Who's the Next Indiana?: Big 12 Edition

(Image via Jim Michillo/AP)

By: Lucas Kochevar

The Big 12 was a sloppy mess last season with multiple teams that just didn’t want to step up, until the Arizona State Sun Devils went on a run and captured the hearts of many with Cam Skattebo and co. The Big 12 are in a precarious position with so many quality teams, but no program that really stands above the rest. The Big 12 is the perfect conference for an Indiana-meteoric rise. Arizona State is actually one of those teams as they went from 3-9 to 11-3. 

Now, who will be that team to step up and seize the conference? There are a couple candidates that are up for this, mainly Oklahoma State. The Pokes went winless in the conference last season and were by far the worst team. There’s nowhere to go but up for Mike Gundy, but I don’t see it with uncertainty at QB in 2025. The Arizona Wildcats had high hopes but fell flat last season also. The team I could see rising up the ranks and shocking their peers is the “Former National Champion” UCF Knights.

The Knights are looking at a lot of turnover with their roster, but that’s natural with a new coaching staff. The new head coach in Orlando is a name very familiar to college football fans and especially UCF fans. Scott Frost is home, again, as he is taking charge of the Knights heading into the 2025 season. 

Scott Frost is taking over the Knights in a season where they’ll welcome double digit transfers to their offense, namely Tayven Jackson. The former Hoosiers quarterback played in several games during their run to the playoffs and looked more than competent. He totaled 349 yards, 4 touchdowns and an interception in four games. He started one of those four games, but you can at least point towards some film that shows he at least deserves a shot to play as the Knights starter in 2025. 

The biggest question the Knights face for the next season will be all the turnover and can they gel together quickly. It’s a lot of transfers and a lot of seniors. Bringing together a locker room full of personalities that haven’t grown up together and developed means they Knights are a couple years behind teams that have done it that way like Arizona State and BYU. 

The good news for them is that they have a light schedule and they avoid notable teams like Arizona State and Colorado. On top of that, they have some notable teams they can get notable wins off of like Bill Belichick’s Tar Heels and conference contenders in Baylor, Kansas State and BYU. The Knights are definitely a team that could make a quick turnaround.