College football’s talking season officially gets underway on Tuesday as Big 12 Media Days reaches The Star in Frisco, Texas. The league takes its traditional place as the first media event of the college football season, and every team in the league faces at least one major question entering 2025.
The Big 12 proved itself as the most upwardly mobile conference in America when Arizona State shocked the country and went from picked last to champions in their first season with the league. BYU and Colorado also suprirsed, while Oklahoma State and Utah collapsed.
Media day provides an inside look into each program before fall camp begins. Rosters are set, quarterback battles are largely settled and narratives are taking shape. Here are the top burning questions facing each Big 12 program entering media days.
Question: What does a Brent Brennan program look like?
It was never going to be easy for Brennan to replace Jedd Fisch and build relationships with an existing roster. Ultimately, it failed miserably and the core of great players that led Fisch’s Wildcats to a 10-win season dispersed. Brennan is now building a program in his own image, but he doesn’t have much time or space to do it. Results will be expected sooner than later.
Arizona State
Question: How does Arizona State handle being hunted?
The Sun Devils aren’t not sneaking up on anyone this season. At +550, Arizona State is a co-favorite (along with Kansas State) to win the conference, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. ASU returns the playmaking trio of quarterback Sam Leavitt, receiver Jordyn Tyson and safety Xavion Alford. The last time ASU won 10 games, it was followed by a 6-7 stumble. Can Kenny Dillingham prevent an emotional hangover?
Question: Can Sawyer Robertson be the Big 12’s top quarterback?
Robertson was the biggest riser of the 2024 season — starting the year as Baylor’s backup and ending it as an all-conference contender. With offensive coordinator Jake Spavital back, the Bears’ passing game is set up to be one of the nation’s best. Baylor is poised to field one of the nation’s best passing offenses, and it could set up Robertson as a dark horse All-America contender if things break right.
BYU
Question: How do the Cougars survive a post-Jake Retzlaff world?
Retzlaff was far from perfect, but he was a reliable and dynamic offensive playmaker who contributed with both his arm and legs. With his expected departure, BYU is starting over at the quarterback position. McCae Hillstead and Treyson Bourguet both played snaps at Group of Five schools, but neither saw the field in 2024. It’s a scary proposition for an expected conference title contender.
Question: What’s the plan here?
The Knights turn over an unbelievable percentage of the roster and don’t have many obvious contenders for All-Big 12 honors. Nearly the entire offense and much of the defense could be filled by transfers. Scott Frost has built a winner in Orlando once before, but this moment is different.
Question: Can Cincinnati clean up late game issues?
The Bearcats have rated reasonably well in nearly team metric and been competitive in the vast majority of games. However, late-game miscues have cost them big during the Scott Satterfield era, mostly exemplified by a deeply embarrassing loss to Pittsburgh. Satterfield has fortified the trenches with transfer Joe Cotton joining DT Dontay Corleone and tight end Joe Royer as high-upside pieces. Hopefully, those moves can stabilize the team.
Colorado
Question: How does Coach Prime handle the quarterback situation?
The Buffaloes made the rare decision to bring two quarterbacks to media days. Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter and freshman Julian Lewis boast contrasting skillsets, and it’s no secret that Lewis is the future. It’s a testament to the maturity of both players that Deion Sanders feels comfortable putting both in front of the media, but things get tougher when the bullets start flying. It’s the first time Sanders has dealt with a real quarterback competition as an FBS football coach.
Getty Images
Question: Will Conner Weigman have the weapons?
The Cougars were one of the worst offenses in the Big 12 last season, but made a big swing with Weigman — a former five-star quarterback prospect. Immediately, Houston is trying to send a message that they believe in their weapons. Receivers Mekhi Mews and Stephon Johnson are both set to appear at media days, making them faces of the program. If Houston can create enough explosive plays on offense, a breakout season is within reach.
Question: Can ISU replace its stacked receiving corps?
The Cyclones produced a pair of highly-drafted wide receivers for the Houston Texans, but the unit is starting from scratch. No returning receiver posted more than 150 yards last season, but transfers Chase Sowell and Xavier Townsend have been getting rave reviews since their arrival. Quarterback Rocco Becht will be available to sell reporters on the situation.
Question: How is Jalon Daniels‘ headspace doing?
Two years ago, Daniels was voted Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year and and showed up to media days wearing a chain that played his highlights. Last year, he was the talk of media day as a reclamation story just trying to get back on the field. Now, Daniels is again a major story as he flashed both frustrating lows and game-changing highs last year. Major programs courted him in the offseason, but Daniels has been adamant about his desire to become a KU legend. This could be the year he does it.
Kansas State
Question: Has Avery Johnson taken the next step?
The Wildcats took a risk letting quarterback Will Howard transfer to Ohio State, where he won the national championship. While Johnson was inconsistent as a first-year starter, but it was easy to see why KSU’s staff made that choice. He threw for 2,712 yards, rushed for 605 yards and scored 32 total touchdowns. He also threw 10 backbreaking interceptions. If he can clean up his game, Johnson will rate with the best in the country.
Oklahoma State
Question: How is Mike Gundy handling the pressure?
The running bit in the Big 12 is that Mike Gundy delivers when you least expect it, but this is a new type of challenge. Entering last year, Gundy had not missed a bowl game or finished below .500 since his first season in 2005, but the Cowboys’ 3-9 record in 2024 was the worst record of his career. The three players OSU is bringing to media day rate as perhaps the three least notable at the entire event. For better or worse, every Oklahoma State storyline will come back to Gundy.
Getty Images
Question: Does Josh Hoover have the supporting cast to be great?
Hoover was one of the most productive QBs in the sport last year, posting nearly 4,000 yards passing while completing 67% of his throws. Now he’ll have to replicate the mark without NFL Draft picks Jack Bech, John Paul Richardson and Saivion Williams. Eric McAllister ensures that TCU will still have talent at receiver, but the bigger focus will be on fixing the interior offensive line to help the running game in hopes Hoover won’t have to throw 471 passes next year.
Question: Are the Red Raiders ready for the moment?
Texas Tech invested an absurd amount of money into their transfer class, so there’s no question that the program has high expectations. Really, this might most anticipated season in the history of the program. The team has not won an outright conference championship since 1955, and the expectation is to get damn close to fixing that.
Utah
Question: Can Devon Dampier fix the offense?
The Utes are far deeper at quarterback than the past two years, but Dampier has virtually cemented himself as the starter by getting the invite to go to Big 12 Media Days. Offensive coordinator Jason Beck and Dampier combined to form one of the nation’s most impressive attacks last season — producing the only pair of regular-season 1,000-yard rushers in the FBS last year. If Dampier can replicate the performance, Utah’s ceiling explodes.
Question: What the heck should we expect?
Rich Rodriguez is an old school coach in a new school game. He explicitly banned dancing on TikTok and pushed 50 players into the transfer portal. The veteran coach also has some certified college football sickos ready to explode, headlined by awesome running back Jaheim White. Still, almost nothing is proven on the roster.
