Big 12 Media Days: Yormark Calls Big 12 ‘Deepest College Football Conference in America’

The Big 12 was so competitive last season that the league did away with its preseason poll.

The unofficial kickoff to the 2025 Big 12 football season got going Tuesday when league commissioner Brett Yormark took to the stage at Big 12 Media Days, where he spoke glowingly about his conference.

“Once again, I believe we will be the deepest football conference in America,” Yormark said. “No league offers the competitive balance that we do. …

“I fully expect the Big 12 to earn multiple College Football Playoff bids this year and to show once again that we can compete with anyone.”

That’s something many conference commissioners would say, but Yormark brought some stats to support his statement:

1. Big 12 led the nation in fourth-quarter lead changes and go-ahead scores in the final minute of conference games
2. The Big 12 returns nine staring quarterbacks who threw for more than 2,400 yards last season. The SEC, Big Ten and ACC combine to return 11 of such QBs.

The Big 12 might not have the pomp and circumstance of the Big Ten or SEC, but those are two examples as to why the league is so much dang fun to keep up with.

As mentioned, the league did away with its preseason poll after Arizona State was picked to finish last ahead of last season — only for the Sun Devils to go on to win the league.

“I think (the poll) disadvantaged Arizona State last year,” Yormark said. “They were picked 16th, and I think that hurt them. Scott Draper, our chief competition officer, and I discussed this. I think there’s no value (in the preseason poll), and I also feel with the transfer portal, with roster management and what goes on while you build that roster, no one knows what they really have. They know what they have on paper, but it hasn’t played out. That was the case with Arizona State last year.”

As fun as the chaotic parity in the Big 12 is, Yormark was also asked about the importance of some name brands pushing the conference forward.

The past five Big 12 champions have been different, the type of parity that might make it difficult for more casual college football fans to lean into some long-term storylines. With Yormark championing the league’s parity, he also said he’d like to see a few schools step into that flag-bearer role.

“I think parity matters, and I think ultimately over time, and it’s hopefully sooner than later, there will be a couple of our schools that will emerge as elite schools that are always a part of the conversation at the highest levels,” Yormark said. “And that’s what we’re working towards. But it starts with parity and being competitive top to bottom, and I think we’re there. And I think we’re the best in the country when you think about how deep we are top to bottom.

“But I do believe that long term you need certain schools to emerge to the top, and I think we’re getting there.”