The Texas Longhorns were moments away from accepting their first Big 12 Championship Trophy since 2009, and AT&T Stadium was a cascade of boos.

Steve Sarkisian had officially lifted the program out of its darkest decade, but even he wasn't powerful enough to quiet the Burnt Orange faithful, waving his arms to no avail. Brett Yormark shared the stage with Texas's heroes. Yet, clutching the microphone, he was alone.

Yormark was in the eye of a perfect storm. A proud fan base now vindicated. Years of pain from falling short on the field, magnified by the burden of being the Big 12's biggest brand, now washed away because they'd won the last one. And here was Yormark – who'd committed the grave sin of encouraging a team staying in his conference to beat a team ditching his conference at a Texas Tech donor event – prepared to kiss the ring.

One thing about storms is that the eye is always calm.

"It's all good," Yormark said. "It's all good."

Because for Yormark and the Big 12, it would be. Losing Texas and Oklahoma was not ideal. But when that move was announced three years ago, the Big 12 – rather than the Pac-12 – was on the fast track to extinction. Now, it enters 2024 with four of the Pac-12's teams. 

Yormark, a former Roc Nation executive, has built an exciting brand out of the ashes Texas and Oklahoma's departures threatened to leave him with. The Undertaker stood next to him because Yormark partnered the championship game with WWE. Nelly performed at halftime. Media Days are in Vegas, baby!

So Yormark descended the stage, gave a wry smile and brushed the confetti off his shoulders. In that moment, he could've been brushing off Texas and Oklahoma, too.

One of Yormark’s newcomers, Utah (8–5, 5–4), is a preseason Big 12 favorite. The Utes have changed conferences three times in two decades under Kyle Whittingham, but the on-field results have been consistent. The Utes are the team on the schedule that brings a groan - not these guys again. Quarterback Cameron Rising returns for a seventh year of college football after missing last season with a blown-out knee. He led Utah to back-to-back Rose Bowls in 2021 and 2022.

Rising should have plenty of time to operate behind sophomore Spencer Fano, who started 11 games at left tackle as a freshman, and Michael Mokofisi, a 25-game starter at right guard. The defense gave up less than 20 points per game last year and returns all-conference linebacker Karene Reid and defensive tackle Junior Tafuna.

Utah’s not the only squad pairing a long-time head coach with a quarterback pursuing a football doctorate. Mike Gundy won the Big 12’s Coach of the Year after Oklahoma State (10–4, 7–2) rebounded from a Week 3 blowout loss to South Alabama to reach the conference championship, getting the last laugh on Oklahoma along the way. Alan Bowman is back at the helm, but this offense runs through Euless Trinity alum Ollie Gordon II. The Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year led the nation with 1,732 rushing yards. 

The Cowboys defense returns two stalwarts at linebacker in Nick Martin (140 tackles, 16 TFL) and Collin Oliver (73 tackles, 15.5 TFL). Oklahoma State ranked last in the conference, allowing 275 passing yards a game, but corner Korie Black and safeties Kendal Daniels and Cameron Epps all return.

With Texas gone, Kansas State (9–4, 6–3) is the conference’s most recent champion. Chris Klieman’s Wildcats are confident they can stay atop a new food chain. The Big 12’s second-best defense returns five of its top six tacklers, headlined by all-conference linebacker Austin Moore. However, it’s a new era for the offense, without program legend Collin Klein as coordinator. Avery Johnson is the undisputed starter after Will Howard’s transfer to Ohio State. His MVP performance in the Pop-Tarts Bowl has fans dreaming of sweeter times ahead.

Noah Fifita is another sophomore quarterback with high expectations at Arizona (10–3, 7–2). The Wildcats may have lost head coach Jedd Fisch, but they retained Fifita (Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year) and his top target, Tetairoa McMillan (90 catches, 1,402 yards, 10 TD). Arizona’s defense took a massive step after four years of ranking in the triple digits nationally in points allowed per game. Junior linebacker Jacob Manu returns in 2024 after posting 116 tackles.

