15 teams vs. A giant money pit in Texas (Big 12 preview thread 2026)

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Iowa State

Preview segment: The Iowa State Cyclones

Last season: For the most part, Iowa State had another good season in 2025. They finished the year 8-4 and defeated rivals like Kansas State and TCU. Shame about the mid-season skid that costed them a shot at the Big 12 title, though. But the offseason is where things got crazy.
Coach Matt Campbell took the vacant Penn State job, and the school chose not to go to a bowl game because of Matt's departure. And then we got a surprising, quick hire in Washington State coach Jimmy Rodgers.

Bad news: All of that chaos can be felt on the roster of this Cyclones team; the kicker is the only starter back from last year. It'll be interesting how all of the new guys will work together, especially with an inexperienced O-line and a undersized RB room.

Good news: QB Jaylen Reynor comes in from Arkansas State, and he has assumed the leadership role that ISU really needs now. The defense does have talent at all 3 levels, with the D-line looking particularly nasty.

Key games:
9/12 @ Iowa (Iowa State now has a rare winning streak in this rivalry. This year's installment could be ugly and low-scoring... again.)
9/26 vs. Utah (The Big 12 opener for ISU, and it'll be a big test for that new O-line that the Cyclones have.)
10/31 vs. Oklahoma State (Like Oklahoma State, Iowa State is basically starting all over in 2026.)
11/28 vs. Kansas State (This will be the 110th installment of this midwestern football rivalry.)

Bottom line: Jimmy Rodgers have done this before. Last year, he turned a mismatched roster into a team and led Washington State to a bowl win. Maybe that's why Iowa State is giving him the chance to follow up on Matt Campbell's legacy in Ames.
But with all of these moving pieces, I don't think Iowa State will be a big factor in the Big 12 this season... sad to say.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

UCF (Central Florida)

Preview segment: The UCF Golden Knights

Last season: UCF definitely had some chances to do damage in the Big 12 after starting the season 3-0. But the offense stalled at key moments, and so UCF finished 5-7. Now Scott Frost has gone crazy, saying that he wants his team to win the Big 12 in 2026.

Good news: 6 starters return from a surprisingly good defense UCF had last year. And on offense, UCF added Alonza Barnett II, who helped lead James Madison to the CFP; his duel-threat talents will make him hard to stop in the Big 12. Transfer Josh Derry was added to a pretty-stacked WR room.

Bad news: About the only thing to worry about for UCF is their line-play. Both the O-line and D-line are replacing a number of starters; the O-line replaces 4 starters, while the D-line replaces 3 impact guys.

Key games:
9/12 @ Pittsburgh (This should be a doozy of a game; Pitt is my "dark-horse" contender in the ACC this season.)
9/26 vs. TCU (UCF's conference opener should be another doozy. The Knights won inside Fort Worth 2 years ago 35-34.)
10/10 @ Oklahoma State (UCF did beat the Cowboys last year, but I don't think this OK State is gonna be so helpless this time around.)
10/24 vs. BYU (So how will Bear Bachmeier fare in this QB duel with Mr. Alonza Barnett II?)
11/14 vs. Arizona State (The Knights get to host Arizona State for the first time here.)

Bottom line: I think UCF can do some real damage in 2026. No, I'm not gonna make them a Big 12 title contender like the head coach is doing. That's just crazy talk. But with most of the guys returning to the defense, and a new top QB on their side, the Knights should easily return to the bowl picture.

 

[Duckboy33]

Most Expensive "Get In" price by week:

Week 1:
1. Colorado at Georgia Tech - $89
1. Baylor vs. Auburn - $89
3. Oklahoma State at Tulsa - $87
3. Utah Tech at BYU - $87

Week 2:
1. Missouri at Kansas - $250
2. Iowa State at Iowa - $186
3. Oregon at Oklahoma State - $152

Week 3:
1. Arizona State vs. Kansas - $224
2. Colorado at Northwestern - $115
3. West Virginia vs. Virginia - $114

Week 4:
1. Sam Houston at Texas Tech - $109
2. Oklahoma State at West Virginia - $77
3. Colorado at Baylor - $62

Week 5:
1. Texas Tech at Colorado - $95
2. Middle Tennessee at Kansas - $84
3. BYU at TCU - $66

Week 6:
1. Iowa State at BYU - $126
2. Arizona at West Virginia - $81
3. Houston at Kansas State - $75

Week 7:
1. Notre Dame at BYU - $501
2. Kansas at Kansas State - $185
3. Utah at Colorado - $137

Week 8:
1. Houston at Utah - $149
2. Colorado at Oklahoma State - $127
3. Texas Tech at Cincinnati - $96

