Brett Yormark made a playoff win the Big 12’s clearest 2026 benchmark, saying the conference must finally “credentialize” itself by winning when it matters most.
Texas Tech sits at the center of that push after last season’s Orange Bowl quarterfinal shutout, entering 2026 as the league favorite with the most preseason All-Big 12 picks and roster spending coaches liken to top national contenders.
Will Hammond’s recovery from an ACL injury remains a key variable, but coach Joey McGuire said expectations in Lubbock have shifted from merely reaching the CFP to defending the Big 12 title and winning a playoff game.
Five Big 12 teams won at least 9 games last season, and coaches argued the league’s depth should merit more than one CFP bid after BYU missed the field despite double-digit wins in each of the past 2 years.
That parity is both the conference’s selling point and its challenge, with Big 12 leaders betting a deeper, more competitive league can finally translate into postseason credibility.