The ultimately ill-fated league expansion talks and the fallout from scandal at Baylor dominated the headlines during the first half of the Big 12 season, not to mention the disappointing performance of the conference as a whole.
Step aside for a moment from such heavy items for a look back at the best that the league has offered this year:
Offensive player of the year: Texas Tech QB Patrick Mahomes II
Despite a dip in production since he suffered a shoulder injury in Week 5, Mahomes still leads the nation in passing yardage, completions of 20-plus yards and first downs through the air.