The Big 12 has been the example of mediocrity for years.
A big reason is Oklahoma has been the only one holding up its end of the bargain year in and year out.
Very rarely does Oklahoma have an off year, but the conference hasn’t had a much consistency apart from the Sooners. The SEC has the Georgia Bulldogs and Alabama Crimson Tide. The Big 10 has the Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines. The ACC has Clemson.
The Big 12 was supposed to have Oklahoma and the Texas Longhorns, but Texas has been nowhere to be found since 2010.
After a bad season for Oklahoma last year and another mediocre year for Texas, the Big 12 was ranked as the worst Power Five conference by Athlon Sports.
Texas appears to be the team to beat with 15 returning starters and a promising group of young players poised to improve in ’23. There’s not a significant talent gap between Steve Sarkisian’s squad and the rest of the conference, though. Oklahoma, defending conference champion Kansas State and Texas Tech each have the potential to reach the conference title game come December. Don’t count out TCU, either. Sonny Dykes will look to reload an offense that carried the Frogs to the national title game. The 2023 season will also be the first for BYU, UCF, Cincinnati and Houston as Power Five programs. – Athlon Sports
Having the Big 12 in last is a little unfair. I don’t see why the Pac-12 or the ACC are considered better than the Big 12 right now.
To strengthen your ranking, you need your blue-blood programs to play like it. The only problem is the Big 12 only has one more season to reap the benefits of Oklahoma and Texas.
Come next year, they’ll be leaving the worst Power Five conference behind as they make their way to the conference that came in at No. 1, the SEC.
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