Week 9:
1. Arizona State at BYU - $120
2. Arizona at Texas Tech - $84
3. Kansas State at Colorado - $67

Week 10:
1. BYU at Utah - $293
2. West Virginia at Texas Tech - $84
3. Oklahoma State at Kansas State - $82

Week 11:
1. Texas Tech at Oklahoma State - $105
2. Baylor at BYU - $98
3. Kansas at West Virginia - $69

Week 12:
1. BYU at Kansas - $76
2. Arizona at Kansas State - $71
3. Texas Tech at Baylor - $70

Week 13:
1. TCU at Texas Tech - $91
2. Cincinnati at BYU - $89
3. West Virginia at Utah - $83

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Brigham Young

Preview segment: The BYU Cougars

Last season: Yay! The Cougars of BYU have officially made themselves at home in the Big 12. With a new star QB at the helm, BYU roared through 2025 as they went 11-2 and narrowly missed out on a CFP berth. And the only team they lost to was those darn Red Raiders of Texas Tech. Plus, after the season Kalani Sitake turned down the Penn State job to stay as the coach in Provo. Kalani must really like what he has over here.

Good news: That star QB (Bear Bachmeier) is back, and he looks set to be even better than he was last year (considering how many times I talked about him this week). LJ Martin headlines a proud RB group, and the O-line is experienced. And there's nothing to worry about on defense; 8 starters from 2025's solid unit is back.

Bad news: The kicking game is all-new, and depth is not great at the wide-receiver position. Oh, and Jay Hill (last year's defensive coordinator) left to join Kyle Whittingham's staff at Michigan; how will Kelly Poppings handle the rugged Cougar defense this year?

Key games:
9/12 vs. Arizona (Bear is gonna be busy this year, as he'll face a laundry list of tough QB's. The first one is Noah Fifita in this fun-looking Big 12 opener.)
10/3 @ TCU (Jaden Craig balled out as a QB for Harvard, so how will Bear handle this challenge?)
10/17 vs. Notre Dame (Notre Dame is so desperate to boost their resume, they threw away USC and begged BYU to play them in a home-and-home series. Hey, how funny would it be if CJ Carr and the Irish failed in Provo against Bear and the Cougars?)
10/24 @ UCF (BYU needs to be careful of this potential "upset game"; it's right after the Notre Dame game, UCF will have a bye week to prepare, and Alonzo Barnett III is another stud QB.)
11/7 @ Utah (Another battle in the "Holy War"! BYU edged out Utah last year at home.)

Bottom line: So not only does BYU have that star QB of theirs and a tough defense, but also a workable schedule (Minimum long-distance trips, 7 home games). Oh sure, the Cougars do have to break in new kickers and make sure their new defensive coordinator is on board, but those are minor things to work on.
Too bad that BYU won't face the Red Raiders in 2026. Wait, maybe they will! ...In the Big 12 title game in Arlington.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

West Virginia

Preview segment: The West Virginia Mountaineers

Last season: West Virginia hit the reset button in 2025, with a new coach and a mostly-new roster. It didn't work. The offense sputtered a lot, and WVU went 4-8. Now Rich Rodriguez has hit the reset button... HARD... and is hoping that this reboot will work.

Bad news: Throughout the team, we have EIGHTY-THREE new players. Suffice to say, we're gonna have a LOT of growing pains on this roster. Oh, and we got a QB duel between starter Scotty Fox and Michael Hawkins Jr..

Good news: Hawkins Jr. has impressed everyone in Morgantown through the offseason, and he should better fit what R-Rod wants on offense. And considering how awful last year's O-line was, I don't blame the team for starting fresh over there. Cam Cook comes in from Jacksonville State, hoping to wake up the running game.

Key games:
9/19 vs. Virginia [From Charlotte, NC] (So this game is a part of the "Duke's Mayo Classic" in 2026, eh? I don't know why 2 teams that haven't met since 2002 can't have a "home-and-home" series, but oh well.)
9/26 vs. Oklahoma State (Much like the Mountaineers, OK State is starting over in 2026. I wonder if WVU can outgun Drew Mestemaker and the Cowboys here.)
10/3 @ Iowa State (If West Virginia is gonna win a road game in the Big 12 this season, this game looks the safest bet.)
11/21 vs. Houston (West Virginia did beat Houston last year, and this year they'll host the Cougars on Senior Day.)

