The Big 12 - My Question Answered

Back at the end of October, I posed a semi-rhetorical question about the Big 12. Could the Big 12 quarterbacks (and Big 12 offenses) really be THAT good, or is it possible that the Big 12 secondaries (and Big 12 defenses) are just that bad? At the time, I truly didn't have an answer to that question. But since the bowl games, I feel like I have some statistics that make the answer to that question a little clearer...Read on.

Below are the average regular season points and total yards of each Big 12 bowl-eligible team:
Oklahoma - 54.0 / 562.1
Texas Tech - 44.6 / 536.2
Texas - 43.9 / 476.4
Missouri - 43.2 / 497.5
Oklahoma State - 41.6 / 489.3
Kansas - 32.7 / 431.3
Nebraska - 36.2 / 458.3

Now, let's take a look at the points scored and total yards of each team in their bowl game:
Oklahoma vs. Florida (SEC) - 14 / 363
Texas Tech vs. Ole Miss (SEC) - 34 / 469
Texas vs. Ohio State (Big Ten) - 24 / 468
Missouri vs. Northwestern (Big Ten) - 30 / 311
Oklahoma State vs. Oregon (PAC-10) - 31 / 469
Kansas vs. Minnesota (Big Ten) - 42 / 446
Nebraska vs. Clemson (ACC) - 26 / 361

Now the difference between their averages and their bowl game performances:
Oklahoma - (-40) / (-199.1)
Texas Tech - (-10.6) / (-67.2)
Texas - (-19.9) / (-8.4)
Missouri - (-13.2) / (-186.5)
Oklahoma State - (-10.6) / (-20.3)
Kansas - +9.3 / +14.7
Nebraska - (-10.2) / (-97.3)

Every team in the Big 12 except one, when playing other top tier teams from the SEC, Big Ten, PAC-10, and ACC, fell dramatically in their offensive production.

The average drop in points was 13.6 (a HUGE double-digit decrease).
Their average drop in yards was 80.6.

You can draw your own conclusions from these stats, but as far as I'm concerned, the drop in offensive production against good teams outside the Big 12 gives far more credibility to the argument that the Big 12 defenses just simply weren't that good.

Not to take everything away from the talent that exists at quarterback in the Big 12 (because there IS talent), but I still believe Tebow got hosed out of his second Heisman because of McCoy and Bradford's inflated stats against weak secondaries.