What-If Wednesday: Big 12 Final Four Teams, Media Bias vs. Big 12 and Colorado’s 2024 Expectations
Join us for this one and let’s have some fun.
Welcome into our newest feature, we’re calling, “What-If Wednesday”. In this column, I’ll propose a handful of questions that, at this point, have not come to fruition. But IF they do, what will come out of it? What’s the end game?
Join us for this one and let’s have some fun.
What If the Big 12 Conference has depth, but lacks a Final Four team?
Then there will be national media who push a narrative that the Big 12 wasn’t as good as many thought it was this season. But that won’t be an accurate assessment of this conference in 2023-24.
The Big 12 is absolutely loaded and is clearly the deepest conference in the country, but it is entirely possible this league doesn’t have a Final 4 team. That would not shock me. But then again, could it have two? Sure.
By the way, for those counting at home, the most teams from a conference that made the same Final Four was three, which occurred in 1985 when St. John’s, Georgetown and Villanova earned bids from the Big East.
I can’t see that scenario playing out for the Big 12.
The Big 12 is eyeing 10-11 NCAA Tournament teams, according to the latest Joe Lunardi Bracketology, but only Houston and Kansas are Top 3 seeds. And I could see a red-hot team beating Houston with a barrage of three pointers, or Kansas’ depth being an issue for them come March.
So no matter what, we’re watching the deepest, and best, conference in the country, even if things don’t pan out with deep March runs.
What If the media stopped downplaying the future of Big 12 football?
Then there wouldn’t be hit pieces like this from 247Sports claiming the Big 12 has some of the weakest college football schedules in the country in 2024.
Cincinnati was given the easiest schedule in college football. Yes, their non-con is weak with Towson, Pitt and Miami (OH), but it’s not awful. Plus, their conference schedule includes roads games at Kansas State, Iowa State, Texas Tech and UCF, four teams that could easily find themselves in the Top 25 and in the hunt for a Big 12 Title next season. That’s possibly four ranked games there, all on the road, along with West Virginia at home, plus TCU, who was in a National Championship two seasons ago.
It’s just ridiculous. We understand Oklahoma and Texas are leaving, but the notion that this league is going to be a cake walk is simply a talking point for those who continue to obsess, and make the bulk of their money and clicks, from the SEC and Big Ten.
What If the Colorado Buffaloes don’t go bowling in 2024?
Then the shine will wear off Deion Sanders. And right now, as Bryan Clinton talked about on our message boards (sign up for free here!).
Vegas has the win total set at 4.5, and the schedule doesn’t exactly instill a ton of confidence…
- North Dakota State (Aug. 31)
- @ Nebraska (Sep. 7)
- @ Colorado State (Sep. 14)
- @ Arizona (Date TBA)
- Utah (Date TBA)
- Baylor (Date TBA)
- Oklahoma State (Date TBA)
- Kansas State (Date TBA)
- Cincinnati (Date TBA)
- @ Kansas (Date TBA)
- @ Texas Tech (Date TBA)
- @ UCF (Date TBA)
It’s not impossible to think CU could be 1-2 after non-conference play. And then, it’s anyone’s guess what the league looks like, but if you’re trying to find wins, Baylor, Cincinnati and…. well, that’s it, feel like the best bets, and they won’t be easy.
Colorado could end up in the basement of the league, and if that happens, it will be interesting times in Boulder. Heck, who am I kidding? It already is.
