With five weeks left in the regular season, there are five Big 12 teams within one game of the league lead and another just a half-game back of that.
While it’s not as wide-open as the SEC race this season, the Big 12 could see a number of different scenarios play out in determining the two participants for this year’s Big 12 championship game.
No. 6 Utah sits alone at the top with a 4-0 league mark — and 7-0 overall — while No. 8 BYU, No. 13 Texas Tech, No. 22 Arizona and No. 24 Oklahoma State all have just one conference loss and are 3-1.
Just behind them is No. 18 Houston, which is 3-2.
The remaining schedules for each of these teams aren’t created equal, either, with each school facing only nine conference opponents each year in the 16-team league.
How will that impact the league race?
Here’s how I would rank the remaining schedules for each of these six teams, in terms of difficulty, from easiest to hardest.
That doesn’t mean teams with harder schedules won’t reach the Big 12 championship game, it’s just that the remaining path is tougher than the other contenders.
Houston Cougars wide receiver Koby Young (2) escapes a tackle during a game against Utah at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News Ranking the most difficult remaining schedules of Big 12 contenders, from easiest to toughestNo. 18 Houston Cougars (6-2, 3-2 Big 12)
Remaining games
Nov. 7 — vs. CincinnatiNov. 13 — at ColoradoNov. 21 — at West VirginiaNov. 28 — vs. Baylor
The Cougars will be on a bye this weekend, but after that, they are heavy favorites — according to ESPN Analytics — to win each of their final four games. Houston’s two conference losses are by a combined 10 points, to Texas Tech and Utah, and in both of those games, they held a double-digit lead at one point. If three or more teams finish tied for second in the league with a 7-2 record, including Houston, the Cougars have some favorable tiebreakers to make the Big 12 title game.
No. 24 Oklahoma State Cowboys (5-2, 3-1 Big 12)
Remaining games
Saturday — at Iowa StateNov. 7 — at Kansas StateNov. 14 — vs. No. 13 Texas TechNov. 21 — at Arizona StateNov. 28 — vs. Kansas
Oklahoma State’s only conference loss was by three points at Houston, and while three of the Cowboys’ final five games are on the road, they are favored in each, according to ESPN Analytics. The biggest game remaining — and one that is likely to heavily impact the conference race — comes Nov. 14, when Oklahoma State hosts defending Big 12 champion Texas Tech.
Central Florida running back Landen Chambers (11) runs for a two-yard touchdown in front of BYU safety Raider Damuni (3) during game, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, in Orlando, Fla. | AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack No. 8 BYU Cougars (6-1, 3-1 Big 12)
Remaining games
Saturday — vs. Arizona StateNov. 7 — at No. 6 UtahNov. 14 — vs. BaylorNov. 21 — at KansasNov. 28 — vs. Cincinnati
Of BYU’s final five games, three of them will be played at LaVell Edwards Stadium, and in all three of them — plus their road game at Kansas — the Cougars are heavy favorites in ESPN’s metrics. BYU’s rivalry matchup with Utah at Rice-Eccles Stadium is setting up to be not only the premier Big 12 game of the year — with the winner likely to make the Big 12 championship game — but one of college football’s top matchups this season.
No. 13 Texas Tech Red Raiders (6-1, 3-1 Big 12)
Remaining games
Saturday — vs. No. 22 ArizonaNov. 7 — vs. West VirginiaNov. 14 — at No. 24 Oklahoma StateNov. 21 — at BaylorNov. 26 — vs. TCU
Through the first half of the season, Texas Tech only played one ranked team, beating Houston by two back in September. Over the final five weeks, they could face two ranked opponents — that includes a home matchup this weekend against Arizona, which has won five straight games, and a mid-November trip to Oklahoma State. Can the Red Raiders manufacture enough offense to beat both of these teams?
Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita (1), middle, during game against Iowa State Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, in Tucson, Ariz. | Darryl Webb, Associated Press No. 22 Arizona Wildcats (6-1, 3-1 Big 12)
Remaining games
Saturday — at No. 13 Texas TechNov. 6 — vs. TCUNov. 14 — vs. No. 6 UtahNov. 21 — at Kansas StateNov. 28 — vs. Arizona State
Like Texas Tech, the Wildcats have two remaining games against top-25 competition. No Big 12 team has beaten the Red Raiders in Lubbock since Nov. 9, 2024, but Arizona will try to break that streak this weekend. The Wildcats haven’t lost since they fell at BYU in their conference opener, and in that game, Arizona held a halftime lead and had a chance to take a fourth-quarter lead. The Wildcats also get No. 6 Utah at home in mid-November, when both teams could be playing for a spot in the Big 12 championship game, and Arizona has three of its final five games at home.
No. 6 Utah Utes (7-0, 4-0 Big 12)
Remaining games
Saturday — at CincinnatiNov. 7 — vs. No. 8 BYUNov. 14 — at No. 22 ArizonaNov. 21 — at TCUNov. 27 — vs. West Virginia
Of the six primary contenders for a Big 12 championship game spot, the Utes have the toughest stretch. They play on the road three of the next four games, and that includes traveling to Cincinnati this weekend, hosting No. 8 BYU the week after that, and hitting the road again to face No. 22 Arizona. While ESPN Analytics has the Utes as the favorites in each of their final five games, this upcoming stretch will determine just how important Utah’s final two games will be in the Big 12 chase — though Morgan Scalley’s squad is undefeated and has met every challenge thus far in 2026.
Other teams to monitor
There are four other teams — Arizona State, Baylor, Cincinnati and UCF — that all currently have 2-2 records in Big 12 play.
The Bearcats and Knights, in particular, are worth keeping an eye on, especially after both knocked off top-10 teams last weekend.
UCF, which upset then-No. 2 BYU last weekend, is favored in four of its final five games and no longer has any ranked teams left on its schedule. The Knights could factor into the race if they finish strong, most likely in tiebreaker scenarios for other teams.
Cincinnati has arguably the toughest final five games of any team in the Big 12, with a home matchup this week against No. 6 Utah and road games at No. 18 Houston and No. 8 BYU remaining. If Cincinnati can play spoiler, like it did last week in a 37-24 win over Texas Tech, the Bearcats are likely to impact the Big 12 race.
Texas Tech running back Quinten Joyner (0) runs with the ball during game against Cincinnati, Saturday, Oct. 24 2026, in Cincinnati. | Lydia Schembre, Associated Press