The Big 12 has been a league built on turnover, but Texas Tech may be the team that finally snaps the conference’s recent run of chaos. Six different programs have claimed the Big 12 Championship Game over the last six years, and the Red Raiders are the latest to get their hands on the trophy after a 34-7 win over BYU in last season’s finale.
Now they enter 2026 as the clear favorite to do it again.
Texas Tech is listed at -105 to win the Big 12, which gives it an implied probability of 51.22% to repeat as conference champion. That kind of price says plenty about how the market sees this race: the Red Raiders are the team to beat, and the gap between them and the rest of the field is real.
The biggest reason is defense. Texas Tech allowed just 12.2 points per game last season, the second-fewest mark in the nation behind only Ohio State.
Usually, a defense that strong loses enough pieces to create at least some regression, but Texas Tech brings back 65% of its production, the highest return rate in the Big 12. That gives the Red Raiders a sturdy foundation in a league where continuity matters.
There is still one major question hanging over the offense: quarterback. Brandon Sorsby won’t be available this season because of a gambling-related violation, so the job turns to Will Hammond, who is coming back from an ACL tear.
Even with that injury in the background, Hammond impressed in his eight appearances last season. If he’s not the answer, Texas Tech still has options around him, including running backs Cameron Dickey, J'Koby Williams, and Quentin Joyner.
If you’re looking for a team that could push Texas Tech, Houston stands out at +1500. The Cougars posted numbers last season that were stronger than most people probably realized, especially in EPA and success rate, and the program’s trajectory is moving the right way.
Houston jumped from 4-8 in 2024 to 10-3 in 2025, and it now returns the second-highest percentage of production in the Big 12. If that growth continues, the Cougars have a path into the conversation by season’s end.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
In Other News...
Will Hammonds Progress Suddenly Matters Even More For Texas Tech
A practice collision can turn heads in a hurry, especially when it involves a quarterback still working his way back from a season-ending knee injury. During Texas Techs recent workout, offensive tackle Jacob Ponton and defensive tackle Mateen Ibirogba came together and quarterback Will Hammond went to the ground, a brief scare in a period that also marked the Red Raiders first full-pad practice as they continue building toward an intrasquad scrimmage.
Hammonds recovery remains a key subplot for a team trying to sort out its depth and rhythm before the next stage of camp, and coach Joey McGuire has already sounded encouraged by the rehab progress of both Hammond and running back Quinten Joyner. In that setting, every rep matters a little more, because the Red Raiders are not just tracking who is healthy, but how ready those returning pieces are to handle real football again. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Techs Rise Is Creating A Problem Red Raiders Fans Will Hate
Texas Techs climb has brought real momentum to Lubbock, but it has also created an unexpected headache in the non-conference calendar. As the Red Raiders have invested more, won more and drawn more attention, some Power Four programs have become less eager to line up against them. A couple of scheduled series have already fallen apart, and even a proposed matchup with Texas never got off the ground.
For a fan base that wants the program viewed as a serious threat again, the irony is hard to miss. Texas Tech is becoming the kind of team others would rather avoid, yet that same rise is making it harder to find high-profile games that fit the schedule. One possible answer being discussed is a bigger College Football Playoff, which could give schools more reason to take chances, but for now the Red Raiders are stuck in the middle of success and the scheduling squeeze that comes with it. [Read more 🡒]