If there’s one thing you can count on in Big 12 football, it’s well, chaos. Glorious, unpredictable, scoreboard-breaking chaos. And in 2025, the vibe is no different except maybe louder. With 16 teams now in the mix, the conference is as packed and volatile as ever. Parity? Check. Star power? Yep. A handful of teams with legit playoff hopes? You bet.
Kansas State has been hanging around that conversation for a while now, and this year might finally be the one where they break through the noise. Avery Johnson, their dual-threat quarterback, is electric when he’s on. Big throws, bigger legs, and the kind of confidence that only grows with each win. The Wildcats look balanced. Experienced. Dangerous. That season-opener in Dublin, Ireland against Iowa State? Circle it. Jet lag and Guinness jokes aside, that game might set the tone for the whole season.
Speaking of Iowa State, they’re no slouch. Rocco Becht is back, and if he takes another step forward, watch out. That Cyclones defense is always feisty, and Matt Campbell’s crew knows how to make you earn every inch. They’re one of those teams you don’t want to face in November when injuries are piling up and the weather turns.
Now, if we’re talking wild cards and there are always wild cards in the Big 12 Texas Tech has to be in the mix. Their transfer portal class was ridiculous. Like, full-on rebuild-in-a-weekend ridiculous. Five-star talent, veteran transfers, a flashy offense all the ingredients are there. The question is: Can they actually put it all together? Sometimes super teams implode under pressure, but if Behren Morton clicks early with that receiver corps, the Red Raiders could be terrifying by October.
Arizona State is another name that’s been floating near the top of a lot of power rankings. Kenny Dillingham turned the program around faster than anyone expected, and now they’re coming off a Big 12 title and a College Football Playoff appearance. That said, there’s a target on their backs now. No more sneaking up on people. They’ll have to prove they’re not just a one-hit wonder.
Then you’ve got teams like Utah, BYU, and Colorado programs with something to prove in their second lap around the Big 12 track. Colorado, especially, is fascinating. Deion Sanders is still doing Deion things, grabbing headlines, flipping the roster, and polarizing pretty much everyone in the sport. Without Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders, the Buffs will look very different, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be worse. Just different. And probably still dramatic.
And let’s not forget West Virginia. They were one win away from the title last year before the wheels came off. This year? They’re flying a little under the radar, which might suit them better anyway.
What’s wild is that in a 16-team league, you could easily make a case for 8–10 teams to finish in the top four. That’s not normal. That’s the Big 12.
And yeah, the playoff is a big conversation. Commissioner Brett Yormark has been banging the drum for a 5+11 format a setup that would give the top five conference champs automatic spots in the expanded College Football Playoff. It’s a fair argument. In a world where the SEC and Big Ten are ballooning with power, the Big 12 needs to carve out its lane, and locking down a guaranteed playoff spot is a must. Especially if the conference wants to keep attracting elite coaches and players.
Oh, and the vibes? The vibes are strong.
The Big 12’s media deal is rolling with ESPN, FOX, and now TNT Sports. Friday night games under the lights, wild crowd shots, meme-worthy sideline moments. It’s all part of the spectacle now. And yeah, we’re getting a WWE crossover this fall. Seriously. There’ll be Friday Night SmackDown events in the same cities as marquee Big 12 matchups. Wrestling. Football. Madness. You really can’t make this stuff up.
So where does this leave us? Somewhere between optimism and mayhem, like always. That’s the Big 12’s sweet spot.
Every week’s a minefield. Every road trip feels like a trap game. And just when you think you’ve got it figured out, someone like Houston or Baylor or Cincinnati goes and pulls off an upset that scrambles the whole standings.
Here’s to a season of blocked punts, 4th-and-go-for-it calls, 52–49 finals, and playoff dreams that come down to the final weekend. Big 12 football is here to keep you guessing, yelling at your TV, and maybe just maybe believing in the madness.
