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| Jalon Daniels, Kansas |
Power Rankings
9. Colorado Buffaloes
A disappointing conclusion to the 2023 campaign had Deion Sanders and Colorado eager to prove they could live up to the hype last fall - and they did just that. Although there were the occasional hiccups, the Buffaloes went 9-4 overall and 7-2 in the Big 12, before a late-season loss to Kansas spoiled their conference title hopes. Add on the fact Colorado featured their first Heisman winner in three decades in two-way superstar Travis Hunter, it was about as impressive as a Year Two as could have been expected from "Coach Prime" and company.
As the Buffaloes prepare for 2025, both the team and Deion himself have undergone their fair share of adversity. The roster will be without Hunter and Shedeur Sanders, two cornerstones who played a major role in their success last fall. And just as importantly, Deion was fighting health battles, having a cancer removed from his bladder over the offseason.
With Shedeur gone, Deion will head into his first season without his son as quarterback since he took over as a college football head coach. In his place, Colorado will turn to Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter, a dual threat who totaled 44 total touchdowns for the Flames in 2024. He doesn't have Shedeur's arm, but he has years of experience and should be able to acclimate quickly to his new digs. And by chance he doesn't, Deion landed one of the top high school quarterbacks in the country in Julian Lewis, who has been pushing Salter throughout spring and into fall camp.
The rest of the offense has greater questions. The Buffs said goodbye to not just Hunter, but several other top receivers, and they absolutely need their ground game to improve to find any semblance of balance. Sophomore Dre'lon Miller, who can play receiver and running back, is a name I have circled as a future star, but who else will emerge? A healthy Omarion Miller, who missed most of last fall, could be another name to watch.
The offensive line has been a weak spot for Colorado through the first two years of the Deion era, but there's reason to believe it could be a strength in 2025. Left tackle Jordan Seaton is a future pro who has a chance to emerge as one of the best in the Big 12 this year, while veteran Phillip Houston patrols the other tackle spot. The rest of the line should rely heavily on transfers, including former Illinois blocker Zarian McGill at center.
Defensively, Robert Livingston did a superb job on this side of the ball in 2024. The Buffaloes still had some issues defending the run, but they finished allowing 23.1 PPG (43th nationally) and just under 352 yards per game, which was 50th in the country. Considering how porous this unit was before he arrived, Livingston deserves a lot of credit.
As they head into this season, Colorado will be leaning on plenty of new faces, especially up front. Junior end Samuel Okunlola flashed last fall and should now be considered a leader, while transfers like Jaheim Oatis from Alabama and Arden Walker from Missouri, will be counted on to play significant snaps.
There's turnover in the secondary, too, but this feels like an area that could be a strength, even with Hunter gone. Junior corner D.J. McKinney looks ready to step into a leadership role, as will fellow veteran nickel Preston Hodge.
Bottom Line: Losing so much star power is never going to make things easy at a place like Colorado, but I actually think the Buffs could be slightly underrated heading into 2025. This roster still has a lot of talent, and Deion's work in high school recruiting and through the portal is beginning to show. Replicating nine wins will be awfully tough, but Colorado still looks like a bowl team, with the potential to be even more in the ever-wacky Big 12.
10. Kansas Jayhawks
2024 was a remarkably strange year for the Kansas Jayhawks. For one, they were playing away from their usual digs in Kansas City as David Booth Memorial Stadium went through remodels. But, there was also the product on the field - the Jayhawks began the year 1-5 and seemed destined to spend the fall in the league cellar. Instead, they went 4-2 over the next six, including spoiling several opponent's conference title hopes, to finish 5-7.
The Jayhawks are hoping for more normalcy in 2025, which will hinge heavily on sixth-year QB Jalon Daniels returning to 100 percent. Daniels did end up playing all 12 games, but he didn't seem like his old self, as he struggled with turnovers and seemed like he was forcing things. If he can return to the old Daniels that we have seen previously, this Kansas offense becomes much more formidable.
