2024 Big 12 football preview: Projections and players to watch

It’s a brand-new day in the Big 12. Oklahoma and Texas have departed. Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah have joined, and the fight for league supremacy has not begun with this much parity among the top 12 teams in years.

While Utah and Kansas State have both shown they can win conference titles in their respective leagues over the last three years, Oklahoma State, Kansas and Arizona all figure to be players in the fight, with West Virginia, Iowa State and Colorado each looking to show some pluck.

Here’s what to expect in the new-look Big 12 this season:

[Read more: 2024 college football rankings: RJ Young’s Ultimate 134]

Top five conference games to watch:

No. 12 Utah at No. 17 Oklahoma State (Sept. 21)

This game features two starting quarterbacks who are both seventh-year players and multi-year starters in Utah’s Cam Rising and OSU’s Alan Bowman. This could be a preview of this year’s Big 12 title matchup. It’s just the kind of game that we like to see early in the season, establishing both a pecking order and a baseline for what expectations should be for the two highest-ranked teams in the conference.

No. 21 Arizona at No. 18 Kansas State (Sept. 13, 8 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app)

Arizona is riding a wave of enthusiasm into its first season of Big 12 play with Noah Fifita and Tetairoa McMillan leading an offense that was dynamic through the air. Fifita threw for 527 yards against Arizona State last year and McMillan returns as one of the nation’s most prolific wide receivers with over 1,400 yards through the air.

No. 18 Kansas State at Colorado (Oct. 12)

The Dylan Edwards Bowl! Edwards, who started at tailback for CU last year, figures to be featured for K-State this year. The Wildcats, who won the league two years ago, will be just a few weeks removed from their preseason top 25 matchup against Arizona and perhaps looking to throw down a marker for selection in the CFP with a win against the most popular team in the sport.

No. 23: Iowa State at No. 12 Utah (Nov. 23)

The Cyclones are a sneaky pick to win the Big 12 title with quarterback Rocco Becht and receiver Jayden Higgins leading an offense that has enough firepower to give Morgan Scalley’s defense problems. If Iowa State is within striking distance of earning entry into the conference title game, the matchup against the Utes could become the defining game of the Big 12 season.

Colorado vs. No. 17 Oklahoma State (Nov. 29)

This matchup provides the two biggest coaching personalities in the sport and at least three players who expect to hear their names called on the first day of the upcoming NFL Draft. If Colorado proves to be a force, this game will be a measure of just how strong that force is.

Top five players to watch: 

Travis Hunter, WR/CB and Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado

They are the two biggest superstars in college football, and they both happen to play for a team that is coached by the most notable coach in college football.

In 2023, Hunter regularly played more than 100 snaps per game with 31 tackles, three interceptions and eight passes defended. He also caught 57 passes for 721 yards and five touchdowns. Going both ways just means more.

Sanders threw for 3,320 yards and 27 touchdowns while completing 69% of his passes en route to being named the Pac-12 Newcomer of the Year after setting program records for passing yards in a season, completion percentage and touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Hunter was featured on the cover of EA Sports’ “College Football 25” and has benefited from the wild success of the game, which has reportedly earned more than $500 million with over five million unique players on the service since its July launch. Meanwhile, Sanders has capitalized on NIL deals with some of the biggest brands around, including a reported NIL deal with Nike. 

In a year when there isn’t a clear Heisman favorite heading into the season, Hunter and Sanders have the necessary tools to transcend the sport and be the focus of the sporting world if Colorado can put together a championship season.

Ollie Gordon, RB, Oklahoma State

Gordon is the top running back in the country after rushing for over 1,700 yards, 2,000 from scrimmage, earning unanimous All-American honors, and becoming the first Doak Walker Award winner in Oklahoma State history. With another season like the one he had in 2023, Gordon could lead Oklahoma State to its first College Football Playoff appearance. If he’s as good this season as he was last year, a 2,000-yard rushing season is not out of the question.

Jalon Daniels, QB, Kansas

Daniels is the most explosive player in the Big 12 at his position. If he remains healthy, he can be a 3,000-yard passer and 1,000-yard rusher at a program on the precipice of greatness. He just needs to stay healthy for the entire year.

Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona

McMillan’s 90 catches for 1,402 yards with 10 TDs made him one of the breakout stars of 2023 and earned him All-American honors — as a sophomore. His 11 catches for 266 yards with two TDs against Arizona State is one of the greatest performances by a wideout of the last three years. He could be the first wideout off the board in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Tahj Brooks, RB, Texas Tech

In 2023, Brooks rushed for more yards (1,541) than his previous three seasons combined (1,317). With 1,168 rushing yards this season, he’ll leave Tech as the school’s all-time rushing leader. His superpower is making defenders miss: His 96 missed tackles led all FBS players last year.

Top five freshmen to watch: 

Jordan Seaton, OT, Colorado

If Colorado is going to field an offensive line capable of protecting Shedeur Sanders, Seaton figures to be one of those players who has to play well right away. As a five-star prospect and offensive tackle, he is the most important recruit — high school or transfer — Coach Prime has landed since flipping Travis Hunter from Florida State to Jackson State.

Jayshon Ridgle, OT Houston

The Texas native has 10.8 100-meter speed, and he is filling a need with Matthew Golden’s decision to transfer from Houston to Texas. Ridgle, a four-star recruit, can play multiple positions and be a force on special teams for Cougars coach Willie Fritz in Year 1.

DJ Warner, DE, Kansas

Warner is the second-highest ranked signing the Jayhawks have ever had. He left the state of Arizona as the No. 2-ranked player in the state and stands to become an immediate impact player for Lance Leipold in Year 1. Alongside freshman Dakyus Brinkley, Leipold has set his defense up with a pair of bookends who can lead it well into the future.

Micah Hudson, WR, Texas Tech

He’ll begin this season as the highest-ranked recruit to sign with Texas Tech — ever. The expectation for one of the best players in his class — let alone his position — is to leave Tech with his name among Michael Crabtree, Wes Welker and Danny Amendola as the best wideouts in school history.

Jadon Porter, WR, Baylor

Porter, a four-star recruit and Texas native, could enjoy the same kind of breakout season in production that Richard Reese did two years ago as a tailback. Given new offensive coordinator Jake Spavital’s pass-game is based around air-raid principles, Porter could see a high volume of targets that allows him to showcase his ability with yards after the catch.

Conference championship: Utah

The Utes won the Pac-12 title in back-to-back years with Rising at quarterback, and he’s under center once again this year. Until a program shows they can beat Utah, they’ve earned the privilege of winning — which is what we expect them to do.

RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast “The Number One College Football Show.” Follow him at @RJ_Young and subscribe to “The RJ Young Show” on YouTube.

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