Week 1 of the college football season wrapped up on Labor Day Monday and the Big 12 Conference is off to a 14-2 start. And on top of that, the league is off to a red-hot start in two key offensive categories: passing and receiving.
In a press release put out by the conference on Monday, the Big 12 led all conferences with 11 players with 100+ receiving yards more for the week, with Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan recording a nation-leading 304 yards vs. New Mexico, the second-most in Big 12 history.
As for the passing attack, Big 12 quarterbacks averaged 290.4 passing yards per game, which led all FBS conferences.
Tetairoa McMillan’s Expectations
McMillian’s performance was shocking, even by the lofty expectations fans have for him. He is entering his third season with the Arizona Wildcats and is one of the most talented players in the country, as he finished with 1,402 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2023.
PFF’s Trevor Sikemma listed the best offensive prospects in each conference, and McMillan was voted as the top player in the Big 12.
McMillan hauled in 90 receptions last season, averaging 15.6 yards per catch, and with quarterback Noah Fifita also back in action for the Wildcats, the star duo is expected to pick up right where they left off.
His best game of the 2023 season came in a win over Arizona State, where the 6-foot-5 offensive weapon went for 266 yards and a touchdown. McMillan hauled in over 100 receiving yards in six games last season.
In ESPN’s latest 2025 NFL Mock Draft, experts predict the receiver to get drafted 11th overall by the Seattle Seahawks.
Big 12 Quarterbacks on Display
Yes, the Big 12 had several FCS games in Week 1, but there was plenty of strong quarterback play across the conference.
Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders led all Big 12 quarterbacks with 445 passing yards in Colorado’s opener against North Dakota State, which they won 31-26. He threw four touchdowns with one interception and completed 77% of his passes. He was the only Big 12 player ranked in PFF College’s Top 10 quarterback performances in Week 1.
Six total Big 12 quarterbacks topped 300 passing yards in Week 1. Joining Sanders was Arizona’s Noah Fifita (422), Cincinnati’s Brendan Sorsby (383), Texas Tech’s Behren Morton (378), TCU’s Josh Hoover (353) and BYU’s Jake Retzlaff (348).
