Who will represent the Big 12 in Arlington for the Conference Championship Game?
Morgantown, WV – The Big 12 is set to be one of the most entertaining conferences in College Football next season. With the addition of four new teams, it is really anyone’s guess as to how the season will turn out. Today, we are taking a crack at predicting how things will end up when the final whistle blows in Arlington, Texas this December.
Without further ado, here are our FINAL STANDINGS & RECORD PREDICTIONS FOR THE BIG 12 in 2023:
- Texas – 9-3 (7-2 Big 12): The Longhorns are set to be one of the best teams in the Big 12 in 2023. With a plethora of talent on the offensive side of the ball, it is hard to fathom many teams slowing them down, much less beating them. Texas finds themselves in the Big 12 Championship Game for the first time since 2018.
- Baylor – 9-3 (7-2 Big 12):Dave Aranda finds himself in the Big 12 Championship Game for the second time in three years. This will be a much improved football team, and the Bears will get back to their winning formula. A November road victory against Kansas State propels them to compete for the conference crown.
- Kansas State – 9-3 (7-2 Big 12): The defending Big 12 champions fall just short of a return to Arlington. While finishing in third will be disappointing, this program is set to compete for conference championships for many years to come.
- Oklahoma – 9-3 (6-3 Big 12): The Sooners take a step forward in their last season in the Big 12. However, this does not mean that they will be ready for SEC play come 2024. It could be several years before Oklahoma achieves this level of success again.
- Texas Tech – 8-4 (6-3 Big 12): Texas Tech will be a sneaky good team in 2023. With a few upsets, they could find themselves competing for the conference championship. But we think a top-half finish is more fitting for them instead. Things are about to get fun in Lubbock.
- Kansas – 7-5 (5-4 Big 12): The Jayhawks witnessed a resurgence in 2022. They will take another step forward in 2023. They are not quite ready to compete for the conference, but they will be a thorn in the side of many teams come fall.
- West Virginia – 7-5 (5-4 Big 12): The Mountaineers will take advantage of an easier second half of the season en route to their best season under Neal Brown. Many outlets expect them to be a “cellar dweller,” but a solid running game will win WVU some games.
- Iowa State – 6-6 (4-5 Big 12): Iowa State will return to a bowl game in 2023. Never count a Matt Campbell team out.
- UCF – 6-6 (4-5 Big 12): Contrary to what many UCF fans believe, the Knights will take a step back in 2023. They will, however, finish as the best newcomer to the Big 12.
- Oklahoma State – 6-6 (4-5 Big 12): The Cowboys are a hard team to get a grasp on going into 2023. While expectations are low, Mike Gundy always finds a way to overachieve. A .500 record with a bowl appearance seems to be an appropriate prediction.
- BYU – 5-7 (3-6 Big 12): Though they will also take a step back, BYU has the most potential out of all the the newcomers. It will be a couple of seasons before we can tell if the Cougars will be competitive.
- TCU – 5-7 (2-7 Big 12): Here is the biggest shocker of all – TCU will go from national runner-up to missing out on a bowl game in 2023. The Horned Frogs got lucky more often than not in 2022. They will come crashing back to Earth in a big way this fall.
- Houston – 4-8 (2-7 Big 12): This will not quite be the welcome back to the Big 12 that Dana Holgorsen would like. His seat will be scorching by year’s end. Houston will struggle mightily in their first season in the Big 12.
- Cincinnati – 3-9 (1-8 Big 12): The Bearcats will be better than their record will show in 2023. However, coming into a season with new coach and quarterback, this is not a formula for success in making the move from Group of Five to Power Five.
(Photo by WVU Athletics)
