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Athlon Sports
Big 12 Football: Preseason 2024 Power Rankings
By Steven Lassan,
6 hours ago
Fall practice for the 2024 college football season will soon be underway for all 134 teams, which means the start of the year with actual games Week 0 on Aug. 24 isn't far behind. With the '24 season right around the corner, it's time to power rank all 16 teams in the Big 12.
The Big 12 could be the most wide-open title race among power conferences this year. Utah, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Kansas, Arizona, Iowa State, and West Virginia all have a case to be picked in the conference title game, while TCU, Texas Tech, Colorado, and UCF are wild cards to watch. The other five teams in the league - Arizona State, BYU, Baylor, Houston, and Cincinnati - could all push for a bowl if the pieces fall into place.
How do the 16 teams in the conference stack up this fall? Athlon Sports power ranks the Big 12 teams for 2024:
The return of quarterback Cameron Rising after missing all of 2023 due to a knee injury should provide a major boost to a Utah offense that averaged only 23.2 points a contest last year. And as always in Salt Lake City, coach Kyle Whittingham and coordinator Morgan Scalley will develop the defense into one of the nation's best. The Utes have a few holes to plug on this side of the ball but no glaring weakness on a unit that allowed 19.3 points per game in '23.
Rising star quarterback Avery Johnson and dynamic one-two punch at running back in DJ Giddens and Dylan Edwards headline a dangerous K-State offense in '24. This unit could carry it to the program's second Big 12 title in three years. Coach Chris Klieman's biggest concern on offense is how a revamped line holds up in conference play. The Wildcats also return seven starters from a defense that limited opponents to 21 points a contest last year. This unit should be one of the best in the conference once again.
Mike Gundy's squad returns the most starters (20) of any team in the Big 12 for 2024. Getting back to the Big 12 title game (and winning it) will hinge on how far coordinator Bryan Nardo can improve a defense that allowed 31.6 points in Big 12 play last year. Also, quarterback Alan Bowman (12th in the conference in QB rating) needs to be more consistent to pair with the experienced offensive line and ground game led by running back Ollie Gordon II.
The Jayhawks have made steady progress under coach Lance Leipold and are poised to contend for the Big 12 title in 2024. Quarterback Jalon Daniels returns from injury to pilot a high-powered offense that also features some of the Big 12's top skill talent. For Kansas to win the conference, the defense needs to continue to improve on the stat sheet. A revamped defensive line is a concern, but the secondary will be a strength with two standout cornerbacks in Mello Dotson and Cobee Bryant returning this fall.
Arizona could have a few speed bumps as it navigates the coaching transition from Jedd Fisch to Brent Brennan, but the return of quarterback Noah Fifita and receiver Tetairoa McMillan will help the Wildcats contend for a spot in the Big 12 title game. The Wildcats made strides on defense under Fisch, but this unit enters the fall with question marks on a revamped front. Brennan's debut also features a favorable schedule, as Arizona misses Iowa State, Kansas, and Oklahoma State, while the matchup against Kansas State is a non-conference affair.
Iowa State is positioned for a run at a spot in the Big 12 title game with 17 starters returning from a squad that went 6-3 in conference play last season. Coach Matt Campbell's squad doesn't have many glaring weaknesses, as the offense returns quarterback Rocco Becht, a veteran offensive line, and a couple of key skill players - running back Abu Sama III and receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. A defense that returns nine starters could be the best in the conference this fall.
Low expectations surrounded coach Neal Brown's team last season, but the Mountaineers delivered a 9-4 season that was capped by a bowl win over North Carolina. West Virginia won't fly under the radar this year and a challenging schedule won't make it easy to match the nine-win mark from '23. However, Brown's team is still going to be a factor in the Big 12 title picture with quarterback Garrett Greene and a standout duo of running backs (CJ Donaldson and Jahiem White) leading the way. There's room to improve on defense (29.9 points allowed in Big 12 play), but this unit should have more depth and talent in '24 thanks to Brown's work in the transfer portal.
