The college football season ended 40 days ago. Why not start predictions now?
The Big 12 has become known for its top-to-bottom parity the last several seasons. So, here’s an early look at how it could play out in 2025:
1. Arizona State
The Sun Devils lost star running back Cam Skattebo to the NFL, but they brought in Army transfer Kanye Udoh, who rushed for 1,117 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. Quarterback Sam Leavitt is back, and so is most of the Sun Devils’ defense.
ASU won the Big 12 Championship last season and nearly beat Texas in the College Football Playoff. It gets the No. 1 spot in the unpredictable Big 12.
2. Kansas State
A second act of an Avery Johnson-Dylan Edwards backfield gives the Wildcats a chance to have an explosive offense. Johnson is superbly talented, and after a full season as a starting quarterback, he should improve in Year 2.
KSU went 9-4 last season and won the Rate Bowl. And Chris Klieman-coached teams always have a shot to make a run, putting the Wildcats at No. 2.
3. Iowa State
The Cyclones get another season with Rocco Becht at quarterback after going 11-3 and reaching the Big 12 title game, and they’re in a great position to return to Arlington.
ISU’s defense allowed 22.9 points last season — fourth fewest in the Big 12 — and is always solid under defensive coordinator Jon Heacock. Give the Cyclones a good chance to make a run in 2025.
4. BYU
The Cougars surprised with an 11-2 season in 2024 and finished the season ranked No. 13 in the Associated Press Poll, marking the 20th time in the program’s history it finished a season ranked.
With Jake Retzlaff back under center and a defense that gave up the fewest points per game in the conference, BYU has the potential to make noise.
5. Texas Tech
TTU has high expectations after bringing in the nation’s top transfer portal class, according to On3.
The Red Raiders went 8-5 last season with Behren Morton’s at quarterback. He threw for 3,335 yards and 27 touchdowns and has several talented pieces to work with. This is the team for Joey McGuire and Co. to have a real shot at winning the league.
6. Baylor
The Bears got red hot down the stretch of last season, winning six of their final seven games, and got good quarterback play from Sawyer Robertson. Their nonconference schedule features a tough back-to-back slate against Auburn and SMU, but that might help tune them up for Big 12 play.
The jury might still be out on coach Dave Aranda, but he bounced back well last season after his seat was scorching.
7. Kansas
The Jayhawks were arguably the best team in the Big 12 during the final four weeks of last season. They beat Iowa State, BYU and Colorado and lost to Kansas State by two points.
With quarterback Jalon Daniels returning and a newly-renovated stadium, KU football has things to look forward to. It’s up to Daniels, Lance Leipold and Co. to put something together.
8. Utah
The Utes underperformed in 2024 with a 5-7 record, but they dealt with several injuries and had four quarterbacks attempt 30 or more passes.
But Kyle Wittingham’s track record speaks for itself, and assuming the Utes get better injury luck under center, they should finish as a top-eight team in the Big 12.
9. Colorado
Deion Sanders won’t have his son Shedeur leading the offense anymore, and the Buffaloes will also be without college football’s best player, Travis Hunter.
Transfer quarterback Kaidon Salter (Liberty) is talented, but without players of Sanders and Hunter’s caliber, CU will need several players to step up and fill big shoes.
10. Houston
In his second season as the Cougars’ coach, Willie Fritz has UH trending upward. But it still has a ways to go.
The Cougars brought in Texas A&M quarterback Conner Weigman, who was up-and-down as an Aggie but showed talent and won multiple SEC games against ranked opponents. UH also bolstered its offensive line and finished seventh in 247 Sports’ Big 12 transfer portal rankings, giving Fritz a much better chance to field a good squad.
11. TCU
The Horned Frogs went 9-4 last season, but that doesn’t tell the entire story.
Five of their six conference wins were against bottom-seven teams, and three of them were against the three worst teams: Oklahoma State, UCF and Arizona. TCU also suffered losses to Houston and UCF which finished 12th and 14th in the conference, respectively.
12. Oklahoma State
OSU’s 2024 season was a disaster. The Cowboys brought back most of a team that went to the Big 12 Championship, yet they finished 3-9 and 0-9 in Big 12 play — the worst under Mike Gundy.
Unlike last season, OSU will have new players at most positions and new coordinators on both sides of the ball.
13. Cincinnati
The Bearcats have talented Brendan Sorsby returning at quarterback, but they didn’t close the 2024 season on a strong note after losing five straight games.
Scott Satterfield, now in year 3, will look to have his first winning season at Cincy.
14. Arizona
There’s a lot of reasons the Wildcats don’t have momentum heading into the 2025 season.
Star wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan is on his way to the NFL, and seven additional starters from last season’s team went elsewhere. Brent Brennan has a lot on his plate.
15. West Virginia
WVU hired Rich Rodriguez to replace Neal Brown after the Mountaineers went 6-7 last season.
Although Rodriguez coached WVU to three straight double-digit-win seasons from 2005-07, the Mountaineers are in a much different place right now and have a lot of work to do.
16. UCF
Like Rodriguez at WVU, Scott Frost returned to a former employer for a second stint as head coach.
The Knightsfinished 4-8 last season and are 5-13 in Big 12 play since joining the conference. Can Frost work some magic like he did in 2017? He guided the Knights to a 13-0 season before accepting the Nebraska job, which didn’t go well.
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