The Big 12 is going to be a lot of fun in 2022. While the Oklahoma Sooners are generally regarded as the favorite to win the conference, there are multiple teams that could pose threats or at least be a bump in the road along the way. We’ve seen over the last couple of years how the quality of play in the conference has risen.
Few matchups have been a cakewalk for the Sooners. In 2021, they played quite a few one-score games and dropped games to Baylor and Oklahoma State. This year, the conference’s depth looks improved as well.
With the addition of former five-star quarterback J.T. Daniels, the West Virginia Mountaineers have a chance to be real players in the Big 12. They also boast one of the best pairs of defensive linemen in the country, Dante Stills and Akheem Mesidor.
Baylor is expected to be good again in 2022 despite their losses on defense. Oklahoma State may take a step back due to losses on defense and the departure of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. The return of quarterback Spencer Sanders can help mitigate those losses if he’s able to play the way he did against Oklahoma and Notre Dame toward the end of the season.
Just the other day, College Football News released its spring Big 12 power rankings and the Oklahoma Sooners came in at No. 1.
Then there’s Texas — the team that went 5-7 and lost to the Oklahoma Sooners after holding an 18-point lead at halftime. The team that lost to Kansas. They’re the No. 1 team in the Big 12 and No. 6 overall in ESPN’s latest Football Power Index update.
According to ESPN, “The Football Power Index” (FPI) is a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team’s performance going forward for the rest of the season. FPI represents how many points above or below average a team is. Projected results are based on 20,000 simulations of the rest of the season using FPI, results to date, and the remaining schedule. Ratings and projections update daily. FPI data from seasons prior to 2019 may not be complete.”
ESPN regularly performs simulations and updates the FPI based on latest data points and information. So when the 2022 college football season eventually kicks off, ESPN will update it week to week.
Now, back to the Longhorns.
They’ve some talent, of that there is no doubt. Bijan Robinson might be the best running back in the country. Quinn Ewers is a highly regarded quarterback with Heisman and NFL potential. Xavier Worthy is a dynamic playmaker, arguably the best wide receiver in the Big 12 and will be among those vying for the Biletnikoff Award by the end of the season.
The expectations remain lofty, even after a disappointing season for the Longhorns. However, they have the offensive talent to be a player in the Big 12. The question is, have they done enough to address a defense that allowed the Kansas Jayhawks to score 57 points?
Let’s take a look at how the Big 12 stacks up in the latest ESPN Football Power Index ratings.