Big 12 Football Strength of Schedule Rankings 2026: Spring

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The Big 12 schedules don’t have a ton of killers outside of the conference, but there are plenty of good teams everyone has to deal with.

Arizona, BYU, Houston, Texas Tech, and Utah aren’t anywhere near the high-rent district of the best Big Ten and SEC teams, but they’re all great.

The rest of the conference will be interesting if the disappointments of last year – Oklahoma State, Colorado, and Kansas – can step up.

2026 Big 12 Football Strength of Schedule Rankings: All 16 Teams From Toughest to Easiest

Who has the toughest schedules in the Big 12, and who has the (potentially) easiest runs? 

It’s a basic way of doing this, but it’s a good starting point. We go by our CFN spring ranking of all 138 teams and rank the schedules accordingly. 

Utah is ranked 22nd, so teams get 22 points for a home game against it. Play the Utes in Salt Lake City, and it’s half – 11 points. The lower the score, the harder the schedule.

Games against FCS teams get a score of 139, and neutral site games are scored like home dates.

Quick Look: Big 12 Schedule Strength at a Glance

Toughest: Colorado, Oklahoma State, BYU
Easiest: UCF, Houston, Texas Tech
Biggest Non-Conference Game: Notre Dame at BYU, Oct. 17
Biggest Big 12 Game: BYU at Utah, Nov 7

– Spring Schedule Rankings 1 to 138

1 Colorado

CFN Spring Schedule Rank: 431.5

We’ll believe that Coach Prime has his Buffaloes turned around when it happens, Until then, it’ll have a rough time in a good Big 12 and with a trip to Georgia Tech.

1 Oct 3 Texas Tech 10
2 Nov 7 at Arizona State 16
3 Sept 5 at Georgia Tech 20
4 Oct 17 Utah 22
5 Oct 31 Kansas State 24
6 Sept 19 at Northwestern 24.5
7 Nov 21 at Cincinnati 25.5
8 Nov 14 Houston 27
9 Sept 26 at Baylor 29
10 Oct 24 at Oklahoma State 34.5
11 Nov 28 UCF 60
12 Sept 12 Weber State 139 
– 2026 Colorado Schedule Analysis

2 Oklahoma State

CFN Spring Schedule Rank: 487.5

Oh great. That’s all new head coach Eric Morris needs – Oregon, Texas Tech, and a slew of tough Big 12 road games to pound through. Missing Arizona, BYU, and Utah will help, though. The score is a tad artificial, with Tulsa technically counted as a road game.

1 Sept 12 Oregon 2
2 Nov 14 Texas Tech 10
3 Nov 7 at Kansas State 12
4 Oct 17 at Houston 13.5
5 Nov 21 at Arizona State 16
6 Sept 26 at West Virginia 28
7 Oct 31 at Iowa State 34
8 Sept 5 at Tulsa 50
9 Oct 10 UCF 60
10 Nov 28 Kansas 61
11 Oct 24 Colorado 62
12 Sept 19 Murray State 139 
– 2026 Oklahoma State Schedule Analysis

3 BYU

CFN Spring Schedule Rank: 499.5

The Cougars have to own their state with Notre Dame coming to Provo and a trip to Utah, potentially, the Big 12 game of the season. They catch a break not playing Texas Tech or Houston.

1 Oct 17 Notre Dame 4
2 Nov 7 at Utah 11
3 Oct 3 at TCU 16.5
4 Sept 12 Arizona 18
5 Oct 24 at UCF 30
6 Nov 21 at Kansas 30.5
7 Oct 31 Arizona State 32
8 Sept 19 at Colorado State 41.5
9 Nov 28 Cincinnati 51
10 Nov 14 Baylor 58
11 Oct 10 Iowa State 68
12 Sept 5 Utah Tech 139 
– 2026 BYU Schedule Analysis

4 Cincinnati

CFN Spring Schedule Rank: 516

There isn’t anything on the slate the Bearcats can’t win, even the tough matchups at Arizona and BYU. The non-conference slate – Boston College is the opener – isn’t bad.

1 Nov 28 at BYU 7.5
2 Oct 3 at Arizona 9
3 Oct 24 Texas Tech 10
4 Nov 7 at Houston 13.5
5 Oct 31 Utah 22
6 Sept 26 Kansas State 24
7 Oct 17 at West Virginia 28
8 Nov 14 at Iowa State 34
9 Nov 21 Colorado 62
10 Sept 5 Boston College 70
11 Sept 19 Miami University 97
12 Sept 12 Western Carolina 139 
– 2026 Cincinnati Schedule Analysis

5 TCU

CFN Spring Schedule Rank: 536

It stinks that the Horned Frogs don’t miss any of the top Big 12 teams, but BYU, Utah, and Kansas State have to come to Fort Worth. Missing Arizona State is a good thing.