Like Arizona, West Virginia (9–4, 6–3) rebounded from a 5–7 record in 2022. Neal Brown coached his way off the hot seat after three losing seasons in his first four years. Garrett Greene is back to lead the offense after compiling over 3,100 yards and 29 touchdowns. Wyatt Milum will protect Greene while he tosses to tight end Kole Taylor. The Mountaineers play 11 Power Four teams in 2024, beginning with Penn State.

West Virginia opens Big 12 conference play by hosting Kansas (9–4, 5–4). In three years, Lance Leipold has turned the Jayhawks from conference cellar dweller to contender. And he did it in 2023 without preseason Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year Jalon Daniels for most of the year. Daniels is recuperating from a season-ending back injury and should play in 2024. He’ll have 1,280-yard rusher Devin Neal in the backfield with him. Two-time First Team All-Big 12 corner Cobee Bryant is the defensive leader.

Whereas Kansas exceeded expectations in 2023, TCU (5–7, 3–6) suffered a reversal of fortune, becoming the first team to miss a bowl game following a national championship appearance since the 2010 Texas Longhorns. Now, Sonny Dykes feels his team has a chip on its shoulder once again. The Horned Frogs offense scored a touchdown less per game, but second-year coordinator Kendal Briles found his quarterback mid-season in Josh Hoover. The TCU defense hasn’t allowed less than 25 points per game since the 2020 season. Is new coordinator Andy Avalos, Boise State’s former head coach, the man to fix that?

Iowa State (7–6, 6–3) also found its future quarterback in Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year Rocco Becht. He has his top two receivers returning in Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. Matt Campbell has chosen to stay at Iowa State over other programs because he feels the program can reach another level. He’s still searching for a season that will prove it.

Joey McGuire feels Texas Tech (7–6, 5–4) has something to prove after falling short of dark horse Big 12 Championship expectations. The Red Raiders are recruiting better than they have in a decade and are undergoing a $240 million stadium renovation. The vibes are high. Can the results on the field match? It will help if Texas Tech doesn’t have to start three different quarterbacks for the third straight year.

Speaking of immaculate vibes, Colorado (4–8, 1–8) was the September national champion after a 3–0 start. The wheels fell off the Deion Sanders bandwagon during a six-game losing streak, but the Buffs have the firepower to compete in the Big 12. Shedeur Sanders is an NFL-caliber quarterback, while Travis Hunter is one of the nation’s most electrifying two-way players. Did Colorado get enough offensive linemen in the transfer portal for it to matter?

UCF (6–7, 3–6) also has offensive line questions with just two starters returning. The Big 12’s second-ranked rushing offense brings back 1,400-yard rusher R.J. Harvey, who they’ll pair with Arkansas transfer KJ Jefferson as quarterback. Kobe Hudson is the new No.1 wide receiver after putting up 900 yards. There are defensive question marks, but Gus Malzahn has plenty of offensive weapons.

Baylor (3–9, 2–7) needs an offensive spark after tying for last in the Big 12 with 23.1 points per game. That’s why the Bears brought in Cal offensive coordinator Jake Spavital. His prior head coaching experience was a requirement for Dave Aranda to get another chance, as Aranda is now the defensive playcaller. After three losing seasons in his first four years, Aranda is on the hottest of hot seats.

Kalani Sitake earned a contract extension at BYU (5–7, 2–7) two years ago after back-to-back AP Top 20 finishes, but has gone 13–12 since. Tyler Batty led the Cougars with 5.5 sacks, but the team only registered 11, last in the Big 12. The offense hopes for improvement, returning five of its top six receivers and intriguing running back LJ Martin (El Paso Canutillo).

Fellow Big 12 newcomer Cincinnati (3–9, 2–7) didn’t fare better in the conference, losing the same number of games in one year as the previous four under Luke Fickell. Scott Satterfield does have a dynamic lineman on both sides of the ball, including all-conference guard Luke Kandra and defensive tackle Dontay Corleone.

