sparked a 15-6 run in the first seven minutes of the second half.

Texas improved to 17-9 overall and 7-6 in the Big 12 with the win, while OU dropped to 13-12 and 3-10 in conference play.

Texas Player of the Game: J’Covan Brown. After he didn’t shoot the ball well in the first half, Brown was brutally efficient in the second half. He scoring 15 points on 3 of 6 shooting from the field and added two steals in the final 20 minutes.

OU Player of the Game: Cameron Clark. The sophomore quietly had one of his best games of the season. He had 13 points on 6 of 9 shooting and added seven rebounds.

Texas Unsung Hero: Myck Kabongo. Despite three turnovers, the freshman point guard was solid in the second half with 11 points on 3 of 4 shooting and three assists. He finished with 13 points, 7 assists and 5 turnovers.

OU Unsung Hero: Tyler Neal. The sophomore forward has been searching for confidence throughout Big 12 play so his effort against the Longhorns could spark a strong finish to the season. Neal had eight points on 2 of 4 shooting and added four rebounds.

Key Stat: 17. The Longhorns scored 17 of their 41 points in the second half from the free throw line. Brown and Kabongo combined to go 10 of 10 as UT shot 17 of 18 from the line.

Key Stat, Part II: 19. The Longhorns had 19 points off turnovers in the second half as they created eight steals to help take OU out of its rhythm. The Sooners had 3 turnovers at halftime then turned the ball over 10 times as they watched their five-point halftime lead slip disappear in the second half.

Quotable: “I just had to be more aggressive and take the shots that were there.” -- Texas guard J’Covan Brown on his second half scoring.

“If you look at the points off of turnovers, that was huge for us in the second half. Turning those deflections into points was really big.” -- Texas head coach Rick Barnes

“Early in the second half it seemed like there was a possession or two that kind of deflated us a little bit. We just couldn’t get back on top. As a result of that, we played with a little bit less energy the rest of the way. We need to figure out a way to work through that.” -- OU head coach Lon Kruger

“I don’t think it was them. I think it was us being careless with the basketball and not making strong plays, trying to do things we shouldn’t be doing.” -- guard Sam Grooms on OU’s 10 second-half turnovers.

A lot of players say they love playing football, but after you talk to Celina (Texas) junior Jake Raulerson, you get the sense he truly means it.

The 6-foot-5, 253-pound right tackle/nose guard has felt that ever since he took up the sport in the third grade. And his passion for the game clearly shows on the field, where his combination of strength, athleticism and aggression has helped make him one of the nation’s top recruits.

Rated a five-star recruit in the Class of 2013 by RecruitingNation, Raulerson earned Class 3A All-State second team honors as a junior. And on Feb. 3, he committed to Texas over 27 other offers.

Raulerson said UT told him he could play anywhere from left tackle, center, defensive end or tight end for the Longhorns when he gets to Austin. He doesn’t have a preference for what position he plays — whatever gets him on the field to play the game he loves.

Get Familiar with this future Longhorn.

ESPNHS: When did you receive your first offer and how many are you up to now?
Raulerson: I’m at 28 offers. It’s pretty crazy. It’s been a great process and a lot of fun. My first offer was the summer of my sophomore year and I got offered by SMU. It was an awesome feeling knowing I’d be able to play college ball. I didn’t really think I’d have this many offers. It was definitely a shock when those kept coming in.

ESPNHS: What led you to pick Texas so early in the process?
Raulerson: I really like the coaching staff and it’s close to home. Coach (Mack) Brown is a very trustworthy guy. He promised me if I got hurt, they’d honor my scholarship and that’s huge. Not having to think about college, it gets the stress off me. Now I can focus on helping my team win a state championship.

ESPNHS: Where did the Texas coaching staff say you’d play for them?
Raulerson: They’ve talked to me about playing defensive end, tight end, left tackle and center. They said I was smart enough to be able to handle those positions. It’s humbling to hear that. It all depends on how I fill out. I don’t have a preference. Whatever gets me on the field and helps my team win a championship.

ESPNHS: What do you like about playing on the line?
Raulerson: It gives you the chance to knock someone in the mouth. It’s a lot of fun to get your aggression out. You don’t get a lot of credit, but you’ve got to be a man to play on the line.

