Big 12 Football Preview: 2025 Season Predictions, Records, and Rankings

By Owen Pannell | KZA Sports

The Big 12 is entering a new era in 2025—one defined by fresh faces, bold coaches, and a wide-open path to the College Football Playoff. With traditional powers reloading, up-and-comers surging, and a conference title race that feels as unpredictable as ever, this season has all the makings of a classic. From Arizona State’s attempt at a title defense to Texas Tech’s complete roster and the chaos brewing in the middle tier, here’s a full breakdown of every team’s schedule, record prediction, and outlook for the year ahead.

Arizona Wildcats

Game 1 vs Hawaii - Win

Game 2 vs Weber State - Win

Game 3 vs Kansas State - Loss

Game 4 at Iowa State - Loss

Game 5 vs Oklahoma State - Win

Game 6 vs BYU - Loss

Game 7 at Houston - Loss

Game 8 at Colorado - Loss

Game 9 vs Kansas - Win

Game 10 at Cincinnati - Loss

Game 11 vs Baylor - Loss

Game 12 at Arizona State - Loss

4-8 (2-7)

There was a ton of hype for Arizona going into last season. However, they did not meet the expectations, winning a measly 4 games. Noah Fifita was bad, and after losing his top target to the draft there’s no reason to believe he’ll be better. I expect another bad year for the Wildcats.

Arizona State Sun Devils

Game 1 vs N Arizona - Win

Game 2 at Mississippi State - Win

Game 3 vs Texas State - Win

Game 4 at Baylor - Win

Game 5 vs TCU - Win

Game 6 at Utah - Win

Game 7 vs Texas Tech - Win

Game 8 vs Houston - Win

Game 9 at Iowa State - Loss

Game 10 vs West Virginia - Win

Game 11 at Colorado - Win

Game 12 vs Arizona - Win

11-1 (8-1)

Arizona State returns the best QB and WR in the Big 12. After nearly beating Texas in the CFP last season, the folks in Tempe believe they have something special. HC Kenny Dillingham is one of the best up and coming coaches in the sport, and I expect big things from the Sun Devils in 2025.

BYU Cougars

Game 1 vs Portland State - Win

Game 2 vs Stanford - Win

Game 3 at East Carolina - Win

Game 4 at Colorado - Loss

Game 5 vs West Virginia - Loss

Game 6 at Arizona - Win

Game 7 vs Utah - Loss

Game 8 at Iowa State - Loss

Game 9 at Texas Tech - Loss

Game 10 vs TCU - Loss

Game 11 at Cincinnati - Win

Game 12 vs UCF - Win

6-6 (3-6 )

After a great 2024 season for the Cougars, their star QB Jake Retzlaff is no longer on the team. Last year was a bit of a fluke in my opinion, and I expect a drop off, with a worse roster and a pretty difficult schedule.

Baylor Bears

Game 1 vs Auburn - Loss

Game 2 at SMU - Loss

Game 3 vs Samford - Win

Game 4 vs Arizona State - Loss

Game 5 at Oklahoma State - Win

Game 6 vs Kansas State - Win

Game 7 at TCU - Loss

Game 8 at Cincinnati - Win

Game 9 vs UCF - Win

Game 10 vs Utah - Win

Game 11 at Arizona - Win

Game 12 vs Houston - Win

8-4 (7-2)

Baylor has a good squad this year, unfortunately for them they have a very difficult first part of the schedule. I’ve got them going 1-3 in their first 4 games, but if they can win a couple more of those, don’t sleep on them making the CFP.

Cincinnati Bearcats

Game 1 vs Nebraska - Loss

Game 2 vs Bowling Green - Win

Game 3 vs Northwestern State - Win

Game 4 at Kansas - Loss

Game 5 vs Iowa State - Win

Game 6 vs UCF - Win

Game 7 at Oklahoma State - Win

Game 8 vs Baylor - Loss

Game 9 at Utah - Loss

Game 10 vs Arizona - Win

Game 11 vs BYU - Loss

Game 12 at TCU - Loss

6-6 (4-5)

The Bearcats haven’t been great in the Post-Fickell era. Coming off a 5-7 season, they are looking to bounce back into bowl contention. I can see them doing that, but not much else. They have a great DT in Dontay Corleone, and a solid transfer RB Tawee Walker, but nobody else I’m super excited about on this team. I don’t believe this will be the year Cincy gets back to the CFP.

