Somebody recently asked me how I would rank the top football programs in the Big 12. That’s a tougher question to answer now more than ever. 

With the college sports landscape changing so rapidly, the stature of a football or basketball program can rise or fall almost instantly.

So this felt like a good time to take inventory of where things stand in the Big 12. I put together a top ten list based on the following criteria, ranked in order of importance:

1. Financial support - It’s the single most important factor in program building today, whether we like it or not. 

2. Coaching - A great coach is the only thing that can overcome some gaps in financial support. 

3. Recent history - The last three years matter most, but I also looked at the previous decade. 

4. Organizational support - I used this as a catch-all for the athletic director, university president, fan support, and general infrastructure. 

Remember this list of criteria when evaluating how much you disagree with my rankings!

10. Cincinnati

The Bearcats edged out Baylor, West Virginia, and Arizona for a spot in the top ten. Their biggest selling point is five seasons of nine-plus wins over the last decade, including a Peach Bowl title and a College Football Playoff appearance. Scott Satterfield had a bit of a bounce-back year in 2025, but he still has plenty to prove. The financial situation at Cincinnati seems solid enough.

9. Houston

Willie Fritz might be a top-two coach in the league. Pair that with last year’s breakout ten-win season, and it’s clearly a program on the rise. Having said that, Cougars’ men’s basketball coach Kelvin Sampson made headlines just a few months ago complaining about the school’s financial situation, and the fan support at football games could certainly be better. 

8. Iowa State

The Cyclones dropped dramatically on this list after losing head coach Matt Campbell. Nineteen wins and a Big 12 championship game appearance over the last two years is impressive, but we have no idea what to expect from new head coach Jimmy Rogers. Plus, Campbell spoke to the realities of Iowa State’s NIL situation during his introductory press conference at Penn State. The Cyclones have work to do to compete financially at the top of the league, but they still have arguably the most passionate fan base in the Big 12.

7.  K-State

The coaching change makes the Wildcats tougher to evaluate. Collin Klein looks promising, but he’s also a 36-year-old first-time head coach. The Wildcats have won 42 games and a Big 12 championship in the last five years and are generating much more financial support for the program now that Klein is in charge. The fan support and culture provide Klein with a great foundation to build his program on. 

6. Oklahoma State

The Cowboys really stepped up their financial commitment to football with the hiring of new head coach Eric Morris. They secured a top-10 portal class that includes expensive North Texas transfers following their coach to Stillwater. And speaking of strong foundations, Oklahoma State has been one of college football’s most consistent winners over the last two decades. We’ll see if Morris’ teams play enough defense, but the optimism is understandable.

5. TCU

Nobody else in the Big 12 has won a College Football Playoff game, and the Horned Frogs are averaging nine wins per season under head coach Sonny Dykes. They’re also paying him well over $7 million annually. My perception is that TCU is competitive enough financially, and talent typically isn’t an issue relative to the rest of the league.  

4. Arizona State

For my money, the Sun Devils have the best coach in the Big 12 in Kenny Dillingham. And the good news for ASU fans is that the school stepped up enough financially to keep him away from Michigan. Dillingham is now making $7.5 million per season and has an $11 million salary pool for his staff. The 2024 run to the College Football Playoff was magical, but I’m equally as impressed by Dillingham squeezing eight wins out of an injury-plagued roster in 2025. 

3. Utah

Before Kyle Whittingham’s departure and the fallout that followed, Utah was number one on my list. University president Taylor Randall understands the value of athletics and helped broker the school’s cutting-edge $500 million private equity deal. The big question now is whether head coach Morgan Scalley can maintain the pace of a program that has finished ranked in eight of the 12 final College Football Playoff polls. He’s starting from behind after Whittingham took seven staffers and a handful of players with him.

2. BYU

Head coach Kalani Sitake has proven to be an outstanding coach, winning 23 games the last two seasons and flirting with the College Football Playoff. Speaking of flirting, his conversations with Penn State forced the Cougars to raise their financial commitment to football. This program has history, passionate fans, money, and great coaching. BYU does not look like it is going anywhere. 

1. Texas Tech

The Red Raiders are Exhibit A for how much can change in a year. We now have definitive proof that Tech’s money can translate into results after the Red Raiders steamrolled almost everyone in the league last season on the way to a Big 12 title. Don’t discount how valuable Joey McGuire is as a culture builder or how important GM James Blanchard is as a roster architect. We’re no longer in the “It Just Means More” era. It’s now the “It Just Costs More” era, and Texas Tech might be better equipped to handle that than any program in the country.

What You Need to Know

• Iowa State sharpshooter Milan Momcilovic is declaring for the NBA draft and entering the transfer portal. 

• The good news for the Cyclones is that they currently have a top-five transfer portal class, according to 247 Sports. 

• BYU lost another player to the transfer portal. The Cougars now have eight players leaving. 

• ESPN loves the Big 12’s football transfer portal classes. One writer put six Big 12 classes in his top eleven. 

• Not only did the Big 12 move Texas Tech’s home game with Houston to Friday night, but the Red Raiders also have another non-Saturday home game in November. Is the Big 12 trying to punish the Red Raiders for complaining?

• I talked extensively with my friend Rob Breaux from the Double T Sports Network about the Cody Campbell v Brett Yormark situation.

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