With Oklahoma and Texas making the move to the SEC, the race to the Big 12 title game is wide open. Several new teams have transitioned to the Big 12 Conference this upcoming college football season including Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and Arizona State.
Oklahoma State, West Virginia, and Kansas State will also be back in the mix after successful campaigns in 2023.
The college football season kicks off in under two months and Athlon Sports’ Steven Lassan revealed which two teams he expects to make it to the Big 12 Championship game.
His Big 12 championship game prediction pits the Utah Utes against the Kansas State Wildcats, with Kyule Whittingham and company taking home the hardware as first-year members of the Big 12.
With Cam Rising set to start after missing all of last season with an injury, the expectations are high in Salt Lake City. Not only does Lassan think Utah can win the conference with their offensive firepower, but the Utes’ defense is what can truly take this team to the top of the Big 12.
Lassan wrote, “Defense has been an annual strength in Salt Lake City, and that’s not expected to change in ’24. The Utes bring back eight starters off a unit that limited teams to 19.3 points a game last year.”
Even though Kansas State finished last season with a record of 9-4, each loss was only by one possession.
With former starting QB Will Howard off to Ohio State, rising sophomore Avery Johnson showed Wildcats fans what he can do at the helm. In K-State’s bowl victory win over NC State, Johnson had 178 passing yards, 71 yards on the ground, and three total touchdowns.
In Week 1, many eyes will be on both programs, with Kansas State opening up against UT Martin and the Utes taking on Southern Utah.
