Every March Madness, Pat Forde's annual dream and nightmare scenario piece is a must-read.

With that in mind, we've come up with the dream and nightmare scenarios again for every Big 12 team for this season. Of course, reality will fall somewhere in the middle. But imagine a season in which every single possible domino fell into place. And likewise, if all that could go wrong, well, did.

We start up this series again with the two-time defending Big 12 champs -- the Baylor Bears:

Dream scenario

QB Seth Russell could have a solid year leading the Bears' offense in 2015. Jerome Miron/USA TODAY Sports

First, Robert Griffin III; then, Bryce Petty; now, Seth Russell. Yet again, coach Art Briles conjures up another dose of QB magic with the Garland Gunslinger, who throws seven different kinds of smoke to end September as the national leader in touchdown passes. The receiving corps, meanwhile, not only lives up to past standards, it proves to be Briles' best group yet. Corey Coleman and K.D. Cannon become the Batman and Robin of college football WRs, while Ish Zamora and Chris Platt flash the future wave with a pair of freshman All-Americans debuts. Shock Linwood puts together a 1,500-yard rushing season. Tackle Spencer Drango captures the Outland Trophy in a landslide vote.

What really separates these Bears from the Briles teams of the past, however, is defense.

A year after surrendering 600 yards through the air to Pat Mahomes, a salty Baylor secondary keeps him under 60 in a statement-sending victory. The meme known as Shawn Oakman rapidly surpasses Ohio State's Joey Bosa as college football's most feared defensive end. But the Baylor lineman that frightens offensive coordinators most is Andrew Billings, who mandates double teams on every snap. After a blazing start, Gang Green puts it on cruise control for the next four games to remain unbeaten, setting up a defining November run.

At 9-0, the Bears get no respect from the playoff committee despite running Bob Stoops' Sooners out of a third different stadium in as many years.

At 10-0, they still get no respect despite toppling Oklahoma State on the road on Chris Callahan's game-winning 50-yard field goal.

But on a "Revivalry" Black Friday, the playoff committee can disrespect the Bears no longer.

With College GameDay in the house, Baylor puts up 61 again on TCU -- only this time without the need for fourth-quarter theatrics. The game is over well before then. Afterward, Gary Patterson calls Baylor "the class of the Big 12," and in its next ranking, the playoff committee vaults Briles' Bunch to the top spot. Baylor officially punches its playoff ticket the following week, with a 66-3 obliteration of Texas.

In their playoff unveiling, the Bears stun Michigan State in AT&T Stadium, avenging last year's Cotton Bowl collapse with a furious fourth-quarter rally of their own. Tight end LaQuan McGowan delivers the game-winner on the final play, smashing through a pair of hapless Spartan defenders past the goal line.

Another Big Ten foe awaits in the title game, but Ohio State proves no match for the Boys of the Brazos, who celebrate their win with a sail-gating parade down the Brazos River.

Kendal Briles is named the Broyles national assistant of the year, Russell returns for his senior season and athletic director Ian McCaw takes Baylor international again, agreeing to a future matchup with Oregon in London.

Texas A&M goes 4-8, Texas goes 3-9, TCU loses by 40 in its bowl and Baylor "runs the state" on the trail with a top-five class.

Schmaltz's wins a national best sandwich award, Scott Drew gets back to the Sweet 16 and Pappasitos announces it will in fact be opening up a Waco site sometime in the summer.

Nightmare scenario

The offense just isn't the same without Petty, and soon a QB controversy looms over the locker room. Freshman Jarrett Stidham and Russell rotate back-and-forth, but neither can give the offense its patented swagger. Elsewhere, Cannon disappears, Platt and Zamora aren't ready for Big 12 competition and the McGowan experiment at tight end is abandoned after numerous drive-killing drops.

The Bears slump their way through a soft non-conference schedule, hoping to find their footing. But hope of that is lost in the Big 12 opener. Mahomes throws for 700 yards, and the Baylor secondary capitulates in a season-deflating loss.

The Bears make it to November with the lone blemish, but that's when the bottom drops out. Oklahoma empties out McLane Stadium by the third quarter, and Oklahoma State destroys the Bears yet again in Stillwater.

The Bears limp into their downgraded meeting with TCU, but they might as well not show up. The Horned Frogs steamroll Baylor, 61-28, clinching a Heisman for Trevone Boykin and a playoff spot for Patterson.

In the finale against Texas, the Bears have little to play for after pride. But the Longhorns take that away, too, handing Baylor a fourth straight defeat.

The Bears stagger off the mat to defeat Marshall in the Heart of Dallas Bowl, but only 12,000 are there to watch it; across town, TCU advances to the national title, and wins it all a week later.

McCaw gets cold feet about going overseas and schedules UAB for the 2016 opener instead. Texas A&M signs the nation's top recruiting class. Torchy's Tacos closes its Waco location.