MORGANTOWN — For the second straight year, the Big 12 won’t have preseason rankings for football. Other sports post preseason rankings, but not football. Conference commissioner Brett Yormark said the preseason poll is gone because of how low Arizona State was ranked heading into the 2024 season, and then the Sun Devils won the Big 12.
That doesn’t stop media members, like myself, from releasing a Big 12 preseason poll.
It’s not easy to correctly predict how the teams will finish once the 2026 season is concluded, which plays to Yormark’s point of not having preseason rankings. By going off of schedules, last year’s results and incoming and returning talent, you can get a good estimate of how the conference should shake out this season. And there was a lot to track in a wild offseason since Texas Tech beat BYU in the Big 12 Championship game until now.
Here are The Dominion Post’s 2026 preseason Big 12 rankings:
No. 1 Texas Tech
Texas Tech was the talk of the offseason. The Red Raiders landed talented quarterback Brendan Sorsby in the transfer portal, but he came with unknown baggage. He had disputes with the NCAA over gambling and won’t play in 2026.
Texas Tech has a backup plan and a strong one with Will Hammond. He’s coming off of surgery, but head coach Joey McGuire expects him to play Week 1. The Red Raiders lost a lot of production, especially on defense, but have some returning pieces and intriguing transfers. The Red Raiders also have a favorable schedule, which misses BYU, and has its toughest games, Arizona, Arizona State and TCU, all at home.
The former Big 12 Champions and only representation from the conference in the College Football Playoff are in a good position to repeat.
No. 2 BYU
There were talks of head coach Kalani Sitake taking the Penn State job, but the Cougars coughed up more money, and he stayed, like most of the team.
BYU returns quarterback Bear Bachmeier, who had an impressive true freshman season, and running back L.J. Martin is back, too. Martin led the Big 12 in rushing a year ago, so there’ll be no dropoff there. The defense has a lot of returning starters, but it lost its coordinator, Jay Hill, who went with Kyle Whittingham to Michigan. Kelly Poppinga takes over, looking to replicate the success from last year.
The Cougars have challenging conference games, including against Arizona in Week 2 and at Utah, but it misses out on Texas Tech, unlike last year. There are plenty of favorable games, and with Texas Tech not having Brendan Sorsby, BYU is a real contender to knock off the defending champs.
No. 3 Utah
Utah was one of the many Big 12 teams that lost its head coach for the 2026 season. Long-time head coach Kyle Whittingham stepped down and is now at Michigan. The Utes hired within and promoted Morgan Scalley from the defensive coordinator spot. Scalley, like Whittingham, is a long-time coach of the Utes, so the team will look similar to what has been seen in the past.
Devon Dampier is back at quarterback and has a new play-caller, Kevin McGiven, who comes from Utah State. With Dampier and running back Wayshawn Parker, McGiven will have a run-heavy offense behind a new-look offensive line, which could create issues.
Luckily, Utah hosts Houston and BYU this season, but plays Arizona on the road.
No. 4 Houston
Houston was the surprise team of last season. Head coach Willie Fritz completely flipped the program around and led the Cougars to a 10-3 season in Year 2.
It should only improve in 2026, returning a lot of its roster. Quarterback Conner Weigman is back, multiple receivers return, and a lot of the defense.
The schedule isn’t favorable. Houston plays Texas Tech and Utah on the road, who are two of the top teams in the conference. The Houston-Utah game will be a date to circle for the third spot in the Big 12.
No. 5 Arizona
Arizona had a strong finish to the 2025 season in the Big 12. The Wildcats found their groove and won their last five conference games, including at Arizona State.
Quarterback Noah Fifita has Heisman Trophy hype circling him, but he doesn’t have a lot of returning starters. There are familiar faces at running back and receiver. They just don’t have too much production.
A road trip to BYU in Week 2 and two more to Texas Tech and Kansas State are rough. Arizona also hosts Utah and Arizona State, which aren’t gimmes.
No. 6 Kansas State
Quarterback Avery Johnson is a senior at Kansas State and plays for a new head coach, Collin Klein, after Chris Klieman retired following the 2025 season. Klein is one of the youngest head coaches in college football and returns to his alma mater after serving as Texas A&M’s offensive coordinator over the last two years.
Like Johnson, there are a lot of returners on offense. Defense is another story, and it struggled in 2025, playing a role in the 6-6 season. Maybe the offense can carry enough to six Big 12 wins, with a lot of toss-up games.
