Once upon a midnight dreary, two conferences, the Big 8 and the Southwest Conference, converged in an alley. From that encounter emerged the almighty Big 12 Conference.

For you sticklers out there, it is not the Big XII, or the Big Twelve, it is the Big 12 Conference (check the conference homepage, apparently like Ron Burgundy, its kind of a big deal).

Anyway… on that day, a conference emerged with an arsenal of football talent and tradition that could only be rivaled by the SEC.  Nebraska … Texas … Oklahoma … Texas A&M … Colorado … Baylor... ok, I'm not sure about that one either, but you get the point.

After several years though, things changed a little, and the conference began to lose its powerful luster. The Big 12 always seemed to have one or two competitive teams, but little else.

This mediocrity may have been exemplified in 2005, when there was virtually no good Big 12 football team outside of Austin, Texas. In the entire conference, only Texas and Texas Tech were better than 7-4. Vince Young led the Longhorns through a field of conference opponents that were utterly overmatched. It was so bad that Texas won the Conference Championship game over Colorado 70-3, and Colorado actually fired their head coach after the game.

Well Big 12 fans, your time of redemption may be at hand in 2008. Why you ask? Let's take a look at some of the teams carrying the Big 12 banner into combat this year:

For starters there's Colorado. They were 6-7 last year, big deal right? Perhaps, but did you know that the starting quarterback and the leading two receivers were all freshmen last year? Not only that, but QB Cody Hawkins dropped 3,015 yards and 22 touchdowns passing last year as a freshman, with freshman receivers? They'll only get better, and despite needing some defensive improvements, the Buffalos did manage a win over Oklahoma last year. It looks like Colorado is on the way back.

Next is Kansas, and all they did last year was win the Orange Bowl over a red hot Virginia Tech team en route to a 12-1 record. Last year, the team's lone loss was to Missouri, who went 12-2 and is in the same division. Big Mark Mangino was Coach of the Year last year, and deservedly so. Todd Reesing is back at quarterback after a monster year of 3,486 yards, 33 touchdowns to only seven interceptions, and a solid 148.8 QB rating, which apparently is pretty high. They lose some production at the skill positions, but such is the world of college football and with Reesing still throwing the rock you have to expect them to be tough again next year.

Speaking of Missouri, they play in this conference, too. They were the only team to beat Kansas last year, and their only losses were to Oklahoma, once in the regular season and once in the Conference Championship game. They finished by throttling Arkansas in a 38-7 bowl win. The guy who's too short to play quarterback, Chase Daniel, threw for a mere 4,306 yards and 33 touchdowns last year. If he was 6-3, he'd be in the draft early, but since he's not, good news for Tiger fans. Want more? Leading receiver and big play threat Jeremy Maclin was just a freshman last year.

Now, guess what? Those teams were just in the Big 12 North. What about the South you ask?

Well, how about we start with Oklahoma. First, they have Bob Stoops, one of the best coaches in the business. But on the field, does 11-3 last year impress you? Maybe not, but what about with a freshman quarterback? Sam Bradford is back at quarterback after putting up a 176.5 efficiency rating (best in the country by the way) with over nine yards per attempt. He also had 36 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. Not bad for a freshman. Running back DeMarco Murray added six yards per carry last year and 13 touchdowns, and wasn't the leading rusher. The Sooners had some upset losses last year, but with Bradford and most of his receivers returning, and a solid running game, Okie may be back in the national title hunt again in 2008.

Next is Texas, a mere 10-3 last year. As Kansas and Missouri rose to prominence last season, guess who neither of them played? That's right, Mack Brown's Burnt Orange of Texas. Speaking of Big Mack, he's made headlines by bringing in Auburn's former defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, a true ball of fire and a solid young coach, as well as Major Applewhite to the staff. On the field QG Colt McCoy had some interception problems last year, but remains a proven starter. With the coaching tweaks and returning starters, Texas is another potential national title contender.

Then there's the spoiler, the upstart, Texas Tech. They ended a solid 9-4 last season and have become one of those teams that none of the big boys want to play with. They also ushered in the onslaught of the spread offense. The gunslinger Graham Harrell returns at quarterback after posting, and this is not a typo, 5,705 yards passing and 48 touchdowns. The defense needs some improvement, but the Red Raiders finished with wins over Oklahoma and Virginia. After a long time waiting, perhaps Red Raider faithful can finally hold their heads high and feel confident about claiming that Texas Tech has pulled even with the boys from Austin and Norman.

Honorable mention? Despite sometimes chaotic seasons at Oklahoma State and Texas A&M, both finished with winning records. The Aggies even knocked off Texas last year.

So for all you Big 12 fans out there, it's time to start getting excited. It's time to shake off the feeling of mediocrity, of 70-3 conference title games, of having one or two good teams and 10 average and bad ones. It's time to forget all of it.

This upcoming season is the year the Big 12 rolls in with five or six  national title hopefuls, and perhaps, just perhaps, the SEC won't be the only conference voicing a need for a playoff due to the high level of competition in conference. Perhaps they will be joined by another juggernaut … the Big Twelve ... I mean Big 12.