It’s been an eventful offseason in the Big 12. Now that spring football is in the rearview mirror, it’s time to take stock of where the league is heading into the 2026 season. 

Here are my official post-spring Big 12 power rankings that are sure to offend absolutely nobody!

Remember: power rankings don’t take schedules into account. This is a raw power ranking of which teams I think are the best in a vacuum. 

1. Texas Tech

I don’t think Brendan Sorsby is going to play quarterback this year for the Red Raiders, but they still get the benefit of the doubt in the top spot. 

If I’m going to ride as hard for Tech QB Will Hammond as I did last year, I can’t just bail on him now, right? Plus, Texas Tech will still have the most talented roster in the Big 12 by a significant margin, especially in the trenches. 

The offensive backfield is stacked with J’Koby Williams, Cameron Dickey, and Quinten Joyner, so if the Red Raiders need to just lean on teams with a physical running game, they should be able to do that. 

This probably isn’t a historically great defense like last year’s, but it can still be the Big 12’s best. And the gap between Tech and everyone else in the league was about three touchdowns a season ago. I don’t think it has closed that much yet.

2. BYU

There is a ton to like about the Cougars in 2026. 

QB Bear Bachmeier is back after a shockingly good true freshman season, and this time he has a full spring under his belt. Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year LJ Martin returns to be Bachmeier’s partner in crime, and BYU retained almost all of its defensive firepower while adding stud LB Cade Uluave in the transfer portal. 

That doesn’t mean there aren’t questions. Defensive coordinator Jay Hill was elite during his three seasons in Provo, and he followed Kyle Whittingham to Michigan. How much will that unit miss him?

And a new crew of pass catchers will have to step up after WR Parker Kingston was kicked out of school, WR Chase Roberts graduated, and TE Carsen Ryan was drafted by the Cleveland Browns. 

I trust what head coach Kalani Sitake has going enough to keep the Cougars right on the Red Raiders’ heels. 

3. Houston

Say what you will about Houston’s strength of schedule last year, but the Cougars return their head coach, both coordinators, and their starting quarterback from a team that won ten games in 2025. 

Needless to say, I’m buying into Houston as a real Big 12 title contender this season. 

QB Conner Weigman finally has offensive system continuity for the first time in his career and gets top receiver Amare Thomas back for another season. If two-time 1,300-yard rusher Makhi Hughes and a couple of highly-touted offensive line transfers hit from Willie Fritz’s portal haul, watch out. 

Fritz always has a stingy defense, and this year he has eight returning starters to work with. 

4. Utah

This is where it starts to get really tricky. I’m trusting the championship pedigree Utah has built over the last two decades to withstand all of the offseason change and keep the Utes in the Big 12 title conversation.

QBs Devon Dampier and Byrd Ficklin returning is a great start for new offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven, who ran a system at Utah State that should look familiar to Utah’s signal callers. The Utes' portal haul at receiver should help the passing game take a step forward this season. 

New head coach Morgan Scalley knows how to craft an elite defense, and there is still enough talent to work with on that side of the ball. 

But there’s no ignoring the fact that seven coaches and several of Utah’s most talented players followed former head coach Kyle Whittingham to Michigan. It creates an incredible test for one of college football’s steadiest programs. 

5. TCU

TCU has quietly been on the fringe of the Big 12 title conversation the last two seasons. But the Horned Frogs have been too volatile and inconsistent to break through in the three years since their magical run to the national championship game. 

Head coach Sonny Dykes is trying to change that with new offensive coordinator Gordon Sammis, who is bringing a more balanced and physical offensive approach to Fort Worth. 

I love this move. The pass-happy attack of the last few seasons left the Frogs susceptible to erratic performances. This should bring more consistency, especially with solid offensive and defensive lines returning.  

Harvard transfer quarterback Jaden Craig will run the show offensively with help from returning wide receiver Jordan Dwyer and running back Jeremy Payne. The offense won’t be as flashy as what we’re used to, but it could be more effective.

6. Arizona

The Wildcats return first-team All-Big 12 quarterback Noah Fifita and the entire coaching staff from a breakthrough nine-win season. That level of continuity has been very rare in Tucson lately. 

It’s hard not to love Fifita, who stuck it out with head coach Brent Brennan after a disastrous 2024 and the departure of go-to target Tetairoa McMillain. 

The real question for the Wildcats comes in the defensive backfield. Arizona had more defensive backs (4) drafted than anybody in the country. Can defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales replicate last season’s magic? 

The answer to that will determine the Wildcats’ ceiling.

7. Arizona State

I feel guilty ranking Arizona State so low when they have the Big 12’s best head coach in Kenny Dillingham.

But, man, the Sun Devils lost a lot of high-end talent from a season ago. QB Sam Leavitt is at LSU, WR Jordyn Tyson and OT Max Iheanachor were first-round draft picks, RB Raleek Brown transferred to Texas, and DBs Keith Abney II and Keyshaun Elliott are also in the NFL. 

