The Big 12 race won’t just be decided by quarterbacks and skill talent. It starts up front, where the league’s best offensive lines are expected to set the tone for big plays, protect the pocket and keep the run game alive.
That matters even more when you look at what last season told us. Texas Tech, the defending champion, and BYU, the runner-up, both leaned on strong line play on the way to 12 wins apiece.
Kansas State and Utah were in that same conversation too, giving up just 13 sacks a year ago. Both of those teams, though, now have some uncertainty at the position heading into 2026.
A few programs enter Week 1 with especially strong odds to win the trench battle.
Cincinnati has three returning starters back in the fold: guard Evan Tengesdahl, left tackle Joe Cotton and center Taran Tyo. They’ll be blocking for Notre Dame transfer running back Gi’Bran Payne, and Phil Steele has the Bearcats ranked No. 14 nationally in his preseason offensive line rankings.
BYU brings back four veteran linemen to support quarterback Bear Bachmeier, while also plugging in three new starters. One of those newcomers is Washington transfer guard Paki Finau. At the center of it all is All-Big 12 center Bruce Mitchell, who helps anchor an offense that expects to post big numbers in 2026.
Texas Tech may have lost star defensive end David Bailey to the New York Jets, but the Red Raiders still have plenty of continuity up front. Center Sheridan Wilson has already logged two seasons of Big 12 football, and tackles Jacob Ponton and Howard Sampson both started every game last season, going 14-for-14.
Houston’s 10-win season last year came with real substance, and Willie Fritz made sure the line remained a priority. The Cougars kept Baylor left tackle Alvin Ebosele and right guard McKenzie Agnello, both veteran pieces from last year’s group. They also added three more linemen with starting experience, including senior left guard Shadre Hurst, who started 37 games at Tulane.
West Virginia may have the biggest transformation coming in the trenches under Rich Rodriguez. The Mountaineers kept junior Nick Krahe at left tackle and added four transfer linemen with starting experience.
Senior center Wes King arrives with 33 starts from Wyoming, junior right guard Amare Grayson earned First Team All-USA honors last year at Jacksonville State, and junior right tackle Carsten Casady started 17 games last season at UConn. The left tackle spot is still unsettled, with 306-pound Kansas State transfer Devin Vass competing with freshman Kevin Brown for the job.
In Other News...
Rich Rodriguez Just Pushed WVUs NIL Fight Into State Politics
Rich Rodriguez has already made it clear he wants West Virginia football to compete in a new era, and now he is pushing the conversation beyond the athletic department. The Mountaineers head coach floated the idea of using a tourism tax in West Virginia to help fund NIL opportunities for his players, tying the programs future directly to the states biggest sport and broader economic interests.
It is still only a discussion, not an active legislative push, but the suggestion brings a familiar college-football problem into state politics. Rodriguez is essentially asking political leaders to see the Mountaineers as more than a team and to consider whether public dollars tied to tourism could help keep WVU in the race for talent. Whether that idea gets traction is another matter entirely. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Just Gave Fans A New Reason To Get To Milan Early
West Virginia is already giving fans a little more incentive to make a full morning of the 2026 season opener. Athletics announced that Almost Heaven Village, the pregame gathering tied to the home football slate, is moving to a new spot on the North Lawn next to the Blue Lot at Milan Puskar Stadium, with the gates set to open at 8:30 a.m. ahead of the matchup with Coastal Carolina. The idea is to give Mountaineer supporters a bigger and easier starting point for game day, with activities and entertainment helping set the tone before kickoff.
For a fan base that treats Saturdays like an event long before the first snap, the location change could matter as much as the timing. WVU is also pushing tickets for the home opener and the full season, including a 304 Mobile Pass for all seven home games, as it continues building around a home schedule that should make the atmosphere around Milan Puskar Stadium feel busy from the moment people start arriving. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Faces A Real Recruiting Question After Latest Rankings Shakeup
The latest 2027 basketball recruiting rankings offered a reminder that the board is always moving, and West Virginias pursuit of elite talent is now dealing with a few more question marks. Paul Osaruyi, one of the Mountaineers most closely watched targets, slid from No. 13 to No. 18 nationally after a small rating dip, and he was not alone in seeing his stock shift. Other players from CIA Bella Vista, including Jalen White and Lyris Robinson, also took notable hits in the update.
For WVU, the bigger issue is not just where those prospects sit today, but how much volatility remains before the cycle really takes shape. Rankings changes do not end a recruitment, but they can alter momentum, perception, and the way schools prioritize their next steps. With several familiar names trending down at once, the Mountaineers have a real evaluation test ahead as they sort out which targets still fit the programs long-term plan. [Read more 🡒]