ESPNHS: Can you describe what playing football means to you?
Raulerson: Football turns boys into men. It makes you a mature person and teaches you life skills. It gives you a feeling you don’t ever really feel. Football is life. If you don’t play 100 percent all of the time, you’re going to have regrets, and I don’t want to have regrets. The one quote that sticks with me is from New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton when he said in the Kenny Chesney video for “The Boys of Fall,” “You’ve got plenty of time for tomorrow. But these tonights, they’re going by fast. You focus on tonight.”

JAKE RAULERSON
School: Celina (Texas)
Class: 2013
Position: Right tackle/nose guard
HT: 6-5
WT: 253
College: Texas

FAVORITES
TV Show: “How I Met Your Mother”
Movie: “Remember the Titans”
Athletes: Ray Lewis & Tim Tebow
School Subject: Physics
Team: Dallas Cowboys
Food: Hamburger

We're continuing our look at the postseason rankings for each position in the Big 12. Here's a look back at where the receivers ranked in the preseason.

In this position, unlike quarterback, depth is a major, major factor in these rankings.

More postseason position rankings:

• Quarterbacks
• Running backs

1. Oklahoma State: The Cowboys boasted two-time Biletnikoff winner Justin Blackmon, but he wasn't the only weapon. The Cowboys had nine (!) receivers with at least 19 catches and 200 yards receiving this season. Insane. Life is good with Brandon Weeden at quarterback.

2. Baylor: Kendall Wright actually outperformed Blackmon and Ryan Broyles on the stat sheet, catching 108 balls for 1,663 yards. The Bears didn't have the insane depth of OSU, but the trio of Wright, Terrance Williams (59 rec, 957 yards, 11 TDs) and Tevin Reese (51 rec, 877 yards, 7 TDs) were all in the Big 12's top seven receivers.

3. Texas A&M: Ryan Swope emerged to become one of just four Big 12 receivers to notch 1,000-yard seasons. Jeff Fuller's season was disappointing, but he still finished eighth in the league in receiving, and Uzoma Nwachukwu was in the league's top 15 in receiving.

4. Oklahoma: The Sooners weren't quite as solid as they thought to begin the season. Broyles was as advertised, though his Biletnikoff-contending season was cut short by a torn ACL. The unit was productive, but came down with the drops late in the season. Broyles and Kenny Stills were both in the league's top seven in receiving, and Jaz Reynolds caught 41 passes for 715 yards to crack the top 10.

5. Texas Tech: Tech's top target, Darrin Moore, battled injuries all year, but Eric Ward emerged as the team's most consistent target, catching 84 passes for 800 yards and 11 scores. Alex Torres missed two games, but added 616 more yards.

6. Missouri: The Tigers' receivers had their production dip with a dual-threat passer in James Franklin who ran the ball more than his predecessor, but they were still pretty good, despite lacking a true big-time threat. T.J. Moe caught 54 passes for 649 yards and four scores. Tight end Michael Egnew added 50 grabs for 523 yards and three scores. L'Damian Washington, Marcus Lucas and Wes Kemp had unremarkable individual seasons, but their production added up to a good year for Mizzou's receivers.

7. Kansas State: Kansas State was better than most thought to begin the season, but the ground-based offense limited their receivers' ability to finish with big production. Chris Harper (40 rec, 547 yards, 5 TDs) led the group. Tramaine Thompson and Tyler Lockett showed some good promise, too.

8. Texas: The Longhorns could get really good, really fast at this spot. The uncertainty/struggles at quarterback limited this group, but Jaxon Shipley and Mike Davis could both mature into absolute stars. For now, though, they didn't quite crack the top 15 in the Big 12 in receiving. Both topped 40 catches and 600 receiving yards.

9. Iowa State: Darius Reynolds' size downfield will be missed, but Aaron Horne and Josh Lenz are tough covers working the middle of the field. Reynolds caught seven touchdowns, and Horne and Lenz both topped 38 catches.

10. Kansas: Yikes. The Jayhawks didn't have a receiver in the league's top 20, but D.J. Beshears led the team with 40 grabs for 437 yards and three touchdowns. He was the only Jayhawk in the Big 12's top 32 in receiving.

