2023 College Football Review: Big 12

Photo by Kevin Jairaj from USA TODAY Sports

The Big 12 now says goodbye to Texas and Oklahoma as they leave for the SEC, but one of them gave ‘em one last parting gift before leaving.

Let’s dive into the Big 12 season we witnessed.

1. Texas Longhorns [Conference Champion] (My Prediction: 3)

I even said in my prediction post that Texas should win the Big 12.

After all, they were by far the most talented team in the conference.

But Texas has been the most talented before, and that hasn’t seemed to matter.

I needed to see it. I needed to see this Texas team get it done before I could pick them to.

And, in week 2 with a win against Alabama, I saw it.

It was a game that Texas would (and has done) lose in the past.

But they buried ‘Bama on the road to get a huge win, and even against Kansas State and Houston got wins in games they’ve lost before.

I needed to see it, and I saw it.

Congrats, Horns.

2. Oklahoma State Cowboys (My Prediction: 5)

Let’s look over my prediction for Oklahoma State real quick.

Last year, OK State had some very high expectations that they didn’t live up to, which is extremely Mike Gundy.

This year, OK State doesn’t really feel like much of a title contending team.

So of course they’ll have an excellent season.

It’s what Gundy does.

This looked to be headed towards wrong, as Oklahoma State messed around the first four weeks of the season, using 3 different quarterbacks over and over and even getting destroyed by South Alabama.

But then, Gundy stopped. And started just giving the ball to Ollie Gordon which was a brilliant move.

It got them 7 wins of their last 8, and got them one final win over Oklahoma to hold Bedlam bragging rights for the foreseeable future.

Like I said.

It’s what Gundy does.

3. Oklahoma Sooners (My Prediction: 2 and Conference Champion)

OU looked headed towards Dallas for yet another conference championship game appearance, but they played with fire just a little bit too much.

They got away with it against Texas and UCF.

They got caught by Kansas and Oklahoma State.

Still, 10-2 after a 6-7 season definitely gives Brent Venables some momentum heading into the SEC.

4. Iowa State Cyclones (My Prediction: 12)

Iowa State has made a conference title game under Matt Campbell, but this is his most impressive coaching job yet.

The roster looked bad, and much of it was decimated before the season even began due to a betting scandal.

Still, the Cyclones went 8-4 and finished tied for 4th in the Big 12 with some good company.

Absolutely excellent job from Matt Campbell.

5. Kansas State Wildcats (My Prediction: 1)

Kansas State was an example of just not getting the breaks.

They played 5 one score games, and they lost 4 of them.

One was due to a 60 yard game winning field goal, and the other was a loss to Texas where kicking issues probably cost them the game in overtime.

Sometimes, the year just doesn’t go your way.

6. West Virginia Mountaineers (My Prediction: 13)

I had serious doubts Neal Brown would change his offensive system to match the WVU offense.

The offense could run like the wind, but the passing game was going to be a huge issue.

But Neal leaned on the run, using Garrett Greene, CJ Donaldson and Jaheim White at will.

The 8-4 result not only gave WVU their best season since 2018, but it saved Neal Brown his job as well.

7. Texas Tech Red Raiders (My Prediction: 9)

Well, I got these next two wrong.

I said Texas Tech would be fun offensively (they were not) and I said they’d be the same as Kansas but I trusted Jalon Daniels more than Tyler Shough.

And…

8. Kansas Jayhawks (My Prediction: 8)

Jalon Daniels got hurt and missed most of the season.

Still, my placement of the Jayhawks was dead on, and they still had an 8-4 season.

And Jalon Daniels is returning next year.

So, it’s not all bad!

9. UCF Knights (My Prediction: 4)

UCF just had a rough welcome to the Big 12.

Close losses to Baylor and Oklahoma. John Rys Plumlee once again missing time.

They turned it around late, winning 3 of their last 4 including an absolute trouncing of Oklahoma State, but it still surely leaves a bad taste in the mouths of Central Florida.

Still, could’ve been worse considering the rest of their first year counterparts.

10. TCU Horned Frogs (My Prediction: 7)

I said the losses TCU faced was too daunting to overcome this year, but I didn’t expect them to miss a bowl game entirely.

Again, one score losses play a big part here.

If one or two of their losses to Colorado, West Virginia, Texas Tech or Texas go differently, it looks just a little bit better.

But hey. The breaks are the breaks.

11. Houston Cougars (My Prediction: 10)

If not for a Hail Mary against West Virginia, this would have been an even worse season for Houston.

But it still wasn’t good, as they went 2-7 in conference and coach Dana Holgorsen was fired.

Now it’s Willie Fritz time, which is an excellent hire.

Let’s see how fast it gets fixed.

12. BYU Cougars (My Prediction: 14)

Yeah.

BYU just really wasn’t talented enough for this conference yet.

It wasn’t awful, though.

The Cougars went 5-7 and were at least expected to be this level this season, unlike the two below them.

13. Baylor Bears (My Prediction: 6)

This was a disastrous season for the Bears, and it looked like they just quit at the end of the year, which is the ultimate sign of a dead coach walking.

But Baylor announced Dave Aranda will be here next year as well.

Is that the right move after Baylor has gotten worse and worse since being Big 12 champions in 2021?

I’m not so sure…

14. Cincinnati Bearcats (My Prediction: 11)

Considering what Louisville was and what they are now, and what Cincy was and what they are now, maybe Scott Satterfield just isn’t a good head coach.

Who’s to say?