Is Deion Sanders a top-5 head coach in the Big 12?
The Big 12 should be a total battle during the 2025 season, with several teams capable of winning the conference.
Every season in the Big 12, surprises happen in both directions. A team like Arizona State will make the College Football Playoff, while the preseason favorite to win the conference, the Utah Utes, has only won two Big 12 games.
That kind of variation makes it a difficult league to coach in. On any given Saturday, any team can win, making sustained success extremely difficult.
The Big 12 has head coaches of all experience levels, including 20-year veterans like Utah’s Kyle Whittingham and others who just finished their first season, like Houston‘s Willie Fritz.
Seven of these coaches could be in the running for a conference championship this year, so here is USA TODAY Sports’ ranking of all 16 Big 12 head coaches:
16. Scott Frost, UCF
Career record: 35-38
UCF record (previous stint): 19-7
He’s back! The question will be whether he can recapture the magic that led to the Knights being able to claim a national title in 2017.
15. Brent Brennan, Arizona
Career record: 38-56
Arizona record: 4-8 (2nd season)
Brennan enters his second season in charge of the Wildcats after vastly underachieving last season. Tetairoa McMillan was a top 10 pick, and now Brennan will have to prove to the fan base that he is the right man for the job.
14. Scott Satterfield, Cincinnati
Career record: 84-64
Cincinnati record: 8-16 (3rd season)
Satterfield enters 2025 likely needing to make a bowl game to get off the hot seat. He began last year 5-2, but ended the year with five losses.
13. Willie Fritz, Houston
Career record: 212-124
Houston record: 4-8 (2nd season)
Willie Fritz’s team can take advantage of a poor schedule this year and perhaps make some noise in the Big 12 in 2025. He has a deeper roster this year, and Fritz is known for turning programs around as he did with Tulane.
12. Lance Leipold, Kansas
Career record: 168-67
Kansas record: 22-28 (5th season)
Leipold might have his best Jayhawk team since he took over the program in 2021. Quarterback Jalon Daniels is back, making reaching a bowl game the expectation.
11. Dave Aranda, Baylor
Career record: 31-30
Baylor record: 31-30 (6th season)
Aranda won the Big 12 title with the Bears in 2021, but the following two seasons were a far cry from that success, winning only nine combined games. Baylor might be some people’s preseason pick to win the conference after winning six of its final seven games to close out 2024.
10. Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia
Career record: 190-129-2
West Virginia record: 60-26 (entering 1st season of his second stint)
One of the more veteran coaches in the Big 12 is back for his second stint in Morgantown. His first stint was so successful that he got the Michigan job. Mountaineers’ fans should hope for a similar outcome.
9. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State
Career record: 169-88 (all with Oklahoma State)
Gundy used to be the cream of the crop when it came to Big 12 head coaches. A 3-9 season last year, combined with an abysmal 0-9 conference record, created doubts about his future. The pressure is on Gundy to steer the Cowboys back toward the top of the Big 12.
8. Sonny Dykes, TCU
Career record: 98-76
TCU record: 27-13 (4th season)
Dykes is one of only two coaches in the Big 12 to make the College Football Playoff. The Horned Frogs struggled in 2023 following their run, but after a 9-4 record last year, they should be back in the thick of the Big 12 race.
7. Kyle Whittingham, Utah
Career record: 167-86 (all with Utah)
Whittingham has hinted at retirement, but after a 2-7 conference season in 2025, he likely wants to leave the Utes on a high. Even with a new offensive coordinator and quarterback, Utah will be a formidable opponent for any Big 12 team.
6. Joey McGuire, Texas Tech
Career record: 23-16 (all with Texas Tech)
During McGuire’s first season with Texas Tech in 2022, the Red Raiders defeated Texas and Oklahoma, a program first. It was also the program’s first winning season in conference play since 2009. After three seasons of at least seven wins and bringing in one of the country’s top transfer portal classes, the Red Raiders look all-in on getting over the hump and making some noise in the Big-12.
5. Deion Sanders, Colorado
Career record: 40-18
Colorado record: 13-12 (3rd season)
Winning without Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter is a different beast than when they were on the field for Sanders’s first two seasons in Colorado. Players around the country want to play for “Coach Prime,” and as long as that continues, the Buffs should be able to field a talented roster.
Career record: 120-41
K-State record: 48-28 (8th season)
Klieman might be the most successful coach in the conference. After winning four FCS championships with North Dakota State from 2014 to 2019, Klieman continued to win when he got the job at K-State. The Wildcats have only one losing season since Klieman took over, and they should be considered the top favorite in the Big 12 this year.
Career record: 99-66
Iowa State record: 64-51 (10th season)
Campbell is the winningest coach in school history and consistently seems to have the Cyclones in contention. Last year was Iowa State’s first 11-win season, and there is a solid foundation to build off of in Ames.
2. Kalani Sitake, BYU
Career record: 72-43 (all with BYU)
Sitake took BYU to national prominence with Zach Wilson under center and transitioned the Cougars from being independent to the Big 12. After a down year in 2023, 11 wins last year put BYU on the cusp of a CFP berth. With seven bowl appearances in Sitake’s nine seasons, winning six games is the minimum in Provo.
1. Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State
Career record: 14-12 (all with Arizona State)
Dillingham returned to his alma mater and led the Sun Devils to the College Football Playoff, completing a major turnaround for the program. The 34-year-old head coach may be just starting, but the makings are there for Dillingham to have a long and successful career. ASU will be a significant Big 12 contender in 2025 and beyond.
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