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Big 12 football: Ranking the league’s 5 best expansion options ‘out west’

By John Scimeca

PALO ALTO, CA - AUGUST 31: Bryce Love #20 of the Stanford Cardinal runs the ball against the San Diego State Aztecs at Stanford Stadium on August 31, 2018 in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
PALO ALTO, CA - AUGUST 31: Bryce Love #20 of the Stanford Cardinal runs the ball against the San Diego State Aztecs at Stanford Stadium on August 31, 2018 in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – NOVEMBER 26: Sam Huard #7 of the Washington Huskies throws a pass against the Washington State Cougars during the fourth quarter at Husky Stadium on November 26, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – NOVEMBER 26: Sam Huard #7 of the Washington Huskies throws a pass against the Washington State Cougars during the fourth quarter at Husky Stadium on November 26, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) /

5. Washington Huskies

While it’s true that the Huskies won the Pac-12 with a 12-1 record and qualified for the 2016 College Football Playoff before falling to Alabama in the semifinals, the University of Washington football program feels like a mess right now.

The program had to separate with embattled former head coach Jimmy Lake midway through the 2021 season, which resulted in a 4-8 finish and a four-touchdown loss to Washington State. The recent recruiting classes haven’t been that good, and there doesn’t seem to be much buzz around the program.

While the Huskies managed to string together three consecutive double-digit win seasons from 2016-2018 under former head coach Chris Peterson, that kind of success hasn’t been seen in Seattle since then.

What works in Washington’s favor, however? It’s a program that has experienced success on the national stage in recent years, and it’s produced NFL-caliber stars, too. Look no further than the NFL draft, with Huskies going as first-round selections in five of the past six years — 28 Washington players have heard their names called on draft day during that span.

The Huskies don’t rank higher on the list because of the considerable distance it takes to get to the Evergreen State. It’s more than 800 miles from Seattle to Provo, Utah — the closest Big 12 member.

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