Here’s where K-State, KU football were picked to finish in 2020 Big 12 preseason poll
The Kansas State Wildcats and the Kansas Jayhawks will both have something to prove on the football field this season.
Both teams from the Sunflower State were picked to finish at or near the bottom of the 2020 Big 12 preseason poll on Friday.
K-State, which is coming off an 8-5 season under the guidance of second-year coach Chris Klieman, was picked seventh. That is more respect than the Wildcats earned last year, when they were inexplicably picked ninth. But not as much respect as some expected them to receive this time around given the success they found last season.
KU, which hasn’t finished outside the Big 12 cellar since Mark Mangino was coaching in Lawrence, was predictably at the bottom of the preseason poll in the No. 10 spot.
The Jayhawks will look to build off a three-win season under second-year coach Les Miles.
There weren’t many surprises in the preseason poll, which was voted on by 90 media members that regularly cover the conference.
Oklahoma was chosen to finish atop the league standings for the fifth consecutive year. The Sooners received 80 first-place votes and are the clear-cut favorites to win the conference.
Oklahoma State edged Texas for the No. 2 spot. The Cowboys received six first-place votes and 742 overall points in the poll. The Longhorns weren’t far behind, receiving four first-place votes and 727 overall points.
There was a big dropoff from there to the No. 4 spot. Next up was Iowa State with 607 points.
Baylor rounded out the top half of the poll in fifth, with TCU, K-State West Virginia, Texas Tech and Kansas following behind.
The Big 12 announced its preseason All-Conference team on Thursday, and both the Wildcats and Jayhawks were represented.
2020 Big 12 Football Media Preseason Poll
First-place votes in parenthesis
1. Oklahoma (80)
2. Oklahoma State (6)
3. Texas (4)
4. Iowa State
5. Baylor
6. TCU
7. Kansas State
8. West Virginia
9. Texas Tech
10. Kansas
This story was originally published July 17, 2020 at 2:22 PM with the headline "Here’s where K-State, KU football were picked to finish in 2020 Big 12 preseason poll."