1 Nov 28 at Texas Tech 5
2 Nov 7 at Arizona 9
3 Oct 3 BYU 15
4 Nov 21 Utah 22
5 Nov 14 Kansas State 24
6 Oct 17 at Baylor 29
7 Sept 26 at UCF 30
8 Aug 29 North Carolina (in Dublin) 54
9 Oct 24 West Virginia 56
10 Oct 31 Kansas 61
11 Sept 19 Arkansas State 92
12 Sept 12 Grambling State 139  
– 2026 TCU Schedule Analysis

6 Baylor

CFN Spring Schedule Rank: 542.5

It’s a tougher schedule than this ranking might suggest, especially up top – the date against Auburn in Atlanta will hardly be a neutral setting. If the Bears lose to TCU, Colorado, and/or Iowa State … uh oh.

1 Nov 14 at BYU 7.5
2 Nov 21 Texas Tech 10
3 Nov 28 at Houston 13.5
4 Oct 3 at Arizona State 16
5 Sept 5 Auburn (in Atlanta) 29
6 Oct 31 at UCF 30
7 Oct 24 at Kansas 30.5
8 Oct 17 TCU 33
9 Sept 26 Colorado 62
10 Nov 7 Iowa State 68
11 Sept 19 Louisiana Tech 104
12 Sept 12 Prairie View A&M 139 
– 2026 Baylor Schedule Analysis

7 Arizona State

CFN Spring Schedule Rank: 551.5

At BYU. At Texas Tech. At Texas A&M. At Arizona. At a tasteful bowl game that’s not a part of the College Football Playoff. But the Sun Devils should blow through half of the teams on the schedule.

1 Oct 17 at Texas Tech 5
2 Sept 12 at Texas A&M 7
3 Oct 31 at BYU 7.5
4 Nov 28 at Arizona 9
5 Oct 24 Kansas State 24
6 Nov 14 at UCF 30
7 Oct 3 Baylor 58
8 Sept 19 Kansas (in London) 61
9 Nov 7 Colorado 62
10 Nov 21 Oklahoma State 69
11 Oct 10 Hawaii 80
12 Sept 5 Morgan State 139 
– 2026 Arizona State Schedule Analysis

8 Kansas

CFN Spring Schedule Rank: 561

Can Kansas win the rivalry battle with Missouri? Can it pull off something special in London against Arizona State? Not having to deal with Texas Tech or Arizona is great.

1 Oct 10 at Utah 11
2 Oct 17 at Kansas State 12
3 Nov 21 BYU 15
4 Oct 31 at TCU 16.5
5 Sept 12 Missouri 23
6 Nov 14 at West Virginia 28
7 Sept 19 Arizona State (in London) 32
8 Nov 28 at Oklahoma State 34.5
9 Oct 24 Baylor 58
10 Nov 7 UCF 60
11 Oct 3 Middle Tennessee 132
12 Sept 4 LIU 139 
– 2026 Kansas Schedule Analysis

9 Utah

CFN Spring Schedule Rank: 566

The first year of the new post-Kyle Whittingham era shouldn’t be bad with Texas Tech and Arizona State off the schedule, and BYU and Houston at home.

1 Nov 14 at Arizona 9
2 Nov 7 BYU 15
3 Nov 21 at TCU 16.5
4 Oct 31 at Cincinnati 25.5
5 Oct 24 Houston 27
6 Oct 17 at Colorado 31
7 Sept 26 at Iowa State 34
8 Nov 28 West Virginia 56
9 Sept 12 Arkansas 57
10 Oct 10 Kansas 61
11 Sept 19 Utah State 95
12 Sept 3 Idaho 139 
– 2026 Utah Schedule Analysis

10 Iowa State

CFN Spring Schedule Rank: 570.5

Iowa State will need a little while to build everything back up after losing just about everyone to Penn State, but there should be at least five built-in wins to build off of.

1 Oct 10 at BYU 7.5
2 Oct 24 at Arizona 9
3 Sept 12 at Iowa 10
4 Sept 26 Utah 22
5 Nov 28 Kansas State 24
6 Nov 7 at Baylor 29
7 Nov 21 at UCF 30
8 Nov 14 Cincinnati 51
9 Oct 3 West Virginia 56
10 Oct 31 Oklahoma State 69
11 Sept 19 Bowling Green 124
12 Sept 5 SE Missouri State 139 
– 2026 Iowa State Schedule Analysis

11 Arizona

CFN Spring Schedule Rank: 573

The Wildcats are loaded and ready to be players in the Big 12 chase, but they have to go to BYU and Texas Tech. Even though they miss a slew of the lighter Big 12 teams, they should be fine.

