Big 12 Commissioner Brian Yormark came out swinging at the conference’s media day on Tuesday.
During his introductory press conference at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Yormark shared some strong opinions about the Big 12 heading into the 2025 football season.
“I believe the Big 12 will be the deepest football conference in America,” Yormark said. “No league offers the competitive balance that we do. Last season the Big 12 led the nation in fourth quarter lead changes and go-ahead scores in the final minute of conference games.”
Yormark also highlighted the Big 12’s star power entering the 2025 season, especially at the quarterback position.
“The Big 12 returns nine starting quarterbacks who threw for over 2,400 yards last season,” Yormark said. “The rest of the power-four combined have just 11.”
Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt, Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht and TCU quarterback Josh Hoover headline the Big 12 as key returners to their respective teams.
Leavitt — who led Arizona State to a Big 12 title and College Football Playoff appearance last year — totaled 3,328 offensive yards and 29 touchdowns. Leavitt was already named the conference’s preseason Offensive Player of the Year on Monday.
In addition, Becht is coming off a junior season in which he eclipsed 3,823 yards and 33 touchdowns for the Cyclones, followed by Hoover, who garnered 3,930 yards of offense and 31 touchdowns for the Horned Frogs.
In Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah’s debut season in the conference — and the Big 12’s first season with 16 teams — Arizona State, Colorado, Iowa State and BYU each finished with a 7–2 conference record.
Even with the overall success, the Big 12’s only team in the College Football Playoff was Arizona State, which had an automatic bid from its conference championship win.
Despite the Sun Devils’ double overtime loss to Texas in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Yormark is confident this season’s playoffs will feature more teams from the Big 12.
“I expect the Big 12 to earn multiple College Football Playoff bids this year,” Yormark asserted.
On top of the returning talent and star power, Yormark pointed to the conference’s coaches who will help push the Big 12 to new heights.
“We also boast one of the nation’s top coaching lineups, from Hall of Famers to rising stars,” he said.
