No More Preseason Picks: Big 12 Ditches Poll After Media Misses Again and Again

The Big 12 Conference gets rid of the preseason poll.

A football helmet from the University of Kansas on display during the first day of Big 12 Media Days in AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, July 12, 2023. | Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Big 12 preseason poll is no more.

According to Brett McMurphy of The Action Network, "Big 12 ADs & coaches have decided to do away w/league’s preseason media poll. Big 12 will continue its preseason all-league teams."

Last season, the media picked the eventual conference champion, Arizona State, to finish dead last. Two years ago, they picked West Virginia to finish in the league's basement and ended up finishing in fourth place.

Predicting how teams will do is tougher than ever with the transfer portal constantly turning over rosters. And to be honest, there's really no point in it. You don't get an award or trophy for being picked to win the league, and it has no bearing on the AP Top 25 rankings or College Football Playoff rankings that come out mid-season. If anything, it's for the media to give their opinion on something in the quietest time of the offseason.

I am a little surprised, however, that coaches want it gone. Every year, they can use it to stoke the fire in the dog days of summer, fall camp, and throughout the season. Remember "14" being the rally cry for the Mountaineers two years ago? It worked then, and it worked for Arizona State last season.

Although the Big 12 media won't be putting out a preseason poll, we'll be releasing our preseason Big 12 power rankings on the first morning of Big 12 media days, which is July 8th.

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