Daniels is going to need more help around him, and losing star tailback Devin Neal doesn't help. Daniel Hishaw Jr., who backed up Neal is back, but Kansas is also likely to feature former Iowa transfer Leshon Williams. They'll operate behind an offensive line that has a great anchor in center Bryce Foster, but needs much more beyond him.
The receiver corps is extremely unproven, but has potential. Alabama transfer Emmanuel Henderson Jr. is one of the bigger names - although he was never able to break through in Tuscaloosa, the Jayhawks are hopeful his big-play ability can stretch defenses vertically. Junior Cam Pickett is another name to monitor after totaling 528 yards at Ball State a year ago.
The Kansas defense struggled throughout much of last season, and any hopes of a return to the postseason needs better play on this side of the ball. The front seven could be good, with Tommy Dunn Jr. and D.J. Withers manning the interior D-Line, and Dean Miller coming off the edge. Could we also finally see something from blue-chip recruit Dylan Brooks, who missed nearly all of 2024 with injury?
The secondary is where most of the questions lie, and the Jayhawk staff are attempting to fix the issue through the portal. Sophomore corner Jalen Todd is one of the few familiar faces after having some moments last season, while D.J. Graham is the likely other starter at the opposite corner spot after coming from Utah State.
Bottom Line: It was three straight seasons of progress for Lance Leipold before last season's slip back to 5-7. Can he lead a redemptive campaign, now back in Lawrence? Having Daniels back is a fine start, as a veteran QB who has played a lot in this league, but he must be better than his 2024 self. The defense also must be better, which will rely on the defensive front leading the way and the transfers on the back-end gelling quick. This is a team with potential and there's always opportunity in this league, but it's hard to rank them any higher than this spot. 6-7 wins feels like their most likely ceiling given some of the questions throughout the roster.
11. Cincinnati Bearcats
There was progress last fall at Cincinnati, as the Bearcats improved from 3-9 in Scott Satterfield's debut campaign to 5-7. Still, the third-year head coach still enters 2025 under pressure, aiming to prove he can lead the Bearcats to contention in their new era in the Big 12.
For Cincinnati to ascend in the league, they need more from an offense that sputtered down the stretch last fall. And there is potential here - QB Brendan Sorsby is back, as are several other pieces. The offensive line in particular may be the best unit on the team, with several starters returning and a few holes plugged through the portal.
The playmakers may not necessarily excite you, but tailback Evan Pryor is a steady, reliable presence who should be able to manage the position just fine with Corey Kiner gone. Out wide, it's a position group with a bunch of new faces. There's speed, including Texas A&M transfer Cyrus Allen and Jeff Caldwell from Lindenwood, but just not a true alpha in the room at this point. It will be a position group to watch as we move into the regular season.
The Cincinnati defense feels like another group that will lean heavily on their front seven, but their pass defense will end up sealing their fate. Up front, the big news is the healthy return of defensive tackle Dontay Corleone, arguably the top interior defensive linemen in all of college football. With linebackers Jack Dingel and Jake Golday also returning, the Bearcats should be effective in stopping the run.
It's hard to identify the difference-makers in the secondary. There's some potential here, but the Bearcats are short on proven names. Coastal Carolina transfer Matthew McDoom has played a lot of ball and could slide in as the No. 1 corner, while there's hope Christian Harrison can emerge at safety. He's the son of NFL great Rodney Harrison.
Bottom Line: There's not necessarily something super exciting about Cincinnati heading into 2025, but you can certainly talk yourself into this team making their first bowl under Satterfield. Sorsby, Pryor, and the offensive line are a fine formula on offense and the defense could be nasty up front, even if the pass defense has questions. This is also a team that lost several close games last season, and even one or two more wins could have shifted the narrative on them heading into this year. If they can get off to a fast start against a Big 12 slate that is favorable early, they may just have enough momentum to finish at least .500, with the potential to do even more.
