Tag: Big 12 Football

On3 Sports ranks Texas No. 4 in pre-spring Top 25 poll

The Longhorns are viewed as a team right behind Georgia, Ohio State and Oregon for 2024.

The transfer portal has transformed several rosters. Ohio State, Oregon and Texas are three of the biggest beneficiaries of the portal. They rank highly in one pre-spring Top 25.

On3 Sports’ Jesse Simonton ranks the Top 10 in the following order: Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon, Texas, Alabama, Ole Miss, Notre Dame, Michigan, Penn State and Missouri.

Other notable rankings in the list include Oklahoma at No. 13, Florida State at No. 16, Miami at No. 18 and Texas A&M at No. 23.

There’s plenty of variance in many of the preseason prognostications. For the most part, we have no clue what Alabama and Michigan will look like after losing the majority of their starters and elite head coaches. Many are giving both teams benefit of the doubt, but they won’t resemble the teams that made the playoff last season.

Alabama and Michigan are just two of a handful of teams we can’t reliably project with certainty. Five teams, however, seem like near locks to have strong seasons: Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon, Texas and Ole Miss. Given what those teams return and what they brought in through the transfer portal 10 wins seems like a realistic expectation for all five programs.

Outside of the above five teams, it’s anyone’s guess what could happen. Utah and Kansas State both appear primed for a collision course to the Big 12 title game. Missouri returns enough players to win 10 games in the SEC. Everything else seems unclear.

The transfer portal has helped complete several starting lineups. While there will be some change after spring football with transfers we have a good idea of who will rank at the top of college football. Texas will look to live up to its high billing in 2024.

Where Colorado ranks among Big 12 football teams in terms of returning production for 2024

See where Colorado ranks compared to other Big 12 teams in terms of returning production

Opposed to last year when only a few significant players stuck around, the Colorado Buffaloes will return most of their high-impact names heading into the 2024 season.

Those returning for the Buffs include head coach Deion Sanders’ sons Shedeur and Shilo Sanders, two-way phenom Travis Hunter, wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr., safety Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig and linebacker LaVonta Bentley. Colorado’s offensive and defensive lines, however, will look quite different as Coach Prime added several notable transfers.

ESPN recently revealed its first college football returning production rankings for 2024 (subscription required) and CU fared quite well.

See where Colorado ranks among its Big 12 counterparts in terms of returning production:

Big 12 football: Post-national signing day overall recruiting class rankings

See where Colorado’s overall recruiting class ranks among Big 12 teams post-national signing day

For most of the country’s top college football programs, the 2024 national signing day was about as exciting as any other offseason Wednesday. A few notable class of 2024 recruits made things official with their respective schools, but the Big 12 Conference didn’t see much action.

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders did, however, gain some needed depth at linebacker by picking up three-star Florida prospect Kyeran Garcia.

As of Thursday morning, Coach Prime’s overall 2024 signing class — transfers and high school prospects combined — ranks No. 22 nationally, according to 247Sports. The Buffs landed seven class of 2024 high school prospects, including five-star offensive tackle Jordan Seaton.

Here’s where CU’s overall 2024 signing class ranks in the Big 12, per 247Sports:

Patrick Mahomes vs Brock Purdy headlines Big 12’s representation in Super Bowl LVIII

Here is the rundown of Big 12 players participating in the Super Bowl.

For the second straight season, the Super Bowl will be headlined by a pair of Big 12 quarterbacks facing off for the Lombardi Trophy.

Last year it was Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes and Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts. This year Mahomes returns to face Iowa State’s Brock Purdy. These two never faced off on the collegiate gridiron, Mahomes was already in the NFL when Purdy took over the Cyclones’ job.

While the quarterbacks command all the headlines, the Big 12 as a whole has a plethora of talent representing them on the biggest stage. The departing Oklahoma Sooners lead the way with six players playing in the game, four on the Chiefs and two on the 49ers. The Texas Longhorns have one player on the 49ers roster. Surprisingly enough, it is the TCU Horned Frogs with the second-most players hailing from a Big 12 school with three players.

As a whole, we have 17 players by our count on Super Bowl rosters. With the additions of BYU and Cincinnati, we can add Fred Warner of San Francisco and Travis Kelce of Kansas City to the list of Big 12 players on display in Las Vegas.

