BYU is the Big 12’s preseason pick to win the league in 2026, according to a poll of conference coaches conducted by On3 during Big 12 Media Days at The Star in Frisco, Texas.
That result came with a little surprise attached. Texas Tech drew plenty of attention throughout the event, especially after the fallout from Brendan Sorsby’s departure in the wake of the investigation into his gambling habits. Even so, the Red Raiders were slotted behind BYU in the coaches’ vote, despite the belief around the league that they could be in the College Football Playoff mix.
The Cougars have built a strong case since arriving in the Big 12 in 2024. They opened the 2024 season with nine straight wins before back-to-back home losses to Kansas and eventual conference champion Arizona State knocked them out of the race for a Big 12 Championship berth. Still, that 11-win season matched Kalani Sitake’s previous best at BYU.
In 2025, BYU dropped only two games, and both came in lopsided losses to Texas Tech. The Cougars finished by beating Georgia Tech in the Pop-Tarts Bowl, giving them 12 wins for the season and their best finish since 2001.
A big reason for the optimism is the return of quarterback Bear Bachmeier, one of several Big 12 teams bringing back a starter at the position. As a true freshman, Bachmeier threw for 3,033 yards with 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while also adding 667 rushing yards and 11 scores on the ground.
BYU also brings back a major weapon in the backfield with LJ Martin. The 6-foot-2, 225-pound running back ran for 1,343 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2025 and added 36 catches for 255 yards.
The Cougars didn’t overhaul the roster through the transfer portal, choosing instead to keep as much of the group intact as possible. Their key addition came at linebacker, where they landed Cade Uluave from California after he posted 100 tackles in 2025.
The schedule also sets up well for another run at the Big 12 title game. BYU avoids both Houston and Texas Tech in conference play, and its Nov. 7 trip to Utah should bring a heavy road crowd because of the short distance to Salt Lake City.
There’s also a nonconference matchup with Notre Dame on Oct. 17 that could matter plenty in the College Football Playoff picture, even if it has no bearing on the Big 12 standings.
Texas Tech finished second in the coaches’ poll, with Utah at No. 3 and Houston at No. 4. The Red Raiders are viewed as having one of the most talented rosters in college football, though questions remain at quarterback after Sorsby’s abrupt exit.
Utah’s case is built around one of the best backfield pairings in the country, Devon Dampier and Wayshawn Parker, but the Utes are also one of four Big 12 teams entering the season with a first-year head coach.
Houston’s No. 4 spot reflects the progress of a program that reached 10 wins in 2025, an important marker in its move into the power conferences. Like Utah, the Cougars are expected to have plenty of new faces around the roster, with quarterback being the main exception.
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For Texas Tech, the position is already under a fresh spotlight after a recent roster move left the depth chart looking different than it did a week ago. Joey McGuire has also had to manage the conversation around Will Hammond, who is working back from the ACL tear he suffered against Oklahoma State last season and could be in the mix as soon as the Sept. 5 opener against Abilene Christian. [Read more 🡒]