For Big 12 fans, last year’s conference chaos was one for the record books, with the top projected preseason teams falling to the bottom, and the bottom teams rising to the top.
While the chaos provided must-see TV every week, the downside was the Big 12’s perception took a hit as national pundits used it as an opportunity to devalue the league in order to make the Big Ten and SEC conferences look stronger.
That’s why this year, the Big 12 stopped conference preseason projections to avoid facing that problem again.
But that didn’t stop the media and their preseason polls. We know rankings and upsets drive viewership, so it’s no surprise that the tradition continues. The preseason polls provides teams and conferences with a quick check of where they stand in the eyes of voters and national prognosticators around the country.
So the million dollar question is…
Did the Big 12 get more respect from coaches and the national media this year in the rankings, or did the conference suffer another setback? Let’s dive in.
AP Top 25 Preseason Poll Takeaways: Big 12 Underrated, SEC Overhyped
Big 12 Teams Hold Steady — But Shift In Identity
Preseason polls provide a snapshot of national perception. Nothing more, nothing less. For the Big 12 Conference, the shift from 2024 to 2025 tells an interesting story, not just about which teams are getting attention, but how the league is viewed as a whole by both media and coaches.
In the 2024 AP preseason poll, the Big 12 placed five teams in the Top 25: Utah (No. 12), Oklahoma State (17), Kansas State (18), Arizona (21), and Kansas (22). This group was a mix of proven programs such as Utah, Oklahoma State, and Kansas State, along with some rising contenders in Arizona and Kansas. The average rank between these five teams was 18.
In 2025, the Big 12 dropped slightly with four ranked teams in the AP poll: Arizona State (11), Kansas State (17), Iowa State (22), and Texas Tech (23). The decrease from five to four may seem minor, but the shift in which teams are ranked reflects the parity in the Big 12. The average rank between these five teams is 18 — the same as last year.
On the other hand, the Coaches Poll tells a different story: the Big 12 held firm at five ranked teams in both years. In 2024, there was Utah (No. 13), Kansas State (No. 17), Oklahoma State (18), Arizona (No. 21), and Kansas (No. 24).
This year, the names changed: Arizona State (No. 11), Kansas State (No. 20), Iowa State (No. 21), BYU (No. 23), and Texas Tech (No. 24). This shows continued respect from within the coaching ranks, even as the league reshuffles internally. The average rank in 2024 was 18, while this year it jumped to 20.
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Big 12 Bubble Teams Grow In 2025
What stands out this year is the number of bubble teams, which are those that are just outside the Top 25 and in the receiving votes category. In the AP poll, the number of Big 12 teams receiving votes grew from three in 2024 (Iowa State, West Virginia, Colorado) to five in 2025 (BYU, Utah, Baylor, TCU, Colorado).
In the Coaches Poll, the jump was even more significant: from two schools receiving votes in 2024 (Iowa State, West Virginia) to five in 2025 (Baylor, Colorado, Kansas, TCU, Utah).
This widening bubble of “almost ranked” programs suggests the conference is viewed as deeper and more competitive than before, even if the top tier is slightly thinner.
| Poll | Year | Big 12 Teams Ranked | Teams Receiving Votes | Total Teams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP Poll | 2024 | 5 Utah, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Arizona, Kansas |
3 Iowa State, West Virginia, Colorado |
8 |
| AP Poll | 2025 | 4 Arizona State, Kansas State, Iowa State, Texas Tech |
5 BYU, Utah, Baylor, TCU, Colorado |
9 |
| Coaches Poll | 2024 | 5 Utah, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Arizona, Kansas |
2 Iowa State, West Virginia |
7 |
| Coaches Poll | 2025 | 5 Arizona State, Kansas State, Iowa State, BYU, Texas Tech |
5 Baylor, Colorado, Kansas, TCU, Utah |
10 |
Final Takeaway: Playoff Implications, Depth vs. Top-End Power
While preseason polls aren’t official playoff indicators, they’re a strong proxy for national perception throughout the season, which matters in the College Football Playoff (CFP) era, especially with an expanded field.
In that context, the 2025 preseason rankings tell a nuanced story for the Big 12: wider visibility but reduced top-end strength.
In 2024, the Big 12 had five teams ranked in the AP preseason Top 25, including Utah at No. 12 which was in prime position to get into the playoffs with such a big head start. Highly ranked preseason teams can have one or two losses and still be in contention. For teams outside the Top 25, a perfect season is almost needed to get in and there isn’t room for error.
In addition, the 2024 Coaches Poll mirrored the AP preseason poll as the Big 12 had five ranked teams, including multiple schools in the top 20. While not as favorable treatment as the SEC or Big Ten got, it still gave the Big 12 an opportunity to have multiple playoff paths, should any of those ranked teams win 10+ wins.
But in 2025, despite nine Big 12 teams being acknowledged in the AP Poll and ten in the Coaches Poll, only one team (Arizona State at No. 11) starts within the projected playoff range. Kansas State (No. 17), Iowa State (No. 22), and Texas Tech (No. 23) are all within striking distance in the AP Poll, but would likely need a near-perfect season to get into playoff consideration. The Coaches Poll is similar in that Arizona State is the only team in the playoff picture at the moment.
Overall, this paints a mixed picture for the Big 12.
What AP Preseason Poll Reveals About Big 12 + BYU, Utah, Baylor Just Miss The Cut
On the positive side, the Big 12 is seen as a deep, and highly competitive league. There are no cupcakes and every week is going to be a battle. This is evident, with more than half of the conference in the Top 30. This will also help with strength of schedule as it’s always a big topic come playoff time.
Now let’s talk about the negatives. The lack of a preseason top-10 team implies the Big 12 is likely going to struggle again to produce a clear CFP favorite, unless a team has an unexpected breakout season.
In a 12-team playoff system, strength at the top matters most. The more teams a conference can place in the Top 12 early, the better their odds are of getting multiple bids by season’s end. A team that begins the season outside the Top 15 must either run the table or win the Big 12 convincingly to get in.
So, is the Big 12 in a better or worse spot heading into 2025?
It depends on the lens.
- From a depth and visibility perspective, the Big 12 is arguably in its strongest position yet, with 10 programs considered “in the mix.” That speaks to long-term health and balance.
- From a playoff positioning standpoint, the league appears to be slightly worse off compared to 2024. With fewer teams starting near the playoff cutoff line, the Big 12 needs to rely on its Top 30 teams to live up to expectations this year in order to help change the narrative around the league. Otherwise, the conference will continue to get only one team in the playoffs which won’t change the league’s perception at all.
The bottom line: Depth is great for the league’s reputation, but top-end power determines playoff access. If the Big 12 wants to make noise in the postseason and send multiple teams to the 12-team playoff, it will need someone — Arizona State, BYU, Utah, Kansas State, Iowa State, Baylor and Texas Tech — to not just compete, but dominate. And in a year where the middle tier is more crowded than ever, that’s a tougher hill to climb.
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