R.J. Young
FOX Sports National College Football Analyst
A new era has dawned for the Big 12. Oklahoma and Texas have left the league, and Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah have joined, creating a league where the top 12 teams are more evenly matched than they have been in years.
Utah State and Kansas State have shown they can win conference titles in their respective leagues over the past three years, while Oklahoma State, Kansas State and Arizona State are also expected to be in contention, and West Virginia, Iowa State and Colorado State are also looking to show some courage.
Here’s what to expect from the new-look Big 12 this season.
[Read more: 2024 college football rankings: RJ Young’s Ultimate 134]
Top 5 conference games to watch:
#12 Utah vs #17 Oklahoma State (September 21)
This game features two starting quarterbacks, Utah’s Cam Rising and Ohio State’s Alan Bowman, both seventh-year players and multi-year starters. This could be a preview of this year’s Big 12 title game. This is the type of game you want to see early in the season, one that establishes the pecking order and expectations for the top two teams in the conference.
No. 21 Arizona vs. No. 18 Kansas State (Sept. 13, 8 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app)
Arizona is riding a wave of excitement in its inaugural Big 12 season, with Noah Fifita and Tetairoa McMillan leading a dynamic attack that relies heavily on the air. Fifita returns as one of the nation’s leading wide receivers, throwing for 527 yards last year against Arizona State, while McMillan returns as one of the team’s top wide receivers, having recorded over 1,400 yards through the air.
No. 18 Kansas State vs. Colorado (Oct. 12)
The Dylan Edwards Bowl! Edwards, who started as CU’s tailback last year, will be the center of attention this year at K-State. The Wildcats, who won the division two years ago, are just weeks away from a preseason Top 25 game against Arizona and are looking to cement their place in the CFP with a win over arguably the most popular team in the sport.
No. 23: Iowa State vs. No. 12 Utah (Nov. 23)
The Cyclones are a sure bet to win the Big 12 title, with a force led by quarterback Rocco Becht and receiver Jaden Higgins that will plague Morgan Scalley’s defense. If Iowa State is close to clinching a place in the conference title game, its matchup with Utah could be the defining game of the Big 12 season.
Colorado vs. No. 17 Oklahoma State (Nov. 29)
The matchup will feature two of the sport’s most recognizable coaching staffs and at least three players expected to hear their name called on the first day of the upcoming NFL Draft, and if Colorado proves to be a powerhouse, this game will be the benchmark by which they are measured.
Top 5 players to watch:
Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Shedul Sanders, QB, Colorado
They are two of college football’s biggest superstars, and both play for teams coached by some of the most famous coaches in college football.
In 2023, Hunter regularly played over 100 snaps per game and recorded 31 tackles, three interceptions and eight passes defended. He also caught 57 passes for 721 yards and five touchdowns. Playing both ways means more.
Sanders was named Pac-12 Conference Freshman of the Year after throwing for 3,320 yards and 27 touchdowns while completing 69 percent of his passes and setting team records for passing yards, completion percentage and touchdown-to-interception ratio in a season.
Hunter has been on the cover of EA Sports’ College Football 25 and is benefiting from the game’s massive success, which has reportedly attracted more than 5 million players and generated more than $500 million in revenue since its launch in July, while Sanders is cashing in on non-negotiable deals with several major brands, including one with Nike.
Heading into the season, the Heisman Trophy frontrunners are unclear, but Hunter and Sanders have the tools necessary to transcend their sport and capture the attention of the sports world if Colorado can pull off a winning season.
Ollie Gordon, RB, Oklahoma State University
Gordon became the nation’s top running back by rushing for over 1,700 yards, gaining over 2,000 scrimmage yards, being named a unanimous All-American, and winning the Doak Walker Award, the first in Oklahoma State history. If he has another season like he did in 2023, Gordon could lead Oklahoma State to its first-ever College Football Playoff appearance. If he performs as well this season as he did last year, a 2,000-yard rushing season is not out of the question.
Ollie Gordon II scored a 42-yard rushing TD to give Oklahoma State the lead over Kansas.
Jaron Daniels, QB, Kansas
Daniels is the most explosive player at his position in the Big 12. If he can stay healthy, he can put up 3,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards for a team on the brink of greatness. He just needs to stay healthy all year.
Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
McMillan finished with 90 catches for 1,402 yards and 10 touchdowns, making him one of the breakout stars in the 2023 class and an All-American as a sophomore. His 11 catches for 266 yards and two touchdowns against Arizona State were one of the best performances by a wide receiver over the past three years. He could be the first wide receiver selected in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Taj Brooks, RB, Texas Tech
In 2023, Brooks has rushed for more yards (1,541) than he did in his previous three seasons combined (1,317). With 1,168 rushing yards this season, he will leave Tech as the school’s all-time rushing leader. His superpower is making defenders miss; his 96 missed tackles last year were the most among FBS players.
Top 5 Freshmen to Watch:
Jordan Seaton, OT, Colorado
If Colorado is going to put together an offensive line capable of protecting Shedul Sanders, Seaton is one of the players who will have to step up right away. A five-star prospect and offensive tackle, Seaton is the most important player Coach Prime has acquired (whether as a high school player or a transfer) since he signed Travis Hunter from Florida State to Jackson State.
Can Colorado’s Deion Sanders improve upon his return to the Big 12 Conference?
Ja’Shon Riddle, OT Houston
Riggle, a Texas native, boasts speed of 10.8 seconds in the 100-meter dash and fills a void left by Matthew Golden’s decision to transfer from Houston to Texas. A four-star recruit, Riggle can play multiple positions and be an asset on special teams for Cougars coach Willie Fritz in his first year.
DJ Warner, DE, Kansas
Warner is the second-highest ranked player the Jayhawks have ever signed. He leaves the state as the No. 2 ranked player in the state of Arizona and will be an immediate impact player for Lance Leipold’s team in his first year. Leipold, along with freshman DaQuise Brinkley, has two defensive backs who can lead the team for years to come.
Micah Hudson, WR, Texas Tech
He will start this season ranked the highest of any player who signed with Texas Tech, and as one of the best players in his class, not to mention at his position, the expectation is that he will leave his name at the school alongside Michael Crabtree, Wes Welker and Danny Amendola as the best wide receivers in school history.
Jadon Porter, WR, Baylor University
Porter, a four-star recruit out of Texas, could have a breakout season similar to what tailback Richard Reese did two years ago. With new offensive coordinator Jake Spavital’s passing game based on air raid principles, Porter could get a ton of targets where he can showcase his ability to gain yards after the catch.
Conference Winner: Utah
Utah won two straight Pac-12 titles with Rising at quarterback, and he’s under center again this year. Until the team proves they can beat Utah, they’ve earned the privilege of winning. And that’s what we expect from them.
RJ Young is a national college football reporter and analyst for FOX Sports and host of the podcast “The Number One College Football Show.” Translator Subscribe to “The RJ Young Show” on YouTube.
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