Big 12 releases annual Preseason Football Media Poll

IRVING, Texas — The Big 12 released its 2023 Football Media Preseason Poll on Thursday, ranking BYU at No. 11 in its inaugural season in the newly expanded 14-team conference.

For the first time since the Conference went to a divisionless format, Texas—coached by former BYU All-American quarterback Steve Sarkisian—was picked atop the Big 12 Preseason Poll as voted on by media representatives. 

The Longhorns led all voting with 886 points and 41 first-place votes. Rounding out the top five were reigning Big 12 champion Kansas State (858/14), Oklahoma (758/4), Texas Tech (729/4) and TCU (727/3), who is coming off an appearance in the CFP National Championship Game.

The rest of the poll ranks Baylor (572) at No. 6 followed by Oklahoma State (470/1), UCF (463), Kansas (461), Iowa State (461), BYU (318), Houston (215), Cincinnati (202) and West Virginia (129), as selected by the media who cover the league.

BYU is coming off an 8-5 season in 2022 that included wins over No. 9-ranked Baylor, Boise State, Stanford, South Florida, Utah State, Utah Tech, Wyoming and a 24-23 victory in the New Mexico Bowl over SMU.

The Cougars return five offensive starters, including redshirt sophomore offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia who was named to the Big 12 Conference 2023 Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team on Wednesday. In addition, BYU returns starting center Connor Pay, tight end Isaac Rex, and receivers Keanu Hill and Kody Epps as well as several others with starting experience, including receiver Chase Roberts, tight end Masen Wake and running backs Hinckley Ropati and Miles Davis. 

On defense, BYU returns eight starters with Tyler Batty, Caden Haws and John Nelson returning up front with leading tackler Ben Bywater and playmaker Max Tooley returning at the linebacker position. Safeties Micah Harper and Talan Alfrey return in the secondary along with corner/nickel Jakob Robinson. In addition, safety Malik Moore, a starter in 2021 who had his 2022 season cut short after four games due to injury, returns for his final season in 2023.

BYU also added several key pieces in the offseason as part a portal class ranked No. 21 by 247Sports. Included in the newcomers are USC and Pitt quarterback transfer Kedon Slovis, running backs Aidan Robbins (UNLV) and Deion Smith (Colorado), wideouts Darius Lassiter (Eastern Michigan) and Keelan Marion (UConn), offensive linemen Caleb Etienne (Oklahoma State), Paul Maile (Utah), Weylin Lapuaho (Utah State) and Ian Fitzgerald (Missouri State), among several other additions on the offensive side.

On defense, the Cougars added a pair of linemen from Boise State with Isaiah Bagnah on the edge and Jackson Cravens on the interior. BYU also picked up 4-star freshman transfer Harrison Taggart from Oregon and Utah State’s leading tackler AJ Vongphachanh at the linebacker position as well as two cornerbacks from Weber State in All-American Eddie Heckard and his teammate Kamden Garrett.

Eight Cougars led by Suamataia were named to the 2023 Phil Steele Preseason All-Big 12 Team, including Robbins, Bywater, Tooley, Rex, Heckard, as well as punt returner Hobbs Nyberg and punter Ryan Rehkow.

Athlon Sports also named eight Cougars to its 2023 All-Big 12 Team for the upcoming football season, including Epps, Batty, Bywater, Harper, Nyberg, Pay, Robbins and Suamataia.

Big 12 Football Media Days, Presented by Old Trapper will be conducted next Wednesday and Thursday, July 12-13 from AT&T Stadium in Dallas. Coverage from both days will be provided on ESPNU and Big 12 Now on ESPN+. BYUtv will also broadcast its daily show BYU Sports Nation live from Dallas.

BYU kicks off its inaugural season as a member of the Big 12 Conference against Sam Houston State on Sept. 2 at LaVell Edwards Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on FS1 with the kickoff scheduled for 8:15 p.m. MT.

Big 12 Football Media Preseason Poll