2024 BIG 12 CONFERENCE PREDICTIONS

 2024 BIG 12 SEASON PREDICTIONS

               TEAM                       Conf           Overall    

1.Oklahoma St                    8-1              10-2    

2*Utah                                     9-1              11-1

3.Kansas                                 7-2                9-3

4.Kansas St                           8-2               10-3

5.Arizona                               6-4                 8-4

6.Iowa St                               5-4                 7-5

7.West Virginia                   5-4                 7-5

8.UCF                                       5-4                 7-5

9.Cincinnati                         4-5                 6-6

10.TCU                                    3-6                 4-8

11.Colorado                        3-6                 5-7

12.Houston                         3-6                 4-8

13.Texas Tech                     3-6                6-6

14.BYU                                   2-7                4-8

15.Baylor                             1-9                3-9

16.Arizona St                     1-8               2-10

  *Denotes  Conference Championship winner.  

 CONFERENCE TEAM NOTES:  

OKLAHOMA ST:

I see them upsetting Utah early then losing late but winning the regular season, in no small part due to the weak ass schedule.. The offense will be very fun and explosive, QB Bowman needs to throw it to the right team and they will lean heavy on elite RB Gordon. The WR group needs to step up, SWR Pressley is still there and solid as well as a good KR, the rest need to improve. The OL is a bit undersized but experience and solid. The defense will be a problem, a couple of NFL draft picks but limited experience and depth, lots of new faces. The secondary is a major problem that will only survive due to this conference not having elite QB play.

UTAH:

Look for them to improve as the season progresses like most Whittingham teams. If QB Rising stays healthy they can compete with anyone. They lost their top RB but the cupboard is not bare, Glover and Bernard should be very good. The OL is very big but young and talented. The defense should have them in all their games, LB reid, CB Vaughn, DT Tafuna lead the group. Keeping the starters healthy will be VITAL!! Depth is limited.

KANSAS:

KANSAS ST: I like the FAR m  better than most do for one primary reason LANCE LEIPOLD!! Most CFB "fans" still have no idea who he is and what he has accomplished at his previous stops. If Jalon Daniels can stay healthy this team will be in every game and surprise in numerous ones.  RB Devin Neal is underrated. WR's Arnold and Skinner can get down the field, the well coached OL will be very good. The defense has gotten almost 20ppg better in the three years since this staff came to town, yes 20!! The improvement will continue. CB Bryant should be drafted by Day 2 next spring but few other NFL types here. This defense is filled with hard playing overachievers that while lacking great athleticism the will always be where they should be. I'm out on a limb here but I like my odds!

KANSAS ST:

To many new faces for me for them to be the conference favorite. That said, this will still be an excellent team capable of winning any week. If QB Johnson matures quickly, they could outplay my prediction. RB Giddens is a nice player, the WR's are small and limited athletically. The undersized OL plays well together. On defense LB Moore, CB Parrish lead this group of overachievers who can not hold up against the big boys.

ARIZONA:

Some nice firepower on offense, undersized QB Fifita is small but can really sling the ball, not much of a run threat the top 3 rushers, and 3 of the top 4 WR's are gone, WR McMillan has nice length and hands, he could move up my draft rankings with a great season. The OL will need some work to tell, Transfer RB Crosket- Merritt could be the key to the season, he must produce. On defense there are holes but DE Smith, CB Davis should compete for All-Conference, transfers will play a critical part.

IOWA ST:

Another season of ISU football led by overachievers and players the major teams passed on. Like QB Becht, undersized and average arm, the OL is huge and solid, RB Sama could have abig year, WR Noel could play on Sunday's. They really develop their defensive players, FS Cooper will be drafted, possibly bt day 2, the rest are more of the the overachievers, they play hard as hell, make few mistakes and are always fun to watch just for that reason..

WEST VIRGNIA:

They will be a typical WV team, win some they shouldn't and lose some they shouldn't. QB Greene has some accuracy issues but can have nice games, the top 3 runners return, the OL led by LT Milum should be solid. Help at WR would be nice, several in rotation return but no one scary. DE Martin, CB Burks and transfer LB French will lead the defense, some major holes need to be filled.