Bottom line: For the 2nd year in a row, we have a new roster in Morgantown. That means we really don't know how many wins WVU will get. People like Michael Hawkins Jr. and Cam Cook suggest that improvements will be made on offense. Beyond that? Let's wait and see.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Utah

Preview segment: The Utah Utes

Last season: Once again, Kyle Whittingham found a way to make Utah look fearsome. With QB Devon Dampier living up to the hype, Utah went 11-2 and finished in the Top 15 of the final AP poll. But afterwards, Kyle left his post and then resurfaced as the coach of Michigan. Yep, Whittingham is gone.
At least Utah was anticipating that this would happen, and has already lined up a replacement.

2026 X-factor: New coach Morgan Scalley (On one hand, it'll be hard to replace 21 years of solid service from 1 coach. But you really can't ask for a more seamless transition; Morgan has been at Utah for a LONG time. Recruiting coordinator, special teams coach, defensive coordinator, and head-coach-in-waiting. Yep, Morgan has done it all. So we'll see how seamless this transition really is.)

Good news: QB Devon Dampier is back for his senior year, and people have pegged him as a Heisman candidate. A gaggle of WR's and a returning RB like Wayshawn Parker should also keep the Utes offense rolling. And despite returning just 3 starters, expect the Utes defense to remain tough and physical.

Bad news: It's not just the transition from Whittingham to Scalley that has Utah fans kinda worried. The O-line is completely new, with new faces everywhere on there.

Key games:
9/12 vs. Arkansas (I don't care if Arkansas is a lower-tier SEC school. You still need to be ready for the challenge; we'll see how Utah's new O-line will handle it.)
10/17 @ Colorado (Careful, Utah! Your rivals will get a bye week to prepare for your visit to Boulder.)
10/24 vs. Houston (Oh! And after dealing with a rival, Utah must go up against a fellow Big 12 title contender in Houston.)
11/7 vs. BYU (November is gonna be VERY busy for the Utes. First, it's another round of the "Holy War"! And losing to BYU last year would end up costing the Utes a shot at the Big 12 title.)
11/14 @ Arizona (Then, the Utes will visit high-flying Arizona before dealing with TCU.)

Bottom line: A seamless transition from one head coach to another, a QB who's being propped up for the Heisman, and the promise of a tough defense. Yep, Utah will remain a force in the Big 12 in 2026. If the O-line finds a way to work together (big if), the Utes can overtake BYU and get to Arlington for the Big 12 title game in December.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Baylor

Preview segment: The Baylor Bears

Last season: Too bad. Baylor started out OK with a 4-2 start, but their defense left a lot to be desired. And the Bears didn't have enough firepower on offense to compensate, so they finished 2025 at 5-7. So coach Dave Aranda is still on the hot seat, and still looking for a way out.

Good news: We have a new defensive coordinator in Waco, which can only help the Bears' D get better. With Hosea Wheeler coming in from Indiana and Travion Barnes coming back from injury, Baylor's D-line could be very strong. And QB DJ Lagway comes in from Florida; maybe a return to his home state will help him be more consistent in his play.

Bad news: Baylor is replacing their top 4 receivers, top RB, and starting tight-end from last year. Also new is most of the O-line, with 4 new starters.

Key games:
9/5 vs. Auburn [from Atlanta] (Auburn moved this game from their home state to Atlanta just for more NIL money. I'm sure Baylor doesn't mind; they'll want revenge after the Tigers beat them in Waco last year.)
10/3 @ Arizona State (Don't give up on beating the Sun Devils, Bears! You only lost by 3 last year.)
10/17 vs. TCU (When the Horned Frogs edged out Baylor 42-36, they killed any chance that the Bears had to compete for the Big 12 title in 2025.)
11/21 vs. Texas Tech (Is it true that Baylor leads this in-state rivalry? What a strange world we live in!)
11/28 @ Houston (This could be one of Dave Aranda's best wins in Waco... or his final one.)

Bottom line: This shapes up to be a "do-or-die" season for Aranda and his staff. The promise of a better defense, plus DJ Lagway coming back to Texas, gives the Bears some hope entering 2026. But that new O-line, and the new guys on offense surrounding Lagway, will determine if Baylor returns to a bowl game or gets the coach kicked out of Waco. Good luck, guys.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Colorado

Preview segment: The Colorado Buffaloes

Last season: A brutal 3-9. I knew it was gonna be hard for Deion to replace Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter, but sheesh! The numbers just tanked across the board.

Good news: To bring the offensive numbers up, Deion brought in Brennan Martin, who's had great success at Sacramento State and UNLV. With promising talent at RB (like Jaquail Smith) and WR (like DeAndre Moore Jr.), the Buffaloes offense should be more active than last year's. Oh, and at least Colorado nailed down their starting QB in Julian Lewis.

