The Preseason College Football Coaches Poll dropped on Monday, and several Big 12 teams were featured. Preseason polling is undoubtedly inherently flawed, but at least it gives you an idea where the heads are for, in this case, the coaches across college football.
So as we get set to embark on the start of another college football season, here are my top five takeaways on the preseason coaches poll, from a Big 12 perspect.
1. The Big 12 is Well Represented
Five Big 12 teams made the preseason Coaches Poll, which is solid representation and showcases the likely depth of this league. Arizona State leads the way at No. 11, followed by Kansas State at No. 20, Iowa State at No. 22, BYU at No. 23, and Texas Tech at No. 24.
That’s five teams, more than the top-heavy SEC who has three in Clemson, Miami and SMU. This is an important distinction as the SEC and Big Ten try to create a Power 2, but then the Big 12 coming in third, albeit in a preseason poll which we always take with a grain of salt, does provide some value in the optics game that is college football.
2. Stacked in the 20’s
As expected, the Big 12 Conference saw a run of four teams in five slots from 20 to 24. The Big 12 is a mish-mosh of depth in the top half of the league, and the order will be anyone’s guess. But the fact that the Big 12 saw a bunch of teams bunched up will not come as a surprise to anyone who has followed this league in recent years.
The Big 12 remains as unpredictable as any conference in America, which also makes it the most entertaining. Is there a National Championship contender right now? That remains to be seen, but damn it’s going to be an entertaining few months that will far exceed any other conference at the Power level.
3. Arizona State’s Distance
Arizona State’s position just outside the top ten highlights the national respect Kenny Dillingham’s group has built. The Sun Devils closed 2024 on a surge and return quarterback Sam Leavitt, along with a defense that proved opportunistic down the stretch.
However, I was surprised that there was a nine-position gap between the Sun Devils and the next Big 12 team with Kansas State at No. 20. If you had told me the highest-ranked Big 12 team would be nine slots ahead of the No. 2 Big 12 team, I would have been shocked.
Arizona State came in higher than I expected, which good for them and good for the Big 12. Kenny Dillingham has this team set up for success, and it doesn’t look like 2024 was an accident. But I don’t think the gap between No. 1 and No. 2 in the Big 12 will ultimately be all that big when the season gets underway.
4. BYU: Too Much Love?
I know BYU fans are not in love with me right now, but I don’t think this is a Top 25 team in the country. As I ranked them this week, I think the Cougars have the worst quarterback situation in the Big 12 heading into the season. They will have a strong defense and great special teams, but can that overcome mediocrity at the most important position in football? The three-way QB battle is between McCae Hillstead, Treyson Bourguet and true freshman Bear Bachmeier, the former two who have zero experience at this level. If Coach Sitake gets this team to be in the Big 12 race in November, it will be an incredible testament to his abilities as a head coach, which we already know are excellent.
5. No Baylor or TCU?
Both Baylor and TCU were in the “receiving votes” category, but one, if not both, should be in the Top 25 going into this season. Baylor, in particular, is the most overlooked team in the Big 12 Conference, and maybe the country. The offense may be the best in the league this season, while if Dave Aranda can get the defense to be in the top half of the Big 12, they can play for a Big 12 title in Arlington come December. Meantime, TCU may have the best signal caller in the league in Josh Hoover, and like Baylor, if the defense of the Frogs gets figured out, watch out for this team as the season progresses.
