No. 30: Texas Tech

Why I like the Red Raiders: Start with the head coach, fun and talented Mike Leach. Sure, he had a squabble with the school during the offseason. Look who won the battle. As long as he is running the offense, Texas Tech will be prolific. The Red Raiders were one bad day against Oklahoma away from playing for the Big 12 and national titles. The nonconference schedule is soft, with only a late-September trip to Houston offering anything close to a scare.

Why I don't: Taylor Potts might be the next great Texas Tech quarterback, but he hasn't done it on the field. One of these years, the "next guy in" might not be able to play. Don't think it will be Potts, but you never know. While the nonconference schedule is easy, the Red Raiders open Big 12 play at Texas. They also go to Oklahoma State and get Oklahoma at home. Anybody playing in the Big 12 South faces a brutal league schedule. We're still trying to figure out what happened to Leach's team in the Cotton Bowl. Ugly.