The Big 12 football season is unofficially on the horizon as Media Days approach, marking the start of a new chapter for the conference's 16 member schools.
Unlike previous years, the league has abandoned the traditional preseason media poll that once projected the order of finish, leaving fans and analysts to rely on individual beat writer ballots for early insight.
KSL Sports’ longtime Utah and BYU correspondents, Steve Bartle and Mitch Harper, each submitted their own preseason All‑Big 12 selections, reflecting the diverse talent spread across the conference.
Bartle’s team highlights Cameron Dickey as Offensive Player of the Year and Ben Roberts as Defensive Player of the Year, underscoring the quarterback’s breakout performance and the standout defensive line.
Harper, meanwhile, crowns LJ Martin as Offensive Player of the Year and AJ Holmes as Defensive Player of the Year, emphasizing the running back’s explosive potential and the defensive back’s playmaking ability.
Both ballots also feature Utah’s Cam Cook and Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker, illustrating the breadth of talent that spans the league from the desert to the plains.
Media Days in Frisco
The Star in Frisco, a sprawling sports complex that has become the de facto gathering place for the Big 12’s annual Media Days, will host a series of press conferences, player interviews and panel discussions.
The event’s location in Texas reflects the conference’s strategic push to centralize its media operations, a move that has been praised for its logistical convenience and for drawing larger crowds.
Coverage from the event will be distributed across KSLsports.com, the KSL Sports app, KSL 5 TV, KSL Sports Zone, KSL NewsRadio and the conference’s social channels, ensuring fans across the country can stay engaged.
With the conference’s expanding footprint — including new members such as Arizona State, Cincinnati, Iowa State and Houston — the preseason recognitions serve as an early barometer for competition.
As the countdown to kickoff continues, the selections made by Bartle and Harper will likely influence early betting lines and narrative storylines heading into the first weekend of play.