With Big 12 Media Days quickly approaching, the Big 12 Preseason Media Polls have officially been released, and to no surprise, Kansas State is near the top.
The Wildcats fell just short of first place behind Big 12 newcomer Utah with 19 first-place votes and the Utes received 20 first-place votes. This seems like it is going to be the theme of many Big 12 preseason polls with either Kansas State or Utah coming out on top.
The people have spoken... allow us to present the 2024 #Big12FB Media Preseason Poll 📊 pic.twitter.com/9JQw1J21Fv
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) July 2, 2024
There will be four newcomers to the conference this season, Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah. All will be showcased at the Big 12 Media Days which will run from July 9 through July 10 with players and coaches in attendance.
Kansas State comes in as the highest-ranked veteran Big 12 team and only had 17 fewer votes than Utah. Oklahoma State, another team people believe has a good shot at at least playing in the Big 12 Championship, came in third with K-State's in-state rival Kansas placing fourth.
Kansas State and Utah interestingly enough don't even play each other this weekend, so if they do, it will be in the Big 12 Championship.
It is interesting to looks at Kansas State and Utah at the top of the preseason polls as one team is relying on veteran play and experience, while the other team in handing the reigns over to the younger generation and looking to the future.
Utah will have their best duo returning with seventh-year quarterback Cameron Rising and tight end Brant Kuithe running the offense. Kansas State on the other hand is handing the ball off to second-year quarterback and former 4-star recruit Avery Johnson who dazzled fans and the media with his style of play.
Johnson is stepping in for now Ohio State quarterback Will Howard who chose to enter the transfer portal at the end of the 2023 season. The young Kansas native got to see the field in small doses last season either coming in for a drive or a few plays at a time. It wasn't until K-State's bowl game that he got his first start and went 14-31 with 178 yards and two touchdowns.
One of the more impressive stats of that game was the fact that Johnson was never sacked and he ran for 71 yards and a touchdown. Now the zero sacks can also be credited to the offensive line, which will look quite different this upcoming season, but with the way Johnson can evade pressure, he is a quarterback that many defenses will have issues with for his entire career.
The 2024 season is just a mere two months away and fans are waiting anxiously for college football to be back. It is safe to say the margin between Kansas State and Utah is small and the Wildcats will look to close it very soon.