5 questions for the Big 12: Who's going to take down Oklahoma?

The upper echelons of last year's Big 12 remain largely unchanged heading into this season, while other programs farther down the year-end standings have welcomed new faces after being forced to dig deep to replace veteran players now departed.

Oklahoma held its spot atop the conference for the second straight year, but multiple teams could be nipping at its heels. Here are five questions facing the Big 12 this season, including who could finally spoil the Sooners' run of dominance.

1. Which team has the best shot at ending Oklahoma's Big 12 title streak?

Oklahoma has monopolized supremacy in the Big 12 recently, entering the 2017 season as back-to-back conference champions, having won 10-of-17 possible titles under head coach Bob Stoops.

So which team is going to give the Sooners a run for their money?

The immediate thought would be in-state rivals Oklahoma State. The Cowboys have both gunslinger Mason Rudolph and wideout James Washington returning for their senior seasons, coupled with leading rusher Justice Hill looking to build on a freshman year that saw him rush for 1,142 yards.

West Virginia could also build off of last year's 10-3 season to upend the Sooners' quest for a three-peat. Gone is last year's starting quarterback Skyler Howard, but Florida transfer Will Grier and last year's backup Chris Chugunov could step in and fill that role.

Regardless of whose chances may be better, every single Big 12 team should have "Beat Oklahoma" banners hanging in their locker rooms if the status quo in the conference is going to change.

2. Can Tom Herman turn Texas into a feared program?

The Texas train wreck last year peaked with a stunning 24-21 overtime loss to conference cellar-dweller Kansas, and came to screeching halt when Charlie Strong was sent packing last November. Enter Sandman, rather, enter Tom Herman to bring forth dreams of national glory to the Longhorns once again.

Could these dreams actually be closer to a reality than some may think?

The first big change that needed to take place at Texas was an identity and culture change. That happened almost immediately after Herman was introduced and began professing a hard-working, blue-collar attitude within the program. The second, which some may not see as utterly significant, was the upgrade of Texas' football facilities. "Look good, feel good, play good," is a very real thing when it comes to college athletes, and the investment the university has put into providing its players with elite resources speaks to its expectations.

The third and most important change, is simply to win football games. Quarterback Shane Buechele has a full year under his belt, which could go a long way for the efficiency of an offense that looked largely lost whenever D'Onta Foreman didn't have the ball in his hands. It may take a year for the ship to be righted in Austin, but anything short of a bowl result this season would be a huge disappointment.

3. Does Mason Rudolph have a shot at leading the nation in passing?

Only seven quarterbacks threw for more yards last season than Oklahoma State's Rudolph, and only three (Luke Falk, Mike White, and Logan Woodside) are returning in 2017. That leaves the door open for Rudolph to put a special feather in his cap.

Rudolph will have more than enough options to get the job done, as leading receivers Washington and Jalen McCleskey are returning along with top Cowboys recruit Tylan Wallace looking to make a name for himself. If head coach Mike Gundy uses as high powered an offense as he has in years past, Rudolph could not only be gunning for the league's passing title, but also the honor of outperforming another Oklahoma-based quarterback next season.

4. How will the Matt Rhule era begin at Baylor?

If any program needs a strong first season out of its new head coach in 2017, it's Baylor.

The Bears' first season following the emergence of its widespread sexual assault scandal was a dramatic roller-coaster ride, beginning with a six-game undefeated start before going 1-6 the rest of the way. Former interim head coach Jim Grobe was able to come to the rescue and act as a stopgap while Baylor regrouped and began looking for their permanent candidate, but it wasn't enough to restore faith in the program.

No amount of on-field success can erase what has happened at Baylor, but Rhule does have an opportunity to begin a new chapter of Bears football with enough available tools to at least be competitive.

5. If every conference opponent played its B-squad, could Kansas still go winless?

*See last year's Nov. 19 results vs. Texas.

In all seriousness, this question may be a bit extreme, but recent odds haven't been in Kansas' favor for a reason, aside from a shocking overtime win over the Longhorns which ended a 19-game losing streak against conference opponents. The Jayhawks have not had more than a single four-star recruit in any of their recruiting classes since 2014, so it isn't exactly as if the cavalry is racing to Lawrence.

On the ever-so-faintly bright side, head coach David Beaty managed to double his single-season win total last year with the Jayhawks. If that is anything to be considered, there could be four extremely disappointed teams on Kansas' schedule in 2017.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)