Projecting the Big 12's top 10 quarterbacks for the 2025 season
In a conference where air raid offenses are tradition and 400-yard passing games are just another Saturday, the Big 12's next wave of quarterback stars are ready to light up college football in 2025.
The Big 12's expansion in 2024, supercharged the offensive firepower across the conference. With additions like Colorado and Arizona State bringing their brand of football, the conference has become enriched with more great quarterback play. The Big 12's traditional schools like Texas Tech and Baylor continue to air it out, while the newcomers wasted no time adapting the Big 12's offensive identity.
Adding Colorado, Utah, Arizona and Arizona State in 2024 brought an immediate boost to the Big 12's quarterback play. Three of the four newcomers finished the season among the top 10 in passing yards, highlighted by Colorado's Shedeur Sanders — the conference's only 4,000-yard passer.
2025's crop of quarterbacks should have some familiar faces from last season with some potential breakout stars. From star quarterbacks like Arizona State's Sam Leavitt to athletic dual-threats like Kansas State's Avery Johnson, the Big 12 is bound to have high passing yards in 2025.
With the 2025 season inching closer and closer, here are our predictions for this year's Big 12 passing leaders.
10. Kaidon Salter, Colorado Buffaloes
The Buffs are bound to have a new look offense in 2025 with the departure of Shedeur Sanders and Heisman winner Travis Hunter. But Salter should be able to crack the top ten if the Buffs can keep the same high-powered offense from last year in rhythm.
9. Jalon Daniels, Kansas Jayhawks
Kansas' Jalon Daniels is bound to have a top-ten passing year after just missing out last season. The Jayhawks' success hinges on Daniels's improvising ability, but he has the potential to lead a high-powered offense with his dual-threat ability.
8. Noah Fifita, Arizona Wildcats
Fifita was sixth in passing yards, but he is losing their top receiver, Tetairoa McMillan, to the NFL. The Wildcats might not be a Big 12 contender, but will still rely on Fifita to carry the load on offense. The 5-foot-10 signal caller should crack the top ten for passing yards.
7. Jake Retzlaff, BYU Cougars
BYU could have a different face under center in 2025, but if Retzlaff wins the starting job he should have the same success he had in 2024. He is an accurate quarterback and barely missed the 3,000-yard mark last season.
6. Brehen Morton, Texas Tech Red Raiders
Morton should have even more success in 2025 after the Red Raiders brought in a top transfer portal class. He succeeded in his first full year as a starter passing for 3,335 yards. Morton was good for fourth in the Big 12 last year but comes in at sixth based on big leaps by other quarterbacks.
5. Rocco Becht, Iowa State Cyclones
Iowa State was last year's Big 12 runner-up and should be a top team in the Big 12 next season. In 2024, Becht passed for 3,505 yards and 25 touchdowns. However, Becht is losing his top two wide receivers, who accounted for 2,377 yards, which might put a dent in his passing yardage numbers.
4. Josh Hoover, TCU Horned Frogs
Hoover was second in the Big 12 in passing yards and shouldn't take a step back in 2025. TCU had an interesting year in 2024, but Hoover is a smart and accurate QB. The only reason he isn't higher is because the playmakers above him are poised for even bigger years in 2025.
3. Avery Johnson, Kansas State Wildcats
Kansas State won nine games in 2024 behind the play of a sophomore Johnson. He passed for 2,712 yards and was fifth in touchdowns last season in his first full year as a starter. The Wildcats' signal caller should take a big jump in 2025 because he has the talent to do so. Don't be surprised if he is a candidate for the Heisman Trophy by season's end.
2. Sawyer Robertson, Baylor Bears
Robertson closed out the 2024 season strong, breaking the 3,000-yard mark en route to the Bears winning their final six conference matchups. Heading into his junior season Baylor is relying on Robertson to be a star as they head into 2025 as a Big 12 favorite. Robertson should rise to the occasion with his decisive playmaking and size.
1. Sam Leavitt, Arizona State Sun Devils
Sam Levitt is coming off a successful 2024 campaign leading the Sun Devils to the Big 12 crown. Leavitt should leap into stardom this year in head coach Kenny Dillingham's offense. ASU will need him if they want to repeat their successes of last season.
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Nebraska's Matt Rhule was fired a whopping 22 times in our simulations, but resurfaced as a head coach at Big Ten schools nearly every single time (Wisconsin, Maryland, Rutgers). He also made the bold move to go back to the NFL after one of the seasons. Finally, while Bill Belichick and Deion Sanders aren't in the game, the avatars portraying them each went to the NFL once over the 50 simulations. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily. What did you think of this story? share
Yahoo
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Shohei Ohtani still piling up numbers at an incredible rate
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USA Today
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The countdown to USC's 2025 football season is officially on! The Trojans kick off their new campaign 11 days from today. You need something to help you while away the days and hours in the spring and summer. This is one way to do so. In this new series, countdown to kickoff, we will be counting down the days by highlighting a notable Trojan who wore each number. Today, we look at USC Heisman Trophy quarterback Matt Leinart. Position: Quarterback Years played at USC: 2001-2005 Career highlights: After redshirting in 2001 and serving as a backup behind Heisman winner Carson Palmer in 2002, Leinart won USC's starting quarterback job as a redshirt sophomore in 2003. His first start came in the road at Auburn, and he threw a touchdown on his first career pass attempt as he led the Trojans to a dominant 23-0 victory. Over the next three years, Leinart led USC to an incredible 37-2 record. The Trojans won the 2003 and 2004 national championships, giving Leinart as many national titles in his college career as losses. In 2005, they came up one game short of winning a third consecutive title, falling to Texas in an instant classic Rose Bowl. Leinart was named a first-team All-American and a Heisman finalist in both 2004 and 2005. In 2004, he won the Heisman Trophy, becoming the second USC quarterback to take home the honor in three years. He finished his time in Cardinal and Gold as USC's all-time leader in touchdown passes and No. 2 in passing yards—although he was later passed by Matt Barkley in both categories. After USC: The Arizona Cardinals selected Leinart with the 10th overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. Although he spent seven years in the league, Leinart's NFL career is widely viewed as a disappointment, as he never lived up to the hype that surrounded him coming out of USC. He finished his time in the league with a 57.1 completion percentage and 15 touchdown passes to 21 interceptions while spending time with Arizona, the Houston Texans, and the Arizona Cardinals. Since retiring from football, Leinart has been a regular presence around the Trojans program, serving as a mentor to numerous other USC quarterbacks. He also works as an analyst on Fox Sports's Big Noon Kickoff college football pregame show.