UCF:

They could surprise and outplay my prediction if QB Jefferson blows up and finally realizes how good he can be.  The RB combo of Harvey and powerful transfer Boone could also be interesting. WR Hudson can play in the NFL, the rest of the receiving corp is unproven or not that good. The OL is key, they have nice size but numerous transfers and under performing players, several will need to step up.DE Lawrence and LB Pace lead the defense that will need to improve about 5 ppg for this team to outplay my prediction.

CINCINNATI:

They will need better play from their QB to improve on this prediction, transfer Sorsby will be given every opportunity, RB Kiner is solid and will be joined by transfer Pryor, WR henderson is a nice possession type, transfers will be counted on here, RG Kandra leads the OL that could surprise.The DL is quite good, NT Corleone, DE PhillipsLB Dingle is solid, transfers will be all over this defense. I like HC  Satterfield, he will get this program back in the mix.

TCU:

The offense fell off last season and will fall farther this season. QB Hoover is average , the run game is looking for a stud, can for ELITE recruit sanders finally live up to his ranking? WR's Richardson and Williams are decent but no game breakers here. The OL is transfer laden, we'll see if they develop. The defense, once a strength, has fallen far in recent years, expect little change. LB Obiazor, FS Clark lead and they have a shot at the next level.Hope ya'll enjoyed that title game run, you won't see it again anytime soon.HC Dykes will feel some heat.

COLORADO:

Sorry MEION! YOU are the problem, you don't coach, why, because you can't coach, you struggle to recruit consistently, you look for others to blame for your failures and your only focus is promoting your kids. This foolish experiment needs to end! That said, the offense will revole around QB Sanders, he is decent playerbut with an average arm and limited athleticism. Transfer RB Hayden will help CONSIDERABLY if Meion gets him enough carries, the WR Corp of Horn, Hunter and transfer Webster should be solid. Now the OL, they were an embarrassment last season, with nothing but transfers and a true Frosh, that won't change, just who Meion blames will change! While CB Hunter should is a excellent player the rest of this defense will struggle yet again, poor recruiting, no continuity and poor coaching are hardly the formula for success.

HOUSTON:

Give HC Fritz couple years and he will have them competitive for the conference title.  QB Smith has shown crazy talent at times but also frustrating behavior other times, he MUST cut down INT's. The top 7 runners return but only Smith scares anybody, the mostly undersized WR Corp is lacking play makers, the OL will benefit greatly from the new staff, they need it! Piss poor recruiting tactics have left this defense with little to work with, New DC will help but he needs bodies that can play, right now, that's a problem!

TEXAS TECH:

A normal season for Tech, mediocre at beast. QB Morton need to cut down INT's, RB Brooks will compete for All-Conference, 3 of the top 4 receivers are gone so help is needed there, the OL need lots of work, thin and fewer starts among the players looking to fill spots, they will need to mature quickly. The defense at Tech is traditionally weak, expect more of the same this season, MLB Roberts is the top playerDE ADedire has shown flashes.

BYU:

Not enough coming back this season to be competitive but they will get there sooner rather than later. QB Bohanon can be decent if he improve on INT's, RB Martin is solid but depth is needed, the WR's instill little fear in anyone but they run nice routes and catch the ball. The OL needs lots of work, transfer could help but it will be awork in progress.MLB Bywater leads the defense, few others have star potential. The DL should be decent led by DE Batty, the secondary is undersized and in need of more talent.

BAYLOR:

This program is trending the wrong way, and I don't care that they have 19 starters back, fact are they were awful,  they had 3 wins last season, a blowout against a no body and two win by 3 points total. Arandas seat will be warming quickly, he may not last. Transfer QB Finn seriously could have made a better decision on where to play, he is explosive and better than most know, the top 6 rusher return but none stand out WR's Baldwin and Jackson are solid and show potential. The defense got rocked last season, more of the same coming, little development with the players on hand, numerous transfers will be given a shot.

ARIZONA ST:

This program will be recovering from the Herm Edwards debacle for years. Shows what stupid impulsive decisions by admin can damage a program long term. As for this year, they need to find a QB, the top 3 runners return, no one who strikes fear in anybody at WR, RT Iheanachor can play in the NFL, the rest are unproven or untalented, not a promising sitch! DE Smith and FS Simmons are solid players, the rest of the defense suffers from the same issues the OL does, long season ahead!