12. Houston Cougars
There were understandable growing pains in the first season at the helm in Houston for Willie Fritz, as an ineffective offense relegated the Cougars to 4-8 overall and 2-7 in the league. It was clear the main focus for this staff over the offseason was fixing that offense, as they spent big in the portal on that side of the ball.
Conner Weigman enters as the starting quarterback after spending his first few seasons at Texas A&M. Injuries have derailed Weigman's career, but he was a blue-chip prospect coming out of high school who has the talent. It could be a Haynes King situation once he got out of A&M, especially with Weigman surrounded with some intriguing talent at the skill positions.
Out wide, the Cougars bring back their top two receivers from last season, Stephon Johnson and Mekhi Mews, and they massively upgraded tight end by landing Tanner Koziol. Koziol was extremely productive at Ball State, with 94 catches to his name in 2024, and he joins the Big 12 after a spring pit stop in Madison at Wisconsin.
Re'Shaun Sanford II finished as the top rusher for Houston last fall, but keep an eye on newcomer Dean Connors, who Fritz and offensive coordinator Slade Nagle will use creatively. He amassed over 1,000 all-purpose yards at Rice last fall, 780 of those coming on the ground and 485 as a receiver.
This defense was quietly one of the best in the Big 12 last season, finishing in the Top 25 in total defense. However, they watched coordinator Shiel Wood leave for the same position at Texas Tech, a huge blow. Austin Armstrong was brought on from Florida, but he'll have big shoes to fill with a group that replaces a lot of productive players.
The defensive line has a pair of defenders who have proven to be reliable in Brandon Mack II and Carlos Allen, who should give this rush defense a major boost. However, the linebacker group behind them is maybe the greatest question mark on the roster. Corey Platt Jr. and Jesus Machado have both missed significant time with injury, and the others in the rotation are unproven. Carmycah Glass comes in from Louisiana after earning All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention, and could be a difference-maker.
Losing defensive backs Jeremiah Wilson and A.J. Haulcy is going to be difficult to replace. That pair picked off nine passes total between them, and none of the returnees have that type of playmaking. With that being said, corner Latrell McCutchin and safety Kentrell Webb are a fine place to start.
Bottom Line: Considering the offense managed a measly 14 PPG last fall, it's actually a small miracle Houston still managed to win four games. The overhaul on that side of the ball should inject some life back into the program as Fritz approaches Year Two, but there are defensive questions. Not only is the personnel changing, so too is the philosophy with Armstrong coming in. Still, I like Houston's chances to improve on last season's win total and perhaps be in the bowl mix late in the year. If they can be in that conversation come November, West Virginia and UCF feel like the type of winnable games they'll need late in the fall.
13. Arizona Wildcats
With so much turnover heading into last season, both on the staff and on the roster, just about everybody expected Arizona to take a step back from winning ten games. Yet, it came as a bit of a surprise to see just how much the Wildcats struggled, including losing seven of their last eight games. Second-year head man Brent Brennan must prove he's the right guy for the job, and get the Wildcats back on track in 2025.
Quarterback Noah Fifita was one of the best quarterbacks anywhere in the country in 2023, but his numbers slipped in a major way last fall. It felt like Fifita was forcing things, and the result was a 12-interception machine campaign as Arizona slipped to the bottom of the league. Can he redeem himself in 2025?
Not having star Tetaiora McMillan out wide won't exactly help Fifita, as he's now a Carolina Panther. With McMillan gone, the Wildcats are hopeful Chris Hunter III can continue to progress after flashing late last year, and Oregon transfer Kris Hutson is a player with loads of potential.
Former Texas State transfer Ismail Mahdi should jolt a ground game that was among the worst in the Big 12 last season. He led the nation in all-purpose yards in 2023 with the Bobcats, but how quickly he adjusts to power conference ball will be interesting. It likely won't be a big help that Arizona was hit hard by defections across the offensive line.
