Sooners Picked #1, Cowboys Fourth In Big 12 Preseason Poll

The preseason Big 12 poll was released on Thursday by the media members who cover the conference, and to nobody's surprise, they picked the Oklahoma Sooners to come out on top.

OU received 32 out of a possible 41 first-place votes, and were followed in the poll by newcomer West Virginia and then Texas.

The Sooners offense is expected to be potent with the return of star quarterback Landry Jones along with standout receiver Kenny Stills. OU finished 2011 with a 9-3 record before hammering Iowa in the Insight Bowl.

Oklahoma State was picked to finish fourth. The Cowboys won the Big 12 in 2011 with a stellar 11-1 record, but lost a pair of superstars in quarterback Brandon Weeden and wide receiver Justin Blackmon. Weeden set numerous school records last season including becoming the program's all-time leader in passing yards, touchdown passes and completion percentage. Blackmon set the Cowboys' record for most receptions in a single season with 113.

The TCU Horned Frogs was selected to finish fifth in its debut season in the Big 12, and the Kansas State Wildcats got sixth. Baylor, Iowa State, Texas Tech and Kansas round out the poll.