The Big 12 football landscape for 2026? Wildly up in the air. Transfers are flying, injuries are piling up, and honestly, nobody looks like a sure thing.
This rundown hits the latest power rankings—transfers, coaching shakeups, and all the weird team vibes heading into summer. From Texas Tech’s loaded roster to Iowa State’s total rebuild, here’s a not-so-neat look at where each Big 12 team stands heading into 2026.
Texas Tech Leads the Pack
Texas Tech sits at the top, thanks to a monster transfer class and a pretty friendly schedule. There’s some drama, though—former Cincinnati QB Brendan Sorsby is out indefinitely with a gambling problem and fighting the NCAA for eligibility.
Sorsby just transferred in, but his status is fuzzy. Even so, the Red Raiders look stacked and ready to make a run.
Key Transfers and Defensive Strength
Tech’s transfer haul is rated sixth in the country by 247Sports. They grabbed some impressive defenders, like four-star tackle Mateen Ibirogba.
Six defenders left for the NFL, four in the first three rounds, so there’s a lot to replace. Head coach Joey McGuire sounds pretty upbeat, and sophomore QB Will Hammond should be cleared for action by late August.
BYU: A Close Second
BYU lands at No. 2, mostly because their last two seasons have been strong and the roster looks solid. Sure, Texas Tech stomped them twice last year, but the Cougars are returning Bear Bachmeier and LJ Martin—last year’s offensive player of the year in the league.
Defensive Reinforcements
BYU’s defense got a boost with Cal linebacker Cade Uluave joining up. He’ll pair with Isaiah Glasker and Faletau Satuala, who are both back.
After an 11-win season, BYU looks like a real threat for the Big 12 crown again.
Houston: A Rising Contender
Houston comes in third. Head coach Willie Fritz has flipped the program’s vibe almost overnight.
There’s a ton of new talent, including five-star freshman QB Keisean Henderson and Oregon transfer Mahki Hughes. Their Big 12 opener at Texas Tech on September 18? That’s one to circle.
Offensive Firepower
Senior QB Conner Weigman is back, and Hughes had two 1,000-yard seasons at Oregon. That’s a scary combo for defenses.
Arizona: The Rebound Team
Arizona sits fourth after a bounce-back season under Brent Brennan. Quarterback Noah Fifita returns, but the schedule is brutal with trips to BYU and Texas Tech.
The defense, especially the secondary, needs a major rebuild.
Defensive Challenges
Last year, Arizona’s defense allowed just 18.9 points and 308.5 yards per game. Keeping that up won’t be easy, but if they do, Arizona could be a real pain for the rest of the league.
Utah: A New Era
Utah is fifth, and it’s a new chapter with Morgan Scalley taking over after Kyle Whittingham’s long run. The Utes are still tough and physical, and they’ve got QBs Devon Dampier and Byrd Ficklin back, plus star RB Wayshawn Parker.
Coaching Transition
Scalley’s stepping into a big role with Whittingham gone. The early schedule is manageable, which might help Utah settle in before the real tests hit.
TCU: On the Verge
TCU is sixth. They’re not the juggernaut from a few years back, but nine wins in each of the last two seasons isn’t nothing.
New offensive coordinator Gordon Sammis is revamping the rushing attack, hoping to spark something new.
Offensive Strategy
The O-line has experience, and the run game is the focus. If it clicks, TCU could sneak up on people.
Arizona State: Dangerous but Uncertain
Arizona State lands at seven. Kenny Dillingham has things trending up, but they need to replace some key guys like Sam Leavitt and Jordyn Tyson.
They’ve brought in some interesting transfers, including ex-Kentucky QB Cutter Boley.
Quarterback Competition
The starting QB job is up for grabs. If Boley wins it and plays well, Arizona State could surprise a lot of folks.
Kansas State: A Rebuilding Year
Kansas State is eighth, now led by Colin Klein. They’ve got dual-threat QB Avery Johnson back, but it’s probably a transition year.
Offensive Potential
If Klein can squeeze more out of the offense, maybe they outperform expectations. But it’ll all come down to how quickly the team adapts to new leadership.
Oklahoma State: A Huge Leap
Oklahoma State is ninth, hoping to bounce back from some grim seasons. New coach Eric Morris brings hope—he turned things around at North Texas with freshman QB Drew Mestemaker, who’s now here.
New Talent and Optimism
Morris also brought in RB Caleb Hawkins and WR Wyatt Young. If they click, the Cowboys could jump up the standings in a hurry.
Baylor: Make-or-Break Season
Baylor is tenth. The pressure’s on after two rough years. Dave Aranda is still at the helm, and there’s buzz around Florida transfer DJ Lagway, a former five-star QB.
Defensive Turnaround
New DC Joe Klanderman has his work cut out for him on defense. If he can fix things and Lagway delivers, Baylor could finally turn a corner.
Kansas: Struggling for Momentum
Kansas is eleventh after back-to-back 5-7 seasons. They’re replacing a lot, including longtime QB Jalon Daniels.
The return of OC Andy Kotelnicki should help stabilize things a bit.
Quarterback Competition
It’s a battle between Isaiah Marshall and Cole Ballard for the starting QB spot. Whoever wins will have a lot on their plate.
West Virginia: Building Momentum
West Virginia is twelfth. Rich Rodriguez didn’t have a smooth first year, but there were flashes of improvement late.
With 69 newcomers, chemistry is going to be everything.
Late-Season Momentum
If WVU can pick up where they left off and mesh quickly, maybe they work their way into bowl talks.
Cincinnati: Overcoming Challenges
Cincinnati is thirteenth. Losing Brendan Sorsby to Texas Tech hurts, and ending the last two seasons with five straight losses isn’t exactly inspiring.
New Leadership
Transfer QB JC French IV is likely to take over. The defense needs a serious overhaul, too.
UCF: Finding Their Footing
UCF is fourteenth. Still trying to get a grip in the Big 12 after two losing years, but they hit the transfer portal hard—31 new faces.
Quarterback Solution
Former James Madison QB Alonza Barnett III is expected to lead the way. If he’s the answer, maybe UCF finds some traction.
Colorado: Searching for Answers
Colorado is fifteenth, and the early Deion Sanders hype has faded. No bowl again last year—two out of three under Sanders.
Quarterback Competition
QB is a big question mark. Ex-Utah QB Isaac Wilson is pushing Julian Lewis for the job, and whoever wins needs to step up fast.
Iowa State: A Tough Situation
Iowa State rounds out the list at sixteen. Matt Campbell left for Penn State and took a bunch of players with him.
First-year coach Jimmy Rogers has a serious rebuild on his hands. It’s going to be a long road back for the Cyclones.
Massive Rebuild
Rogers brought in 48 transfers this offseason. That’s a staggering number, and honestly, it’s bound to shake things up a bit.
It’ll probably take a while before the program gets back to its winning ways. Folks will be watching the Cyclones closely as they try to make sense of all these changes.
If you’re hungry for more details or want to keep tabs on the latest, the full article’s over at the Deseret Sports website.
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