What we have learned about the new Big 12 so far
Three weeks into the season, some pre-season predictions for the new Big 12 are still in play, while others have definitely missed the mark. Mostly, and maybe to the chagrin of the naysayers, the new Big 12—even without the alleged heft provided by former members Texas and Oklahoma—seems to be doing just fine.
If there is one negative about this new conference, it is too unwieldy, almost frustratingly—indeed, exhaustingly—too big. (And boy did I feel that while writing this piece)!
But that’s not specifically a Big 12 problem, since the new Big Ten is also entirely too large to make any sort of football sense. But hey, money is this sport’s only god and this is the sacrifice that god demands.
“Begin at the beginning,” the King said, very gravely, “and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”
Arizona (2-1)
Of the four teams that formally joined the Big 12 this summer, Arizona was probably the most eager to make the switch. Football probably didn’t have a lot to do with that though. Although the Wildcats began the season ranked in the Top 25, that’s not common in Tucson and seems to have created some unusual expectations, including some Heisman hype for quarterback Noah Fifita.
Unfortunately, a blowout loss to Kansas State and a predictable drop out of the rankings has Arizona searching for an identity. The bye week could not have come at a better time.
Fun fact: Head coach Brent Brennan has worn a lei on the sidelines of every game so far this season in honor of Fifita and star wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, who are both of Polynesian descent, as are 12 other players on the roster.
Arizona State (3-0)
The Sun Devils were not well regarded coming into the season. Indeed, the Big 12 media preseason poll had Arizona State in last place and not a single player landed on the preseason all-conference team. Predictably, this has fans rankled, with some claiming DISRESPEKT (They probably don’t know that’s our thing, but they’re new to the conference, so we’ll let it go. This time).
A funny thing happened though. Quietly, and with almost no attention paid to even the Sun Devils’ win over the SEC’s Mississippi State, Kenny Dillingham’s team is now 3-0 and almost certainly headed to a bowl game. Running back Cameron Skattebo has a lot to do with it. Through three games, he already has 373 yards on the ground, the lion’s share coming against CLANGA, earning him national player of the week honors, and Big 12 offensive player of the week recognition. His play and the steadiness of quarterback Sam Leavitt should help Arizona State when they open Big 12 play against Texas Tech.
Baylor (2-1)
Right now, there is no team in the Big 12 that is more confusing than Baylor. The Bears began the season with a solid 45-3 win over an overmatched Tarleton State team, but then disappeared against Utah, losing 23-12 (Yep, it was yet another non-conference game featuring two Big 12 teams). Quarterback Dequan Finn struggled against the Utes, taking three sacks and also losing a fumble.
Interestingly though, the Bears followed up that demoralizing loss with a comprehensive 31-3 win over Air Force. The reemergence of Dave Aranda’s defense had a lot to do with it. The Bears held Air Force to just 26 yards through the air, and kept the Falcons’ usually potent rushing attack under 200 yards.
BYU (3-0)
For BYU’s embattled offense, the only way was up after a dismal performance down the stretch last year. So far, three weeks into their sophomore Big 12 season, the Cougars are undefeated, but blowout wins over Wyoming (34-14) and Southern Illinois (41-13) may not be all that revealing. Those wins were bookends around an 18-15 win over SMU.
That win over the Mustangs was technically an upset, but it exposed some of BYU’s offensive problems. Quarterback Jake Retzlaff was particularly shaky, losing a fumble and throwing two interceptions in the game, and the Cougar defense had to bail the team out. Retzlaff did well against Wyoming, rewarding the coaching staff for their decision to stick with him, but remained somewhat inconsistent. A night game against Kansas State should be a better yardstick. For both teams.
UCF (3-0)
The Knights’ first two wins, a 57-3 romp over New Hampshire and a 45-14 pasting of Sam Houston State, were easy and predictable. Their most recent game though? A different story altogether. UCF’s RJ Harvey is currently the conference rushing leader (3rd, FBS), and his 180 yards rushing helped the Knights overcome three blocked kicks and a 21-point deficit to beat TCU 35-34.
UCF was the first new Big 12 team to score a win over an OG conference team when they beat Oklahoma State at home last season. This season, a signature win over another (sort of) Big 12 power has helped UCF move to the top of the league. UCF’s presence there is not a fluke. On talent alone (a lot of it from the transfer portal), this team can probably play with anyone, and is currently leading the conference in total offense and rushing yards. Through three games, the Knights have already piled up 1712 yards of total offense, nearly 600 yards/game, most of that on the ground. Underestimate the Knights at your own peril.
Cincinnati (2-1)
The Bearcats first season in the Big 12 did not go to plan, when Cincinnati dropped six straight conference games after a 2-1 start featuring an upset loss to Miami (OH). This season, the team is rounding into the Big 12 season with the same 2-1 record and it’s not clear that much has changed.
Cincinnati seems to be on some sort of revenge tour. The one loss so far is a 28-27 heartbreaker against Pitt, a loser in this game last year. This year’s loss was made worse by the Bearcats squandering a 21-point lead in the third quarter to lose at home. Despite a 150-yard rushing effort from running back Corey Kiner, special teams miscues and penalties cost Cincinnati a comfortable non-con win over a Power 4 team. The Bearcats got back on track with a 27-16 revenge win over Miami (OH). Now they take on an improving Houston squad looking to avenge last year’s loss, Cincinnati’s only conference victory in 2023.
Colorado (2-1)
Welcome back, Buffs! We can’t say we missed you exactly, but a familiar foe is better than a strange one. Coach Prime’s 2023 outing was more side show than football last year. After a 3-0 start though, the hype train collided with reality and the Buffs finished the season 4-8 and on a six-game losing streak.
