The Big 12 conference tends to get discounted in the realignment era that has taken college football by storm.
That doesn’t mean that the league is devoid of talent or high-quality teams. Even through that, there are teams that face questions heading into the campaign. The league is able to boast six first round selections in April’s draft, after all.
Examine where the brightest stars in the conference stand heading into the season below.
Top Coaches Face Differing Challenges
GettyTexas Tech has all of the pressure on them to repeat as Big 12 champs.
Joey McGuire is the leader of the defending Big 12 champ Texas Tech, but this doesn’t mean that challenges aren’t being averted. The departure of Brendan Sorsby has opened up concerns with the favorites to win the conference. McGuire also faces pressure to advance Texas Tech’s goal of transforming into a national power. The amount of patience that major booster Cody Campbell ultimately displays is to be determined.
Houston head coach Willie Fritz faces the challenge of building off of a 10-win 2025 season. The Cougars are expected to compete for the Big 12, but a year three letdown is possible. One of the most interesting conundrums is at quarterback, where Conner Weigman seemingly has a grip on the starting role. Keisean Henderson is the number one recruit in the class of 2026, however, opening the door for controversy down the road.
Kenny Dillingham remains under-appreciated at Arizona State despite earning Coach of the Year in the conference in unanimous fashion in 2024. Dillingham’s tasks are simple, yet strenuous at the same time. He must choose a starting quarterback in the weeks ahead to replace Sam Leavitt, who departed after the season. He will also be at the forefront of Arizona State’s groundbreaking of a $55 million indoor practice facility. Most importantly, he must prove that the 2024 season wasn’t a fluke, and that Arizona State is here to stay as a power in the conference.
Veterans Facing Mounting Pressure
GettyWill Sanders respond to the rising criticism?
There are respected veterans that are facing mounted pressure heading into 2026 as well.
The most notable of them is fourth-year Colorado head coach Deion Sanders. Sanders led the Buffaloes to nine wins in 2024 before rebounding with a three-win effort. The 2025 Buffaloes failed to field a 2,000 yard passer and gained less than 300 yards of offense per contest per Sports Reference. Sanders could use a big year from second-year quarterback Julian Lewis to feel confident moving forward. While it’s doubtful that Sanders would get fired, he needs a bounce-back campaign to restore confidence in boosters and fans.
West Virginia’s Rich Rodriguez is quietly facing head heading into year two of his tenure as well. Rodriguez brought in 34 transfers in what appears to be a roster overhaul in response to a four-win season. Time will tell if this decision pays off for the former Michigan head coach, but he still faces roadblocks at the moment. The most glaring challenge is the quarterback battle between Scotty Fox Jr. and Michael Hawkins. Hawkins struggled at Oklahoma, while Fox played an inconsistent brand of quarterback for the Mountaineers.
The Big 12 is sure to be a joy to watch in 2026, with these coaches being a major reason why.
Big 12 Coaches Face Varying Degrees of Pressure in 2026