DALLAS For the second straight year, media covering the Big 12 are predicting Kansas State and Oklahoma to meet in the league’s championship game, according to the results of the annual preseason survey conducted by the conference office and released Friday.
The media also selected K-State senior running back and leading Heisman Trophy candidate Darren Sproles as the preseason Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.
The Big 12 media have correctly predicted 10 of the previous 16 North-South division champions in the eight-year history of the league, including last year’s preseason selections of Kansas State and Oklahoma.
It is just the second time in the nine preseason surveys conducted by the Big 12 Conference that the Wildcats have been tapped to win the Big 12 North.
Prior to the 2003 preseason poll, Kansas State had been picked as high as second three times (1998, 2000 and 2001). The other four seasons K-State was picked to finish third.
In addition to 2003, Kansas State won or shared Big 12 North titles in 1998, 1999 and 2000.
Sproles, the lone Wildcat on either of the preseason all-conference teams, is the first Wildcat to be named preseason Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. Prior to the 1999 season, linebacker Mark Simoneau was selected as the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, while running back Frank Murphy was tapped as the 1998 preseason Newcomer of the Year.
2004 Big 12 Conference Division Finishes (Media Vote)
North
1. Kansas State
2. Missouri
3. Nebraska
4. Colorado
5. Kansas
6. Iowa State
South
1. Oklahoma
2. Texas
3. Texas Tech
4. Oklahoma State
5. Texas A&M
6. Baylor
2004 Media Preseason All-Big 12 Teams (Media Vote)
Offense
WR Mark Clayton, Oklahoma, 5-11, 187, Sr., Arlington, Texas
WR Nehemiah Glover, Texas Tech, 5-8, 177, Sr., LaMarque, Texas
TE Matt Herian, Nebraska, 6-5, 240, Jr., Pierce, Neb.
OL Jammal Brown, Oklahoma, 6-6, 305, Sr., Lawton, Okla.
OL Sam Mayes, Oklahoma State, 6-3, 350, Sr., Austintown, Ohio
OL Vince Carter, Oklahoma, 6-4, 295, Jr., Salem, N.H.
OL Richie Incognito, Nebraska, 6-3, 300, Jr., Glendale, Ariz.
OL Jonathan Scott, Texas, 6-7, 310, Jr., Dallas, Texas
QB Jason White, Oklahoma, 6-3, 221, Sr., Tuttle, Okla.
(tie) QB Brad Smith, Missouri, 6-2, 205, Jr., Youngstown, Ohio
RB Darren Sproles, Kansas State, 5-7, 180, Sr., Olathe, Kan.
RB Cedric Benson, Texas, 6-0, 225, Sr., Midland, Texas
PK Trey DiCarlo, Oklahoma, 6-0, 204, Jr., Carrollton, Texas
KR Terrence Murphy, Texas A&M, 6-1, 193, Sr., Tyler, Texas
Defense
DE/OLB Dan Cody, Oklahoma, 6-5, 260, Sr., Ada, Okla.
DL Dusty Dvoracek, Oklahoma, 6-3, 287, Sr., Lake Dallas, Texas
DL Rodrique Wright, Texas, 6-5, 305, Jr., Houston, Texas
DL C.J. Mosley, Missouri, 6-3, 305, Jr., Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo.
DE/OLB Adell Duckett, Texas Tech, 6-4, 265, Sr., Mineral, Texas
LB Derrick Johnson, Texas, 6-4, 235, Sr., Waco, Texas
LB Barrett Ruud, Nebraska, 6-2, 240, Sr.., Lincoln, Neb.
LB James Kinney, Missouri, 6-1, 240, Sr., Kankakee, Ill.
DB Josh Bullocks, Nebraska, 6-0, 205, Jr., Chattanooga, Tenn.
DB Darrent Williams, Oklahoma State, 5-9, 175, Sr., Ft. Worth, Texas
DB Donte Nicholson, Oklahoma, 6-2, 210, Sr., Walnut, Calif.
DB Jaxson Appel, Texas A&M, 5-10, 196, Jr., Friendswood, Texas
P Cole Farden, Oklahoma State, 5-11, 200, Sr., Grapevine, Texas
PR Antonio Perkins, Oklahoma, 6-0, 188, Sr., Lawton, Okla.
Offensive Player of the Year Darren Sproles, Kansas State
Defensive Player of the Year Derrick Johnson, Texas
Newcomer of the Year RB Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma
