CollegeFootballPoll.com - Our 2023 Big 12 Preview Has Eyes On Texas

August 23, 2023 by CollegeFootballPoll.com Staff

TCU will take a dive while defending champion Kansas State could be back in the hunt, but Texas is the team to beat - so say the Congrove Computer Rankings at CollegeFootballPoll.com.

A poll of 69 media members also backed Texas as the top team with 41 of those putting the Longhorns in first. Kansas State received 14 to take 2nd while Oklahoma and Texas Tech gave chase. Six different teams received at least one first-place vote.

Given that Texas and Oklahoma are both checking out of the Big 12 next season to head to the SEC, a certain degree of animosity will add extra determination to the effort that opponents will give in knocking off both of those football heritage programs.

While Texas is widely considered to be the best of the 14 schools, there are varying opinions on which program is most likely to mount a challenge. Kansas State, Texas Tech and TCU are among 3 Big 12 underdogs that are receiving consideration.

On Stassen.com, a website that collects preaseason rankings from multiple magazines, national print and internet media, Oklahoma has more 2nd-place rankings than any other team. Kansas State draws a range of predictions from 6th-place to 2nd.

That compilation of information also shows TCU as a consensus 4th-place finisher after the Horned Frogs lost the conference championship game against Kansas State in overtime last season. TCU rebounded to eliminate Michigan from the Final Four and then got drilled 65-7 by Georgia in the National Championship Game. Oklahoma had been the ONLY previous team to represent the Big 12 in the Final Four.

In the computer rankings, Texas Tech is predicted to pose the strongest challenge to the 'Horns after posting a 37-34 overtime upset win in Lubbock last year. Those rankings have the Longhorns and Red Raiders playing on consecutive weekends at the end of the season with Texas favored by 2.34 points in Austin before knocking off the boys from Lubbock again in the Big 12 Championship game in Arlington.

Kansas State and UCF trail Texas Tech in the computer rankings, while Oklahoma is forecast to struggle once again to finish at .500. However, the odds put the Sooners at No. 2 among the Big 12 favorites.

UCF is one of four new teams in the Big 12, joining fellow former American Conference members Cincinnati and Houston, and former independent BYU.

Texas last captured the Big 12 title in 2009 while Oklahoma dominated the conference for the first two decades of the 21st century with 13 outright titles and 1 co-championship from the year 2000 to the year 2020.

Predicted Order of Finish

CCR = Congrove Computer Rankings
Big 12 = Conference Media Poll

Past Big 12 Champions

NOTE: Four remaining Southwest Conference teams merged with the Big 8 in 1996 to become the Big 12.
Records are regular season conference records

Big 12 Championship Games