By Wendell Barnhouse
Big 12 Digital Correspondent
The Big 12 completes Labor Day weekend with seven games on its work schedule.
After opening the season with three teams playing road games Thursday and Friday, the conference has one team playing on the road. Texas plays the league's highest-profile game of the day when it travels to South Bend to take on No. 11 Notre Dame.
The Longhorns go into coach Charlie Strong's second season fully committed to his plan. There will be seven freshmen – five in their first season in Austin – who will be in the starting lineup. Connor Williams and Patrick Vahe are first-year players who are starting on the offensive line.
"As a defensive coach, if I see two freshmen (offensive linemen), I'm going to blitz you every snap," Texas coach Charlie Strong said. "They've earned that right. We've coached them up, now just play hard."
Texas and Notre Dame are two of the three winningest programs in college football history. The Longhorns' last victory over the Fighting Irish came in 1970 when UT capped a national championship season with a victory in the Cotton Bowl.
Oklahoma, UT's annual Red River Rivalry opponent in the Cotton Bowl facility, has made numerous personnel and schematic changes following last season's 8-5 record.
New offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley runs the "Air Raid" offense which features a fast pace and will need to incorporate sophomore running back Samaje Perine into the play calling. Baker Mayfield, the 2013 Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year, won the starting quarterback job after transferring from Texas Tech.
"No matter what people say about me, I'm going to believe in myself and as a quarterback you've got to believe in yourself," Mayfield said. "People are going to scrutinize you at all times. You've got a bunch of cameras in your face no matter what. You've got to do what you're capable of doing and believe in yourself no matter what."
Four of the Big 12's opening weekend opponents come from the FCS. But before you judge, know this – three of those teams are ranked in the preseason top 15 of the FCS.
No. 4 Sam Houston State is at Texas Tech, No. 10 Northern Iowa is at Iowa State and No 15 South Dakota State is at Kansas as David Beaty makes his debut coaching the Jayhawks. Kansas State also faces an FCS opponent and the Wildcats have named sophomore Jesse Ertz as the starting quarterback. It's only the third time that Bill Snyder has had a starter who wasn't a junior or a senior.
Georgia Southern is a former FCS power that has completed its transition to the FBS level. In 2014, its last season of completing NCAA requirements to complete the move up, the Eagles won the Sun Belt Conference title with an 8-0 record. They'll provide a challenging opener at West Virginia.
Saturday's Games
All Times Central
South Dakota State at Kansas
Need to know: 11 a.m., Memorial Stadium, Lawrence, Kan., FSN
2014 Records: South Dakota State 9-4, Kansas 3-9.
Scouting South Dakota State: The Jackrabbits return 16 starters, including nine on defense. The defense is led by linebacker T.J. Lally, who has made 41 consecutive starts. That streak began with the 2012 season opener at Kansas. Junior quarterback Zach Lujan started seven games last season and had a 5-2 record. South Dakota State has to replace the school's career-passing leader and the second-leading receiver in school history.
Scouting Kansas: The Jayhawks attempt to start the David Beaty Era with a victory. Kansas has just over 60 players on scholarship; that's equivalent to most FCS schools. Junior Montel Cozart, who started last season's opener, has won the job running the Air Raid offense. In addition to the lack of roster depth, there is precious little experience – only five starters return.
This and that: South Dakota State is 0-7 against FBS foes after moving up to the FCS level. … Kansas won the previous meeting between the schools, posting a 31-17 victory in 2012. … First-year Kansas coaches have gone 21-13-3 in their season openers.
Sam Houston State at Texas Tech
Need to know: 2:30 p.m., Jones AT&T Stadium, Lubbock, Texas, FSN
2014 Records: Sam Houston State 11-4, Texas Tech 4-8.
Scouting Sam Houston State: The Bearkats are ranked No. 4 in the preseason FCS poll and reached the semifinals of last year's NCAA championship. Quarterback Jared Johnson is a dangerous dual threat. He gained 999 yards rushing last season and finished with 3,866 total yards. Sophomore P.J. Hall, who had 10 tackles for loss, leads a defense with 10 returning starters.
Scouting Texas Tech: The Red Raiders will start either junior Davis Webb or sophomore Patrick Mahomes at quarterback. The offense has play makers and depth so Texas Tech should be able to score early and often. David Gibbs is the new defensive coordinator and his basic scheme involves forcing turnovers. To improve on last season, the Red Raiders need to make fewer mistakes and pressure their opponent into miscues.
This and that: Texas Tech has a 16-1 record against FCS opponents. … The Red Raiders are trying to open with a victory for the 13th consecutive season. … Sam Houston State opened the season at LSU last season and is 3-27 against FBS opponents. … This will be the 1,000th game in Texas Tech history while the Bearkats are starting their 100th season of football.
Akron at Oklahoma
Need to know: 6 p.m., Gaylord Family/Memorial Stadium, Norman, Okla., FSN/PPV.
2014 Records: Akron 5-7, Oklahoma 8-5.
Scouting Akron: The Zips are coming off consecutive 5-7 seasons but are accustomed to playing foes from "power five" conferences. Akron hasn't picked a starting quarterback with the choices being incumbent Kyle Pohl or newcomer Tra'Von Chapman. Senior running back Conor Hundley averaged 5.4 yards per carry as a part-time starter last season.
