Fox Sports analyst puts five Big 12 Conference teams in preseason Top 25 rankings

The Big 12 Conference has a great shot at making the new, 12-team College Football Playoff as long as one or two teams rise above the pack.

That happening isn’t a lock headed into 2024, with at least five or more teams headed into the season with Big 12 title hopes. Fox Sports Analyst and former Colorado quarterback Joel Klatt made that clear with his preseason Top 25 rankings, where he put five teams from the Big 12 in his Top 25.

Utah was the only team to crack the Top 10, landing at No. 9 followed by No. 16 Kansas State, No. 17 Oklahoma State, No. 20 Kansas and No. 21 Arizona.

Klatt had Ohio State at No. 1, followed by No. 2 Georgia and No. 3 Texas in the Longhorns first season in the SEC after leaving the Big 12.

“Death, taxes and Utah football,” Klatt wrote. “This is my pick to win the Big 12. Utah is really good, really tough, and I know the Big 12 teams are not going to want to hear this, but Salt Lake City is now the toughest place to play in the Big 12. Period. That home-field advantage is real; the Utes are incredible at home. And when healthy, this is one of the best teams in the country. They won the Pac-12 the last two times they were healthy. It shouldn't be different in the Big 12. The Utes are aggressive, they've got a great home field, they've got a veteran quarterback. Watch out for Utah. They are my pick in the Big 12.”