There is an Unofficial Big 12 Media Poll from Football Media Days

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FRISCO, Texas – When is a dateline, really not a dateline? It is when you’ve been back from the event for several days, but you still use that location because it is where the story originates. This is definitely that. One of the comical discussions at the 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days derived from the decision in the Big 12 Conference office to not do a preseason media poll. Last season the top teams in the poll, especially newcomer Utah and our own Oklahoma State Cowboys dropped from the top to near the bottom and for OSU to the very bottom. Meanwhile, Arizona State picked dead last wound up winning the Big 12 tying for the lead and then beating Iowa State in the Big 12 Championship Game. Only one team from the league made it into the College Football Playoff and that was Arizona State. 

Pat Kinnison - Chief Photographer

Cam Skattebo led ASU to a Big 12 title.

I have no problem with a poll. I was not embarrassed about my picks last season, which were Kansas State to win the league, Oklahoma State second, and Utah third. Yes, I had Arizona State dead last. The Sun Devils had 45 new players and I thought there was no way to get those guys on the same page. Actually, it was the new players and one one-year transfer removed in the case of running back Cam Skattebo that were responsible for the rise of ASU. It is a formula that Mike Gundy has used in working to turn his program back around to playing winning football. 

I do get the concern of Commissioner Brett Yormark and the leaguie’s football head coaches that a preseason poll gone drastically different can cause some negative opinions on the league and for the teams that rise from being picked lower, a little negative bias. Nobody wants any of that when a committee is choosing the field for the CFP.

Robert Allen - Pokes Report

All the uniforms look good in 2025.

No preseason poll this year. I did my own before the Big 12 Football Media Days. I was asked in Frisco, if I would organize an unofficial poll. I did not, I have radio show and work here, so I didn’t do it. I’ve done polls before and frankly, they can be time consuming a little more work than you would think. 

Somebody did do one, Heartland Sports published it and now so will we. I will even compare it to the poll or picks I did prior to the trip to Frisco for media days. It appears it originated out of a Texas Tech podcast and one that is part of the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Republic of Football network. 

Okay, interesting and here’ how mine compares.

I don’t know who voted, or even how many voters there were in the (Un)official Big 12 Preseason Poll. As for mine in Pokes Report, one voter and one alone in Robert Allen.