Is the Big 12 underrated?
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy went off on Associated Press voters during Saturday’s airing of “Big Noon Kickoff,” arguing that the Big 12 is being overlooked despite one of its teams remaining undefeated deep into the season.
Portnoy specifically pointed to BYU, which sits at 7–0 but remains outside the top 10 in the latest AP poll at No. 11. Meanwhile, six one-loss teams occupy top-10 spots — a sign, he says, that national voters continue to underestimate the Big 12.
“It’s disgusting,” Portnoy said during the segment. “I don’t know why the Big 12 doesn’t get any respect. Their teams can play with any teams in the SEC or Big Ten.”
Portnoy said the current rankings ignore what should matter most: results.
“If you’re undefeated, games on the field matter,” he added. “I care about who has more points at the end of the game, not hypotheticals.”
Portnoy went on to say that BYU deserves to be ranked in the top 10 as the only undefeated Power 4 program left outside that group. “BYU is 100 percent a top-10 team,” Portnoy said. “You can only judge them by what they do on the field, and they can play with anybody.”
Portnoy’s comments echo a growing sentiment that the Big 12’s best teams aren’t getting the same benefit of the doubt as those from the SEC or Big Ten. In addition to BYU being ranked at 11 in the AP Top 25 Poll, Texas Tech sits at No. 14, Cincinnati is ranked No. 21, and Arizona State comes in at No. 24.
As FOX Sports’ Rob Stone said, “Somewhere, Commissioner Yormark is nodding his head.”
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