Big 12 Power Ratings
No power conference in the country will undergo a bigger facelift than the Big 12 in 2024. Out are the once-faithful Texas and Oklahoma, who jilted commissioner Brent Yormack and the conference for the greener pastures of the SEC. In their place come former Pac-12 members Utah, Arizona, Arizona State, and Colorado. Their additions come just one year after the arrival of BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, and Houston last season.
The Big 12 joins the rest of its power conference comrades in expansion and realignment. This year, the Big 12 goes from 14 teams to 16, keeping pace with most of the others. The SEC went from 14 to 16; the Big Ten went from 14 to 18, and the ACC went from 14 to 17.
The other conferences have clear-cut favorites, but not the Big 12. It’s more or less wide open, making it difficult to rank the 16 teams. Nevertheless, it’s necessary to determine the rankings, especially now that spring activities, including the spring version of the transfer portal, have concluded.
With that said, here’s our Big 12 post-spring power rankings.
The Utah football team takes the No. 1 spot in the Big 12 post-spring power rankings as they enter their first year in the Big 12. What propels them to the top is the consistent program that Kyle Whittingham has built over the years. The Utes were always tough opponents in the Pac-12, and now they bring that level of play to the Big 12, which should translate well
Quarterback Cam Rising returns for what feels like his 20th season after missing all of last season with a knee injury, and some wide receiver transfers should help him make his return much more manageable. If Rising’s knee is good and the Utes’ defense is strong again, they are the team to beat in the Big 12.
A lot to like about the program heading into the fall will be quarterback Avery Johnson, combined with DJ Giddens and the addition of Colorado transfer Dylan Edwards.
Running back Ollie Gordon II is back, along with Alan Bowman behind center and a ton of other starters. Don’t count out Oklahoma State football for a return to the Big 12 title game.
The sheer level of talent that the Kansas football program has now compared to years past is remarkable. It starts with quarterback Jalon Daniels, who dealt with injury most of last year. If the defense can tighten up this season, then they may find themselves in the Big 12 title game.
There’s a lot to like about West Virginia’s offense, thanks to quarterback Garrett Greene and backs Jaheim White and CJ Donaldson. It’s the defense for the Mountaineers that allowed 26.15 points per game that will have to step up.
Fisch wasn’t the only one who left, as transfers weren’t far behind. However, the most important player on the team didn’t leave, which was quarterback Noah Fifita, who could be a dark horse Heisman candidate in 2024.
UCF used the spring transfer portal to their advantage, coming away with a strong class that should greatly improve their roster for the 2024 season. One of those was edge rusher Nyjalik Kelly from Miami. But don’t forget about quarterback KJ Jefferson, who came in during the winter additions. There are probably still some growing pains with this team as it’s only their second year in the Big 12.
This season, what makes the Cyclones interesting is that they’ll have the most returning production of any team in the country, according to Bill Connelly at ESPN. Plus, there’s a lot to like about sophomore running back Abu Sama III, who had a very good freshman season.
With the type of turnover this team has gone through now going into Sanders’s second year in Boulder, it’s almost impossible to gauge just how this team will be in the upcoming season. It wasn’t easy during their first. The Buffaloes lost a lot of last year’s key players to the portal, yet they also gained a lot back through it, particularly in the form of meeting their biggest needs on both lines. Plus, Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter are still there.
Many forget how bad Colorado football was before Sanders got there, winners of only one game the year prior. Winning four games last year should still be considered a successful season. At the very least, a bowl game should be in order for the Buffaloes and at best an eight-win season.
It didn’t help that the Horned Frogs lost a lot of production from their 2022 team. But head coach Sonny Dykes looks to have potentially restocked the roster this season. Though now the question mark is will quarterback Josh Hoover be ready by the season opener after suffering an injury during the spring.
They’ll have a new offensive coordinator in Jake Spavital from Cal, running backs coach Khenon Hall from SMU, which will help transition into a new offensive scheme. And to help run that offense on the field will be Toledo transfer Dequan Finn at quarterback.
No power conference in the country will undergo a bigger facelift than the Big 12 in 2024. Out are the once-faithful Texas and Oklahoma, who jilted commissioner Brent Yormack and the conference for the greener pastures of the SEC. In their place come former Pac-12 members Utah, Arizona, Arizona State, and Colorado. Their additions come just one year after the arrival of BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, and Houston last season.
The Big 12 joins the rest of its power conference comrades in expansion and realignment. This year, the Big 12 goes from 14 teams to 16, keeping pace with most of the others. The SEC went from 14 to 16; the Big Ten went from 14 to 18, and the ACC went from 14 to 17.
The other conferences have clear-cut favorites, but not the Big 12. It’s more or less wide open, making it difficult to rank the 16 teams. Nevertheless, it’s necessary to determine the rankings, especially now that spring activities, including the spring version of the transfer portal, have concluded.
With that said, here’s our Big 12 post-spring power rankings.
1. Utah
The Utah football team takes the No. 1 spot in the Big 12 post-spring power rankings as they enter their first year in the Big 12. What propels them to the top is the consistent program that Kyle Whittingham has built over the years. The Utes were always tough opponents in the Pac-12, and now they bring that level of play to the Big 12, which should translate well
Quarterback Cam Rising returns for what feels like his 20th season after missing all of last season with a knee injury, and some wide receiver transfers should help him make his return much more manageable. If Rising’s knee is good and the Utes’ defense is strong again, they are the team to beat in the Big 12.
