By Mark Pszonak
With the college football season less than a month away, it is time to make some projections. Every team has high expectations in July, but the reality of it will be much different for many. Here is a projection of which team will be the biggest surprise, and which will be the biggest disappointment in the Big 12 during the 2025 season.
Biggest Surprise
West Virginia
The skinny: Since its arrival in the Big 12 back in 2012, the Mountaineers have had a pretty uneventful run. While their overall record has been 88-74 during the 13 seasons, they have only gone 58-58 in conference play. With the return of former head coach Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia hopes to bring back its magic from the first decade of this century, when they went 60-26, including a 32-5 run from 2005 to 2007. Since his arrival, Coach Rodriguez has overhauled a good portion of the roster but was able to bring back quarterback Nicco Marchiol and most importantly, running back Jahiem White. How quickly Coach Rodriguez’ can re-establish his style of play in Morgantown is yet to be seen, but the potential is there for the Mountaineers to make noise during his first season. After what was a chaotic Big 12 season in 2024, there is little indication that the same won’t take place in 2025. On top of that, the conference schedule aligns nicely. There are road trips to three of the weaker teams (Kansas, UCF, Houston), while the Mountaineers host Utah, Texas Tech and Colorado. Also, the Backyard Brawl against Pittsburgh on September 13th is West Virginia’s first real test of the season and my go a long way in showcasing the team’s potential this season.
Biggest Disappointment
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Iowa State
The skinny: The Cyclones have a few things going for them. Two of the biggest are head coach Matt Campbell and veteran quarterback Rocco Becht. However, coming off an 11-2 season, the program’s first ever double-digit victory total, the team will also have to replace numerous stars. Most notably are the wide receiver duo of Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, offensive lineman Jarrod Hufford, cornerback Darien Porter and safety Malik Verdon, who have all begun their NFL careers. Cyclone fans won’t have to wait very long to find out the team’s direction this season as the opener against Kansas State in Ireland on August 23rd is a unique in-conference test for both sides. But it doesn’t get easier for the Cyclones after that, as they then host a dangerous South Dakota team, host in-state rival Iowa and then travel to Arkansas State. If the Cyclones are still relevant in late October, they will have the opportunity to make some noise with consecutive home games against BYU and Arizona State, before finishing the season with two winnable games against Kansas and Oklahoma State. There are just too many questions in Ames this season to try and replicate the success in 2024, with the early schedule doing the Cyclones no favors.
