The Big 12 Conference has had six different champions in the past six seasons. While 12th-ranked Texas Tech seeks a repeat after winning its first Big 12 title and making the College Football Playoff, teams like No. 14 BYU, No. 21 Utah and No. 23 Houston could make a push to extend the league's streak to seven. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Associated Press.
"We want to do something that very few teams have been able to do, and that's to win the Big 12 championship again," Tech coach Joey McGuire said.
The Red Raiders reloaded again through the transfer portal after setting school records with 12 wins and nine NFL draft picks. Will Hammond is healthy after an ACL injury last season and will start at quarterback after the offseason legal saga surrounding transfer Brendan Sorsby, who was declared ineligible by the NCAA because of gambling.
BYU is coming off its first 12-win season since 2001, and both its losses were to Texas Tech, 29-7 in Lubbock, then 34-7 in the Big 12 title game.
"We know that last year was some really cool things, some awesome success," 11th-year Cougars coach Kalani Sitake said. "At the same time, we know what we can do better."
The Cougars return Big 12 rushing leader LJ Martin (1,305 yards, 12 TDs rushing) and QB Bear Bachmeier, who threw for 3,033 yards, ran for 527 and accounted for 26 TDs (15 passing, 11 rushing) after getting thrust into the starting role as a true freshman.
Houston went from four wins to 10 in its second season with coach Willie Fritz, and returns dual-threat QB Conner Weigman (3,405 total yards and 36 TDs).