2. Kansas State
The first set of teams in these rankings showcase excellent coaching, which is what Kansas State football has in Chris Klieman. The third-year head coach has been excellent so far in Manhattan, with two top-25 finishes and a ninth-place finish last season in the College Football Playoff poll. They also won the Big 12 title in 2022.A lot to like about the program heading into the fall will be quarterback Avery Johnson, combined with DJ Giddens and the addition of Colorado transfer Dylan Edwards.
3. Oklahoma State
Admittedly, it’s difficult to understand Mike Gundy and Oklahoma State at times. They can be inconsistent, like last year when they started 2-2 with losses to South Alabama and Iowa State in back-to-back weeks. Yet, Gundy and the Cowboys persevered and finished 10-4, reaching the Big 12 Championship Game.Running back Ollie Gordon II is back, along with Alan Bowman behind center and a ton of other starters. Don’t count out Oklahoma State football for a return to the Big 12 title game.
4. Kansas
There may not be a better coach in the entire country than Lance Leipold. He’s been a winner everywhere he’s set up shop, including at Kansas. Last season, Leipold helped the Jayhawks earn their first winning season since 2008 and took them to nine wins. That’s astonishing when you consider where the program was just a few years ago.The sheer level of talent that the Kansas football program has now compared to years past is remarkable. It starts with quarterback Jalon Daniels, who dealt with injury most of last year. If the defense can tighten up this season, then they may find themselves in the Big 12 title game.
5. West Virginia
On the verge of being fired last season after two losing seasons, Neal Brown turned around the Mountaineers and got them to 9-4. Now everyone considers them a dark horse to contend in the Big 12.There’s a lot to like about West Virginia’s offense, thanks to quarterback Garrett Greene and backs Jaheim White and CJ Donaldson. It’s the defense for the Mountaineers that allowed 26.15 points per game that will have to step up.
6. Arizona
If Jedd Fisch were still at Arizona, then perhaps the Wildcats would be much higher in these Big 12 post-spring power rankings. But he’s gone to Washington, and now Arizona is led by Brent Brennan.Fisch wasn’t the only one who left, as transfers weren’t far behind. However, the most important player on the team didn’t leave, which was quarterback Noah Fifita, who could be a dark horse Heisman candidate in 2024.
7. UCF
UCF’s first season in the Big 12 didn’t go as Gus Malzahn had planned after going 6-7. The Knights went through a rough stretch during the season where they lost five in a row, but then turned it around a bit and won three out of their last five. Therefore, ranking them at No. 7 may seem a bit high given the season they had. However, since this is based on spring happenings, the Knights shouldn’t be ignored.UCF used the spring transfer portal to their advantage, coming away with a strong class that should greatly improve their roster for the 2024 season. One of those was edge rusher Nyjalik Kelly from Miami. But don’t forget about quarterback KJ Jefferson, who came in during the winter additions. There are probably still some growing pains with this team as it’s only their second year in the Big 12.
8. Texas Tech
The Red Raiders came into last season with lofty expectations, yet they failed to deliver on them. It took winning three out of their last four games for Joey Maguire’s team to just become bowl eligible, which they capped off with an Independence Bowl victory over Cal. Quarterback Behren Morton and running back Tahj Brooks should be a big part of this offense again, along with five-star receiver Tim DeRuyter. Fixing some holes on defense will be the real challenge for this team in the upcoming season.9. Iowa State
Matt Campbell’s Cyclones did not start off last season great, losing two out of their first three and scoring just 20 points. Later wins over Oklahoma State and Kansas State helped get the team to 7-6 overall. They were also heavily in play to make the Big 12 title game late in the year.This season, what makes the Cyclones interesting is that they’ll have the most returning production of any team in the country, according to Bill Connelly at ESPN. Plus, there’s a lot to like about sophomore running back Abu Sama III, who had a very good freshman season.
10. Colorado
Deion Sanders and Colorado football get into the top 10 of our Big 12 post-spring power rankings. But really, where do you put the Buffaloes? They could realistically go as high as the top five or three even. Or they could lower than their No. 10 spot here.With the type of turnover this team has gone through now going into Sanders’s second year in Boulder, it’s almost impossible to gauge just how this team will be in the upcoming season. It wasn’t easy during their first. The Buffaloes lost a lot of last year’s key players to the portal, yet they also gained a lot back through it, particularly in the form of meeting their biggest needs on both lines. Plus, Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter are still there.
Many forget how bad Colorado football was before Sanders got there, winners of only one game the year prior. Winning four games last year should still be considered a successful season. At the very least, a bowl game should be in order for the Buffaloes and at best an eight-win season.
11. TCU
Just behind Colorado football will be TCU, who was the first team to suffer defeat in Sanders’s debut as head coach last year. That was also coming off a national championship appearance the year before. The Horned Frogs failed to even make a bowl game last year, however, going 5-7, losing four out of their last five games.It didn’t help that the Horned Frogs lost a lot of production from their 2022 team. But head coach Sonny Dykes looks to have potentially restocked the roster this season. Though now the question mark is will quarterback Josh Hoover be ready by the season opener after suffering an injury during the spring.
12. Baylor
Dave Aranda was being considered as one of the next-best coaches in the country not long ago. Now coming off a 3-9 year, the Baylor head coach could be just a couple of bad losses away from being fired. In hopes of that not happening, the Bears are bringing in a lot of new this season.They’ll have a new offensive coordinator in Jake Spavital from Cal, running backs coach Khenon Hall from SMU, which will help transition into a new offensive scheme. And to help run that offense on the field will be Toledo transfer Dequan Finn at quarterback.
