Star Big 12 Poll: Oklahoma State to win conference, Arizona Wildcats finish third

When it’s all said and done, preseason polls tend to be all but irrelevant. Surprises will inevitably happen — some good for some teams, some bad for others — every season.

Arizona was voted to finish eighth in the preseason Pac-12 media poll last season, then posted one of the program’s four 10-win seasons and placed third in the conference standings.

Looking at 2024, and the Wildcats’ new adventure in the Big 12, Arizona Daily Star UA football reporter Justin Spears participated in the expanded 16-team Big 12 preseason media poll process. Here’s a look at Spears’ Big 12 poll and All-Big 12 Team:

1. Oklahoma State: The Cowboys return seventh-year quarterback Alan Bowman and running back Ollie Gordon II, the defending Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. OSU also returns preseason All-Big 12 selections in wide receiver Brennan Presley, offensive linemen Dalton Cooper and Joe Michalski and linebackers Nick Martin and Collin Oliver. In the first year without Texas and Oklahoma in the Big 12, the Cowboys could plant their flag as one of marquee programs in the updated 16-team league.

2. Iowa State: The Cyclones went 6-3 in Big 12 play last season and return a majority of their starters on both sides of the ball. Iowa State will have two major tests to end the regular season, facing preseason favorite No. 12 Utah in Salt Lake City and 18th-ranked Kansas State in Ames. Iowa State is flying under the radar this season, but no postseason win since 2017 could have Matt Campbell on the hot seat.

3. Arizona: The Wildcats are littered with talent on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Noah Fifita and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan are arguably the top passing tandem in college football; plus, the Wildcats restocked their running backs in the transfer portal and return three starting offensive linemen. Arizona has four starters in the defensive secondary from ‘23, including potential first-round draft pick Tacario Davis and Alamo Bowl MVP Gunner Maldonado, with preseason All-Big 12 linebacker Jacob Manu as the ringleader. If the defensive line, which replaces nine scholarship players, can replicate another Top 30 rushing defense, Arizona, which currently only has two ranked opponents on its schedule, could contend for a Big 12 title.

4. Kansas State: The other Wildcats in the Big 12 are also favorites to compete for a conference title. The 18th-ranked Wildcats enter the year with the program’s highest preseason ranking since 2004, which doesn’t bode well since they finished 4-7 that season. If KSU can survive home tests against No. 21 Arizona, No. 17 Oklahoma State and No. 22 Kansas, look for Kansas State, led by sophomore quarterback Avery Johnson, to be in the conference championship and College Football Playoff conversation.

5. Utah: Let us explain. Yes, Utah was the arguably the unluckiest team last year with injuries. One of those injuries: quarterback Cameron Rising, who’s entering his seventh season and hasn’t played a snap since the Rose Bowl two seasons ago. While Rising is a decent passer, he’s most effective when he’s able to move around and extend plays with his legs. Rising’s mobility, after not playing a game in over 600 days, will be in question. However, Rising, future NFL tight end Brant Kuithe and former Arizona wide receiver Dorian Singer hoping to revive his college career, the Utes are an intriguing team.

6. TCU: The Horned Frogs were expected to take a step back after losing the national championship, but not miss-a-bowl-game bad. TCU became the first team since Texas in 2010 to finish a season as national runner-up and miss out on the postseason the following year. Former Cal standout Kaleb Elarms-Orr at linebacker could be a star under new defensive coordinator Andy Avalos.

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7. Kansas: If dual-threat quarterback Jalon Daniels can stay healthy, he could be the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and build on his breakout 2022 season. The Jayhawks also return their four top pass-catchers and running back Devin Neal, who rushed for 1,280 yards and 16 touchdowns.

8. West Virginia: Veteran quarterback Garrett Greene and an experienced offensive line could win the Mountaineers several games this season, but WVU opens the season against No. 8 Penn State, with conference games against four ranked teams: Kansas (22), Oklahoma State (17), Kansas State (18) and Arizona (21), with the final two games against UCF and Texas Tech in Lubbock. Strength of schedule doesn’t favor West Virginia.

9. Texas Tech: TTU will be one of the first schools to debut sponsored logos at midfield. The Red Raiders will have Adidas and Patrick Mahomes logos beside the Texas Tech logo at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock. It’s a rebuilding season, but the Red Raiders have electric running back Tahj Brooks, who is must-watch.

10. Baylor: A 9-16 record in two seasons won’t cut it at Baylor. Head coach Dave Aranda’s hot seat could get a little warmer if the Bears post a third straight losing season under his watch.

11. Colorado: CU head coach Deion Sanders brought his Louis Vuitton luggage — err, transfers to Boulder, which resulted in a 4-8 season after becoming darlings of college football to begin the season. The Buffaloes added seven offensive linemen in the transfer portal and signed five-star tackle Jordan Seaton, and brought in several defensive linemen. Will the improved depth in the trenches help quarterback Shedeur Sanders and two-way star Travis Hunter? This could be a make-or-break year for Coach Prime.

12. UCF: Preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year KJ Jefferson, UCF’s new starting quarterback, and head coach Gus Malzahn could create some magic this season with only two ranked opponents on the schedule — both home games against Arizona and Utah. The contest against the Wildcats in Orlando is UCF’s “Space Game,” which the Knights have never lost. UCF is 7-0 in its Space Game and has outscored opponents 349-147 in its astronomy-themed matchups.

13. Cincinnati: Good news for the Bearcats: they return one of the top rushing offenses that finished sixth nationally last season. The bad news: Cincy went 3-9 with a 1-8 conference record in its inaugural season in the Big 12. Expect something similar this season.

14. Arizona State: ASU signed 30 players in the transfer portal, including former highly-touted defensive back Cole Martin (Oregon) and quarterback Sam Leavitt (Michigan State), who was named the starter of Nebraska transfer Jeff Sims and Tucson native Trenton Bourguet. The transfer portal also wasn’t too kind to the Sun Devils, losing defensive lineman B.J. Green II (Colorado), wide receiver Elijhah Badger (Florida) and quarterback Jaden Rashada (Georgia).

15. Houston: The Cougars have a nonconference road game at Oklahoma, then have a conference stretch against Iowa State, at TCU, at Kansas, Utah, Kansas State and at Arizona. UH head coach Willie Fritz is inheriting a 4-8 club that gave up just under 32 points per game last season. Maybe Houston will find success under Fritz, but not this season.

16. BYU: The Cougars went 2-7 in Big 12 play in their first season in the conference last year. BYU posted its first losing season since head coach Kilani Sitake’s second season at the helm in 2017. BYU’s biggest weakness, which has traditionally been a strength for the Cougars, is the offensive and defensive lines.