What my Big 12 preseason poll looks like

Thanks to Ian Boyd, I was reminded that today is the deadline for media to submit picks for the Big 12 preseason poll and preseason All-Big 12 teams. Thanks to Ian Boyd, I started and completed work on my Big 12 preseason poll and preseason All-Big 12 teams today.

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Most of my preseason team looks similar to the one submitted by our X’s and O’s expert, though I made sure to include Ryan Sanborn as my preseason All-Big 12 punter over his selection.

He and I differed on our preseason poll, but we both included Texas at the top. That should come as no surprise, but what about the rest of my 14-team poll?

1 Texas

I’ll feed into the preseason hype that many other media members will make contributions to. The talented roster, the improvement from Year 1 to Year 2 under Steve Sarkisian, and the sense of urgency that hasn’t been felt in Austin in some time places the Longhorns No. 1 in my preseason poll — the last Big 12 preseason poll they’ll ever appear in.

2 Kansas State

The conference arguably runs through Manhattan (a place the Horns don’t have to travel to this year). After winning the Big 12 last season, Chris Klieman‘s team returns several key contributors including the quarterback that could have led them to the College Football Playoff in Will Howard. Making up for Deuce Vaughn‘s lost production will be a task.

3 Texas Tech

Texas Tech feels like it has the chance to do something special this season, Joey McGuire‘s second leading the Red Raiders.

Clarity at quarterback with Tyler Shough, a dynamite offensive system led by Zach Kittley, and an overall culture that seems as strong as ever has Tech feeling as great about an upcoming season since the days Mike Leach was on the Jones AT&T Stadium sidelines.

4 Oklahoma State

Doubt Mike Gundy at your own peril. There’s a lot to replace, including the starting quarterback, but the Cowboys have a favorable schedule. They play all four of the new Big 12 schools, host Oklahoma and Kansas State, and avoid Texas, Baylor, Texas Tech, and TCU.

5 Oklahoma

Oklahoma probably fares better than 6-7 last year if Dillon Gabriel stays healthy. While that’s still a major factor this season, the Sooners have a safety net in Jackson Arnold they didn’t have in 2022. Sooner faithful learned last year what Texas fans knew all too well from the previous decade: Year 1 under new head coaches that come in and ‘change the culture’ are filled with growing pains. Changing a defensive system on top of that? There’s a lot to improve upon in Year 2 for Brent Venables.

6 TCU

It’s hard to discount Sonny Dykes‘ coaching acumen, but many of the main characters from the 2022 team are no longer in Fort Worth. Dykes and company did well in the portal, and they set an upper-half floor for the Horned Frogs, but this new group will have to prove it can mesh together like the 2022 squad.

7 Kansas

This almost feels too low, but after seeing how much Jalon Daniels elevated the Jayhawks last year, this feels right considering the role he has in the offense and the pounding he might regularly take. This ranking is a major compliment to the work Lance Leipold has done.

8 Iowa State

Iowa State played 12 games last year. Seven of hem were one-possession games, including six of their eight losses. Matt Campbell‘s teams have a good baseline competency, and the Cyclones get Oklahoma State, TCU, Kansas, and Texas at home this year. They’ll be the beneficiary of some bounces, too.

9 Central Florida

Congrats are in order for being my highest ranked Big 12 newcomer. Big Gus Malzahn and John Rhys Plumlee fan here, but depth will be tested in Year 1.

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10 BYU

Taysom Hill can’t hurt Texas anymore. There are still some talented players on the BYU roster and their maturity is a factor to consider, but there’s nothing that suggests this is a team that’s anything more than a middle of the pack Big 12 roster in the Cougars’ first year as a Power 5 member.

11 Baylor

Baylor decided to roll with Blake Shapen at quarterback. While Richard Reese will elevate their wide zone-centric offense, Shapen has yet to be a difference-maker and there’s a lack of impact players on Dave Aranda‘s defense this year.

12 Cincinnati

Take the roster questions that all four new teams have and add in a significant downgrade at head coach. Scott Satterfield is no Luke Fickell.

13 West Virginia

Neal Brown is lucky to still have a job, and I’m not sure how long he’ll retain it into the season even with that big buyout. A Bob Huggins replacement may be what WVU elects to attack first, but a potential 1-4 start might be tough to ignore.

14 Houston

Dana Holgorsen lost too much production to the draft and the portal to feel confident about the Cougars’ first year in the Power 5 ranks.