Texas Tech just flipped the script. Honestly, if you had told a Red Raider fan back in August that they’d be holding the trophy in Arlington while the rest of the conference scrambled for answers, they might have laughed you out of Lubbock. But here we are in January 2026, and the big 12 rankings football landscape looks nothing like the "experts" predicted.
The dust from the 2025 season hasn't even fully settled yet. We’re still seeing the ripple effects of a year where parity didn't just exist—it ruled with an iron fist.
Texas Tech finished at the mountaintop, securing their first-ever Big 12 title with a dominant 34-7 dismantling of BYU in the championship game. It wasn't just a win; it was a statement. Joey McGuire’s squad used a defense that forced four turnovers in the second half to turn a tight game into a rout. Ben Roberts, the linebacker who basically lived in the BYU backfield, became the first player in history to grab two interceptions in a Big 12 title game.
The Final 2025 Big 12 Standings (The Way It Actually Ended)
Forget the preseason polls. They were wrong.
The final standings for the 2025 season show a conference that has completely transitioned away from the old guard. Texas Tech and BYU both finished with 8-1 conference records, but the head-to-head tiebreaker (and the title game) clearly favored the Red Raiders.
- Texas Tech Red Raiders (12-2, 8-1): The undisputed champs. Their only conference blemish was a weird one—a loss to Arizona State where Behren Morton didn't play.
- BYU Cougars (12-2, 8-1): Kalani Sitake has built a monster in Provo. They were the most consistent team until they hit the Tech wall. Twice.
- Utah Utes (11-2, 7-2): Kyle Whittingham’s group was "the team that almost was." They were physical and disciplined but couldn't quite hurdle the top two.
- Houston Cougars (10-3, 6-3): Probably the biggest surprise. Willie Fritz is a wizard. Getting 10 wins out of this roster in year two is borderline impossible.
- Arizona Wildcats (9-4, 6-3): Noah Fifita’s magic kept them in every game, though a few late-season stumbles kept them out of Arlington.
Then you have the middle of the pack—the "blob" of 5-4 and 6-3 teams like Arizona State, TCU, and Iowa State. It was a bloodbath. On any given Saturday, the 10th-ranked team was fully capable of beating the 2nd-ranked team.
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The bottom was just as shocking. Oklahoma State? They went 0-9 in the conference. One win all year. It was a collapse that nobody saw coming, especially for a Mike Gundy-led program. Colorado didn't fare much better, finishing 1-8 in league play as the "Coach Prime" hype hit a very hard, very real ceiling.
Why These Rankings Still Matter Right Now
You’re probably looking at the big 12 rankings football data and wondering why it’s shifting so fast this month. It’s the portal.
Right now, as we sit in mid-January, the rankings aren't about wins and losses; they’re about talent acquisition. The Big 12 is currently dominating the transfer portal rankings. 247Sports has three Big 12 teams in the national Top 10 for portal classes: Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, and Arizona State.
Oklahoma State is actually sitting at No. 2 nationally in portal rankings. Gundy is clearly trying to ensure that 0-9 never happens again. They’ve basically imported a whole new offensive line and a potential star QB in Mestemaker.
Texas Tech isn't resting on its laurels, either. They’re currently ranked No. 1 by some outlets for their 2026 class. They have the NIL money, and they have the momentum. It’s a dangerous combination for the rest of the league.
What People Get Wrong About Big 12 Parity
Most national media talking heads love to say the Big 12 is "wide open" because there’s no "elite" team. That’s a lazy take.
The reality? The floor of the Big 12 is significantly higher than most other conferences. In the SEC, you have clear "get-right" games. In the Big 12, going to Morgantown or Ames or Manhattan is a nightmare regardless of where those teams sit in the standings.
Look at Kansas State. They finished 6-6. On paper, that looks mediocre. But they had the No. 1 recruiting class in the conference according to some metrics and a quarterback in Avery Johnson who is a legitimate Heisman threat for 2026. They aren't "bad"; the league is just that deep.
Looking Ahead: The "Way Too Early" 2026 Power Rankings
It’s never too early. We do this every year.
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Based on returning production, portal hauls, and that "it" factor, here is how the 2026 pecking order is shaping up.
- Texas Tech: They return Behren Morton and a defense that matured at exactly the right time. Plus, their recruiting is currently top-tier.
- BYU: Retaining talent in the NIL era is hard, but BYU seems to have a culture that keeps guys in Provo.
- Utah: Never bet against Whittingham. Devon Dampier is going to be a household name by October.
- Arizona: If Fifita stays healthy, they are a Top 15 team nationally. Period.
- Kansas State: Expect a massive bounce-back. The 2025 season was a fluke of bad bounces and injuries.
- Houston: Willie Fritz is legit. Don't be surprised if they’re back in the 10-win conversation.
Actionable Insights for the Offseason
If you’re a fan or a bettor trying to navigate these big 12 rankings football shifts, here’s what you need to do:
- Watch the Trench Movement: The Big 12 was won in 2025 by teams with veteran lines. Check which teams are losing more than three starters on either side of the ball.
- Track the "Sophomore Slump": We saw it with several QBs last year. Watch if guys like Sam Leavitt or Noah Fifita can maintain their trajectory or if defenses have figured out the tape.
- Follow the Money: Texas Tech didn't win by accident; they invested heavily in defensive portal additions like Romello Height. The teams spending the most on NIL in this conference are currently the ones winning the most games.
- Ignore the Early AP Poll: It will likely overrank the big names (Colorado, Utah) and underrank the consistent winners (BYU, Houston). Trust the advanced analytics over the brand names.
The 2026 season is going to be another chaotic ride. With the 12-team playoff now firmly entrenched, the Big 12 champion is guaranteed a seat at the table—and as Texas Tech showed this year, they might just be good enough to pull an upset once they get there.