Dan Mullen, the former Mississippi State and Florida head coach who now works as a college football analyst for ESPN, recently revealed his predictions for the 2024 Big 12 slate. With the conference expanding to 16 teams, including new additions from the “Four Corner” schools, Mullen’s prediction creates excitement and speculation for the upcoming season.
Mullen posted a graphic on Twitter laying out his full predictions for the Big 12 standings. He picked Oklahoma State as the regular season champion, with Utah close behind. Notably, Mullen sees Kansas in third place, ahead of Kansas State, with Iowa State rounding out the top five. Arizona, a newcomer to the conference, is projected to finish sixth, with UCF, Texas Tech and West Virginia filling out the middle of the pack. TCU, Colorado and Baylor follow, with Arizona State, Houston, Cincinnati and BYU coming in at the bottom.
Comment: Kyle Whittingham and Utah are where they want to be: respected, but not hyped
One of the most interesting aspects of Mullen’s predictions is his pick for the Big 12 Championship Game. Although Oklahoma State leads the regular season, Mullen foresees Utah pulling off an upset in the title game to take the conference crown and secure a spot in the College Football Playoff. This prediction reflects the growing respect for Utah under head coach Kyle Whittingham as the Utes continue to grow as contenders.
Mullen’s ranking of Colorado at No. 11 seems reasonable considering the Buffaloes are coming off a 4-8 season in the Pac-12. That middle-of-the-road ranking suggests potential bowl appearances and continued progress under head coach Deion Sanders. Overall, Mullen’s predictions offer a balanced view of the new-look Big 12, with the Utes emerging as a serious threat.
