The Big 12 feels built for chaos again, and Texas Tech sits at the top of the pile heading into Week 1.
That’s not just about talent. It’s about the kind of season this conference seems ready to deliver.
The league is loaded with offenses that can pile up points, and the defenses, for the most part, look like they’re going to make a lot of Saturdays messy. The notable exceptions, at least on paper, are Texas Tech and BYU, and it would be a surprise if those two aren’t in Arlington in December.
Texas Tech enters the season with the cleanest runway of anyone in the league after all the Sorsby drama and nonsense that came with it. The Red Raiders finally get to stop talking and start playing, even if there’s already another wrinkle with Thomas Castellanos, whose eligibility is now under question. College football has no shortage of courtroom noise, and Texas Tech is already tangled in some of it before the first weekend is even over.
BYU checks in right behind them, and Bear Bachmeier is the story in Provo. If he keeps developing as a passer, the Cougars have the kind of profile that can carry them into the College Football Playoff conversation.
Bachmeier was a true freshman last season and only got forced into the starting job after Jake Retzlaff’s suspension because of the honor code. This was never supposed to be his moment.
Now it is.
Houston lands at No. 3, and this weekend should tell us something when the Cougars face Oregon State. There are real questions to answer: who replaces Dean Conners in the backfield, whether Keisean Henderson gets used enough, and who picks up Tanner Koziol’s targets. If Houston is what it hopes to be, those answers should come while it’s rolling by 20-plus points.
Kansas State is next, and the ceiling there depends on Collin Klein. What he did for Marcel Reed is already on the record, and if he can work that same kind of magic on Avery Johnson, the Wildcats have real Big 12 title upside. Johnson has more physical tools than Reed did, and the idea here is simple: if Klein could turn Reed into an above-average dual-threat quarterback, what happens with a better raw package?
Utah sits at No. 5, though there’s a little more uncertainty than usual around the Utes. There’s plenty of blind faith in Kyle Whittingham’s program, but this season may be the one that tests how much of Utah’s long-term success was tied directly to him. If a roster that looks roughly on par talent-wise with many of Whittingham’s teams wins nine or 10 games, that tells you something important.
Arizona State comes in sixth after Kenny Dillingham named Kentucky transfer Cutter Boley the starting quarterback. That decision wasn’t exactly a shock, and Dillingham already proved last season he can win with far less at quarterback than most teams would want. If he could get it done with Jeff Sims, there’s reason to believe the Sun Devils can keep moving in the right direction.
Arizona is seventh, and Noah Fifita remains one of those rare college football players who feels like he’s been around forever. That kind of familiarity usually belongs to college basketball names like Aaron Craft, Perry Ellis, and Alex Karaban. Fifita’s 2026 season will be his last, and the Wildcats have enough to be a dark horse to reach Arlington.
TCU is eighth, and the setup around Sonny Dykes is already messy. The Dublin Curse could come back around after the Aer Lingus Classic, and the history for losers in that game has not been kind. Add in locker room fights, reporting leaks, and the challenge of getting Jaden Craig to look like a competent FBS quarterback, and it’s hard to feel great about where things stand.
Oklahoma State is ninth and opens the Eric Morris era with an in-state rivalry game against Tulsa. That’s the kind of matchup that can set the tone quickly, for better or worse.
The offense should be the side to watch because Morris should be able to manufacture points, but the defense is the part that needs immediate attention. Losing that one would be a bad way to start.
Baylor rounds out the list at No. 10, but this week gives the Bears a chance to learn a lot fast. Auburn comes to town in what looks like the best game in its time slot Saturday, and it’s a chance for Baylor to show where it really stands. The DJ Lagway redemption tour starts now.
In Other News...
Former BYU Transfers Are Popping Up In Some Uncomfortable Places
BYUs transfer list for the 2026 season has already started to leave a few familiar names scattered around the college football map, and not all of those destinations will feel neutral to Cougar fans. McCae Hillstead, once part of BYUs quarterback room, has landed at Utah State and has already won the starting job there, while Jake Griffin is set to suit up for Arizona. Around them, other former Cougars have spread out to UCLA, Iowa State, UAB and Duke, giving BYU followers plenty of chances to run into old personnel in new colors.
The broader picture is even more interesting because the ex-Cougars are not just moving to random outposts. Some have shown up at places like Utah, Michigan, Arizona State and Oklahoma State, which adds an extra layer of familiarity and, in a few cases, a little edge to future matchups and scouting chatter. For a program that is always balancing roster turnover with recruiting momentum, seeing former players pop up in so many corners of the sport is a reminder that the transfer era keeps turning every exit into a potential subplot. [Read more 🡒]
BYU May Have Found A Bigger Role For Tausili Akana
Tausili Akana arrived at BYU with the kind of pedigree that makes people wonder when the production will finally catch up. A former Texas edge prospect and consensus four-star recruit, he came to Provo after two seasons to chase the ceiling that made him such a coveted player in the first place, and the early signs of fall have been encouraging. Akana has added weight, looked better against the run and emerged as the top option at field backer on the initial depth chart, which suggests the Cougars may have found a much larger role for him than the one he carried coming in.
Akana has also sounded comfortable with where he is off the field, pointing to BYU's culture and the development he has gotten from the coaching staff. For a player whose upside has long been part of the conversation, that combination matters, because it often takes both physical growth and the right environment before a gifted transfer turns into a real defensive factor. BYU is hoping this latest version of Akana is closer to the one it envisioned when he first made his way to campus. [Read more 🡒]
USC Fans May Not Love This Name In The Next Coaching Cycle
With the college football season just getting started, the usual early whisper campaign around the next coaching cycle is already taking shape. A new look at the market points to three names that could surface if Power Four jobs open up, with Kliff Kingsbury, Mike Norvell and Kalani Sitake all mentioned as possible fits depending on how the fall unfolds.
Sitakes inclusion is the one that should matter most to BYU fans, even if nothing is imminent and nothing is decided. He has built enough credibility to keep showing up in these kinds of conversations, which is a compliment as much as a warning, because the more successful the Cougars look under him, the more often his name figures to appear whenever a major program starts casting a wide net. [Read more 🡒]