As much as the Wildcat offense struggled throughout last season, the other side of the ball was no pretty sight, either. Arizona surrendered nearly 32 points per game, so there is major work to be done for coordinator Danny Gonzales.
The secondary should be the strength of the unit with several key starters back in the fold, namely steady veterans Dalton Johnson and Genesis Smith. Between those two and linebacker Taye Brown, the Wildcats have enough of a solid core. But, the rest of the front seven beyond Brown will be relying heavily on transfers.
Bottom Line: Was 2024 merely an expected hiccup for Brennan and the new staff as they adjusted to life in Tucson? Or, was it a warning of future things to come? This roster still has some real talent and interesting pieces, but it just didn't fit together last fall. If Fifita can get back to his 2023 ways, the Wildcats could be a spoiler that nobody expects much from, but a difficult schedule does stand in their way. The most likely scenario? The product on the field improves, but the win-loss record looks eerily similar to last fall.
14. Oklahoma State Cowboys
Mike Gundy is one of the longest-tenured coaches anywhere in college football, leading Oklahoma State for over two decades. And, he has never had a season quite like 2024. The Cowboys got out to a 3-0 start and looked like they could be a contender in the Big 12 - then lost nine straight games. Never before had Gundy lost more than seven in a season, so it's no surprise there's pressure on him entering 2025.
Gundy completely juggled his staff, including bringing in Big 12 veteran Doug Meachem to run the offense. Meachem won't have former Doak Walker Award winner Ollie Gordon II in the backfield, instead leaning on a bunch of new faces.
At quarterback, Zane Flores and TCU transfer Hauss Hejny are battling for the job, with never bringing much experience to the table. Flores has been in the program, but Hejny has the slight edge in experience and has some interesting playmaking chops. No matter who starts will have to make do without much proven commodities at receiver or tight end.
As if the offense didn't already have enough questions, the offensive line is also nearly entirely brand-new. Not one single player on this offensive line has ever started a game for the Cowboys.
On defense, the new coordinator is Todd Grantham, who will also have to make do with a host of new faces on all three levels. Defensive tackle Iman Oates is a fine building block who should set the tone for the D-Line, but the Cowboys will need others to emerge around him. UTEP transfer Kyran Duhon could be one, as will former Akron linebacker Bryan McCoy, who had 120 tackles for the Zips a year ago.
The pass defense was awfully bad last season, but seems to be the unit with the least questions entering 2025 - although that's not saying much. Corner Cam Smith has played a lot of football for Oklahoma State, making 29 starts over his time in Stillwater. Between him, safety Dylan Smith, and rising sophomore David Kabongo, the Cowboys may be able to stop teams through the air this fall.
Bottom Line: It's hard to have any strong convictions about this Oklahoma State team entering 2025, because we just don't know very much. The staff is completely different, and there's transfers everywhere on both sides of the ball. However, if there is one coach I'm going to believe in when it comes to these teams expected to be clustered near the bottom of the Big 12, it's Mike Gundy. He's won a lot in this league and knows what it takes, even after last season's disaster. I'm still not sure it will be very pretty, but a return to a bowl doesn't feel completely out of the question for me.
15. West Virginia Mountaineers
Nearly two decades after he left, Rich Rodriguez is back as head coach of his alma mater. It's been a winding road for RichRod since he was last in Morgantown, but he had the program at its peak in the mid-2000s, and will hope to restore the Mountaineers to glory after a lean few years.
RichRod will call his own plays, and expect the Mountaineers to spread it out and look for opportunities to attack with the run. Jaheim White was an important returnee, as the speedy junior ran for over 800 yards last year and feels like a great fit for this scheme. He'll be especially important considering the inexperience at quarterback.
