Teams:

• Arizona
• Arizona State
• Baylor
• BYU – At bat
• Cincinnati – On deck
• Colorado – In the hole
• Houston
• Iowa State
• Kansas
• Kansas State
• Oklahoma State
• TCU
• Texas Tech
• UCF
• Utah
• West Virginia

Portal Team Rankings:

• On3: Big 12 3rd | National 17th
• 24/7 Sports: Big 12 6th | National 39th
• The Athletic: B

Via AI:

• Cade Uluave (LB, from Cal): Ranked as the top linebacker in the portal cycle and top-15 overall impact transfer by The Athletic after recording 97 tackles in 2025.
• Jake Clifton (LB, from Kansas State): Adds vital depth and speed to the linebacker room.
• Jayven Williams (CB, from Mississippi State): Expected to bolster cornerback depth for the defense.
• Walker Lyons (TE, from USC): Elite athletic talent expected to immediately contribute in the passing game.
• Kyler Kasper (WR, from Oregon): Tall perimeter target with high-ceiling upside showcased in spring camp.
• Roger Saleapaga II (TE, from Oregon): Versatile tight end who adds strong size, blocking, and route-running.
• Paki Finau (IOL, from Washington): High-potential interior lineman recruited heavily out of high school.
• Jr Sia (OT, from Utah State): Experienced tackle candidate familiar to the staff from past recruitments.
• Zak Yamauchi (IOL, from Stanford): Adds further experienced depth to shore up the front line.

Via The Athletic:

Top players added: TE Walker Lyons (USC), iOL Paki Finau (Washington), OT Jr Sia (Utah State), LB Cade Uluave (California), CB Jayven Williams (Mississippi State)
Player retention is a key to portal success. Coach Kalani Sitake and general manager Dave George have 10 starters to replace from last year’s roster — but none lost to the portal. In fact, only two players who played more than 100 snaps transferred out: safety Tayvion Beasley (USF) and linebacker Max Alford (Michigan). Six of the nine portal additions played more than 200 snaps last season, including five who started four games or more. Lyons, who had 20 catches for 223 yards at USC in 2025, has a chance to make a big impact. Uluave (100 tackles, three sacks at Cal) should slot in Jack Kelly’s old spot on the defense. The dismissal of top receiver Parker Kingston earlier this month creates a hole. Kyler Kasper, a transfer from Oregon and a former four-star recruit, could step in and help replace Kingston.

ESPN’s Bill Connelly:

The Cougars fell into a brief funk on either side of joining the Big 12, but this has been a legit top-20 program for four of the past six years, and while I may always be wrong about them, there’s nothing hinting at a downward spiral at the moment. Quarterback Bear Bachmeier returns after playing at a deliciously high level for a true freshman, and even with the return of Sorsby and Utah’s Devon Dampier (and the addition of North Texas-turned-Oklahoma State QB Drew Mestemaker), Bachmeier should still be one of the conference’s safest bets in 2026.

There’s more at the link.

Team Recruiting Rankings:

• On3: Big 12 10th | National 54th
• 24/7 Sports: Big 12 11th | National 57th

Via AI:

• Ryder Lyons (QB – Folsom, CA): Ranked No. 35 nationally by ESPN and the 2024 California Gatorade Player of the Year, he is one of the highest-rated recruits to ever commit to the program.
• Brock Harris (TE – St. George, UT): A consensus four-star and one of the Top 10 tight ends in the country.
• Ty Goettsche (TE – Englewood, CO): Another nationally-ranked four-star tight end out of Cherry Creek High School.
• Bott Mulitalo (OT – Alpine, UT): A four-star offensive tackle prospect who flipped from Oregon to BYU.

Big 12 Power Rankings

• ESPN’s Bill Connelly: 3rd in the Big 12
• CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah: 1st in the Big 12
• The Big Lead: 2nd in the Big 12
• Desert News’ Brandon Judd: 2nd in the Big 12

AI Projection: What is the outlook for BYU Cougars football for 2026?

The BYU Cougars enter the 2026 season as a highly anticipated playoff contender, frequently pegged by Big 12 coaches as the preseason favorite to win the conference title. Analysts project a 9-to-11 win season with a favorable schedule, positioning the team for a strong run at the expanded College Football Playoff.

Roster and Coaching Outlook

Offense: The Cougars return veteran talents like All-Big 12 center Bruce Mitchell, anchoring what aims to be one of the top offensive lines in college football. Quarterback Bear Bachmeier, along with running back LJ Martin, are expected to lead a highly productive offensive attack under head coach Kalani Sitake.

Defense: Defensive coordinator Kelly Poppinga has taken over the defense after Jay Hill departed for Michigan. The unit remains highly experienced but is reloading in the kicking and punting game after the departures of specialists like Will Ferrin.

Key Matchups: The 2026 slate includes crucial home matchups against Notre Dame, Arizona, and Arizona State, alongside a highly-anticipated rivalry game against Utah.

Playoff and Conference Projections

Big 12 Title Odds: Analysts and anonymous coach surveys place BYU near the top of the conference, often citing them alongside Texas Tech as the premier teams to beat in the Big 12.

CFP Projections: ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) gives the Cougars a roughly 25.7% chance to make the College Football Playoff, projecting an average of about 8.7 regular-season wins.