Big 12 releases preseason football media poll ahead of 2024 season
The 2024 college football season is right around the corner and loaded with various new and exciting changes. Including mass, nationwide conference realignment that’s impacted all of the top leagues including the Big 12. With Texas and Oklahoma departing for the SEC and Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and Arizona State joining the Big 12.
Preseason polls are always fascinating heading into the season, but are more interesting this year given new teams joining new leagues. And on Tuesday, the Big 12 Conference released their highly anticipated media preseason poll ahead of the 2024 season.
Check out how media members voted and how believe the Big 12 stacks up heading into the season below.
2024 Big 12 Football Media Preseason Poll
1. Utah
Utah earns themselves a top ranking in the Big 12 preseason bowl despite this upcoming season being their first in the conference. Led by longtime head coach Kyle Whittingham, veteran quarterback Cameron Rising, and a home-field advantage that could rival anyone’s in the conference at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Rising missed the entirety of the 2023 season due to an injury and the Utes still managed to finish the year 8-5. But in his last two healthy seasons as a starter, Utah won back-to-back Pac-12 titles. Success they’ll now look to replicate in a new conference.
2. Kansas State
Kansas State will look to return to the Big 12 title game after taking home the conference title in 2022. And they’ll do so with the dynamic duo of quarterback Avery Johnson and running back DJ Giddens.
Giddens rushed for over 1,000 yards last season and Johnson now enters the year as the starter after taking home the Pop-Tarts Bowl MVP and impressing in his limited playing time as a freshman. And with Texas now out of the Big 12, K-State returns as the best-scoring defense in the conference.
3. Oklahoma State
After starting off last season 2-2, which included an upset loss to South Alabama, Oklahoma State rallied and made it all the way to the Big 12 Championship game. Where they lost to a Texas team that’s no longer in the conference, carving out an even more promising championship path for the Cowboys.
Head coach Mike Gundy returns for his 20th season at the helm in Stillwater following his eighth ten-win season. As he’ll likely look upon Doak Walker Award winner and the reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year Ollie Gordon to lead the charge once again.
4. Kansas
Kansas started the college football season on a hot streak for two straight years. But injuries to star quarterback Jalon Daniels have also thrown a wrench into things as the Jayhawks look to break through and finally reach their full potential in 2024.
Daniels returns alongside running back Devin Neal, one of the best one-two punches in the conference when both are healthy. As Neal will look to become the program’s all-time leading rusher this season and Lance Leipold will look to prove why many regard him as one of the best head coaches in the nation.
5. Arizona
Arizona barely cracks into the top five of the preseason poll ahead of their first season in the Big 12. Breaking out last year for a surprising 10-3 finish that represented their best season since 2014.
The head coach who led them there, Jedd Fisch, has moved on and Brent Brennan now takes center stage for the Wildcats. Who will have the help of the quarterback-wide receiver duo of Noah Fifita and Tetairoa McMillan that gave Pac-12 defenses headaches last season.
6. Iowa State
The Cyclones bounced back from a disappointing 4-8 season in 2022 to a 7-6 finish last year. A trend that the media members believe will continue this year with Iowa State ranking No. 6 ahead of the upcoming season.
Quarterback Rocco Becht was named the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year after throwing for 3,120 yards and 23 touchdowns last season. And him taking a leap in his redshirt sophomore season could be the difference for the Cyclones this year.
7. West Virginia
West Virginia head coach Neal Brown entered the 2023 season on the hot seat following two six-win seasons and two five-win seasons in his four years with the program. But a 9-4 season last year cooled his seat off and has Mountaineers’ fans eager for more success.
Running back Jahiem White returns for WVU after helping the Mountaineers lead the Big 12 in rushing yards per game last season. And with a dozen transfer portal additions this offseason, West Virginia could assert themselves in the conference title contender conversation.
8. UCF
Rounding out the top eight is UCF, who will look to build on their six-win debut season in the Big 12 last year. Which they have a strong chance to do, returning to the Big 12 as the only team with a top-five yardage offense and top-five scoring defense from a season ago.
On both sides of the ball, the Knights return some of their most key contributors from last year’s team. But the new addition of quarterback KJ Jefferson from the transfer portal represents a major area of excitement after what he’s shown at Arkansas.
Big 12 Football Preseason Poll (9-16)
9. Texas Tech
10. TCU
11. Colorado
12. Baylor
13. BYU
14. Cincinnati
15. Houston
16. Arizona State