It’s college football preview magazine season, and there isn’t a bigger name in the industry than Phil Steele.
Steele’s magazines have led the way in college football preseason information for over two decades, and among his lengthy previews are also predictions for awards, All-American teams, and even best position groups.
The latter-most feature is where we’ll focus here, as Steele previewed what he believed would be the country’s 10 best quarterback units. Among those, there are a pair of Big 12 schools—both of which will be newcomers to the conference in 2024.
The first Big 12 school mentioned is Colorado, which checks in at No. 6 on the list. On3’s Dan Morrison broke down the selection on Monday.
“One of the most talked about quarterbacks in all of college football is, undeniably, Shedeur Sanders at Colorado,” Morrison writes. “He took fans by storm last season after a hot start, and since then, there’s been talk about his potential NFL future. At the same time, Colorado gave up too many sacks in 2023, and he finished the season injured.”
“Now, in 2024, with a new offensive system, Sanders needs to be the key for Colorado to have success on offense. If he can control that offense and get the ball out quickly, then Colorado could be one of the best teams in the Big 12. However, if he struggles then the Buffaloes’ season could go sideways quickly.“
Just behind the Buffs at No. 7 is Cam Rising and the Utah Utes. As Morrison details, the most important factor for the Utes is going to be Rising’s health in 2024.
“With Cam Rising at quarterback, Utah is moving to the Big 12 to start the 2024 season. He’ll bring with him plenty of talent and experience that should help the Utes compete for a spot in the Playoff. However, that’s going to depend on him being healthy throughout the season,” Morrison explains.
“Rising has been the starter at Utah since 2021, proving to be an excellent fit and leader for the team during that time. However, injuries have become an issue for him and he missed the entire 2023 season. Still, at his healthiest, he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the country. If he’s not healthy, then Utah will need to find a way to replace him as soon as possible.”
