Dallas ? No. 2 Oklahoma has Heisman Trophy winner Jason White at quarterback, along with eight other returning offensive starters, and is again considered a favorite in the Big 12 Conference.

But that doesn’t eliminate coach Bob Stoops’ anxiety going into the opener. There always is that element of unknown starting a new season.

“It’s a new go at it. Even though you have a lot of starters back, it’s meshing as a team and what kind of personality you will have,” Stoops said Monday. “While you have an idea, you’re still a little uneasy until you get out there and do it.”

Just like the rest of the Big 12, it’s finally game week for Stoops and the Sooners.

Texas A&M has the first opener, Thursday night at No. 20 Utah. Everybody else plays Saturday, the earliest being Oklahoma’s pre-noon kickoff against Bowling Green.

“You don’t know until you get into the game, know for positive how guys are going to react,” Texas A&M coach Dennis Franchione said during the Big 12 coaches teleconference.

Every coach shares the anxiety and excitement about getting started.

“We’re pumped up,” Colorado coach Gary Barnett said. “Everybody’s anxious to play, our team maybe a little more than most because of what they’ve been through.”

Barnett missed spring drills while suspended for insensitive remarks about a former kicker who claimed she was sexually assaulted. There also were players accused of rape, and questions about alcohol and sex being used as recruiting tools.

The Buffaloes open at home — a real home game, not in Denver — against Colorado State.

Former NFL coach Bill Callahan coaches his first game for Nebraska against Western Illinois, which has made significant changes to its staff.

“Now it’s time to see what we can do,” Callahan said. “The anxiety lies in that we don’t know what to expect from Western Illinois. It’s hard to predict … we go into this blind.”

About the Leathernecks, not his team, which will have a much different look.

Callahan has replaced Nebraska’s deliberate, power running game with a West Coast offense. He said he had a good feel for his team’s strengths and believed sophomore quarterback Joe Dailey had a firm grasp on the pass-often system.

Stoops has White, who, after having two seasons cut short by serious knee injuries, threw for 3,846 yards and a school-record 40 touchdowns last season.

Going into last season, no one was sure White would even make it through the first few games.

“A year ago, he still wasn’t running much, not cleared to do conditioning. Even though he was throwing well, his legs were not back,” Stoops said. “Now we have a guy coming back with a lot of experience. He’s been able to go through everything. He’s more prepared for the year.”

That should help ease Stoops’ anxiety level.

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Trendy pick: Missouri is coming off its first bowl since 1998 and has junior quarterback Brad Smith, who missed by 23 passing yards becoming the first player in NCAA history to pass for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 in a season.

Kansas State is the defending Big 12 champion, but No. 18 Missouri has become a trendy pick in the North Division for some prognosticators.

“I don’t pay attention to that stuff. It means we have a little bit more respect going in,” coach Gary Pinkel said. “Picks or rankings don’t mean a lot; you just want to be respected.”

Still, expectations for his team are “mindboggling” to Pinkel. The Tigers lost to Arkansas in the Independence Bowl after alternating wins and losses throughout the conference schedule.

Pinkel isn’t worried about his team being overconfident or buying into the hype.

“I see how they play, they practice and their mannerisms,” he said.

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Quoteable: “It’s the start, no one wants to stumble at the start of the race. And that’s what half of the teams are going to do. They are going to stumble and be behind. … It’s a huge confidence boost if you win, a huge question mark if you lose.” — Colorado coach Gary Barnett, on the importance of season openers.

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Quick kicks: Record-setting receiver Rashaun Woods is gone, but Oklahoma State still has his younger brothers: receiver D’Juan and new starting quarterback Donovan, a red-shirt freshman. “His mind, the work he’s done has been exemplary,” coach Les Miles said. “He knows exactly what’s going on in the offense.” His debut is at UCLA. … Texas coach Mack Brown said there would be a moment of silence before the North Texas game in memory of Andrew Smith, the Mean Green quarterback killed in a car wreck this month. … As usual, Kansas State coach Bill Snyder isn’t apologizing for his non-conference schedule, this year home games against Western Kentucky, Fresno State and Louisiana-Lafayette. “We always hope to have the opportunity to allow a number of young players in our program to gain experience,” he said. The No. 12 Wildcats do have a new quarterback, with sophomore Dylan Meier replacing Ell Roberson. … Coach Dan McCarney is starting his 10th season at Iowa State.