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The reigning champs of the Big 12 are picked to finish second in the Big 12 Media Preseason Poll that was released Thursday afternoon.
It’s the highest K-State has been predicted to finish since the division era of the conference ended in 2011. They were projected to win the Big 12 in 2004. The Wildcats received 14 total first place votes with the only team ahead of them in the poll being Texas, who went 8-5 a season ago.
After a ten-win season, a Sugar Bowl appearance and a conference championship, they return quarterback Will Howard and key pieces on defense like Kobe Savage, Khalid Duke, Daniel Green and big additions on both sides of the ball from the transfer portal, 2023 is poised to be another big season for the Cats.
The bar for KU football has been raised. After nearly a decade and a half of futility, the Jayhawks have received some well-earned respect from members of conference and national media. Much of this can be credited to head coach Lance Leipold.
Kansas has been picked to finish ninth this year. It’s the first time since 2010 that KU hasn’t been picked to finish dead last in the preseason poll.
Their 2022 season was considered a massive success with the most wins since 2009 with a 6-7 record, their best start since ’09 (5-0) and a Liberty Bowl appearance.
Quarterback Jalon Daniels was named the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year yesterday, and with some key contributors returning like Cobee Bryant, Devin Neal and Mike Novitsky, they are hoping for their first winning season since 2008.
Big 12 Media Preseason Poll:
- Texas (41)
- K-State (14)
- Oklahoma (4)
- Texas Tech (4)
- TCU (3)
- Baylor
- Oklahoma State (1)
- UCF
- Kansas
- Iowa State
- BYU
- Houston
- Cincinnati
- West Virginia
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