The Big 12 Conference is an elite football league. Why does it have such an inferiority complex?

Oklahoma head football coach Bob Stoops took a shot from left field at the SEC saying that the SEC was propped up by ‘propaganda.’ The statement was ill-timed when you consider the fact that his Sooners were hammered last season at home 30-14 by a Notre Dame team that was no match for SEC Champion Alabama in the BCS Championship Game Further, Stoops’ boys were blitzed by Texas A&M, also from the SEC, 41-13 in the Cotton Bowl.

If Stoops’ comments weren’t ridiculous enough, Kansas coach Charlie Weis felt the need to chime in and second them. Does Charlie’s think his one solitary win last year gives him license to talk about the SEC being overrated? His team was outscored 433 to 219 for the year.

 

The perplexing offseason in the Big 12 was not confined to coaches making irresponsible comments. After Oklahoma State QB Wes Lunt decided to transfer away from the Stillwater, Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy decided not to make Lunt available to any SEC School or Southern Miss. I can understandable why he would not want Lunt transferring to Southern Miss, where the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator Todd Monken is new head coach. But why are SEC schools off limits?

I guess some of the childish behavior may be due to the fact that so many quality teams have been plundered from the league by other conferences. To recap:  Nebraska went to the Big Ten, Colorado went west to the Pac 12, and Missouri and Texas A&M are now members of the SEC.

It is always tempting to be defensive when you get jilted by four major universities and athletic programs. But, the Big 12 did get West Virginia to accept its invitation. The Mountaineers have not brought a dominant defense to the league, as they gave up over 40 points six times last year and were routed by their old Big East foe Syracuse in the Pinstripe Bowl.

The Big 12 is a very good football league, and their infantile behavior is not becoming of such a collection of good college football teams. Yes, the SEC is on top right now, but trying to tear down someone else will not make your league better. In fact, it makes your league look bad. The Big 12 is too good to be bad.