Is it crazy to wonder whether the Big 12 deserves more than one No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament? Absolutely not. It’s the best basketball conference in America, but there is an element of the top teams beating up on one another that makes the argument a little more nuanced.
Let’s set the table first. Everyone already knows Arizona is headed for the top of the bracket. They’re 20‑0, undefeated, and widely projected to be the No. 1 overall seed in a field that’s still months away from Selection Sunday. Even ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi agrees with that assessment in his latest look at the 2026 tournament field.
After Arizona, Lunardi’s list has Duke, Michigan, and UConn as the other No. 1 seeds. Then, as two seeds, it’s Nebraska, Illinois, Michigan State, and Iowa State; three seeds include Gonzaga, Purdue, Houston, and Texas Tech; and four seeds round out with BYU, Florida, Vanderbilt, and Kansas. If you break it down, that’s six Big 12 teams inside the Top 16 seeds. That’s a lot.
So let’s make the case after Arizona for those other Big 12 teams, and why their resumes might justify bumping up to another No. 1 seed come bracket time.
Making the Case
Iowa State gets the first shout. The Cyclones sit at 18-2 with a perfect non-conference record and two losses to conference foes. They’ve already shown they can take down elite competition, sitting at 5-1 in Quad 1 games, and if they keep winning against ranked teams in the Big 12, there’s a strong case for more than a two seed.
Next up is Houston. The Cougars have been a fixture in the national conversation for years now, and there’s no reason to think 2025-26 is any different. They’re balanced, they defend better than anybody in the country, and oh yeah, they still have Kelvin Sampson on the bench. A 17-2 overall record paired with a 5-1 Quad 1 record makes for a great case, and it’s safe to assume this team is only going to continue to climb.
Texas Tech is right there behind Houston, technically. Even though they just took down the Cougars 90-86, they were listed one place behind them in the most recent AP Poll, sitting at No. 11. They sit at 16-4 overall, but have just a 5-4 record against Q1 opponents. Still, none of those are considered bad losses, but the committee will likely point to that record if push comes to shove.
Then there’s BYU, led by star freshman AJ Dybantsa. They have a near-identical resume to that of Houston, and are even ahead of Texas Tech in the NET rankings at No. 12. They too have a 17-2 record with both losses coming against Quad 1 opponents (4-2).
Finally, Kansas. Yes, Kansas. They’ve had some ups and downs, but they’re nationally relevant, and if they can get Darryn Peterson back on the court in the foreseeable future, it’s hard to count them out. Bill Self-led teams are built for March, and with the emergence of Melvin Council, Flory Bidunga, and a few others, they seem to be getting better with each outing. They sit at No. 15 in the NET with an overall record of 15-5, but are an abysmal 3-5 in Quad One games.
As for the other one seeds, UConn, Michigan, and Duke, they’re going to need to drop a few games to allow for others to move up. The three teams all have just one loss each on the season, though Michigan’s loss did come in a Q2 game, which could allow for some wiggle room for someone to sneak in.
Verdict
Here’s the bottom line: Arizona is almost a lock for that overall No. 1 seed unless something crazy happens. When you’ve got half a dozen teams getting major votes and respect in early brackets, it’s fair to ask whether another Big 12 club will earn a No. 1 seed by March or not. This league has been battle-tested all season long, and if these teams can keep winning and staying healthy, there’s a shot. Still, they’re going to need some dominoes to fall ahead of them. But, at the end of the day, it’s still January, and there’s a TON of basketball yet to be played.