Scouting Oklahoma: The 19th-ranked Sooners want to re-establish themselves as a top team in the Big 12. To that end, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops shook up his coaching staff in the off-season. New offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley has installed the up-tempo "Air Raid" style. The defense had trouble stopping the pass last season and hopes that new secondary coach Kerry Cooks will make a difference.
This and that: Terry Bowden, the son of hall of famer Bobby Bowden, is starting his fourth season as Akron's coach. … The Zips have never defeated a top 25 team. … Under Bob Stoops, OU is 14-2 in season openers and 74-4 at home against unranked opponents. … Last season was just the third time the Sooners have lost five games with Stoops as the coach.
South Dakota at Kansas State
Need to know: 6 p.m., Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan, Kan., K-StateHD.tv
2014 Records: South Dakota 2-10, K-State 9-4.
Scouting South Dakota: With senior Kevin Earl out for the season with a back injury, junior Ryan Saeger returns at quarterback after going 2-2 in a part-time starting role a year ago. Junior running back Trevor Bouma has rushed for nearly 1,300 yards in his first two seasons. They return 18 starters from a year ago, eight on offense and 10 on defense.
Scouting K-State: Sophomore Jesse Ertz had a strong preseason camp and won the quarterback job. The Wildcats return just 18 percent of their offensive production from last season so in addition to Ertz, the offense has several players who are unproven. The offensive line returns four starters and the defense returns six starters, led by safety Dante Barnett.
This and that: K-State is 24-1 in home openers since 1990 and this season seeks to win at least eight games for the fifth consecutive season. … The Wildcats have ranked in the top 20 nationally in blocked kicks three of the last four seasons. … The Coyotes were picked to finish last in the Missouri Valley Football Conference this season.
Texas at Notre Dame
Need to know: 6:30 p.m., Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Ind., NBC.
2014 Records: Texas 6-7, Notre Dame 8-5.
Scouting Texas: Junior quarterback Tyrone Swoopes struggled in his final two games of 2014 but kept the starting job in a battle with redshirt freshman Jerrod Heard. The Longhorns plan to play at a faster pace on offense. The defense has to replace several leaders/play makers from last season. Freshman Malik Jefferson, one of the nation's top recruits, will start at middle linebacker.
Scouting Notre Dame: The Fighting Irish will emphasize the running game. Junior Malik Zaire has taken over at quarterback and he's a dangerous run/pass threat. The offensive line has size and experience. The defense has a chance to be as good as the unit that helped Notre Dame reach the 2012 BCS title game. Keep an eye on junior linebacker Jaylon Smith, who led the team in tackles last season.
This and that: Zaire carried the ball 22 times for 96 yards against LSU in the Music City Bowl in his only previous start. … A win for the Longhorns would move them into a tie with the Fighting Irish for second-most wins in NCAA history. … This is just the third time since 1995 that Texas has opened a season with a road game.
Georgia Southern at West Virginia
Need to know: 6:30 p.m., Milan Puskar Stadium, Morgantown, W.Va., FSN.
2014 Records: Georgia Southern 9-3, West Virginia 7-6.
Scouting Georgia Southern: Stopping running back Matt Breida is a challenge. Last season he gained 1,485 yards rushing with 17 touchdowns; seven were 50 yards or more and his 8.68 yards per carry led the FBS. Georgia Southern led the nation last season in rushing yards per game (381.1) but only one starter returns on the offensive line. The defensive depth chart features all juniors and seniors but both starting cornerbacks are new.
Scouting West Virginia: Going into their fourth season as a member of the Big 12, the Mountaineers might have their best roster in terms of depth and talent. Junior quarterback Skyler Howard started the last three games last season and takes over as the starter. The defense needs to improve its pass rush and force more turnovers but it returns eight starters, including hard-hitting senior safety Karl Joseph.
This and that: Georgia Southern won the Sun Belt Conference with an 8-0 record but they were ineligible to participate in a bowl game as they were in their final season as a transitional FBS member. … West Virginia is 30-4-1 in season openers at Milan Puskar Stadium and has won 11 straight home openers overall.
Northern Iowa at Iowa State
Need to know: 7 p.m., Jack Trice Stadium, Ames, Iowa, Cyclones.tv.
2014 Records: Northern Iowa 9-5, Iowa State 2-10.
Scouting Northern Iowa: The Panthers are ranked No. 10 in the preseason coaches FCS poll. However, Northern Iowa is uncertain of its starting quarterback. NIU won at Iowa State two seasons ago. There are four candidates to start against the Cyclones. Whoever plays the position, he'll have a couple of solid receivers in Charles Brown and Braden Lehman.
Scouting Iowa State: Senior quarterback Sam B. Richardson, last season's starter, leads an offense that has one of the best group of receivers the Cyclones have had in recent history. There is uncertainty at running back because of inexperience and a lack of depth. Iowa State's defense needs to show big improvement stopping opponents' ground game.
This and that: Sam B. Richardson is one of seven returning FBS players with 4,000 career passing yards and 1,000 career rushing yards. … Iowa State has lost the season opener the last two seasons to an FCS foe, including to Northern Iowa in 2013. … Safety Kamari Cotton-Moya was the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year last season after leading the Cyclones with 77 tackles.