Surprising Big 12 Team Named 'Legitimate Playoff Threat' By Analyst
The Big 12 conference appears to be wide open, but one team could be a true threat to win it.
Texas Tech won the Big 12 last season, as the Red Raiders defeated the BYU Cougars in the Big 12 championship game. Heading into the 2026 college football season, Texas Tech is the favorite to repeat at -105.
However, college football analyst Josh Pate believes BYU is a legit threat to make the playoffs, and potentially win the Big 12.
"I am betting that Brigham Young with this schedule and that roster is a legitimate playoff threat," Pate said on his YouTube channel. "I imagine the vibe out there, too. Just picture them, regardless of what happened out there with Texas Tech, picture them in isolation, and the only team they couldn't beat last year was Texas Tech, and otherwise ran the table.
"Then they kept most of their players, including their quarterback, and then Penn State tried to come and grab their head coach, he was on the way out the door and then said, never mind, I'm staying. Now, they, look down the road and say, and Texas Tech lost their quarterback, and this is our schedule? We have our toughest opponent at home, and even if we lose that game, it's not a conference game. I'd think the vibes are pretty high."
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As Pate noted, BYU's schedule is a rather easy one, as the Cougars don't have to play Texas Tech or Kansas State, which is one of the other top teams in the conference.
So, the Cougars, who have most of their impact players returning, appear set up to make a legit run at winning the Big 12, especially with Texas Tech having questions at quarterback after Brendan Sorsby was deemed ineligible due to gambling.
BYU opens its season on Sept. 5 at home against Utah Tech. The Cougars' notable opponents this season include Utah, Notre Dame, Kansas, Arizona, and Arizona State, among others.
The Cougars enter the year with the second-best odds of winning the Big 12 at +550 and odds of reaching the playoffs at +330.
BYU Coach Has High Expectations For Offense
BYU enters the 2026 season with plenty of high expectations for the team, especially with some key players returning.
The Cougars have Big 12 offensive player of the year, LJ Martin, returning, who is one of the top running backs in college.
"The great thing about LJ is that he is not a ‘me only' guy," said BYU coach Kalani Sitake at the Big 12 media days. "I think he's ready to do whatever it takes for our program, our team, to be successful."
Bear Bachmeier, meanwhile, returns at quarterback after starting as a true freshman last year. He threw for 3,033 yards and 15 touchdowns, while rushing for 527, so Sitake expects the offense to be better with him in his second year.
"He knows the offense a lot better than he did last year at this time. So the goal for us is to put him in a position where he can still progress and improve his game," Sitake said.
Ultimately, with BYU getting their star quarterback and running back, the Cougars could be the team to beat in the Big 12 this season.
Related: Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby Taking Indefinite Leave of Absence Due to Gambling
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This story was originally published July 14, 2026 at 12:13 PM.