Big 12 Championship Futures: Odds, Favorites and Predictions
Updated October 29, 2026
Updated October 29, 2026
The Big 12 may have lost the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners, but there is still a ton of talent in the conference. Between that talent and the constant intrigue around Deion Sanders' Colorado program, the Big 12 championship race is one of the most talked about in college football. Here, we take a look at the chances of each team to win the Big 12 title and look at the top contenders in the market.
The conference's lone unbeaten team has emerged as the favorite behind a strong defense.
Despite a setback against UCF, BYU remains a serious championship threat in the Big 12.
The defending Big 12 champs remain dangerous, but a loss to Cincinnati has increased the pressure.
Arizona has emerged as a legitimate contender thanks to its explosive offense and improving defense.
Oklahoma State remains firmly in contention behind a very good QB in Drew Mestemaker.
The conference's lone unbeaten team has emerged as the favorite behind a strong defense.
Despite a setback against UCF, BYU remains a serious championship threat in the Big 12.
The defending Big 12 champs remain dangerous, but a loss to Cincinnati has increased the pressure.
Arizona has emerged as a legitimate contender thanks to its explosive offense and improving defense.
Oklahoma State remains firmly in contention behind a very good QB in Drew Mestemaker.
Our prediction to win the 2026 Big 12 Championship is Utah. The Utes have established themselves as the conference's most complete team, combining a physical defense with an offense capable of controlling games on the ground. Quarterback Devon Dampier adds another dimension with his rushing ability, while Utah's victory over Houston demonstrated its ability to overcome adversity against a quality conference opponent.
Utah also controls its championship destiny, although the remaining schedule won't be easy. Upcoming matchups against BYU and Arizona will help determine whether the Utes can maintain their position atop the standings and in the college football prediction markets. Their defensive consistency and ability to win close games provide reasons to favor them over challengers that have already shown vulnerability against conference opponents.
The Big 12 remains unpredictable, and Texas Tech, BYU, and Arizona all possess the talent to challenge Utah in a potential championship matchup. However, Utah's combination of defensive reliability, physicality, and dual-threat quarterback play makes the Utes our pick to win the conference title in Arlington.
Unbalanced Scheduling
With 16 teams playing nine conference games, contenders face different opponents and schedules that can significantly affect their championship paths.
Big Games Coming
Games involving Utah, BYU, Texas Tech, Arizona, and Oklahoma State could reshape the standings and give certain teams critical head-to-head advantages.
Conference Positioning
Only the top two teams in the conference standings advance, making the probability of reaching the title game just as important as the projected championship matchup.
Neutral-Site Title Game
The title is decided in a single game at AT&T Stadium rather than by regular-season standings alone, making potential championship matchups an important part of evaluating futures selections.
