After some server issues, MizzouRah is back up and running after a few days off the blogosphere.  We weren't supposed to post articles for a day or two, but if we had been, trust me, I was predicting a 51-13 win for Mizzou on Saturday.  Anyway, the new server should be faster and without some of the issues you may have experienced in the past.

Texas fans might not want to admit it, but the Big 12 isn't just a two team race this season. (Photo by Ralph Barrera, Austin Statesman)

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As Mizzou fans, we know the Big 12 North pretty much gets dogged when people think of the Big 12.  However, after some uninspiring performances from the conference's power brokers in the south, it's looking more and more like this conference is completely up for grabs this year.  Below are the track records of six Big 12 teams through their first four games.  See if you can figure out who's who.

Team One

Record: 4-0

Wins against: An 0-4 Sun Belt team, a 2-2 WAC team, a 1-2 BCS conference team, an FCS team

Losses: --

Average scoring differential: +27.25

Team Two

Record: 4-0

Wins against: A 2-1 BCS conference team, a 3-1 Mountain West team, an FCS team, a 2-2 MAC team

Losses: --

Average scoring differential: +23.25

Team Three

Record: 4-0

Wins against: two wins over 2-2 BCS conference teams, an FCS team, a 2-2 C-USA team

Losses: --

Average scoring differential: + 11

Team Four

Record: 4-0

Wins against: A 1-3 WAC team, a 3-1 BCS conference team, a 3-1 Mountain West team, a 1-3 BCS conference team

Losses: --

Average scoring differential: +10.5

Team Five

Record: 3-1

Wins against: An FCS team, a 1-3 MAC team, a 1-3 C-USA team

Loss against: A 4-0 Mountain West team

Average scoring differential: +10.25

Team Six

Record: 3-1

Wins against: a 1-3 C-USA team, a 1-3 Mountain West team, a 2-1 BCS conference team

Loss against: a 2-2 BCS conference team

Average scoring differential: +8

Answers after the jump...

Team One = the Nubs

Team Two = Mizzou

Team Three = Kansas State

Team Four = Oklahoma

Team Five = Baylor

Team Six = Texas

In college football, there will always be bias toward "big name," programs.  Teams like Oklahoma, Texas, and the nubs will, deserving or not, always get more attention and more love in the polls.  But so far in 2010, when you strip away the name value and look at each team's results it shows me that this conference is wide open in 2010.

No team in the Big 12 has been dominant in every game thus far.  Missouri struggled with San Diego State.  Oklahoma nearly lost at home to Utah State and Air Force.  Bo Pelini was "embarassed," by his team's sloppy 14 point home win over South Dakota State.  UCLA just beat the crap out of Texas.  Earlier today I read that journalists in the press box at K-State were debating if the Wildcats have Division One's worst quarterback.  Every team has its flaws.

Missouri has been far from world beaters thus far.  However, in most years we usually concede that the Big 12 North champion is simply the South's punching dummy.  This year, that's not the case.  If Mizzou can get its act together and put together more games like Saturday's and fewer like the San Diego State game, the Tigers have as good of a shot as ever to win the conference title.  Texas, OU, and the nubs will get the benefit of the doubt from national pundits.  There's still the entire conference season to be played.  But if a team like Missouri is ever going to knock one of the traditional powers from the top, there's no reason to think it couldn't be this year.