Texas A&M transfer Jaylen Henderson and junior Nicco Marchiol are the competitors for the starting QB job. Marchiol was a pretty big get as a recruit who has had some moments in limited action the last few years, but the most likely scenario is both see the field in some capacity this year. The early-season slate will allow this staff to feel both out in live game action.
At wide out, Cam Vaghn followed Rodriguez from Jacksonville State and should provide plenty of pop on the perimeter, while junior Rodney Gallagher III is a holdover from last year. On the offensive line, this group is in complete rebuild mode after a rough 2024.
Zac Alley is one of the fastest rising young coaches in America, so it's significant that RichRod managed to bring him to Morgantown after a one-season stint at Oklahoma. With that being said, this defense does not bring a single returning starter, so it's hard to know what to expect.
Senior defensive tackle Edard Vesterinen is at least a somewhat familiar face after playing significant snaps in 2023 before missing time with injury last season. He'll be joined by edge rusher Jimmori Robinson, who notched 10.5 sacks last fall and was American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year. There was some concern about Robinson's eligibility coming into the year, but a recent injunction by a West Virginia District Court means he should be full-go.
The secondary is a complete guessing game, relying solely on transfers. This pass defense was quite bad in 2024 so perhaps the fresh blood can only be a positive, but how quickly this group gels together on the back-end could make or break the campaign.
Bottom Line: We've seen RichRod build a winner before at West Virginia, but the college football landscape has changed just a bit since 2007. Still, this first edition of the RichRod return should at least be fun offensively with White and Vaughn, and bringing on Alley elevates the floor of the defense. I suspect the Mountaineers win their first two in the non-conference and perhaps spring a couple upsets, but anything beyond that feels unlikely with so much new pieces.
16. UCF Knights
In much the same way West Virginia brought back Rich Rodriguez, UCF pulled a similar move by bringing back Scott Frost. Frost, who coached the Knights for two seasons from 2016-2017, is looking for redemption after the way things ended at his alma mater Nebraska. Gus Malzahn left him a pretty bare cupboard when he took the Florida State OC job, meaning this could be a rough debut for Frost in Year One.
UCF is deciding between a host of transfers at quarterback, with Florida Atlantic's Cam Fancher the leader. Tayven Jackson is his top competitor, a junior who has spent time at Tennessee and Indiana, and occasionally flashed potential, but it hasn't come together yet. Jacurri Brown, the rare returnee, is also in the mix.
Whoever does win the starting job will have to operate without a lot of proven pieces at receiver. Florida transfer Marcus Burke could be a home threat down the field, if someone can get him the ball, while D.J. Black is an interesting piece from Division II Limestone. Tight end should be in a better spot, with Kylan Fox and Dylan Wade from Maryland.
Without R.J. Harvey, the Knights are turning to either junior Myles Montgomery or Jaden Nixon, transfer from Western Michigan. Nixon has the edge because of what he did last fall, running for over 900 yards with the Broncos. They'll have to work behind a rebuilding offensive line that has just one returning starter.
While Frost is looking for redemption, so too is new defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. Grinch was considered one of the fastest rising defensive coaches in the nation, but things fell apart in his time with USC. He has some pieces to work with on this side of the ball, even with a lot gone from a defense that was 37th nationally in total defense last fall.
The defensive line may be the strength of the team. Defensive ends Malachi Lawrence and Nyjalik Kelly are relentless off the edge, and John Walker is back to guide the interior. Walker missed all of 2024 but looked the part the year prior, and will now be expected to be a key contributor here this season.
The rest of the defense is, unsurprisingly, led by transfers. Junior Braeden Marshall is a returning piece who should play an important leadership role, but it's hard to know what else we are primed to get from the Knights. Junior safety Phillip Dunnam, who much like Fancher came from FAU, could be the most proven of the bunch.