I’d be more confident in the Sun Devils if Kentucky transfer QB Cutter Boley had locked down the starting job in spring ball, but it sounds like that battle rages on. Watch out for former UCF Knight Mikey Keene. 

The portal class has the potential to significantly elevate Arizona State’s ceiling, and many around the program feel the depth of talent and athleticism has improved.

8. K-State

It’s hard to know exactly what K-State will look like. 

Bill Snyder and Chris Klieman gave the Wildcats more than three decades of rock-solid stability. New head coach Collin Klein comes from the coaching tree of both and is considered a rising star in the industry, but what kind of growing pains will there be in year one?

QB Avery Johnson has to take a significant step forward under Klein for the Wildcats to compete near the top of the league. And the roster around him will look plenty different with over 50 new players. 

Much like Arizona State, the Wildcats saw lots of high-end talent walk out the door. K-State lost four transfers to LSU, Texas Tech, and Indiana. 

9. Oklahoma State

I love Oklahoma State’s potential, but the Cowboys are another tough read. 

How are you supposed to properly evaluate a program that hasn’t won a Big 12 game in over two full seasons and has 85(!) new players, but landed a head coach who drew interest from Auburn, Arkansas, and UCLA and brought a top 15 portal class with him? 

Twenty players wound up following head coach Eric Morris from North Texas, highlighted by the three-headed monster of QB Drew Mestemaker, RB Caleb Hawkins, and WR Wyatt Young, who give the Cowboys offense enormous potential. And don’t sleep on WR Chris Barnes, who dazzled this spring.

Is it actually feasible to win big at the power four level with an almost entirely new roster? I’m fascinated to find out. 

10. West Virginia

WVU has also turned over a huge portion of its roster. Head coach Rich Rodrigeuz has 69 new players to work with in year two. 

And while that’s a lot of turnover to withstand after doing virtually the same thing last year, it’s clear that the overall talent level has improved significantly this time. 

I also love the pairing of former Oklahoma QB Michael Hawkins Jr. with Rodriguez’s offensive system. He’ll get pushed by returning QB Scotty Fox Jr. 

RB transfer Cam Cook is a difference-maker, too. 

11. Kansas

The Jayhawks will take a quarterback battle into the fall with prodigal son offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki back in the saddle. 

He worked wonders with quarterback Cole Ballard once upon a time when injuries forced Ballard into action. Kansas has to hope that either Ballard or Isiah Marshall is ready to step into the shoes of departed quarterback Jalon Daniels, who truly shifted the program’s paradigm. 

I’m still not sure there’s enough talent here to warrant a big jump from back-to-back 5-7 seasons. 

12. Cincinnati

Last season gave me more optimism about head coach Scott Satterfield’s future with the Bearcats, but losing five straight to end the season and QB Brendan Sorsby is a tough pill to swallow. 

Georgia Southern QB transfer JC French is intriguing and could quickly help Cincy fans forget about Sorsby, especially if Sorsby never plays a down at Texas Tech.

13. Baylor

It’s a make-or-break year for head coach Dave Aranda, who took a couple of big offseason swings. 

Former blue-chip QB DJ Lagway will lead the offense after a tumultuous run at Florida, and Aranda is turning the defense over to former K-State defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman. 

Klanderman is rock solid, and Lagway has a sky-high ceiling, but I still don’t think Aranda has enough in place to make it work. 

14. UCF

The Knights were feisty at times under head coach Scott Frost in year one of his return to Orlando. 

James Madison transfer QB Alonza Barnett could be a huge difference-maker that provides much-needed stability under center. 

15. Iowa State

Nobody in college football had a more brutal offseason than the Cylones. Matt Campbell left for Penn State and took 24 Cyclones with him. Over 50 players total hit the portal. 

New head coach Jimmy Rogers has already dealt with two key season-ending injuries this spring and has a tall task in front of him to make it work this year. 

16. Colorado

We’re in year four of the Deion Sanders era in Boulder, and the Buffs are still trying to figure out defense and the running game while turning over the roster yet again. 

QB Julian Lewis is a monster talent, but is there enough support and infrastructure around him?

What You Need to Know

• Brendan Sorsby’s push to get an expedited ruling from the NCAA on his eligibility appears to be working, at least for now. 

• We got great news on one rivalry that conference realignment hasn’t yet ruined. 

• Texas Tech beat Florida 16-7 to advance to the Women’s College World Series, and things got heated between the two teams and their fans. 

• Kansas swept the Big 12 baseball regular season and tournament titles and will host a regional next week. 

• Here is the full list of Big 12 baseball teams that made regionals. 

• Texas Tech fans should be celebrating what Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian said about them last week. Here’s why.

• Want your Big 12 news and analysis in podcast form? Listen to Open For Business at the gym, in your car, or first thing in the morning on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.

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