ARLINGTON — West Virginia head coach Neal Brown had a bone to pick.
Most coaches will say they don’t pay attention to preseason media polls. Brown, on the contrary, opened his Big 12 media day press conference with a message to the media members in attendance. Picking him and his Mountaineers to finish last in the preseason poll wasn’t appreciated.
It also didn’t help that he was notified of the projection while he was on a beach for vacation.
Despite his anger, Brown has found the bright side of being picked last.
“The media has not been — as far as predicting the Big 12 — successful in recent years,” Brown said. “So I think that bodes well for us.”
To be fair, it’s not like projecting the Big 12 has been easy work over the last few years.
Six different teams have been in the Big 12 Championship game over the last six years. Kansas State and TCU, last year’s title game participants, were picked fifth and seventh in the preseason poll.
Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark revealed on Wednesday that the title game will feature a halftime show with a prominent musical artist. Who it will be is a mystery. Based on recent history, the two teams that will be playing at AT&T Stadium for the conference title are just as mysterious.
“There’s tremendous parity in the Big 12,” Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman said. “You saw that last year with the amount of teams that either won one-score games or knocked people off, and every week you had to have your A game or you were going to get beat.”
Houston coach Dana Holgorsen, formerly the head coach at West Virginia, added, “Without getting too much into it, there used to be a few lay-ups back in the day. There aren’t any lay-ups.”
Kansas State played in four one-score games a year ago, including the 31-28 win over TCU in the Big 12 title game that came down to the final play. It was the second straight season the conference title game was decided on the final play.
Klieman has a theory for the recent parity.
“Recruiting is never-ending. The transfer portal is never-ending. So there’s so many players switching teams, so you’re always going to have increased parity,” Klieman said.
“Some of the guys that maybe weren’t playing as much for you are on another team. Sometimes even in the same league. That always is going to increase competition. College football is really healthy.”
This is why six different schools have made the trip to AT&T Stadium in the last three years.
Iowa State did so in 2020. The Cyclones lost to Oklahoma 27-21 in the conference title game. Since then, the Cyclones have gone 6-12 in Big 12 play, including 1-8 last season.
The experience has taught Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell something about the conference makeup.
“I think one of the great challenges, and why you’ve seen so much parity over the last four-to-five years, is, man, you have to have a really special team that can withstand the highs and lows of a college football season,” Campbell said, “and get to the end of this conference and be at the top of it.”
TCU head coach Sonny Dykes just experienced what a special season looks like. He credited quarterback Max Duggan, running back Kendre Miller and offensive lineman Steve Avila as leaders that helped “will” the Horned Frogs to a Big 12 Championship berth and a trip to the national championship. All three, as well as five other players, were selected in the NFL Draft this year.
The challenge, according to Dykes, is finding players who can replicate that special leadership.
“I think they’re in our program, but it’s like anything else, it’s our job to bring that part of them out,” Dykes said. “And if we can do that, then I anticipate us having a good year.”
And if the Horned Frogs can’t, then maybe that opens the door for another team to make the Big 12 Championship game.
Texas is the favorite this year. Kansas State, Oklahoma, Texas Tech and TCU are ranked in order behind them.
And behind everyone is West Virginia.
“I’m looking forward to proving everyone wrong on that front,” Brown said. “We won’t finish there.”
Brown said that he had a team meeting regarding the preseason poll. The sentiment was similar to what he shared at his press conference Thursday, though, admittedly, it lacked the colorful language he used with his players.
Offensive lineman Zach Frazier said he and his fellow Mountaineers are fired up by the last-place projection. He also offered a nugget of perspective. Baylor, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State were the top three teams in last year’s preseason poll.
“Those were our three Big 12 wins last year,” Frazier said.
On Twitter: @JoeJHoyt
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