Iowa State picked to finish 10th in Big 12 preseason football poll

Expectations aren’t overly high for the Iowa State football team in 2023. At least not outside of Ames.

The Cyclones were picked to finish 10^th in the Big 12 Conference’s preseason football poll released Thursday. The poll was voted on by media representatives.

Iowa State was picked ahead of West Virginia and three of the league's four newcomers, including BYU, Houston and Cincinnati.

More: Iowa State's T.J. Tampa named to Preseason All-Big 12 football team

Texas was picked to win the 14-team league. Kansas State was selected to finish second.

It’s a hill to climb for the Cyclones who are coming off their toughest season since coach Matt Campbell’s first year on the job.

Iowa State finished 4-8 overall including a 1-8 mark in Big 12 play last season. It was just two years ago that the Cyclones were picked to finish second in the league.

Here is the complete poll.

1. Texas

2. Kansas State

3. Oklahoma

4. Texas Tech

5. TCU

6. Baylor

7. Oklahoma State

8. UCF

9. Kansas

10. Iowa State

11. BYU

12. Houston

13. Cincinnati

14. West Virginia

Tommy Birch, the Register's sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He's the 2018 and 2020 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468. Follow him on Twitter @TommyBirch.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Cyclones picked to finish 10th in Big 12 Conference in 2023