This season is quieter in Boulder as it should be after an off-season marred by player transfers and Deion Sanders’ tense relationship with local media. But on the field so far, the Buffs have been adequate. Colorado’s non-con efforts brought a narrow 31-26 escape against North Dakota State and a 28-10 loss to old rival Nebraska that was not as close as the score might suggest, followed by a big win over in-state rival Colorado State, a team that is just not good right now.
It’s hard to predict the season because there is real talent on the field at CU, even if execution is a bit lacking. But the Buffs’ next game against a Baylor team leading the nation in pass defense should tell us plenty.
Houston (1-2)
2024 marks the beginning of the Willie Fritz era in Houston, but the start has been shaky at best. After getting rocked at home by UNLV, an embarrassing 27-7 loss in which the Cougars were consistently outplayed, the team rallied to barely lose to Oklahoma 16-12, a defensive contest that saw Houston hold the Sooners scoreless in the second half.
Houston needed a big win and finally got it against Rice, rolling over the Owls 33-7 to bring the Bayou Bucket home. QB Donovan Smith had himself a great game, but it was Houston’s defense that stood out in the blowout win. The Cougars held the Owls to just 159 yards total, including just 75 on the ground.
Iowa State (2-0)
Thanks to an early bye week, the Cyclones are a game behind the rest of the conference. The team won its first game, a pedestrian 21-3 effort against the North Dakota [REDACTED] that exposed the Clones’ weaknesses on defense. Iowa State is soft against the run and that was well exploited by arch rival Iowa in the Cy-Hawk game.
But wouldn’t you know it, the normally stout Iowa defense gave up 272 yards to Rocco Becht and the Iowa State passing game, resulting in the Clones’ huge 20-19 win over Iowa. Props to Kyle Konrardy, who kicked a game-winning 53-yard field goal in his first college game.
They may still be celebrating in Ames, but Iowa State still has a game against Arkansas State to wrap up the non-conference schedule.
Kansas (1-2)
LOLWUT. That is all.
This section of the Big 12 Roundup brought to you entirely by schadenfreude.
Oklahoma State (3-0)
Are the Pokes among the favorites to win the Big 12? Maybe, but it’s hard to say with any certainty. A third quarter explosion in the opening game helped Oklahoma State beat South Dakota State 44-20 to end the Jackrabbits’ 29-game winning streak. Last week, QB Alan Bowman (who is now a 7th-year senior!) threw a career-high five touchdown passes in a 45-10 romp over Tulsa. Sandwiched between those two laughers was an epic dogfight against Arkansas where the Pokes set up overtime with an 18-point fourth quarter, and the game ended only RB Ollie Gordon ran for touchdown and caught a 2-point conversion in 2OT.
Hidden in all this winning is that Oklahoma State’s defense is struggling a bit. The Pokes gave up 650 yards to Arkansas, including 400+ yards through the air, and that’s on top of the nearly 300 yards of passing the team allowed against their other opponents. The passing offense has kept Oklahoma State in the game so far this season, even when Gordon has struggled to match his 2023 production, but all units will be severely tested by a physically tough Utah squad.
TCU (2-1)
Last season, just a year removed from an undefeated regular season and a spot in the national title game, the wheels came off for TCU. This season at least started better, with a 34-27 road win over Stanford that included QB Josh Hoover leading the team on a methodical 74-yard drive to win the game. That was followed by a 45-0 beatdown of hapless LIU, the Frogs’ best defensive effort since 2012.
Then the ghost of 2023 showed up again. TCU led by as much as three touchdowns going into the 4th quarter, but a massive defensive collapse in the second half allowed UCF to score on four of its last five possessions and win the game 35-34. The loss dropped TCU to last place in the Big 12. A rivalry game against SMU might help right the ship, but Sonny Dykes’ seat is getting a lot warmer.
Texas Tech (2-1)
The 2-1 record notwithstanding, Texas Tech has not had a great season right out of the gate The Red Raiders needed OT to put Abilene Christian away 52-51, a game where ACU’s quarterback had over 500 yards passing and was a failed 2-point conversion from winning the game. Tech then promptly laid down against the PAC-2’s Washington State, getting blown out 37-16. Much of that was due to Wazzu’s sudden offensive burst in the second quarter, keyed by Cougs’ QB John Mateer’s 197-yard rushing effort. A 66-21 beatdown of North Texas, with 52 points scored in the first half, equaled the school’s scoring record and may have put some doubts to bed.
But concerns about the defense—and Joey Maguire’s future in Lubbock—remain. Tech’s next opponent, Arizona State, should present a season-defining challenge for the program.
Utah (3-0)
The Utes are everyone’s pick to win the Big 12, and so far, Utah has done nothing to make people second-guess that choice. The 3-0 start includes a hard-fought 23-12 victory in the trenches against a defensively tough Baylor team, a 49-0 rolling of Southern Utah, and a closer-than-expected 38-21 win over in-state rival Utah State.
Utah isn’t exactly cruising though. QB Cam Rising missed the last game with a hand injury, but should be back against Oklahoma State. He’s almost essential for the Utes to have success against the Pokes. The game in Stillwater will also be the first time Utah has left the state this season, and I’m not sure anything this season has prepared the Utes for that.
West Virginia (1-2)
Last year, Neal Brown’s hot seat got a tiny bit cooler when the ‘Eers started the season 4-1 with a big win over Pitt in the Backyard Brawl, and then ended the season 9-4. The start to this season has been less comfortable. A 49-14 win over Albany went about as expected, but it came between a disappointing 34-12 loss to Penn State and a devastating 38-34 collapse against Pitt.
So is Brown on the hot seat again this season? Maybe. The loss to Penn State involved what some fans have termed a lack of effort, and against Pitt, some of Brown’s coaching decisions were frustrating headscratchers. A game against Kansas to open Big 12 play might be the thing that gets this team back on track.