Earlier we shared nine potential Big 12 championship contenders for the 2023 season. The Texas Longhorns will face most of them. Head coach Steve Sarkisian and company will host Kansas State, Texas Tech, Kansas, and BYU while traveling to face Baylor and TCU on the road.
The Longhorns’ Red River rival will not face Tech, K-State or Baylor this year. As to why Kansas State will face Texas over its top rival in Oklahoma, we may never know. Instead the Sooners will face what those who cover the team call perhaps the weakest Oklahoma schedule they can remember. Why is that important? Because that’s the primary talking point as to why some are predicting an Oklahoma-Kansas State Big 12 championship.
Let’s be clear about Big 12 hierarchy. Kansas State and Texas appear to be the clear top two teams with Oklahoma and Tech checking in just behind. But again, the schedule sets up for the Sooners to secure a conference title spot. Meanwhile it could be that Texas Tech, Texas, Kansas State, Baylor and TCU among others will play a game of musical chairs for the final spot.
On the flip side, Texas will have opportunities to win head-to-head matchups vs. nearly every other conference contender. It could be an advantage as much as it is a disadvantage.
The reality of the situation is, if Oklahoma has not truly turned the corner as a program it won’t reach the Big 12 championship. If Texas has finally put everything together it will make the conference title game. Both teams will control their own destiny in 2023.
We share a list of every legitimate Big 12 title contender for 2023. https://t.co/n25O4sb8RE
— Longhorns Wire (@LonghornsWire) May 15, 2023