My Big 12 Preseason Poll

I’m back from Frisco after another whirlwind trip to Big 12 Media Days.

It was a blast catching up with so many familiar faces from my 15 years covering the league. But let’s get to what you’re really here for: my official Big 12 preseason ballot.

As I wrote recently, I love the league’s decision to ditch the official preseason poll. But that wasn’t going to stop us from putting one together anyway.

Shoutout to the Gamblin’ Gauchos—a must-follow for Big 12 fans—who coordinated media ballots from across the league to create an unofficial preseason media poll.

You’ll see the full results later in this newsletter, but first, here’s my ballot:

1. Arizona State

2. Baylor

3. Iowa State

4. K-State

5. Texas Tech

6. Utah

7. TCU

8. Kansas

9. BYU

10. Colorado

11. Houston

12. Cincinnati

13. Oklahoma State

14. West Virginia

15. Arizona 

16. UCF

A few quick thoughts:

Arizona State held onto a loaded roster despite the portal sharks circling. QB Sam Leavitt is a star, WR Jordan Tyson looks like a future first-rounder, and insiders think the defense might actually be the team’s strength.

I’m hitching my wagon to Baylor this year. QB Sawyer Robertson and RB Bryson Washington the most dynamic duo in the league. It flies under the radar, but the Bears were a Hail Mary in Boulder away from playing for a Big 12 title last year. I trust head coach Dave Aranda to get his defense to take another step forward, too.

Iowa State’s receiver room took a huge hit, losing Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, but Rocco Becht is back, and Jon Heacock always delivers on defense. Plus, the Cyclones have owned Farmageddon lately, which gives them a slight edge over K-State for me.

I’ve got Tech at five on principle. I got burned picking them to win the league in 2023, and they haven’t had a nine-win regular season since 2009. Until they do it, I won’t predict a conference title.

Teams 6–9 are fascinating. Utah, TCU, Kansas, and BYU all have the upside to play in Arlington. If you’re betting conference title odds, this is the tier to shop for value.

What You Need to Know

• On3’s Brett McMurphy put together a Big 12 preseason coaches poll. Surprisingly, the coaches didn’t have defending champion Arizona State in the title game. Here is their pick. 

• The Gamblin’ Gauchos also finally dropped the unofficial Big 12 media poll on Thursday. The media picked the same champion as the coaches. 

• Ready for one more preseason Big 12 poll? Here’s what the experts at CBS Sports and 247 Sports think. 

• How did the Big 12 land a $100 million deal to pump cash back into the pockets of all 16 member schools? I sat down with Big 12 Chief Marketing Officer Tyrel Kirkham to find out. 

• I also talked to Big 12 Chief Football and Competition Officer Scott Draper about how the Big 12 can close the gap on the SEC and Big Ten and how the league decided which rivalries are protected. 

• You can also check out my interviews with K-State head coach Chris Klieman and quarterback Avery Johnson for the 3MAW podcast. It’s worth the click to see Avery’s suit alone.

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