League: NCAAF Sport: College Sports Country: United States Category: Scores & Results

Staff projections offer predictions for the 2026 Big 12 football season

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 3, 2026, 10:08 AM

Last updated Sep 3, 2026

Staff projections offer predictions for the 2026 Big 12 football season

Summary

The 2026 Big 12 college football season gets underway this week as teams begin their conference schedules. Ahead of the opening games, analysts have identified several players and coaches expected to influence the conference race. BYU running back LJ Martin is widely projected to repeat as the league's top offensive player following a season where he led the conference in rushing. Defensively, Texas Tech lineman A.J. Holmes Jr. and BYU linebacker Cade Uluave are cited as primary contenders for the top defensive honor. Coaching predictions remain divided, with Willie Fritz of Houston, Morgan Scalley of Utah, and Brent Brennan of Arizona receiving mentions as potential award recipients. Regarding the conference championship, projections favor a potential matchup between Texas Tech and BYU or Utah as the season progresses.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

By the Numbers

•LJ Martin is projected by multiple analysts to repeat as the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.
•A.J. Holmes Jr. and Cade Uluave are named as top candidates for Defensive Player of the Year.
•Texas Tech is identified as a favorite to return to the Big 12 championship game.
•Willie Fritz, Morgan Scalley, and Brent Brennan are considered candidates for Coach of the Year.

Latest Updates