2024 was big for the Big 12—real big. The conference didn’t just navigate realignment, it turned it into a full-blown flex. Arizona State ran the table and steamrolled Iowa State 45–19 in the title game, while BYU, Colorado, and the Cyclones all landed in the final AP Top 25. Four teams racked up at least nine wins, three hit 11, and the league went 5–4 in bowl games, holding its own against Power 4 heavyweights. Heading into big 2025, Josh Pate made a bold pick.
While most fans and even Vegas are busy circling Kansas State, Utah, and maybe Arizona State as Big 12 frontrunners, Pate decided to toss a curveball and light a fire under Lubbock. Texas Tech. The same Red Raiders who finished 8–5 last year and haven’t sniffed a conference title in forever. According to Pate, the Big 12 trophy could be heading to West Texas in 2025. Bold? Maybe. Delusional? Not if you look a little closer.
On June 29th, Josh Pate dropped into a college football podcast and casually lit up the room. “This also could be a game of the year,” Pate said, talking about the upcoming Texas Tech vs. Arizona State clash on October 18th. “These are my two favorites in the conference this year. Texas Tech goes to Arizona State… it’s the Big 12 champ from a year ago versus a team that’s gone all out in the portal to win one this year.” Let’s not forget what happened last time these two clashed.
ASU walked into Lubbock for their Big 12 debut and left with an L. Final score: 30–22, Tech. QB Behren Morton tossed two touchdowns, Tahj Brooks ran wild, and the Red Raiders proved they had the juice to go toe-to-toe with the eventual conference champs. Now, fast-forward to 2025, and both teams look even nastier.
Josh Pate doubled down on odds: “The odds to win the Big 12 championship have fluctuated a lot. You look on your screen right now, you’ve got 12345, really, six teams with pretty comparable odds. So you get half a dozen teams that are kind of like a little accordion just packed together. Kansas state’s one, Utah, Texas Tech, Arizona State, all have the same odds.” The Big 12 odds tell a story of chaos. According to FanDuel, Kansas State’s the frontrunner at +600, with Utah, Texas Tech, and Arizona State breathing down their necks at +650. But in Pate’s world? It’s a Red Raider party. “If I’m running a sportsbook,” he said, “it’s Texas Tech and Arizona State, one-two in any given order.”
And Pate might be onto something. Joey McGuire’s crew didn’t just dip into the portal—they did a cannonball. Tech brought in the No. 1 transfer class in the country, stacked with studs like Georgia Tech’s Romello Height, Stanford’s David Bailey, and All-MAC DT Skyler Gill-Howard. They didn’t just reload; they re-engineered.
Then there’s five-star WR Micah Hudson—arguably the crown jewel of this year’s class—who adds elite speed and playmaking. Add that to a core already featuring Behren Morton (3,335 yards, 27 TDs in 2024) and Tahj Brooks (back-to-back 1,500-yard seasons), and you’ve got a squad that’s not just deep, but dangerous.
The coaching room got a shakeup too. Mack Leftwich, the offensive wizard who helped Incarnate Word go nuclear in 2022, is calling plays. Defensive guru Shiel Wood joins from Tulane, where he turned the Green Wave into a defensive menace. If they can blend these ingredients fast? Texas Tech might just cook the whole Big 12.
Texas Tech vs ASU: Game Preview
October 18. Circle it. Highlight it. Heck, tattoo it on your football calendar. Because Texas Tech vs. Arizona State is more than just a revenge game—it’s a seismic showdown between two Big 12 heavyweights looking to leave a mark. Tech leads the all-time series 4–2, but here’s the twist: neither team has ever won on the road. Not once. Lubbock belongs to the Raiders. Tempe? Devil territory. And guess where this one’s at? Sun Devil Stadium, baby.
ASU’s not rolling in light either. Kenny Dillingham’s squad returns 17 starters, including Heisman-hopeful QB Sam Leavitt and star wideout Jordyn Tyson. The core’s back. The coaching staff? Untouched. Continuity meets talent, and they’ve got payback circled in red ink.
Leavitt, a sophomore sensation last year, threw for 2885 yards and 24 TDs. He’s got that rare mix of poise and pop, and Tyson is his go-to guy for chunk plays. Add in a nasty O-line and a defense that ranked top 20 in sacks, and ASU’s got every right to believe they can run it back.
But Tech’s coming loaded too. Morton is as steady as they come, and this will be his fifth year under center. Experience matters. Especially in tight games. And when you factor in Brooks pounding the rock and Hudson stretching the field, Leftwich has all the toys to make this offense hum.
This game could very well decide the Big 12 title picture—or at least who gets the inside track. Both teams are low-key pegged around 8.5 wins by Vegas, which screams: toss-up. But in a league where margins are razor thin, home-field edge and clutch quarterback play might be the deciders.
The post Josh Pate Names Unexpected Team to Claim Big 12 Crown in 2025 appeared first on EssentiallySports.