No. 7 TCU
Long-time TCU quarterback Josh Hoover is on to greater pastures, transferring to Indiana this offseason. Talented receiver Eric McAlister and defensive studs, safety Bud Clark and Kaleb Elarms-Orr, are also gone.
Head coach Sonny Dykes has his work cut out for him. Harvard transfer Jaden Craig was acquired to replace Hoover. Running back Jeremy Payne is back, and other depth pieces at skill positions should have bigger roles. Most of the defensive front is back to help on defense.
Will it be enough to be in the top half of the Big 12? It’ll be close.
No. 8 Arizona State
Quarterback Sam Leavitt is at LSU now, participating in the Lane Kiffin Show. And backup Jeff Sims is also gone. Most of the rest of the roster, offense and defense, are also not coming back.
Head coach Kenny Dillingham went to work in the transfer portal and secured a top 25 transfer portal class. Quarterback Cutter Boley from Kentucky was a top get and is projected to be the starter as a sophomore. Boley has three top transfer receivers to throw to as well. The defense doesn’t have many returning starters, but a lot of young talent coming up that should make an impact.
Even with all the changes, it’s hard to see a Dillingham team not be competitive in the Big 12.
No. 9 Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State is the biggest wildcard in the Big 12, and potentially in the country. Long-time head coach Mike Gundy is gone, and it’s now Eric Morris’ team. Morris was at North Texas last year and was a game away from making the College Football Playoff.
Now, at Oklahoma State, Morris brought with him most of that Mean Green roster, including quarterback Drew Mestemaker and running back Caleb Hawkins, who were both among the best in the country at their respective positions. The Cowboys’ transfer class ranks 15th with 55 commits and is one of the few schools to secure a 5-star transfer.
With the success of North Texas last season, and some other high-caliber transfers, Oklahoma State could be a competitive team in the Big 12. Or, it could be too much change, and the team could plummet.
No. 10 UCF
UCF won five games last season in Year 1 of Scott Frost’s return, and two were in the Big 12, including against West Virginia. Frost had a quarterback problem last season, but it looks like he found a solution.
Alonza Barnett III arrives from James Madison. Barnett led the Dukes to the College Football Playoff last year and was the 2025 Sun Belt Player of the Year. Barnett has nice options at the skill positions as well.
The question will be the defense, more so the defensive front. Almost the entire secondary is back, but the pass rush only has one returning starter.
The schedule is also a bit more favorable. UCF plays TCU, Baylor, and Arizona State all at home, along with an upset shot at home against BYU. In 2025, the Knights lost two games at home, and both were by one score; the rest were wins.
No. 11 West Virginia
Year 1 of Rich Rodriguez wasn’t ideal, winning two Big 12 games, but Year 2 looks a lot better. Rodriguez brought in the nation’s leading rusher, running back Cam Cook, to anchor his ground attack, and added veteran offensive line coach Rich Trickett to fix the line. The Mountaineers have numerous transfer offensive linemen with a lot of snaps to help out.
The defense lost a lot of starters due to graduation. Rodriguez patched the holes with veteran transfers in the secondary, including Wisconsin’s Geimere Latimer and Georgia State corner Chams Diagne.
The schedule bodes well for WVU. The Mountaineers host Oklahoma State, Kansas and Cincinnati, which are three opponents they are fighting for in the middle of the pack. There are also home games against Houston, who they upset last year on the road, and Arizona, which are potential upset games.
No. 12 Kansas
Kansas has familiar faces coming back and leaving. Offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki returned as the play-caller for the Jayhawks after a few years at Penn State. But quarterback Jalon Daniels is gone. Daniels’ backup, Cole Ballard, will take over.
Head coach Lance Leipold added interesting offensive talent, like Kansas State running back Dylan Edwards. The receiver room is Cam Pickett, who had 45 receptions for the Jayhawks in 2025, and some transfers. The defense has a little depth as well.
Kansas hits the road to play Kansas State, West Virginia, TCU and Oklahoma State, which all could’ve been more winnable at home. Instead, the Jayhawks host Baylor, UCF and BYU. Kansas could take one or two of those games.
No. 13 Baylor
Baylor took a swing this offseason and landed Florida quarterback D.J. Lagway, who has underperformed so far as a highly rated high school recruit. Lagway found new scenery on a Bears squad whose offense is filled with transfers.