Colorado Buffaloes

Game 1 vs Georgia Tech - Loss

Game 2 vs Delaware - Win

Game 3 at Houston - Win

Game 4 vs Wyoming - Win

Game 5 vs BYU - Win

Game 6 at TCU - Loss

Game 7 vs Iowa State - Win

Game 8 at Utah - Win

Game 9 vs Arizona - Win

Game 10 at West Virginia - Loss

Game 11 vs Arizona State - Loss

Game 12 at Kansas State - Loss

7-5 (5-4)

Coach Prime is the king of the transfer portal. Adding a top 3 portal QB in my opinion in Kaidon Salter is huge, they also revamped their offensive line and added some other key pieces, but I don’t know if it’s enough to replace all that they lost, mainly Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter. I have them going 7-5, but I can definitely see this team going 9-3.

Houston Cougars

Game 1 vs SF Austin - Win

Game 2 at Rice - Win

Game 3 vs Colorado - Loss

Game 4 at Oregon State - Win

Game 5 vs Texas Tech - Loss

Game 6 at Oklahoma State - Win

Game 7 vs Arizona - Win

Game 8 at Arizona State - Loss

Game 9 vs West Virginia - Loss

Game 10 at UCF - Win

Game 11 vs TCU - Loss

Game 12 at Baylor - Loss

6-6 (3-6)

The Cougars brought in talented QB Conner Weigman, and top transfer TE Tanner Koziol. I expect them to be good, not great next year. Finishing 6-6 would be an improvement, but they want better. They have been recruiting nicely, so this is a step in the right direction.

Iowa State Cyclones

Game 1 vs Kansas State - Loss

Game 2 vs South Dakota - Win

Game 3 vs Iowa - Win

Game 4 at Arkansas State - Win

Game 5 vs Arizona - Win

Game 6 at Cincinnati - Loss

Game 7 at Colorado - Loss

Game 8 vs BYU - Win

Game 9 vs Arizona State - Win

Game 10 at TCU - Loss

Game 11 vs Kansas - Win

Game 12 at Oklahoma State - Win

8-4 (5-4)

Matt Campbell has a solid squad this year who could make some noise in the Big 12. I love QB Rocco Becht, and they’ve got some other solid pieces around him, but they have a very tough schedule, and it will be hard to win the conference. They can definitely upset some teams though (like I have them doing to Arizona State) and who knows, the Big 12 is nuts so maybe they could make a run. I’ve got them going 8-4, but with this schedule, they could be way better or way worse.

Kansas Jayhawks

Game 1 vs Fresno State - Win

Game 2 vs Wagner - Win

Game 3 at Missouri - Loss

Game 4 vs West Virginia - Win

Game 5 vs Cincinnati - Win

Game 6 at UCF - Win

Game 7 at Texas Tech - Loss

Game 8 vs Kansas State - Loss

Game 9 vs Oklahoma State - Win

Game 10 at Arizona - Loss

Game 11 at Iowa State - Loss

Game 12 vs Utah - Win

7-5 (5-4)

Jalon Daniels is one of the few QBs who could have gone to a far better school, but stayed loyal. Since his breakout season in 2022, he has battled injuries which has led to underwhelming seasons for him. Lance Leipold is a great coach, and this is a decent roster, so if everything goes perfect for the Jayhawks, I could see this being a 9 win team. However, I doubt it will so I’ve got them at 7-5. 

Kansas State Wildcats

Game 1 vs Iowa State - Win

Game 2 vs North Dakota - Win

Game 3 vs Army - Win

Game 4 at Arizona - Win

Game 5 vs UCF - Win

Game 6 at Baylor - Loss

Game 7 vs TCU - Win

Game 8 at Kansas - Win

Game 9 vs Texas Tech - Loss

Game 10 at Oklahoma State - Win

Game 11 at Utah - Win

Game 12 vs Colorado - Win

10-2 (7-2)

The Wildcats will be good this year. They’ve got a great starting QB in Avery Johnson, a great RB Dylan Edwards, a good defense, they have all the tools. In the wild Big 12, a playoff birth is a possibility for K-State. Losing 2 games would make it very difficult, but their ceiling this year is 12-0.

Oklahoma State Cowboys

Game 1 vs UT Martin - Win

Game 2 at Oregon - Loss

Game 3 vs Tulsa - Win

Game 4 vs Baylor - Loss

Game 5 at Arizona - Loss

Game 6 vs Houston - Loss

Game 7 vs Cincinnati - Loss

Game 8 at Texas Tech - Loss 

Game 9 at Kansas - Loss

Game 10 vs Kansas State - Loss

Game 11 at UCF - Loss

Game 12 vs Iowa State - Loss

2-10 (0-9)

Man, this is ROUGH. I know Poke fans are going to be very angry at this, but this is gonna be a rough season in Stillwater. They have the worst roster in the Big 12, and I believe this will be the last season in the Mike Gundy era. I can see them winning a MAX of 5 games, and that would shock me.