Arizona State (3–9, 2–7) hopes for better first-year results than Cincinnati, but Kenny Dillingham might need another year or so to rebuild from the Herm Edwards era.

It’s a new regime at Houston (4–8, 2–7), where Willie Fritz takes over after back-to-back American Athletic Conference Championship Game appearances at Tulane. Fritz has coached and won at every level of college football. Now, the 64-year-old can prove he can do it in the Power Four.

Predictions

1. Utah Utes – Death, taxes and Kyle Whittingham’s team punching you in the mouth. Utah might hail from a pass-happy conference, but are a throwback team.
2. Arizona Wildcats – New head coach Brent Brennan retains many of the pieces from Arizona’s 2023 team, a rarity in today’s Transfer Portal landscape.
3. Kansas State Wildcats – Is Avery Johnson for real? He looked like it in limited action last season, but there’s a new cast of characters surrounding him.
4. Oklahoma State Cowboys – Run, Ollie, Run. Mike Gundy has had 18-consecutive winning seasons, but his team’s ceiling is only as high as Gordon II makes it.
5. Kansas Jayhawks – Kansas’s fortunes ride on the health of Jalon Daniels now that the Jayhawks don’t have a proven starter behind him in Jason Bean.
6. TCU Horned Frogs – Sonny Dykes’s first two years in Fort Worth were a Jekyll and Hyde scenario. Who are the TCU Horned Frogs?
7. Iowa State Cyclones – The Cyclones return the second-most production in the nation, headlined by quarterback Rocco Becht. Has Matt Campbell reached the ceiling at Iowa State?
8. Texas Tech Red Raiders – 1,500-yard rusher Tahj Brooks is back, five-star wide receiver Micah Hudson is in and linebackers Jacob Rodriguez and Ben Roberts are defensive strengths.
9. West Virginia Mountaineers – Was 2023 a flash in the pan for Neal Brown, or a sign the program is bound for bigger and better?
10. UCF Golden Knights – Gus Malzahn’s offense should be electric, but the defense is searching to replace leading tackler Jason Johnson and defensive end Tre’Mon Morris-Brash.
11. Colorado Buffaloes – Deion Sanders operates Colorado like an NFL team. He doesn’t do in-home recruiting visits, opting to portal instant impact starters for Shedeur and Shilo’s final year.
12. BYU Cougars – Kalani Sitake isn’t on the hot seat, but the oven has turned on. BYU doesn’t have the playmakers to finish in the Big 12’s top half.
13. Baylor Bears – Dave Aranda is on the third iteration of his original staff after Baylor finished in the Big 12’s bottom two in both scoring offense and defense.
14. Cincinnati Bearcats – Cincinnati accepted a Big 12 invite on the merit of its accomplishments with Luke Fickell and is now floundering without him.
15. Houston Cougars – The Houston brass loves its Willie Fritz hire, but this rebuild will take time. A .500 record would be a success in Year One.
16. Arizona State Sun Devils – Kenny Dillingham is the youngest head coach in college football, and he’ll need all the youthful energy to get Tempe rolling again.

Texas Ties

RB Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State (Euless Trinity)

Gordon is arguably the top returning player in college football after winning the Doak Walker Award in 2023. 

DB Dalton Johnson, Arizona (Katy)

Johnson earned 2023 valero Alamo Bowl Defensive MVP with 13 tackles and a forced fumble. Now, he takes on the Big 12.

S Jeremiah Cooper, Iowa State (El Paso Andress)

Cooper earned First Team All-Big 12 as a sophommore, finishing second in the conference with five interceptions. He also broke up 15 passes.

QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado (Dallas Trinity Christian)

Check the Rolex and you'll find it's time to acknowledge Sanders as a legitimate first round NFL Draft prospect.

RB LJ Martin, BYU (El Paso Canutillo)

Martin rushed for 518 yards and four touchdowns as a true freshman, providing Cougar fans a glimpse of the future.