Lagway’s talent is the draw for this team. But it’s not a soft landing spot for the former 5-star recruit. Baylor has road games against Kansas, UCF, Houston and Arizona State. Kansas and UCF are close in comparison, but having them on the road tips the scales the other way. Then, the Bears have Colorado and Iowa State at home, which you’d rather save those for on the road since they should be easier games. Baylor plays both Texas Tech and BYU to make things worse.
No. 14 Cincinnati
Cincinnati no longer has quarterback Brendan Sorsby, which, after all that happened, could be a good thing. He contributed to a lot of wins last season. Instead, it’s most likely going to be quarterback J.C. French IV from Georgia Southern, and he’s a proven winner at the lower level.
Head coach Scott Satterfield didn’t just have to replace Sorsby. There was a lot of talent gone from last year’s 7-6 team. There is just one returning starter on defense and a couple on offense. Cincinnati also has a gauntlet of a schedule, which doesn’t help its chances.
No. 15 Colorado
This could be the end for coach Deion Sanders at Colorado. Not only is he dealing with health issues, but his roster doesn’t set the team up for success in 2026.
Quarterback Julian Lewis is one of the few bright spots on the team. He had some good games in a bad offense, so he has a case to be the starter. Utah transfer Isaac Wilson is pushing for the spot, too.
Some of the most talented players on offense from last season are gone. Offensive lineman Jordan Seaton is at LSU and receiver Omarion Miller is at Arizona State. The defense will look completely different, too. There were some nice portal additions, like San Jose State’s Danny Scudero, who led the nation in receiving, but after one Big 12 win in 2025, it’s hard to see a lot more on the horizon.
No. 16 Iowa State
Iowa State’s team was completely raided this offseason. Head coach Matt Campbell took the Penn State job and brought everything with him to Happy Valley. No more quarterback Rocco Becht, offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser is gone, and multiple impact players on the roster are now Nittany Lions, too.
It’s now the Jimmy Rogers era, and he has a complete rebuild on his hands in one of the hardest places to do so. After years of competitive teams under Campbell, the Cyclones might be taking the back seat for a little bit once again.
Preseason All-Big 12 team (Released by the Big 12)
Offensive Player of the Year
LJ Martin, RB, BYU, Sr.
Defensive Player of the Year
A.J. Holmes Jr., DL, Texas Tech, Sr.
Newcomer of the Year
Drew Mestemaker, QB, Oklahoma State, RS-So.
2026 Preseason All-Big 12 Team
Quarterback: Noah Fifita, QB, Arizona, RS-Sr.
Running Back: Cam Cook, RB, West Virginia, Sr.
Running Back: LJ Martin, RB, BYU, Sr.
Fullback: Kayden Luke, FB, West Virginia, Jr.
Wide Receiver: Omarion Miller, WR, Arizona State, Sr.
Wide Receiver: Amare Thomas, WR, Houston, Sr.
Wide Receiver: Wyatt Young, WR, Oklahoma State, Jr.
Tight End: Terrance Carter Jr., TE, Texas Tech, Sr.
Offensive Line: Joe Cotton, OL, Cincinnati, RS-Sr.
Offensive Line: Shadre Hurst, OL, Houston, Sr.
Offensive Line: Bruce Mitchell, OL, BYU, RS-Sr.
Offensive Line: John Pastore, OL, Kansas State, Sr.
Offensive Line: Evan Tengesdahl, OL, Cincinnati, RS-Jr.
Kicker: Stone Harrington, PK, Texas Tech, Sr.
Punt/Kick Returner: Mana Carvalho, PR/KR, Utah, So.
Defensive Line: C.J. Fite, DL, Arizona State, Sr.
Defensive Line: Wendell Gregory, DL, Kansas State, So.
Defensive Line: A.J. Holmes Jr., DL, Texas Tech, Sr.
Defensive Line: Keanu Tanuvasa, DL, BYU, RS-Sr.
Defensive Line: Adam Trick, DL, Texas Tech, Sr.
Linebacker: Ben Roberts, LB, Texas Tech, Sr.
Linebacker: Austin Romaine, LB, Texas Tech, Sr.
Linebacker: Cade Uluave, LB, BYU, Sr.
Defensive Back: Will James, DB, Houston, Jr.
Defensive Back: Evan Johnson, DB, BYU, RS-Sr.
Defensive Back: Jamel Johnson, DB, TCU, Sr.
Defensive Back: Brice Pollock, DB, Texas Tech, Sr.
Defensive Back: Faletau Satuala, DB, BYU, Jr.
Punter: Palmer Williams, P, Baylor, Sr.
