1. Texas

The burnt orange faithful are buzzing this season after finishing third in the conference last season. The Texas Longhorns are led by second year quarterback Quinn Ewers and junior wide receiver Xavier Worthy. Some uncertainty does follow the Longhorns into this season due to dynamic running back duo Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson being drafted to the NFL earlier this year. The air attack may be sorted out but the ground game is just as important if the Horns hope to go as far as they are projected to go this season.

2. Kansas

The trend of newly hired coaches finding success fast is no different for the Jayhawks as Lance Leipold and his staff were on fire early last season. Kansas started the year hot with a 5–0 record and quickly found themselves ranked in the AP poll. However, the Jayhawks finished on a four-game losing streak and also went 3–6 in Big 12 play. Yet there is optimism for Kansas, as nearly every starter returns for the offense, including dynamic quarterback Jalon Daniels. If the Jayhawks can stay healthy and find a way to sturdy their defense, they could be poised for another run. 

3. Oklahoma

The Sooners finished in an unfamiliar spot when looking back at things as they ended up seventh in the conference with a 3–6 Big 12 record. Losses to Texas in the Cotton Bowl and West Virginia were highlights of a frustrating season for Oklahoma. A few question marks surround the team, especially on the defensive side. This is the first recruiting class for second year head coach Brent Venables, and he hopes those brought through the portal and some elite freshmen can improve their records. 

4. Texas Tech

Joey McGuire leads the Red Raiders into the season as his second year as head coach approaches. Texas Tech has a lot of experience in their starting lineups as 10 starters return on the offense and six on the defense. Experience and veteran leadership typically means a team is poised to make a big leap towards a successful and possibly even championship-worthy campaign. The Red Raiders won eight games for the first time since 2013 last season and look to improve that number 10 years later.

5. Kansas State

In four years, Chris Klieman has brought Kansas State their first conference title since 2012. However, losing quarterback Adrian Martinez and running back Duce Vaughn is cause for concern. The Wildcats produced over 418 rushing yards per game and 32.3 points per game with the powerful duo. A possible rebuild for the reigning Big 12 champs could be on the way this season because of the many question marks surrounding the team.  

6. Baylor 

The Baylor Bears are now two years removed from their 2021 Big 12 title win and stumbled towards the finish line last year losing their last four games of the season. Head coach Dave Aranda looks to bring the Bears back atop the Big 12 and has gone into the transfer portal to do so. A revamped offensive line and some help to the receivers corps has the offense’s success relying solely on quarterback Blake Shapen, who was in another position battle this offseason. The Bears went 4–5 in conference play and finished under .500 last season, winning less than half of their games. 

7. Iowa State

Iowa State suffered its first losing season since 2016 and went 1–8 in conference play. This was mainly due to a lack of experience on the offensive side of the ball. From here, it seems the only way to go is up, and that is what the Cyclones hope from their young offense. The Cyclones have been well coached, so a season like this is an oddity, with a strong defense and developing offense, their record should improve dramatically. 

8. Cincinnati

Many heads turned for Cincinnati when they made the College Football Playoff just two years ago. However, that same staff is completely gone, and now the Bearcats come into the Big 12 with a first-year head coach alongside first year coordinators. It won’t be a stellar year one in the Big 12 for the Bearcats due to both sides of the ball needing to rebuild from the ground up with the exception of a returning starter here and there, but it will be exciting to watch Cincinnati overcome those hurdles.

9. Oklahoma State University

Longtime head coach Mike Gundy saw his four year starter quarterback Spencer Sanders leave Stillwater for Ole Miss, and things aren’t looking very promising for the Cowboys. There are new faces all over this team as Oklahoma State named Bryan Nardo the new defensive coordinator. A new coordinator who brings a new defense will take time to produce on the field. Losing five of their last seven was not the way Gundy and his squad wanted to enter the offseason, but the Cowboys hope to improve on their performance last season as they finished fifth in the conference.

10. West Virginia

Neal Brown joined the Mountaineers in 2019 and it has not been a great start. They have yet to finish with more than six wins in a season since 2019. With the sixth hardest schedule in the country, it looks like this season will be a rocky road. The biggest strength the Mountaineers have is their large humans upfront. All five starters are returning this year, so look for the run game to be a big factor in the offense. Brown is likely on the hot seat in Morgantown, but if he can somehow manage this difficult schedule he could stick around for longer.