Nobody has a crystal ball to see into the future of the 2026 college football season, and predicting the fate of the Big 12 Conference is often an effort in futility, but I'm here to give it a shot anyway. BYU football lines up the season of destiny following consecutive double-digit win seasons, and now returns some of the key players in previous years' success.
No crystal ball, but I'll take a shot anyway.
Preseason Big 12 Conference Power Rankings
1. BYU Cougars (Last Season: 2)
Big surprise, the BYU sports page picked BYU number one. Yes, I get it. And I understand that even without Sorsby, Texas Tech has earned the benefit of the doubt after a dominant season and another excellent postseason. But BYU has virtually no weak spots after returning nearly every key member of last year's 12-win team, and I expect them to capture the Big 12 crown in 2026.
2. Texas Tech Red Raiders (Last Season: 1)
But the margins are razor thin between two football programs built to last in the new age of NIL and college athletics. Joey McGuire's team is a defensive force -- that's not changing even with the Sorsby scandal -- and the Red Raiders will likely be the favorite according to oddsmakers.
3. Arizona Wildcats (Last Season: 5)
Noah Fifita remains the Big 12 Conference's best quarterback, and last year's Wildcats proved they can compete with anybody in the league as they finished ranked in the top 25 and officially stamped themselves as one of the most fearsome squads in the league.
4. Oklahoma State Cowboys (Last Season: 16)
I'm a big believer in what the Cowboys are building this season, and behind some of the key ingredients of the North Texas Mean Green offensive machine, Oklahoma State can be a winner in the Big 12 once again, and right from the jump.
5. Utah Utes (Last Season: 3)
Morgan Scalley has plenty working for him in his first head coaching job with the Utah Utes. He inherits a program with a solid foundation of winning, a passionate fanbase, and experience within the program for years leading up to this season. The Utes forced Whittingham out of this position to keep Scalley, and while there may be some growing pains, expect the Utes to be a dangerous team this year.
6. Houston Cougars (Last Season: 4)
I'm a bit cautious about Houston after a breakout 2025 season. The Big 12 is better when smaller programs like Houston are competing, but I think the Cougars steady out in '26.
7. Arizona State Sun Devils (Last Season: 6)
Shocking that Kenny Dillingham's Sun Devils are playing second-fiddle in their state behind the Wildcats. After all, last season's projections expected ASU to continue their dominance in '25. But they were only ok, and I expect more of that in '26.
8. TCU Horned Frogs (Last Season: 7)
Does Sonny Dykes have much more in the tank after a disappointing campaign last season? I'm not certain he does, and it could spell doom if the Horned Frogs' coach can't lift his team higher than mediocrity.
9. UCF Golden Knights (Last Season: 2)
Scott Frost had a rocky year in his return to Orlando, despite a team that showed flashes of competence near the end of the year in spite of depth issues. Undefeated, these Knights will not be.
10. Cincinnati Bearcats (Last Season: 9)
11. Baylor Bears (Last Season: 11)
12. Kansas State Wildcats (Last Season: 10)
13. West Virginia Mountaineers (Last Season: 14)
14. Kansas Jayhawks (Last Season: 12)
15. Iowa State Cyclones (Last Season: 8)
16. Colorado Buffaloes (Last Season: 15)
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