In a recent list from 247Sports’ Brad Crawford, two teams from the Big 12 Conference were listed as sleeper teams to watch in the College Football Playoff race.
The two teams mentioned were the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Kansas Jayhawks who have both earned considerable amounts of dark-horse praise in the Big 12 Conference.
WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS
“Armed with a budding superstar at quarterback, one of the most productive backfield duos in the country and widespread returning talent on a defense that ranked inside the top-tier of the Big 12 last season, there’s a lot to like about Neal Brown’s lineup at West Virginia. The Mountaineers open with a mammoth home game against playoff-hopeful Penn State, a landmark opportunity at a momentum-changing victory that would change early narratives nationally. In a wide-open conference, West Virginia’s play in October will determine its placement in the first playoff rankings later this season. The Mountaineers travel to Oklahoma State, then host Iowa State and Kansas State before battling Arizona on the road to end the month.”
KANSAS JAYHAWKS
“As long as the loss of hot-shot offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki to Penn State isn’t detrimental to the Jayhawks’ production this fall, this should be a team with a say in how the Big 12 is won down the stretch. Keeping quarterback Jalon Daniels upright and healthy is top priority with quality backup Jason Bean now in the NFL. The pass rush and elite back end should determine the Jayhawks’ overall value and where they finish in the Big 12 race. You’re not going to find many teams more equipped to stop high-end quarterbacks than what the Jayhawks are bringing back in the secondary.“
While both teams have been labeled sleepers to watch in the CFP race, the pair will have some tough opponents to overcome if they intend to shake up the College Football Playoff. With less than three weeks until the start of the 2024 season, fans will get a good look at both programs in the near future.