1 Oct 31 at Texas Tech 5
2 Sept 12 at BYU 7.5
3 Nov 21 at Kansas State 12
4 Nov 14 Utah 22
5 Oct 10 at West Virginia 28
6 Nov 28 Arizona State 32
7 Nov 7 TCU 33
8 Sept 26 at Washington State 40.5
9 Oct 3 Cincinnati 51
10 Oct 24 Iowa State 68
11 Sept 19 Northern Illinois 135
12 Sept 5 Northern Arizona 139 
– 2026 Arizona Schedule Analysis

12 Kansas State

CFN Spring Schedule Rank: 591

The Collin Klein era has a ton of landmines to deal with on the schedule, but Merry Christmas – there’s no BYU, Texas Tech, or Utah to face.

1 Oct 24 at Arizona State 16
2 Nov 14 at TCU 16.5
3 Nov 21 Arizona 18
4 Sept 26 at Cincinnati 25.5
5 Oct 10 Houston 27
6 Oct 31 at Colorado 31
7 Nov 28 at Iowa State 34
8 Oct 17 Kansas 61
9 Nov 7 Oklahoma State 69
10 Sept 19 Tulane 73
11 Sept 12 Washington State 81
12 Sept 5 Nicholls State 139 
– 2026 Kansas State Schedule Analysis

13 West Virginia

CFN Spring Schedule Rank: 595.5

The toughest road games might be too hard to overcome, but as long as the Mountaineers are okay, they should hit six wins without a problem with this slate.

1 Nov 7 at Texas Tech 5
2 Nov 28 at Utah 11
3 Oct 24 at TCU 16.5
4 Oct 10 Arizona 18
5 Nov 21 Houston 27
6 Oct 3 at Iowa State 34
7 Sept 19 Virginia (in Charlotte) 46
8 Oct 17 Cincinnati 51
9 Nov 14 Kansas 61
10 Sept 26 Oklahoma State 69
11 Sept 3 Coastal Carolina 118
12 Sept 12 UT Martin 139 
– 2026 West Virginia Schedule Analysis

14 UCF

CFN Spring Schedule Rank: 599

Texas Tech, Utah, and Arizona – they’re all missing from the schedule, and BYU is a home game. The Big 12 road games aren’t too bad, and the seven home games overall help.

1 Oct 3 at Houston 13.5
2 Oct 24 BYU 15
3 Sept 12 at Pitt 15.5
4 Nov 7 at Kansas 30.5
5 Nov 28 at Colorado 31
6 Nov 14 Arizona State 32
7 Sept 26 TCU 33
8 Oct 10 at Oklahoma State 34.5
9 Oct 31 Baylor 58
10 Nov 21 Iowa State 68
11 Sept 19 Georgia State 129
12 Sept 3 Bethune-Cookman 139 
– 2026 UCF Schedule Analysis

15 Houston

CFN Spring Schedule Rank: 614

The loaded Cougars have to go to Utah and Texas Tech, and they have a strange date at Georgia Southern, but for the most part, it’s a schedule built for a big season.

1 Sept 19 at Texas Tech 5
2 Oct 24 at Utah 11
3 Oct 10 at Kansas State 12
4 Nov 21 at West Virginia 28
5 Nov 14 at Colorado 31
6 Sept 26 at Georgia Southern 43
7 Nov 7 Cincinnati 51
8 Nov 28 Baylor 58
9 Oct 3 UCF 60
10 Oct 17 Oklahoma State 69
11 Sept 5 Oregon State 107
12 Sept 12 Southern 139 
– 2026 Houston Schedule Analysis

16 Texas Tech

CFN Spring Schedule Rank: 614.5

Texas Tech can’t play itself, so technically, that helps the schedule strength, but that’s only part of it. The non-conference schedule is a sick twisted joke, and there’s no BYU or Utah.

1 Oct 31 Arizona 18
2 Oct 24 at Cincinnati 25.5
3 Sept 19 Houston 27
4 Nov 21 at Baylor 29
5 Oct 3 at Colorado 31
6 Oct 17 Arizona State 32
7 Nov 28 TCU 33
8 Nov 14 at Oklahoma State 34.5
9 Sept 12 at Oregon State 53.5
10 Nov 7 West Virginia 56
11 Sept 26 Sam Houston 136
12 Sept 5 Abilene Christian 139
– 2026 Texas Tech Schedule Analysis

Related: SEC Football Strength of Schedule Rankings 2026: Spring

This story was originally published by College Football News on Apr 1, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add College Football News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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