Kansas City Roster:

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
  • Travis Kelce, Cincinnati Bearcats
  • Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State Wildcats
  • Ekow Boye-Doe, Kansas State Wildcats
  • Blake Bell, Oklahoma Sooners
  • Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma Sooners
  • Wanya Morris, Oklahoma Sooners
  • James Winchester, Oklahoma Sooners
  • Lucas Niang, TCU Horned Frogs
  • Charles Omenihu, Texas Longhorns
  • Patrick Mahomes, Texas Tech Red Raiders

San Francisco Roster:

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
  • Fred Warner, BYU Cougars
  • Brock Purdy, Iowa State Cyclones
  • Trent Williams, Oklahoma Sooners
  • Brayden Willis, Oklahoma Sooners
  • Matt Pryor, TCU Horned Frogs
  • Dee Winters, TCU Horned Frogs
  • Colton McKivitz, West Virginia Mountaineers

Texas ranks No. 2 in SEC for returning production after transfer adds

Don’t hold your breath for a Texas falloff. The Longhorns are No. 2 in the SEC in returning production per Bill Connelly.

Looking forward to a fall off for the Texas Longhorns (12-2) after the 2023 season? You might have to wait another year after an impressive transfer portal haul.

ESPN’s Bill Connelly, who compiles SP+ rankings for college football teams, has the Longhorns toward the top of their new conference in returning production. Unlike in years prior to the transfer portal, impact additions from other squads are included.

For the Longhorns, that means Alabama receivers Isaiah Bond and Amari Niblack, Houston receiver Matthew Golden and Oregon State receiver Silas Bolden’s stats will be credited to Texas’ returning production.

Connelly described how returning production is determined.

“Who returns a majority of last year’s production (or has done the best job of importing production from another team)? Who is starting from scratch?”

The key phrase for Texas comes between parentheses: “or (who) has done the best job of importing production from another team?” Given what the Longhorns lost in receivers Xavier Worthy, Adonai Mitchell, Ja’Tavion Sanders and Jordan Whittington, the team has done as well as anybody at importing production through the transfer portal.

Texas ranks No. 25 overall in Connelly’s returning production model. Starting quarterback Quinn Ewers is a significant returning player for the team. Only Texas A&M (No. 18) ranks ahead of the Longhorns. Perhaps the Aggies will be better than we originally predicted.

Missouri (No. 31), Florida (No. 32) and Georgia (No. 47) round out the SEC’s top five teams in returning production. Other notable teams on the list are LSU (No. 60), Oklahoma (No. 67), Ole Miss (No. 68), Tennessee (No. 94) and Alabama (No. 115).

Many were confused at our prospects for the Alabama Crimson Tide next season. Despite returning quarterback Jalen Milroe, who added 3,365 total yards and 35 total touchdowns in 2023, NFL departures and the loss of key transfers, including Niblack and Bond, drove the Tide’s returning production rate down.

The Alabama you last saw won’t be the team that takes the field next season, and No. 115 of 134 teams is an eye-opening number.

Elsewhere, the LSU Tigers, Oklahoma Sooners and Ole Miss Rebels rank from No. 8-10 in the SEC for returning production. While Ole Miss upgraded at several positions, the loss of now Ohio State running back Quinshon Judkins probably weighs heavily into the numbers for the Rebels.

Oklahoma returns most of its top defensive players and one of the best receiver rooms in college football. Albeit, much of the lost production comes from the departure of dual threat starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel. New quarterback Jackson Arnold should meet or come close to the production numbers of Gabriel despite likely higher turnover numbers.

Returning production can be play a noticeable role in how a team performs. Texas will look to leverage its advantage into wins in 2024.

A closer look at Colorado football’s 2024 schedule

Take a closer game-by-game look at Colorado’s 2024 schedule

Ahead of Colorado football’s first season back in the Big 12 Conference, the Buffs’ 2024 schedule was announced on Tuesday. CU’s slate features three intriguing nonconference games, six total home dates and an East Coast road trip.

After leading the Buffs to four wins in 2023, head coach Deion Sanders has landed over 20 transfer portal players so far this offseason, including a slew of experienced offensive and defensive linemen.

Coach Prime’s roster reboot isn’t complete just yet, but the Buffs have improved at several key positions. Starting quarterback Shedeur Sanders, two-way star Travis Hunter and several other big names are also set to return.

Take a closer game-by-game look at Colorado’s 2024 schedule:

Two Big 12 head coaches make ESPN’s early 2024 hot seat watch

Colorado’s first Big 12 opponent has a head coach who’s currently on the hot seat

In today’s age of college football, even the foremost head coaches have little job security.