Bottom Line: It felt like UCF consistently underachieved under Gus Malzahn, and is Frost truly the guy to get the program back on track? There has been a trend of teams rehiring coaches in recent years, to mixed results, and there's always the chance Frost can recapture the magic. But, there's very little on this roster that excites you, and Frost hasn't been on the sidelines for two years. I have a hard time believing this team is going to reach, or even surpass last season's four wins.
All Big 12 Teams
First Team
QB Sam Leavitt, Arizona State
RB Bryson Washington, Baylor
RB Jaheim White, West Virginia
WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
WR Caleb Douglas, Texas Tech
TE Tanner Koziol, Houston
OL Jordan Seaton, Colorado
OL Spencer Fano, Utah
OL Bryce Foster, Kansas
OL Howard Sampson, Texas Tech
OL Caleb Lomu, Utah
DL David Bailey, Texas Tech
DL Lee Hunter, UCF
DL Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati
DL Dean Miller, Kansas
LB Austin Romaine, Kansas State
LB Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech
LB Jack Kelly, BYU
CB Jontez Williams, Iowa State
CB Smith Snowden, Utah
S Bud Clark, TCU
S V.J. Payne, Kansas State
Second Team
QB Josh Hoover, TCU
RB Carson Hansen, Iowa State
RB Ismail Mahdi, Arizona
WR Josh Cameron, Baylor
WR Jayce Brown, Kansas State
TE Chamon Metayer, Arizona State
OL Carson Bruno, TCU
OL Omar Aigbedion, Baylor
OL Ben Coleman, Arizona State
OL Taylor Poitier, Kansas State
OL Max Ihenachor, Arizona State
DL Nyjalik Kelly, UCF
DL C.J. Fite, Arizona State
DL Domonique Orange, Iowa State
DL Jackie Marshall, Baylor
LB Gabe Powers, Kansas State
LB Keaton Thomas, Baylor
LB Isaiah Glasker, BYU
CB Latrell McCutchin, Houston
CB Javan Robinson, Arizona State
S Xavion Alford, Arizona State
S Devyn Bobby, Baylor
The Five Most Important Games
1. Texas Tech @ Arizona State (October 18) -- The Sun Devils are the reigning conference champions, Texas Tech is the rising up-and-comer - could this be a Big 12 Championship Game preview? Not only are these the most talented two teams in the conference, it will be an elite QB battle between Sam Leavitt and Behren Morton.
2. Arizona State @ Iowa State (November 1) -- A rematch of last year's conference championship game, both of these teams could be looking to bolster their College Football Playoff resume by this point in the season. The Cyclones will undoubtedly be looking for vengeance after losing 45-19 in last year's game.
3. Iowa State vs. Kansas State (August 23) -- The "Farmageddon" rivalry game ... in Dublin, Ireland? Not only will this be an interesting locale, it will be a ranked "Week Zero" game between two teams hoping to contend in the Big 12. With the way these two play, it should be a low-scoring, physical matchup to open up the season.
4. Utah @ BYU (October 18) -- The "Holy War" is always a hard-fought rivalry game, particularly now that it is a conference game. This edition could be a very interesting one - Utah almost surely will be better than what they were last season, while BYU is looking to keep the magic alive after an impressive 2024. This could be the perfect appetizer to the Texas Tech - Arizona State matchup later in the day.
5. Auburn @ Baylor (August 29) -- This early-season matchup may not have conference title implications, but it will be an important game for the Big 12 as a whole. Can Baylor, who is considered to be a top Big 12 Title contender, hold off an SEC team at home? Winning these types of non-conference games will go a long way in helping the league battle for multiple bids in this year's Playoff.
Superlatives
Offensive Player of the Year: Sam Leavitt, QB, Arizona State
Defensive Player of the Year: Dontay Corleone, DL, Cincinnati
Coach of the Year: Kyle Whittingham, Utah
Freshman of the Year: Linkon Cure, TE, Kansas State
Transfer of the Year: Tanner Koziol, TE, Houston
Big 12 Championship Game: Arizona State over Kansas State
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