Coach Sonny Dykes took steps this offseason to help TCU rebound from last year's disappointing 5-7 record. Former Boise State head coach Andy Avalos was hired to call the defensive signals, while a handful of transfers were added to patch a suspect secondary. Quarterback Josh Hoover showed promise in the second half of '23 and should handle the full-time role under center this fall. If Hoover continues to progress, and TCU solidifies a line with just one returning starter, then Dykes' squad will easily exceed this preseason ranking.
Gus Malzahn's high-powered offense should have no trouble putting up points against Big 12 teams this year with Arkansas transfer KJ Jefferson at quarterback and one of the nation's deepest backfields in place. But if the Knights are to move up the conference pecking order, new coordinator Ted Roof must improve a defense that allowed over 200 rushing yards a contest in Big 12 play last year.
The Red Raiders are a wild card team to watch. Coach Joey McGuire's squad returns only eight starters, but quarterback Behren Morton appears to be healthy after offseason shoulder concerns, and running back Tahj Brooks is a preseason Athlon Sports All-American . A revamped receiving corps and offensive line will be under the spotlight this fall. Texas Tech's defense has made small strides under coordinator Tim DeRuyter. Can this unit improve in '24 despite returning only four starters and entering the year with question marks in the trenches?
11. Colorado
Colorado took a step forward in coach Deion Sanders' debut last fall. How high can this team climb in '24? Any improvement in the win column will hinge on how far a porous offensive line has improved to protect quarterback Shedeur Sanders, as well as progression on a defense that ranked near the bottom of the Pac-12 in the major statistical categories. A massive haul of transfers on both sides of the ball - especially at the line of scrimmage - should help the Buffaloes push for a bowl in '24.
It's a make-or-break year for coach Dave Aranda following last season's 3-9 mark. Aranda's decision to take over the defensive play-calling duties should improve a defense that allowed 33.3 points a contest and struggled to stop the run (13th in the Big 12). A coaching change on the offensive side of things (Jake Spavital as coordinator) should also bring some needed punch to a group that averaged only 5.3 yards a snap in '23. Toledo transfer Dequan Finn is a dynamic pickup at quarterback, but the Bears have to get better in the trenches to make a bowl this fall.
Injuries and a bowl ban took a toll on Arizona State last season, as the program slumped to 3-9 in coach Kenny Dillingham's debut. But the outlook is better in '24, as the roster is deeper and in better overall shape. A pair of transfers in Sam Leavitt (Michigan State) and Jeff Sims (Nebraska) are slated to battle to start at quarterback. Dillingham has a solid collection of skill talent to deploy with running backs Cam Skattebo, Raleek Brown, and Alton McCaskill and receiver Troy Omeire. More consistency (and better luck in the injury department) is needed up front. The Sun Devils bring back only three starters on defense, but this unit will get a boost from the transfer portal.
A promising 4-1 start turned into a 5-7 finish for BYU last season. Coach Kalani Sitake aims to steer this program back on track in '24, but the Cougars open fall practice with a few huge concerns. A four-man competition between Jake Retzlaff, Gerry Bohanon, Treyson Bourguet, and McCae Hillstead will unfold at quarterback. Also, BYU needs to show improvement on defense after allowing over 200 rushing yards in Big 12 contests and generating little pressure (just 11 sacks) all year.
An experienced offensive line led by Athlon Sports All-American Luke Kandra and running back Corey Kiner headline the returning personnel for a Cincinnati team that aims to rebound in 2024 after a disappointing 3-9 mark last year. Indiana transfer Brendan Sorsby should upgrade the passing game after the Bearcats ranked last in the Big 12 in production (183.3 yards a game) in '23. Improvement is also needed on defense after this unit allowed 32.8 points in conference play last year. All-Big 12 lineman Dontay Corleone could miss time early in '24 due to his recovery from blood clots.
The Cougars made one of the offseason's top hires in Willie Fritz, but the climb to a bowl won't be easy in '24. The offense is in good hands with quarterback Donovan Smith after he missed spring practice due to a shoulder injury. However, only one starter returns in the trenches and two of the team's top receivers from '23 transferred. Shiel Wood is a rising star defensive coordinator, but similar to the offense, big questions surround this unit with just two starters back.
Steven Lassan is the senior college football writer and editor for AthlonSports.com. Follow him on Twitter , Instagram , and Facebook .
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