Texas Tech fans are still probably cleaning the red and black confetti out of their hair. Honestly, if you told any Lubbock native back in August that the Red Raiders would be standing alone at the top of the mountain by December, they might have checked your forehead for a fever. But here we are. The big 12 football results for the 2025-2026 season didn't just break the mold; they shattered it into about sixteen different pieces.
It was a year of "firsts" and "finallys." We saw a 16-team league that felt more like a weekly street fight than a standard football schedule.
The Arlington beatdown: Texas Tech claims the crown
The conference championship game at AT&T Stadium was supposed to be a tight, gritty affair between two of the most consistent teams in the league. Instead, Texas Tech decided to turn the lights out early on BYU. A 34-7 final score doesn't even fully capture how dominant the Red Raiders looked.
Ben Roberts was everywhere. The linebacker basically lived in the BYU backfield, snagging two interceptions and earning Most Outstanding Player honors. It’s wild to think that this is Texas Tech’s first-ever Big 12 football title. They didn't just win it; they took it by force. Behren Morton, who missed the team’s only regular-season loss against Arizona State, looked like a surgeon out there. He threw two touchdowns to Coy Eakin, including one leaping grab that belongs on every highlight reel for the next decade.
BYU had a dream season, don't get me wrong. Kalani Sitake was named Coach of the Year for a reason. They finished 12-2 overall, but they just couldn't solve the Tech puzzle. Twice they played them, and twice they fell. Bear Bachmeier, their true freshman quarterback, showed flashes of being the next great thing in Provo, but the Red Raider defense was just too much for a kid to handle on that stage.
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Breaking down the big 12 football results across the bowl slate
Postseason play for this conference is always a mixed bag of chaos and "wait, who is playing whom?" This year saw eight teams head to bowl games. Some looked like world-beaters, while others... well, let's just say the flight home was probably a bit quiet.
The New Year's heartbreak and the Vegas party
Texas Tech earned a trip to the Capital One Orange Bowl, which served as a College Football Playoff Quarterfinal. They ran into an Oregon buzzsaw. Losing 23-0 is a tough pill to swallow after such a high, but being the first Big 12 team in the new playoff format is still a massive win for the program’s trajectory.
Meanwhile, Utah reminded everyone why they are the "Utes" in the Las Vegas Bowl. They absolutely dismantled Nebraska 44-22. Devon Dampier was the MVP of that one, and honestly, Utah at 11-2 feels like they’re just one healthy season away from winning the whole conference next year.
The thriller in San Antonio and the Pop-Tarts prize
If you missed the Alamo Bowl, you missed the game of the year. TCU and USC went to overtime, with the Horned Frogs pulling out a 30-27 victory. Ken Seals was the hero there. It was one of those games where neither defense wanted to go home, but TCU’s grit—something we’ve seen all year—won out in the end.
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And we have to talk about BYU’s 25-21 win over Georgia Tech in the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Not just because of the trophy, but because it showed BYU had the mental toughness to bounce back after the Arlington loss.
A rougher ride for the rest
It wasn't all sunshine and Gatorade baths.
- Arizona State fell in a high-scoring 42-39 shootout against Duke in the Sun Bowl.
- Cincinnati struggled in the Liberty Bowl, losing 35-13 to a very disciplined Navy team.
- Arizona kept it close in the Holiday Bowl but eventually lost 24-19 to SMU.
Why the middle of the pack tells the real story
You've got to look past the top four to see how deep this league actually is. Houston finishing 10-3 is arguably the biggest surprise of the decade. Willie Fritz has those guys playing a brand of football that is just plain annoying for opponents. They went into the Texas Bowl and beat LSU 38-35. Connor Weigman threw four touchdowns in that game.
Then you look at the bottom. Oklahoma State... man. Going 0-9 in conference play and 1-11 overall is something nobody saw coming for Mike Gundy. It’s the kind of result that makes you question everything you thought you knew about Big 12 hierarchy. Colorado also struggled, finishing 1-8 in the league. It turns out that having star power doesn't always translate to wins when you're playing in a league where everyone is built to stop the deep ball.
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Understanding the 2025-2026 final standings
| Team | Conference | Overall |
|---|---|---|
| Texas Tech | 8-1 | 12-2 |
| BYU | 8-1 | 12-2 |
| Utah | 7-2 | 11-2 |
| Houston | 6-3 | 10-3 |
| Arizona | 6-3 | 9-4 |
| Arizona State | 6-3 | 8-5 |
| TCU | 5-4 | 9-4 |
| Iowa State | 5-4 | 8-4 |
| Cincinnati | 5-4 | 7-6 |
| Kansas State | 5-4 | 6-6 |
The fact that Kansas State finished 6-6 and West Virginia 4-8 shows you that there are no "gimme" weeks anymore. In the old days, you could circle a few games on the calendar as guaranteed wins. Now? You might get smacked by a Houston team that was picked to finish last.
Expert takeaway: What this means for next season
The big 12 football results from this year prove that the "Power 4" label is legitimate. This conference doesn't have a Georgia or an Indiana (who, surprisingly, dominated the Big Ten this year), but it has the highest "middle-class" floor in the country.
If you're looking to place bets or just follow the narrative for 2026, keep your eye on the transfer portal. Texas Tech is already pulling in a top-ranked recruiting class according to 247Sports, but they're going to have a massive target on their back. Utah is the heavy favorite for next year because of their consistency, but don't sleep on Arizona State. Kenny Dillingham has something brewing in Tempe, and that win over Texas Tech in the regular season wasn't a fluke.
Actionable Next Steps for Big 12 Fans:
- Watch the Portal: With the spring window opening soon, keep an eye on Oklahoma State and Colorado. Both need massive defensive overhauls if they want to escape the basement.
- Review the Non-Conference Slates: The 2026 schedules are already out. Look for the Big 12 vs. SEC matchups early in the season; those games determined the CFP seeding this year and will likely do the same next year.
- Follow the QB Battles: With several seniors departing, teams like Kansas State and Iowa State are entering wide-open quarterback competitions this spring that will define their 2026 ceilings.
This season was a fever dream. It was loud, it was messy, and it gave us a first-time champion that nobody expected. If that's the new normal for the Big 12, sign me up for another round.