No Gorillas, No Shadow: Big 12 Media Days Signal a New Era
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FRISCO, Tx. — For the first time since Oklahoma and Texas left for the SEC, the Big 12 finally feels like its own conference.
Yes, this is the second season without the two former flagship programs. But last year still carried the weight of their legacy—constant comparisons, lingering storylines, and a sense the league hadn’t fully stepped out of their shadow.
That changed this week.
At 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days, the difference was immediate. The tension was gone. The dominance of crimson and burnt orange press clumps? Gone. And in their place? Balance, energy, parity and an openness which hasn’t existed at this event in years.
“It is a totally different feel without Texas and Oklahoma being here,” said Zach Lancaster of Pokes Report. “There’s not that same tension in the air—you’re not waiting for the Texas media mob to swarm in and dominate the room.”
The conference feels lighter—but also stronger. There’s no presumptive champion. Kansas State is respected. Utah enters with credentials. Oklahoma State, Arizona and TCU all have reasons to believe. The media spread is wider, and every program has a voice.
Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark emphasized this in his opening remarks:
“No league offers the competitive balance that we do.”
He called last season “a remarkable year,” and celebrated the league’s growing national and global profile—highlighting a season kickoff in Dublin and a potential future in Mexico City.
Yormark didn’t shy away from the broader challenge: a Power 4 world where big brands usually rule. But his answer was clear.
“We are in a period of change and growth for our industry. But as we enter into this new era, I can promise one thing: the Big 12 remains open for business.”
And this year, for the first time in a long time, it finally feels like a true 16-team league. Not one defined by who left—but by who’s here.
As someone who’s watched this league closely for years, I’m thankful that the shadow of OU and Texas is finally gone. Their absence has created space—space for parity, for fresh energy, and for new stories to rise. This isn’t a rebuild. It’s a reset. And it’s working.
