Three Big 12 teams were included in a recent preseason college football playoff predictions list from 247Sports’ Brad Crawford.
Crawford included the likes of Kansas State, Utah, and Oklahoma State on the list, with the Wildcats earning the No. 4 seed in the CFP and OSU and Utah earning watch list honors.
OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS
“Equipped with more returning starters than most Power conference teams, Oklahoma State boasts an offense that includes reigning Doak Walker winner Ollie Gordon, veteran quarterback Alan Bowman, and an experienced front,” Crawford wrote. “The home bout with Arkansas early is a game to watch.”
UTAH UTES
“Think Kyle Whittingham and the Utes are ready for life in the Big 12? Utah’s built for this,” Crawford said. “One of college football’s most successful programs of the decade, Utah enters in the mix as one of several preseason nationally-ranked programs in the conference with a chance at big things this fall.”
Despite listing both Oklahoma State and Utah as Big 12 teams to watch, Crawford selected the Kansas State Wildcats as the lone CFP bid from the Big 12 Conference, taking on fifth-ranked Texas in the opening round.
KANSAS STATE WILDCATS
“Pick any of four teams from the Big 12 out of a hat this summer, and there’s your conference champion,” Crawford said. “For now, we’re sticking with the Wildcats and anticipating a banner campaign from new starting quarterback Avery Johnson. For Texas, the Longhorns are loaded through returning talent and the transfer portal. This matchup would give us another look at a former Big 12 rivalry and for the fifth-seeded Longhorns, looks favorable despite playing a projected league champion.”
