Top 5 concerns troubling Big 12 fans ahead of 2024 CFB season

In a stormy season of existence, the Big 12 has managed to survive and maybe even thrive. Yes, Texas and Oklahoma are gone, but adding Utah, Colorado, Arizona and Arizona State might have improved the overall quality of the Big 12. That's not to say there are no concerns, though. Here are five worries bothering Big 12 fans ahead of the new season.

Top 5 concerns troubling Big 12 fans ahead of 2024

Colorado and Deion Sanders have been active in the transfer portal, but most of the Big 12 hasn't kept up (Photo Credit: IMAGN)

1. Where's the beef?

In this season of U.S. Presidential elections, it might be appropriate to conjure the famous 1984 line, "Where's the beef?" It was brought up by then-President Reagen regarding economic policy, but it could also apply to the Big 12 in 2024.

Texas and Oklahoma were the league's big dogs. Without them, is it now Utah, Arizona or Kansas State? Who's the must-see team? Utah opens the season as the AP No. 12 squad. But with the league losing its two meal tickets, how long (and how well) will it survive?

2. Where have all the QBs gone?

There was a time when the Big 12 was synonymous with high-scoring passing attacks. While the league still has some serious slingers (Utah's Cam Rising, Colorado's Shedeur Sanders and Arizona's Noah Fifita), there's not a ton of them left.

Meanwhile, in an era where great running backs are disappearing, most Big 12 teams have some outstanding rushers. In the cyclic nature of college football, is the Big 12 leading an era of returning to the run? Or is the league-wide scarcity of big-time passers indicative of a slippage in league quality?

3. Outside of Colorado, can the league keep up in the portal?

Colorado and Coach Prime have certainly been active in the portal. Some would say the Buffs have done enough business for the entire Big 12. But most of the other Big 12 teams find themselves in an awkward position of being more likely to be the target of portal sniping rather than the snipers.

Nine of 247sports' top 100 transfer portal players from 2024 came from Big 12 schools. The league added six, none of whom were in the top 50, and three were added by Colorado. It's obvious that the Big 12 is struggling to keep up in the portal.

4. Will the Big 12 get short shrift in the Playoff?

The Big 12, in theory, should benefit from the 12-team Playoff. Only seven Big 12 teams have reached the playoffs, with four of those bids going to Oklahoma. Add in Texas' bid in 2023 and the league is set with two teams that have ever reached the Playoff. Those two, Cincinnati and TCU, are not expected to be anything special in 2024.

So yes, the Big 12's champion will be in the Playoff. That champion should also nab the No. 4 seed and get a bye. But a second Big 12 team? Will Kansas State or Oklahoma State get the nod over Penn State or Ole Miss? It's not hard to imagine that answer being "No way."

5. Would the Big 12 do better in a scaled-down setting?

Yes, the trend now is toward mega-leagues, with 16-18 team conferences among the Big Four. But the Big 12 appears to be the weakest member of the Big Four and might do better splitting into a pair of smaller leagues. A pair of eight-team leagues could help preserve regional rivalries without some of the insane travel.

An even wilder idea, but one that could work is this: The league could even get ahead of times and have an upper and lower league and relegate the weakest school in the top tier and promote the top school from the bottom tier. If we are indeed headed toward a world where the power schools break off from the Group of Five, some sort of relegation/promotion will be coming. The Big 12 could go first.

What do you think about the Big 12 in 2024? Share your thoughts below in the comments section!