With Big 12 Media Days wrapping up on Wednesday afternoon, there is no doubt who the heavy favorites of the conference are.
Most media members are in agreement that this year's version of the Big 12 appears to be a two horse race, or rather, a Red Raider and Cougar race.
That's right, the two darlings of the conference in 2026 are none other than Texas Tech and BYU.
Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire gestures for a timeout during an NCAA college football game against BYU, Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas. (AP Photo/Annie Rice)
The Red Raiders had their fair share of controversy throughout the offseason thanks to the Brendan Sorsby gambling saga, but they still have far and away the most talented roster in the Big 12 and will be expected to take the title by brute force.
Joining them in the favorites circle is BYU, a team that was a stone's throw away from the College Football Playoff and played for the Big 12 title last year, ultimately falling to the aforementioned Red Raiders of Texas Tech.
Some of you might not be too keen on picking heavy favorites to win a conference, so what if I told you there was another team a little further down the list that might have a chance to unseat the incumbent champs?
I am speaking of none other than the Houston Cougars, a program on the rise that might be flying criminally under the radar in 2026.
The Cougs are entering year three of the Willie Fritz era, and that's usually when many coaches reach their stride (Fritz included).
A general view of a Houston Cougars helmet during the Reese's Senior Bowl team practice session on February 2, 2023 at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. (Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Fritz is coming off of a ten-win season in 2025 and had the Cougars ranked in the final AP Poll for the first time since the end of the 2021 season.
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Houston also has both of its coordinators returning in 2026, including young and up-and-coming defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong, who had the unit rolling last season and finished with a defense ranked in the top-50 in scoring (22.9 ppg) and top-40 in average yards per rush allowed (3.7 ypa).
The schedule is manageable, even by Big 12 standards, as the Cougars avoid playing BYU, Arizona, and Arizona State this coming season, and have a very forgiving back stretch.
Most importantly, Houston gets Texas Tech in September to open conference play, meaning there's a chance they could catch the Red Raiders early before their team gels or they have a chance to figure out their quarterback situation.
If the Cougars can spring the upset, they would be in the driver's seat for the rest of the season in conference play.
Speaking of gelling, Houston ranks second in the Big 12 in returning production, and rank top-ten in the country in returning offensive production, so this should be a well-oiled machine from the jump.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 27: Head coach Willie Fritz of the Houston Cougars reacts in the first half against the Louisiana State Tigers during the Kinder's Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium on December 27, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) (Tim Warner/Getty Images)
While Houston’s transfer portal returns on the whole aren’t anything to write home about, I loved the pick up of running back Makhi Hughes from Oregon.
He didn’t yield a ton of production last season, but his 2024 season at Tulane was incredibly impressive, putting up over 1,400 yards on the ground and finding the end zone a total of 17 times.
Overcoming the conference's Goliath in Lubbock won't be easy, but I really like the makeup of this team.
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The returning coordinators, veteran leadership, and forgiving schedule could be the perfect storm needed to send Houston to the big dance in December.
Buy stock in the Cougars now, because the price will only go up from here.
Austin Perry is a writer for OutKick.
