Greg McElroy Names Power Four Conference With Zero National Title Contenders

There's more questions than answers when considering which college football program will rise to the top of the new-look Big 12 Conference.

The conference isn't what it once was, at least on the surface. Perennial powers Texas and Oklahoma are now in the SEC. Arizona, Arizona State, Utah and Colorado are headed into their first season in the Big 12.

In the preseason coaches poll by USA Today Sports, the conference is represented by four selections in Utah (No. 13)  Kansas State (No. 17), Oklahoma State (No. 18) Arizona (No. 21) and Kansas (No. 24).

Texas comes in at No. 4 followed by Oklahoma at No. 16.

As far as expectations for the Big 12 for the 2024 season, ESPN's Greg McElroy doesn't see a team contending for the national championship, though there are solid teams that could make their case for the College Football Playoff.

“There are none in this league,” McElroy said on 'Always College Football' . “With all due respect to the Utah Utes and the Kansas State Wildcats, the Kansas Jayhawks, and the Oklahoma State Cowboys, I think there’s a lot of teams in this league that can get to the College Football Playoff. I just don’t think there are any that can win the national championship.”

Texas brought the last national championship to the conference in 2005. A Big 12 team has played for the title just once (2008 Oklahoma) since the Longhorns beat USC in the historic Rose Bowl matchup.

While conference realignment has seemingly stalled the Big 12's chances at winning it all, the expanded format provides a unique opportunity for outliers to make a postseason run.

Related: Notre Dame Receives Devastating Blow Ahead Of College Football Season