The Big 12 might not have challenged this season for the title of college football's best conference.

Even in an off year, the league was able to give us the current Heisman Trophy frontrunner (Texas' Colt McCoy), maybe the most dominant player (Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh) and an undefeated BCS title contender in Texas.

All in all, not bad.

McCoy, who became the winningest quarterback in major-college history this season, is the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, as selected by SportsDay.

Suh, who will be pursuing McCoy around Cowboys Stadium at the Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship, was named the Defensive Player of the Year.

Texas coach Mack Brown was Coach of the Year for leading Texas to a 12-0 regular season.

Texas A&M running back Christine Michael and Missouri defensive end Aldon Smith had an impact beyond their years and were named the offensive and defensive freshmen of the year by SportsDay.

Greg Davis barely had time to process the news that national championship-winning quarterback Vince Young was headed to the NFL in early 2006.

Then the Texas offensive coordinator's phone rang. On the other end of the phone, a redshirt freshman quarterback told him that he would be ready for the next season. "I hope so," Davis said to himself.

A record 44 victories later, Colt McCoy has fulfilled his promise better than anyone could imagine. This season, he led Texas to a 12-0 regular season and wins in 25 of the last 26 games.

After a frustrating start by his standards, McCoy has completed 71.8 percent of his passes for 3,328 yards and 27 touchdowns. He ranks 11th nationally in passing efficiency. In a season when Big 12 counterparts were sidelined by injury or bothered by inconsistency, McCoy set records and led his team a perfect record.

That's Big Suh to you, Nebraska fans and to all offensive linemen in the Big 12. Had Nebraska not blown that road game to Virginia and turned the ball over eight times against Iowa State, Suh might be in the middle of Heisman talk.

How freakish is Suh's play?

As an interior lineman, he's managed for most of the season to lead Nebraska in tackles – and pass breakups. Oh, Suh has also blocked three kicks.

Jared Crick, Nebraska's other excellent defensive tackle, has enjoyed one-on-one blocking, thanks to Big Suh.

"I can't imagine a better defensive lineman in the country," Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said. "The numbers he puts up and the things he does athletically at that size, he's a very dominant player."

Pinkel had a good seat when Suh recorded six tackles, a sack, three quarterback hurries, an interception and a forced fumble against Missouri.

Brown didn't have much on his plate this season.

Anything short of a Big 12 championship and a trip to the BCS title game was going to be viewed as disappointment. So far, Brown has managed expectations nicely, with the Longhorns one win away from Pasadena's Rose Bowl, the site of the national title game.

Credit Brown for hiring defensive coordinator Will Muschamp. The defense rebounded in 2008 and became one of the nation's best this season.

But Brown has also stayed with offensive coordinator Greg Davis, even when it would have been easier to do otherwise. Davis' last two quarterbacks have even been Heisman runner-ups.

At 58, Brown seems energized, in no mood to retire soon.

As a premier recruit who was widely considered the top high school running back in Texas last season, Michael was supposed to contribute immediately in College Station.

He did, befitting the rave reviews. Earlier this season, teammate Von Miller told A&M beat writers that Michael was a "hybrid, mutant" running back

Michael finished the regular season with 767 yards (a 5.1-yard average) and nine touchdowns. He got better late in the season, scoring on a 97-yard burst against Baylor and gaining 83 yards on 19 carries against Texas' top-ranked rushing defense.

Defensive end wasn't supposed to be a position of strength for Missouri, not with two starters lost from the 2008 North champions.

No problem. Smith stepped in, targeting quarterbacks better than any freshman in the country. He finished the regular season with 11 sacks and added 18 ½ tackles for loss, a total only exceeded in the Big 12 by Texas A&M's Von Miller.

Smith was at his best at Colorado, recording three sacks, another tackle for a loss and a pass break-up.

AP: all-purpose