Big 12 Conference Preview 2024: NCAA Football Predictions, Team Insights & Betting Odds
The Big 12 also inherited some misplaced Pac-12 teams and now features 16 total teams in the conference. Although powerhouses like Oregon, USC and Washington entered the Big Ten, the Big 12 added some very solid football teams as well. With plenty of new faces, these teams do not play everyone in their conference anymore, and thus teams could meet for the first time the conference championship game. Let’s take a look at who was added and who broke into the Top 25.
Big 12 Additions
- Arizona State
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Utah
The Big 12 has experienced recent changes with BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF only participating in their second Big 12 season. This will also be the first year without the Longhorns or Sooners. Consequently, the conference is wide open, with many teams believing they have the ability to clinch the Big 12 Title.
Big 12 Ranked Teams
- #12 Utah Utes
- #17 Oklahoma State Cowboys
- #18 Kansas State Wildcats
- #21 Arizona Wildcats
- #22 Kansas Jayhawks
Surprisingly, the Colorado Buffalos are not included in this list, and to be honest, they don’t merit a place. Even though they received one vote to make the poll, they failed to match the immense hype from last year. Now, in their second season under Coach Prime, they face a more challenging and deeper conference than before. Their schedule also does not favor them. However, we’ll delve into that shortly.
Two other teams that narrowly missed the Top 25 but certainly made it into the Top 30 were Iowa State and West Virginia. When we consider the overall odds to win the conference, it’s evident that Vegas also has a preference for the Cyclones.
Odds to Win Big 12 Championship
Is it possible for Cam Rising to fully recover against these challenging Big 12 opponents?
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- Utah +325
- Kansas State +400
- Oklahoma State +600
- UCF +650
- Kansas +850
- Iowa State +900
- Arizona +1200
- Texas Tech +1800
- TCU +1800
- West Virginia +1800
- Colorado +2000
This conference undoubtedly boasts the most potential champions, contrasting with other conferences where there’s a clear favorite. Six teams have odds shorter than 10-1, including two teams that aren’t even in the Top 25 rankings! Despite being the 4th favorite to clinch the Big 12, UCF didn’t receive a single vote to be included in the AP Rankings. Will the Knights be able to silence their critics this year?
The Rest of the Conference
- Baylor 66-1
- Cincinnati 75-1
- Arizona State 100-1
- Houston 100-1
- BYU 100-1
It appears secure to already dismiss these five teams from the championship race, yet, unpredictable things have occurred. This conference is challenging to fully comprehend, and I strongly believe that the schedule will significantly influence these teams’ performance. Let’s delve into the teams and attempt to identify a conference champion!
Big 12 Team Previews
Is it possible for Noah Fifita and the Wildcats to surprise some teams in the Big 12?
Although I won’t discuss all 16 teams in this conference, we will definitely delve into the top half of the league!
Arizona Wildcats
The fresh entrants to the conference find themselves slightly lower on the overall odds board than their #21 ranking might imply, demonstrating the depth of this conference. The Wildcats, led by sophomore QB Noah Fifita, are stepping into the Big 12. While they are scheduled to play against 3 of the projected bottom 5 teams in the conference, their 3 toughest matches will all be away games.
The Wildcats have their 3rd and 4th games of the season scheduled against Kansas State and Utah, respectively. These games could potentially result in 2 early losses for the team. Additionally, later in the year, they will have to travel a long distance to play against UCF, a team predicted by Vegas to have a strong chance at the Big 12 conference. The success of Arizona will largely depend on Fifita’s leadership, however, if they face difficulties during away games, it could prove to be a challenging journey.
Can Campbell and the Cyclones prove their doubters wrong this season?
Iowa State Cyclones
The Cyclones are another team that could pose a surprise, but their schedule is also a cause for concern. They face #25 Iowa on the road in the second week of the season, and they still have matches against UCF, #22 Kansas, and end the year with #12 Utah and #18 Kansas State, both at home. Matt Campbell has a significant number of returnees, but the question remains: can sophomore QB Rocco Becht lead the Cyclones through this extremely tough conference?
Although the Cyclones are scheduled to play against Houston, Baylor, and Cincinnati, which are among the projected bottom five teams in the Big 12, I believe there are other stronger contenders for the conference title.
Can Jalon Daniels manage to maintain his health this year?