While Deion Sanders’ job at Colorado appears safe for now, two other Big 12 head coaches are at high risk of being fired, according to ESPN’s early 2024 hot seat watch (subscription required). Senior college football writer Adam Rittenberg put Baylor’s Dave Aranda firmly on the hot seat and tabbed BYU’s Kalani Sitake as someone to “keep an eye on.”

Baylor, which comes to Folsom Field for CU’s Big 12 opener on Sept. 21, went 3-9 last season in Aranda’s fourth year at the helm. Following an impressive 12-win campaign in 2021, the Bears have quickly declined and must begin next season strong to keep Aranda in Waco.

In Sitake’s eight seasons at BYU, the Cougars have played in six bowl games, including five straight from 2018-22. However, BYU won only two Big 12 games this past season and finished one victory shy of a bowl berth.

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Colorado’s 2024 schedule features late-season game at Arrowhead Stadium

Colorado will be playing at a prominent NFL stadium in 2024

Colorado’s 2024 football schedule was released on Tuesday morning, bringing great excitement for what should be a new and improved Buffs squad this upcoming fall.

With CU rejoining the Big 12 Conference and a slew of longtime rivals, there’s a whirlwind of anticipation for next season. To add to the fun, Colorado will head to GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, the home of the Kansas City Chiefs, on Nov. 23 to play the Kansas Jayhawks.

The game’s new location is due to the ongoing renovations at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, but seeing the Buffs back on an NFL field for the first time since 2021 should be a sight to see nonetheless.

While Colorado lost to UCLA in front of over 71,000 fans at the Rose Bowl in October, facing the Jayhawks in the NFL’s fourth-largest stadium this upcoming fall could attract an even larger crowd.

The 2024 college football season is still several months away and Colorado’s trip to Arrowhead comes late in the year. But with plenty of current Buffs players expected to make careers in the NFL, seeing how they function in the home of the Kansas City Chiefs — the NFL’s most successful franchise in recent years — could give fans a glimpse into the future.

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Big 12 announces finalized dates for Colorado football’s 2024 schedule

Colorado’s 2024 schedule is here. Take a look:

The newly-expanded Big 12 Conference announced its 2024 football league schedule on Tuesday.

Following nonconference games against North Dakota State, Nebraska and Colorado State, the Colorado Buffaloes will host Baylor in their Big 12 opener on Sept. 21. Head coach Deion Sanders and the Buffs are then set to face UCF in Orlando the following weekend, marking CU’s first-ever meeting with the Knights.

Other highlights include an Oct. 12 homecoming game vs. Kansas State and road matchups at Arizona, Texas Tech and Kansas. With the Jayhawks’ home stadium in Lawrence undergoing renovations, Colorado’s Nov. 23 matchup against Kansas is scheduled to be played at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Buffs will enjoy two bye weeks (Week 6 and 10) and a total of six home games. Their 2024 regular season will conclude against Oklahoma State on Nov. 29 at Folsom Field.

Before spending the past 13 seasons in the Pac-12, Colorado was a member of the Big Seven/Big Eight/Big 12 from 1948-2010.

Here’s a complete look at Colorado football’s 2024 schedule:

  • Aug. 31 vs. North Dakota State
  • Sept. 7 at Nebraska
  • Sept. 14 at Colorado State
  • Sept. 21 vs. Baylor
  • Sept. 28 at UCF
  • Oct. 12 vs. Kansas State
  • Oct. 19 at Arizona
  • Oct. 26 vs. Cincinnati
  • Nov. 9 at Texas Tech
  • Nov. 16 vs. Utah
  • Nov. 23 at Kansas
  • Nov. 29 vs. Oklahoma State

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Way-too-early record predictions for every Big 12 football team in 2024

Did we get it right?

A new era of college football will begin this fall with several powerhouse programs entering new conferences.

In addition to Oklahoma and Texas joining the SEC, 10 different Pac-12 programs are joining either the Big Ten, Big 12 or ACC. Colorado, along with Arizona, Arizona State and Utah, landed in the Big 12, creating a 16-team conference that stretches across nearly the entire country.

While rosters are still expected to change considerably over the next few months with another transfer portal window opening in April, it’s time to begin looking ahead to the 2024 season. Below are my way-too-early record predictions for every Big 12 football team in 2024: