Final Big 12 football head coach power rankings
The 2022 college football season is done for everyone except Georgia and Texas Christian. They will meet in Los Angeles on Monday, Jan. 9, to find out who is the best team in 2022.
TCU could become the first Big 12 team to win the title since the Texas Longhorns accomplished this feat in 2005. It is a tall task, asking a team to beat the Bulldogs who have lost just once in their last 29 games.
Back to the task at hand, I am laying out my final power rankings for each head coach in the Big 12. These rankings are only based on what transpired during the season and factoring in where they were slated to finish in the Big 12 preseason poll.
We kick it off at the top with a first-year head coach who is looking to make history in the Lone Star state.
Sonny Dykes, Texas Christian Horned Frogs
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Record: 13-1 (9-0)
For TCU to go from 5-7 to the College Football Playoffs is nothing less than miraculous. Despite having some close calls along the way, the former Texas Tech assistant was able to secure the Big 12’s first CFP semifinal victory after Oklahoma went 0-3. Dykes was able to strike while the iron is hot and in less than a week he can secure the conference’s first national championship since 2005. He just needs to beat a team that has gone 28-1 over the last two seasons.
Chris Kleiman, Kansas State Wildcats
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Record: 10-4 (7-2)
Kansas State is a team that typically is middle of the pack in the Big 12 but this year they were able to secure the conference championship. Sure losses to Texas and TCU hurt but they were able to get into the title game with some help. Despite winning his first conference title since coming from the North Dakota State powerhouse, Klieman missed out on the top spot because of just how impressive TCU was.
Joey McGuire, Texas Tech Red Raiders
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Record: 8-5 (5-4)
McGuire and the Red Raiders were one of the biggest surprises in the Big 12. Texas Tech finished with a winning record in conference play for the first time since Mike Leach was on the sideline over a decade ago. Not to mention the team was able to win with three different quarterbacks under center due to injuries. Not bad for a first-time FBS head coach that was picked to finish No. 9 in the Big 12.
Steve Sarkisian, Texas Longhorns
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Record: 8-5 (6-3)
The Texas Longhorns finished right about where they were expected to in 2022. The preseason poll had them at No. 4 and the Longhorns were close to a Big 12 title berth for the first time since 2019. Another year with Quinn Ewers under center along with another top-five recruiting class and it feels like the burnt orange is close.
Lance Leipold, Kansas Jayhawks
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Record: 6-7 (3-6)
The overall record wasn’t impressive for Kansas but their 5-0 start to the season was. The Jayhawks were picked to finish dead last in the conference but they rose to No. 19 in the polls before the TCU loss sent them reeling. However, getting to a bowl game was a win for a program that hadn’t seen the postseason since 2008. Leipold could be gearing up for KU to turn the corner.
Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State Cowboys
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Record: 7-6 (4-5)
Last season Mike Gundy and the Pokes were one-half of the Big 12 title game and even knocked off Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl. However, one year later and Oklahoma State looked like a shell of its former self. Losing their top assistant to Ohio State was one cause. They lost five of their last six games including the bowl matchup to finish 7-6 overall.
Dave Aranda, Baylor Bears
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Record: 6-7 (4-5)
Coming off the Big 12 Championship many felt that Dave Aranda and the Bears had a good chance to repeat. It didn’t go their way as they faltered down the stretch. Following the win over Oklahoma, Baylor was within striking distance of punching their ticket to the Big 12 title game. Four straight losses (including the bowl game) sent the Bears on a downward spiral. The No. 1 team in the preseason poll has some soulsearching to do this offseason.
Brent Venables, Oklahoma Sooners
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Record: 6-7 (3-6)
After Lincoln Riley spurned the Oklahoma Sooners, they turned to a familiar name in Brent Venables. Following his departure from Norman, he helped lead the defense for the Clemson Tigers. Those teams won two national championships. However, this past season Venable’s defenses were anything but what was expected. Oklahoma allowed the third-most points in the Big 12 and the second-most yards. Not to mention that Oklahoma was expected to finish second according to the preseason poll.
Neal Brown, West Virginia Mountaineers
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Record: 5-7 (3-6)
The Mountaineers added former five-star quarterback J.T. Daniels during the offseason but it didn’t matter much. Nothing seemed to go right for WVU, who were projected to finish No. 8 in the preseason media poll. They ended up at No. 8 with a 3-6 conference record, tied with Oklahoma and Kansas.
Matt Campbell, Iowa State Cyclones
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Record: 4-8 (1-8)
Someone had to finish last and it is Matt Campbell. After losing his top offensive weapons in Brock Purdy and Breece Hall, we knew it would be more difficult for Campbell and the Cyclones. They performed more like Kansas than what we have come to expect from Iowa State. At least, Kansas of the past. Campbell’s team was expected to finish in the middle of the pack based on the conference’s preseason poll but they were dead last with just one Big 12 victory in 2022.
