The Athletic’s Chris Vannini released his preseason rankings for all 136 FBS teams heading into 2025, and the Big 12’s placement paints a clear picture of where the league stacks up nationally.
The highest-ranked Big 12 team is Arizona State at No. 8, giving the Sun Devils top-10 status in just their second year as a conference member. Utah follows at No. 18, providing the league with a second top-20 program.
Behind them, a cluster of contenders fills out the top 25. Kansas State landed at No. 21, Texas Tech at No. 24, and Iowa State at No. 27, signaling a league that could feature multiple ranked teams throughout the season. Baylor at No. 28 was just outside the top group, while BYU (No. 32), TCU (No. 35), and Kansas (No. 36) all sat firmly in the upper third of the rankings.
The middle tier begins with Colorado at No. 51, while Cincinnati (No. 67), Oklahoma State (No. 68), and West Virginia (No. 69) all clustered together in the back half of the top 70. From there, Houston checked in at No. 74, Arizona at No. 77, and UCF at No. 82.
Taken as a whole, the list reflects both strength and depth. Arizona State and Utah are being treated as national players, while Kansas State and Texas Tech remain squarely in the Big 12 title conversation. The middle group, ranging from Baylor to Kansas, represents the type of competitive depth that has come to define the league. At the same time, traditional powers like Oklahoma State and West Virginia have ground to make up after slipping into the lower half of the rankings.
Vannini’s list is not gospel, but it provides a preseason roadmap. The Big 12 may lack a top-five juggernaut, but with nine teams inside the top 40, the race for Arlington looks as deep and unpredictable as ever.