Bad news: Julian is a redshirt freshmen, so we'll have to wait and see how he handles the job. Oh, and ONCE AGAIN Colorado is dealing with depth issues. You should see that in the almost all-new defense (only 1 starter is back) and the rebuilding O-line (still a question mark).

Key games:
9/3 @ Georgia Tech (GT may be breaking in a new QB, but they'll still be dangerous. Remember that, Deion.)
9/19 @ Northwestern (Wait. A 2nd road game against a "Power 4" team? I know Northwestern isn't a "world-beater" team, but will Colorado's defense be ready for this?)
10/3 vs. Texas Tech (Great. Let's throw in a game against good ol' Texas Tech for Deion and company! Hey, why not?)
10/31 vs. Kansas State (A winnable Big 12 game for Colorado.)
11/13 vs. Houston (What kind of depth will Colorado have for this important Big 12 home game against Houston?)

Bottom line: After the highs of the 2024 season, it was back to earth for Colorado in 2025. Now fans in Boulder are just hoping that their team can escape the Big 12 basement this season. A faster offense should help, but how well will it do against a tough early slate? Will the depth issues bite Colorado in the @$$ again? There's too many "If's" to make the Buffaloes a true Big 12 threat in 2026.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Texas Tech

The last, final, controversial preview segment of the 2026 season: The Texas Tech Red Raiders

Last season: In a sport where money is becoming the king, Texas Tech boosters finally decided to stop playing cheap. They opened their wallets so that Tech can get an actual defense, and BOOM! Tech started to look like a beast, as they won their 1st stand-alone conference title in 70 years. They even got a 1st-round bye in the College Football Playoff; they were that good.
As for what happened against Oregon? I think that was just Tech thinking "Man, we finally made it to the big time! The CFP! Hey, is that Oregon? ...Okay, NOW what do we do?" WHAM! They just weren't ready for it. But in 2026, they should be ready for more big-time fun.

2026 X-factor: Texas Tech's mindset (Oh, you know what I'm talking about. The whole Brandon Sorsby thing. You know, that guy who had a gambling addiction, who admitted it and then Tech sought help for him, only to have the entire CFB press yell at the school for what Sorsby did at ANOTHER SCHOOL. And to this day, universities are STILL yelling at Tech, saying that "we're never going to play you guys again".
So this is the thanks that Tech gets? They're thinking "Man, we try to help a guy who's had gambling issues, and suddenly WE'RE the bad guys?!" This "us-against-the-world" mentality could spell trouble for all of Tech's opponents going forward.)

Good news: Tech has a lot going for it besides their mentality; a strong O-line should help runners like Cam Dickey keep the ball moving well. 5 starters return from a Top-3 defense, including some young studs in the secondary.

Bad news: The D-line could have some early problems as they replace people like David Bailey and Romello Height. Oh, and it wouldn't hurt Tech to keep a close guy on their new starting QB Will Hammond; he's coming off an ACL injury.

Key games:
9/18 vs. Houston (FOX already has this game locked down for their Friday night showcase schedule. Is Will Hammond ready to face Conner Weigman and the Houston attack?)
10/17 vs. Arizona State (ASU killed Tech's chances of a perfect regular season last year, stunning them 26-22.)
10/31 vs. Arizona (Here's another challenge for Hammond, as he'll face Noah Fifita and his Wildcats.)
11/14 @ Oklahoma State (In terms of road games, this looks like the hardest one Tech will face in 2026.)
11/26 vs. TCU (Tech will end 2026 with two encounters against in-state teams they didn't face last year. This Thanksgiving game will come 5 days after Tech visits the desperate Baylor Bears.)

Bottom line: New logo. New team mentality. New people giving Texas Tech money. All of this is making Tech a super dangerous team going forward. All they have to do is replace some studs from 2025's unit, and Tech should be back in Arlington to defend their Big 12 crown.
But all of these legal headaches could cause things to unravel...

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Big 12 predictions

Finally, I get to my predictions for what should be an ultra-fun Big 12 conference in 2026:

1. BYU (Conference champs, Playoff)
2. Texas Tech (Maybe playoff)
3. Houston
4. Utah
5. Arizona
6. TCU
7. Oklahoma State
8. UCF
9. Arizona State
10. Kansas State
11. Cincinnati
12. Baylor
13. Kansas
14. West Virginia
15. Colorado
16. Iowa State

...and I'm done! Soon I'll be on another thread, giving out my CFP predictions...

 

[navamind]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...nkruptcy-trial-colorado-football/91330100007/

 

[navamind]

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