In a current preseason top 30 ranking of Kelly FordThe Big 12 Conference has no team ranked in the top 15.
Nevertheless, they placed five teams in the top 30, including Utah, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Kansas and Arizona.
Kyle Whittingham and the Utah Utes started the list at No. 17, five spots lower than their ranking in the AP poll (No. 12). The Utes were named the league’s best team after moving to the Big 12 in the Big 12 Media Preseason Poll, edging out Kansas State and Oklahoma State as preseason favorites.
Chris Klieman and the Kansas State Wildcats overtook Oklahoma State in Kelley Ford’s model, while the Cowboys were the second-best team in the Big 12 Conference in the AP Poll. The Wildcats were ranked one spot lower than their AP Poll ranking at No. 19.
Following the Wildcats were the Oklahoma State Cowboys, who were ranked four spots lower than their AP ranking. Mike Gundy’s team was ranked 17th by the Associated Press and 21st by Kelley Ford. The Cowboys have been one of the hardest teams to rank in the preseason polls this offseason.
Lance Leipold and the Kansas Jayhawks fought for the final spot in the top 25, coming in at No. 25. The Jayhawks were ranked three spots lower by Kelley Ford, although many considered Kansas an underdog in Big 12 play.
The fifth and final team on Ford’s list was the Arizona Wildcats, the most disappointed of any Big 12 team. Arizona was ranked No. 21 in the AP poll, one spot ahead of Kansas, and landed at No. 28 on Kelley Ford’s list.
While the preseason rankings don’t mean much in the big picture, the five teams listed above are definitely worth keeping an eye on in the Top 25 poll.
