After the long wait, college football season has finally arrived. I thought this would be a great time to share a few of my top threes including bold predictions, games, and picks for the 2026 Big 12 football season.
Three Biggest Games
BYU vs Notre Dame (Oct. 17)
I know this isn’t a true Big 12 game, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a huge game for the conference. BYU is one of the favorites to make it back to Jerry World and find themselves ranked inside the top 15. Meanwhile, Notre Dame is once again a top five team and poised to make the playoff. But what makes this game so important for the Big 12 is perception.
Knocking off a name brand like Notre Dame, would do wonders for BYU’s playoff chances. It’s by far the biggest non-conference game for the Big 12 in the last few years and a win would go a long way for the Big 12 come selection time.
BYU at Utah (Nov. 7)
Not only is the holy war the biggest and best rivalry in the Big 12, but it’s also the most important conference game of the entire season. Neither team has to play Texas Tech this season and outside of BYU’s game against Notre Dame, this is the toughest matchup they face as they must head north to Salt Lake City to battle their in-state rival. As for Utah, this is also their toughest game on their schedule, and the winner will have an inside track to make it to Arlington.
Texas Tech vs Houston (Sep. 18)
With no BYU or Utah on the schedule, Texas Tech feels like they got a free pass this season. But this game against Houston is going to tell us a lot about both teams. For Tech, this is their first true test of the season against a quality opponent. As for Houston, a win here would not only put them in the driver’s seat, but it would also shake things up in the conference drastically.
Three Best Teams
Texas Tech
Even though the whole Brendan Sorsby didn’t work out, Texas Tech still has Will Hammond and potentially bring in Thomas Castellanos. The good news for the Red Raiders is that they will be loaded across the board no matter who ends up at quarterback. Texas Tech is the most talented team in the Big 12 and they may just have one of the best defenses in the country once again. If they can get average quarterback play, they will be just fine. It also helps to have a very favorable schedule that has no BYU or Utah on it.
BYU
With Bear Bachmeier and reigning Big 12 player of the year LJ Martin at back, it’s hard to argue that the Cougars don’t have the best backfield in the Big 12. Up front, they have a solid offensive line and if they get some decent play from their pass catchers then they have a chance to be even better than they were a year ago. And while their defense lost a few key pieces, they still have plenty of experience and were able to bring in some talent as well. If there was a team outside of Texas Tech to win the Big 12, it’s BYU.
Utah
I don’t feel 100% confident in this pick but with Morgan Scalley having been on staff for 20 seasons does help with the loss of head coach Kyle Whittingham. Devon Dampier returns at quarterback and so does running back Wayshawn Parker.
There were some speed bumps offensively last season but with another year under his belt, I think Dampier can cover up some of their weaknesses. Plus, the defense should be just fine again this season. It also helps to have friendly schedule as the Utes play all of their toughest games at home.
Three Bold Predictions
BYU Will Beat Notre Dame
Out of the three big non-conference games in the Big 12 this year, the one game I feel most confident about is the BYU/Notre Dame game. The Cougars have plenty of experience on offense and while Notre Dame has plenty of talent, walking out of LaVell Edwards Stadium with a win is going to be tough.
Plus, due to a soft schedule, this will be the toughest game the Irish will have played up to mid-October. Are they ready? I don’t think they are and with BYU already being battled tested, I like the Cougars to win.
Two Big 12 Teams Will Make the Playoff
With a win over Notre Dame, there is a legitimate path for the Big 12 to have two teams meet up in Arlington at 12-0. And with BYU and Utah avoiding Texas Tech, it gives the conference a chance to have multiple ten plus win teams. If the Big 12 can have two teams go undefeated, there’s no way the playoff committee can leave one of the out no matter what happens in that championship game.
The Big 12 Will Win a Playoff Game
While I don’t know which Big 12 will be the one to make this happen, I feel confident that one of them will pull it off. As I mentioned earlier, Texas Tech has a chance to be better than what they were last season depending on the quarterback play because their defense will be incredible once again. And the same can be said about BYU because both teams are going to be loaded on both sides of the ball.
Of course, it’s going to depend on the draw but then again, it may not matter because when I look at Texas Tech and BYU, I see two top ten teams. There’s no way the Big 12 is going to go home once again without at least winning one playoff game. It’s time to get the bad taste out of our mouth from last year.