TCU Horned Frogs

Game 1 at North Carolina - Win

Game 2 vs Abilene Christian - Win

Game 3 vs SMU - Loss

Game 4 at Arizona State - Loss

Game 5 vs Colorado - Win

Game 6 at Kansas State - Loss

Game 7 vs Baylor - Win

Game 8 at West Virginia - Loss

Game 9 vs Iowa State - Win

Game 10 at BYU - Win

Game 11 at Houston - Win

Game 12 vs Cincinnati - Win

8-4 (6-3)

TCU is one of the more underrated schools going into next season in my opinion. They return a lot of talent, and have a solid vet QB paired with a great WR in Eric McAlister. I have them going 8-4, because of their hard schedule, but don’t sleep on the Horned Frogs.

Texas Tech Red Raiders

Game 1 vs Arkansas-Pine Bluff - Win

Game 2 vs Kent State - Win

Game 3 vs Oregon State - Win

Game 4 at Utah - Win

Game 5 at Houston - Win

Game 6 vs Kansas - Win

Game 7 at Arizona State - Loss

Game 8 vs Oklahoma State - Win

Game 9 at Kansas State - Win

Game 10 vs BYU - Win

Game 11 vs UCF - Win

Game 12 at West Virginia - Win

11-1 (8-1)

The Red Raiders have the best roster they’ve had in a long time. There isn’t a massive hole on this roster, and they’re arguably the best team in the Big 12. I’ve got them going 11-1, with a tough road loss to Arizona State, but this would get them a spot in the Big 12 Championship, and possibly a playoff spot.

UCF Knights

Game 1 vs Jax State - Win

Game 2 vs NC A&T - Win

Game 3 vs North Carolina - Loss

Game 4 at Kansas State - Loss

Game 5 vs Kansas - Loss

Game 6 at Cincinnati - Loss

Game 7 vs West Virginia - Loss

Game 8 at Baylor - Loss

Game 9 vs Houston - Loss

Game 10 at Texas Tech - Loss

Game 11 vs Oklahoma State - Win

Game 12 at BYU - Loss

3-9 (1-8)

UCF is not a good team. Plain and simple. I think they can beat OSU at home (that will lowkey be a good game) but I do not see them having a successful season under Scott Frost.

Utah Utes

Game 1 at UCLA - Win

Game 2 vs Cal Poly - Win

Game 3 at Wyoming - Win

Game 4 vs Texas tech - Loss

Game 5 at West Virginia - Loss

Game 6 vs Arizona State - Win

Game 7 at BYU - Win

Game 8 vs Colorado - Loss

Game 9 vs Cincinnati - Win

Game 10 at Baylor - Loss

Game 11 vs Kansas State - Loss

Game 12 at Kansas - Loss

6-6 (3-6)

6-6 might be a harsh prediction for the Utes. However, their schedule is just very unfavorable in my opinion. They have a talented group, and I think have potential to win up to 10 games, but it just doesn’t look like it will pan out for Utah this year to me.

West Virginia Mountaineers

Game 1 vs Robert Morris - Win

Game 2 at Ohio - Win

Game 3 vs Pitt - Win

Game 4 at Kansas - Loss

Game 5 vs Utah - Win

Game 6 at BYU - Win

Game 7 at UCF - Win

Game 8 vs TCU - Win

Game 9 at Houston - Win

Game 10 vs Colorado - Win

Game 11 at Arizona State - Loss

Game 12 vs Texas Tech - Loss

9-3 (6-3)

West Virginia is very, very slept on in my opinion. I really like QB Nico Marchiol unlike most people, and RB Jaheim White is a stud. Week 3 vs Pitt will be an extremely fun game, and I think the WV home field advantage will give them the edge. If they can avoid a loss to Kansas, and win one of their last 2 games while taking care of business with a relatively easy schedule, I can see them making the CFP.

Big 12 Standings:

1. Arizona State 8-1 (11-1)

2. Texas Tech 8-1 (11-1)

3. Baylor 7-2 (8-4)

4. Kansas State 7-2 (10-2)

5. West Virginia 6-3 (9-3)

6. TCU 6-3 (8-4)

7. Colorado 5-4 (7-5)

8. Iowa State 5-4 (8-4)

9. Kansas 5-4 (7-5)

10. Cincinnati 4-5 (6-6)

11. Utah 3-6 (6-6)

12. BYU 3-6 (6-6)

13. Houston 3-6 (6-6)

14. Arizona 2-7 (4-8)

15. UCF 1-8 (3-9)

16. Oklahoma State 0-9 (2-10)

Big 12 Championship

Texas Tech- 38 Arizona State- 34

In this Big 12 Championship, I’ve got the Red Raiders pulling it out to earn their first CFP birth. It’s hard to beat a team twice in a season, and I think Tech might even be a little more talented than Arizona State. If my prediction is correct, Texas Tech’s insane $27 million roster pays off.

CFP

Locks:

- Texas Tech

50-50:

- Arizona State

Long shot:

- Kansas State

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