Big 12 Preseason Rankings

College football is a very difficult sport to predict. Some conferences, like the Big 10, are easier than others. The teams you expect to be at the very top, usually end up near or at the very top. The Big 12 however is nearly impossible to predict. That’s what makes it one of, if not, the most exciting conferences to follow.

Since 2021, 8 of the 10 teams that played for the Big 12 Championship started the season with 5th or worse odds to win the conference. A couple years ago Arizona State had the 2nd worst odds and they ended up winning the conference. It’s almost impossible to predict how the Big 12 will play out. That being said, I’m going to attempt to do the impossible. Here’s my Big 12 rankings/prediction.

1. Texas Tech: This roster is absolutely loaded. The QB position is my biggest concern, but there’s enough talent in offense that it shouldn’t be an issue. If they hit on the d-line transfers, defense will be very good again. This schedule is extremely manageable.
   
2. Houston: Willie Fritz is a great coach who has Houston in a great spot. They’ve got great returning production and some great transfer portal additions. I am very high on the Coogs.
   
3. BYU: On paper the loss of Jay Hill is huge. In reality, it might not be that terrible. I am concerned with BYU’s ability to throw the ball. It was their weakness last year. They lost a ton of production, and they have a lot of unknowns at WR. 
   
4. Arizona: I hopped on the bandwagon last year, and I have no plans on hopping off. This offense will be great. I think the WRs are underrated. Defensively I worry about the secondary. On the plus side, they don’t face a ton of elite passing attacks this season. I don’t talk about special teams all that often, but special teams is a concern for me as well. 
   
5. Utah: Kyle Whittingham is out, and Morgan Scalley is in. I don’t hate the hire/promotion. The run defense has to be better. It was a problem down the stretch.  I’m also concerned with having to replace the entire o-line. That is never ideal. There’s enough talent that Utah should still be a top team in the Big 12.
   
6. Kansas State: I struggle with K-State. We’ve seen them/Avery Johnson not live up to their hype/potential. With Collin Klein now taking over, does that change?
   
7. Arizona State: They could be a top 3 team. They could also finish middle of the pack. I like the roster. I love Kenny Dillingham. I don’t love the schedule. Going across the pond, and then also having 9 straight weeks without a bye makes this schedule a little daunting. 
   
8. TCU: At worse the defense should be above average. The offense is completely different than what we’ve seen in the past. I think I really like the potential of TCU. Can Jaden Craig make the jump up to P4 football though?
   
9. West Virginia: I can’t see WVU getting much higher than this. Rich Rod is starting to build the roster/offense how he wants, but they are not going to be a top half of the Big 12 team, but they will be a tough team to beat every single week.
   
10. Oklahoma State: It’s hard to know just how good they will be with a brand new staff and brand new roster. One thing I do know, is that they will be a better team than what we’ve seen the last couple years.
    
11. UCF: Much like WVU, I think they will be a tough beat every single week. I love the WRs/TE, but I don’t know if I trust the o-line to keep Barnett upright. On defense I trust the secondary, but I don’t trust the d-line to get pressure without help. There’s a lot of potential on this team, but a lot has to go right.
    
12. Kansas: I don’t know what to make of Kansas at all. I like that Andy Kotelnicki is back. So we should see a better offense this year. I just don’t have high hopes for the Jayhawks unfortunately.
    
13. Baylor: Dave Aranda should’ve been fired last year. With a new AD and money to spend, I’d imagine he’s gone this year unless Baylor wins 8+ games.
    
14. Colorado: It feels Colorado is a dumpster fire. They never have a good o-line or d-line. There’s rumors they could be better at both? They attacked both position groups heavily in the portal. Until I see it, I don’t believe it. 
    
15. Cincinnati: I think Scott Satterfield is on his way out. With the loss of Sorsby, the drama around him, and what they’ve brought in… I’m not confident. 
    
16. Iowa State: I don’t always love the term “Year 0”, but I think it’s accurate in this situation. This is year 0 for Jimmy Rogers and Iowa State. Complete overhaul of the roster. This year does not count.
    

Like I said, the Big 12 is so unpredictable. Iowa State could be Arizona State from a couple years ago and win the Big 12. I highly doubt it, but you never know. I can’t wait to watch the Big 12 this season. Do you think the Big 12 will be the conference of chaos yet again? Or is it pretty straight forward who the top and bottom teams are?