After West Virginia took care of Coastal Carolina on Saturday, the TNT Sports studio crew turned its attention to the Big 12, and Takeo Spikes made a bold prediction for the conference in 2026.
“This will be the year the Big 12 gets two teams in the College Football Playoff,” Spikes said.
And he already has his two teams picked out: Texas Tech and BYU.
Spikes pointed specifically to BYU’s schedule as one reason he believes the Cougars can break through and earn a spot in the College Football Playoff.
“The reason why, BYU lost two times last year to Texas Tech,” Spikes said. “They don’t even play Texas Tech this year.”
BYU’s two losses to the Red Raiders last season proved costly, with Texas Tech getting the better of the Cougars in both the regular season and Big 12 Championship Game. But with the two teams avoiding each other during the 2026 regular season, Spikes sees a path for both programs to build playoff-worthy résumés.
The rest of the panel noted that BYU’s game against Notre Dame could be a major measuring stick for the Cougars and, potentially, the Big 12 as a whole when the College Football Playoff selection committee begins comparing teams later this fall.
Victor Cruz Responds With a Different Big 12 Team
But former NFL wide receiver Victor Cruz had another Big 12 team on his mind.
“I like Utah,” Cruz said. “I like Devon Dampier. I like them returning 55% of their production from last year.”
When asked whether he had concerns about Utah transitioning from longtime head coach Kyle Whittingham to Morgan Scalley, Cruz quickly pushed back.
“Is the coach playing in the games?” Cruz responded.
Cruz did acknowledge some questions surrounding Utah’s offense, including continuity and whether the Utes can maintain their confidence throughout the season. But ultimately, he doubled down on his belief in Dampier’s ability to overcome those concerns and keep Utah in the Big 12 race.
The conversation was notable for a conference that has spent much of the College Football Playoff era fighting the perception that it lacks the depth, and national respect, of the Big Ten and SEC.
Last season, Texas Tech and BYU established themselves among the Big 12’s top programs. Now, Spikes believes the conference is positioned to turn that strength at the top into something it has yet to accomplish in the 12-team playoff era: multiple CFP bids.
And if Cruz is right about Utah, the Big 12 could have another serious contender joining that conversation as the season unfolds.
