Editor's note: This story was updated to reflect the latest projections and changes to teams and rosters.
In a recent piece on conference realignment, I gave the Big 12 some free marketing assistance, nicknaming it The Fun Conference, the one most likely to produce nonstop close games, go for it nonstop on fourth downs and make big, bold (and potentially foolish) realignment moves moving forward.
As of 2023, the Big 12 boasts members from Utah to West Virginia to Florida, and it apparently wants to do business in both New York and Mexico and potentially add schools in Washington and Connecticut. Does this plan make actual strategic sense? It's hard to give a definitive yes. Will it blow up in commissioner Brett Yormark's face? Maybe. But it sure is bold and easy to root for. And this fall, as the Big 12 welcomes its four Oklahoma and Texas replacements (BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF) while not yet losing the Sooners and Longhorns, it should again be one of the most enjoyable conferences on the planet. OU and Texas are off to the SEC next year, but this will be particularly fun while it lasts.
It's time to preview this mad amalgamation of teams. There's not a great way to split them up into a two-part preview, so here's what we're going to do: Today, we'll look at the seven teams that aren't in Oklahoma or Texas. Next week, we'll visit the conference's geographic heart.
Let's preview the Big 12!
Every week through the offseason, Bill Connelly will preview another division from the Group of 5 and Power 5 exclusively for ESPN+, ultimately including all 133 FBS teams. The previews will include 2022 breakdowns, 2023 previews and burning questions for each team.