Kansas Jayhawks
Jayhawk football is back, so hang on to your hats. With an outstanding season behind them, the team is led by QB Jalon Daniels, who is bringing a fresh burst of energy to the football scene. Kansas is boasting many returning starters from both offense and defense, who were part of last year’s 9-4 Bowl winning team. The question is, can Daniels maintain his health throughout the season? So far, he has never managed to play 10 games in a season for Kansas, and recovering from an injury is never easy. Fortunately, he has plenty of support from the offense, and there’s a possibility that the Jayhawks might catch a few people off guard this season.
Their schedule is notably weak as well. Kansas has managed to evade playing against Utah, Arizona, and Oklahoma State, with their two most challenging games being against Kansas State and Iowa State. As of now, the Wildcats are the only ranked opponent scheduled for the Jayhawks, making it a tempting gamble at +850 odds. The Jayhawks also have the advantage of playing against four of the projected bottom five teams in the Big 12. If they make it to the Conference Championship and go up against the Utah Utes, we could have an excellent opportunity to hedge our bets.
Last year, as a freshman, Avery Johnson assumed the role of the Wildcats’ starter.
Kansas State Wildcats
The alternate Kansas team is set to initiate Avery Johnson as their QB. His prowess with his legs has been impressive, but the question remains: can he throw the ball well enough to lead the Wildcats to another Big 12 Championship? Their path to victory is marred by a challenging schedule, one of the most difficult in the conference. Despite facing 4 of the Big 12’s bottom 5 teams, Kansas State must also contend with 3 ranked opponents and Iowa State.
The Wildcats are now set to host #21 Arizona, #17 Oklahoma State, and #22 Kansas, with their most challenging away game being in Ames to conclude the year. Yet, teams such as Kansas, Oklahoma State, and Utah have significantly simpler schedules, making their victories more critical for the Wildcats. Given how the rest of the league is shaping up, it’s not far-fetched to imagine a team with two losses making it to the Big 12 Championship, with the Cats being a potential contender. Should Avery Johnson successfully guide this high-scoring offense, there’s a chance that Kansas State could even slip into the CFP.
Is it possible for Gordon and the Cowboys to dominate the rest of the Big 12?
Oklahoma State Cowboys
The team that could arguably be the most underrated in the country boasts the nation’s top RB, Ollie Gordon II. Their schedule is also a noteworthy factor, with only two ranked opponents lined up for this year. For the first time in a long time, Oklahoma State won’t be facing their in-state rival during this College Football season, unless they meet in the CFP. Regardless, Oklahoma State is set to host #12 Utah and face off against #18 Kansas State in back-to-back weeks.
Should the Cowboys secure victories in both games, they might have an easy journey ahead, as they are slated to play against less formidable opponents – Arkansas, West Virginia, and Texas Tech. I predict Oklahoma State and Ollie Gordon will dominantly outperform these teams. If the Cowboys begin the season with a 5-0 record, defeating Arkansas, Utah, and KSU, they have a strong chance of making it to the Big 12 Championship game, as I forecast them ending this season with seven consecutive wins based on the latter half of their schedule. With Texas and Oklahoma no longer posing a challenge, I select the Cowboys as my pick to clinically win the Big 12 this season.
Can Rising guide the Utes to a Big 12 Championship in his comeback season?
Utah Utes
The frontrunners to clinch the conference title are the newcomers headed by an injured QB making a comeback. Cam Rising is on a mission to regain his previous form and guide the Utes to a Big 12 Championship this season. Rising is at the helm of a skilled offensive team, but it’s the defense of Utah that truly stands out in my view.
Indeed, they have a simplified schedule, facing only two ranked opponents at present. Utah’s game plan sees them playing at Oklahoma State, currently ranked 17th, and welcoming the 21st-ranked Arizona consecutively in September, effectively tackling their toughest games early on. The year concludes with Utah hosting Iowa State and playing against UCF on their turf. As the season progresses, these games could become challenging due to the extensive travel within the conference.
Although Utah has the potential to win the Big 12, I believe there are a few other teams with less difficult routes that will likely triumph instead.
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Final Big 12 Predictions
- #1 Oklahoma State
- #2 Kansas
- #3 Kansas State
- #4 Utah
- #5 Iowa State
- #6 Arizona
- #7 UCF
- #8 Texas Tech
- #9 West Virginia
- #10 TCU
- #11 Baylor
- #12 Colorado
- #13 Cincinnati
- #14 Arizona State
- #15 Houston
- #16 BYU
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To explore more NCAA Football action, refer to the following pages.
- NCAA Football 2024 Preview
- ACC 2024 Preview
- SEC 2024 Preview
- Big Ten Preview
- NCAA Football Expert Picks
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