Texas’ 2012 Big 12 football schedule has been finalized.

Here’s a look at the schedule:

Sept. 1: Wyoming

Sept. 8: New Mexico

Sept. 15: at Mississippi

Sept. 29: at Oklahoma State

Oct. 6: West Virginia

Oct. 13: Oklahoma (at Dallas)

Oct. 20: Baylor

Oct. 27: at Kansas

Nov. 3: at Texas Tech

Nov. 10: Iowa State

Nov. 24: TCU

Dec. 1: at Kansas State

We're chatting today breaking down Texas' first junior day, the Longhorns' push for the NCAA tournament and the start of spring practice.

Anything on your mind, send it our way.

Submit your questions here.

The race for the Big 12 title appears to be a two-team affair between Missouri and Kansas. The rest of the league, however, is in a state of flux. Here are this week’s power rankings:

1. Missouri: Aided by Oklahoma's porous free throw shooting, the Tigers escaped Norman with a three-point victory last week before dismantling Baylor at home Saturday. On Wednesday they get to avenge last month’s loss to Oklahoma State when they take on the Cowboys in Columbia. Marcus Denmon has made 14 of his previous 26 attempts from 3-point range.

2. Kansas: The Jayhawks looked like a totally different team last week thanks to the emergence of Jeff Withey. The 7-foot center scored a career-high 25 points in Wednesday’s win at Baylor before erupting for 18 points, 20 rebounds and seven blocks Saturday against Oklahoma State. Kansas travels to Manhattan to play Kansas State on Big Monday. Bill Self’s squad defeated the Wildcats by 18 points on Jan. 4. Expect a closer game on the road.

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It took 24 games and 20 minutes but Rick Barnes was finally satisfied, wait, strike that, almost giddy, with the way his Texas team played on both ends of the floor.

“I’ve been doing this a long time,” Barnes said after Texas’ 75-64 win over Kansas State. “And I sat there in the second half and enjoyed it.

“I love teams that get after people on the defensive end and I love teams that attack on the offensive end. They are in a constant attack mode and that is what we have told our team since they have been here.”

Texas will have to be on the attack as it goes down the stretch. With the current three-game winning streak, Texas (16-9, 6-6) has now pulled to .500 in the Big 12. If Texas can remain at .500 or better through the remaining six games, odds are it will make it into the NCAA tournament for the 14th straight year.

Here is the schedule down the stretch and what Texas’ chances are in each of those games:

Oklahoma (13-11, 3-9): Texas will play the Sooners twice beginning with a game Tuesday night in Norman. Two of the Sooners’ three Big 12 wins have come against Kansas State so there is little doubt Lon Kruger’s group has the ability to pull an upset over Texas. Oklahoma has lost four straight. One of those was by three to No. 4 Missouri. But Missouri seems to play a lot of close games. So that game might be more of an indictment of Missouri than an endorsement of OU’s style of play.

The one OU player Texas will have to watch for is guard Steve Pledger. The junior is shooting 46 percent from beyond the arc and much like Texas’ J’Covan Brown, can get hot. But Pledger struggles finding his shot outside of the offensive sets. That should help Texas’ defense.

Chances of a sweep: 80 percent

Oklahoma State (12-13, 5-7): Texas had some trouble with the Cowboys the first time around before finally putting together a run in the second half to win by 10. But this game is on the road, and the Cowboys have proven to be difficult at home with wins over No. 4 Missouri and Iowa State in the past two weeks.

Oklahoma State gives Texas trouble on the inside because of the length of the interior players -- LeBryan Nash and Michael Cobbins. Both are very good leapers and shot blockers. Texas center Clint Chapman struggles with his back to the basket against those types of players.

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It's amazing what a three-game winning streak will do for a team's tournament chances.

Coming off wins over Texas Tech, Texas A&M and Kansas State, Texas seems to be off the bubble and firmly in the NCAA tournament.

In the latest Bracketology, Joe Lunardi has the Longhorns as a No. 12 team facing No. 5 seed Gonzaga in Nashville in the South Region.

Here's the full bracket.

The bracket odds further highlight Texas' position.

The Longhorns are one of the last four teams to earn a first-round bye which means they avoid playing in the First Four matchups to start the tournament.