By Dane Miller, SuperWest Sports
Sports
Ranking the Big 12 Football Head Coaches for 2026
There’s a balance of factors when ranking the Big 12 coaches.
How do you judge a coach that overperforms with limited resources?
Or what about a coach with unlimited resources that can’t seem to deliver?
It’s a balancing act that’s not easy to do considering the lack of success the league has had in the Playoff. There’s no clear-cut favorite.
Here’s how I rank the Big 12 Coaches for 2026.
1. Willie Fritz, Houston
It didn’t take long for Willie Fritz to lead Houston to a 10-win season.
Having that level of success at a program like Houston is distinguishable.
Imagine what he would do at a school with more resources.
2. Kalani Sitake, BYU
A proven culture-builder with a strong foundation in place.
BYU football is a growing powerhouse in the Big 12.
Consistent success is hard to come by. Kalani Sitake knows how to get the job done.
3. Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State
The Sun Devils are flying under the radar this offseason.
There aren’t any real expectations and the buzz is minimal.
But don’t be surprised if ASU exceeds expectations this year.
4. Sonny Dykes, TCU
The run to the National Championship Game in 2022 was historic.
But with an up-and-down career, Sonny Dykes will be judged by what happens next.
TCU has the resources to compete. The onus is on Dykes to deliver.
5. Joey McGuire, Texas Tech
The blowout defeat to Oregon in the Playoff is a stain on Joey McGuire’s resume.
Combined with the Brendan Sorsby disaster, it’s been an ugly period for Texas Tech.
With so much money to compete, the results should be better.
6. Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia
A washed-up has-been. That’s what some would say about Rich Rod.
The truth is he’s one of the best coaches in college football.
He will get it rolling again in West Virginia.
7. Brent Brennan, Arizona
This season could change the trajectory of Brent Brennan’s career.
Coming off nine wins in 2025, the expectations are raised. Both coordinators return along with a senior quarterback.
The stars may be aligning for Arizona.
8. Scott Satterfield, Cincinnati
Momentum is building in Cincinnati.
The Bearcats are becoming competitive in league games after stumbling in their first few seasons in the Big 12.
It takes time to build a consistent foundation. With that now in place, the expectations to continually improve are real.
9. Dave Aranda, Baylor
Willing to go for it on fourth down with regularity, Dave Aranda is unique.
But Baylor has been underperforming lately. The expectations for this year are muted.
The Bears might be in for another season of mediocrity.
10. Lance Leipold, Kansas
It’s not easy to win at a place like Kansas.
Lance Leipold makes the most out of the resources he has available.
With an artificially low bar, the primary challenge is staying consistent.
11. Scott Frost, UCF
With no benefit of the doubt, Scott Frost enters a critical year.
He led UCF to five wins in 2025. If he can deliver a bowl appearance this season, his job will be secure.
Frost’s past coaching record doesn’t exactly inspire confidence, though.
12. Deion Sanders, Colorado
Colorado is trending in the wrong direction.
The hype around the program has faded. Once the darlings of the college football world, reality has set in.
All it takes is one season to regain the momentum.
13. Jimmy Rogers, Iowa State
After spending one season at Washington State, Jimmy Rogers took the opportunity that Iowa State provided.
He led the Cougars to a respectable 6-6 mark in his first year as an FBS coach.
Lauded for his results at the FCS level, the Cyclones might’ve made a home run hire.
14. Eric Morris, Oklahoma State
The former coach of North Texas takes over for Oklahoma State. He spent three years in Denton, accumulating a career coaching record of 22-16.
He enters a big stage in Stillwater.
Keep an eye on the Pokes. The potential for a surprising season is real.
15. Morgan Scalley, Utah
First year coaches are wildcards.
Utah is talented enough to compete in the Big 12. Yet, regime changes are never easy.
How Morgan Scalley navigates Year One will be critical.
16. Collin Klein, Kansas State
Entering his first year as a head coach, the expectations outside of Manhattan are low.
Without any experience to judge, it’s hard to handicap Collin Klein and Kansas State’s season.
Perhaps the Wildcats overperform under his leadership.
Miller covers College Basketball and College Football as well as Formula 1 racing as a Senior Writer and Assistant Editor for SuperWest Sports.
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Randy Orton takes brutal, personal shots at Cody Rhodes’ family, and it’s hideous even by his standards
Randy Orton can be vicious, both physically and psychologically, which is something Cody Rhodes is all too familiar with. However, on the August 28th episode of SmackDown, he went too far even by his own standard.
Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton had a promo ahead of their clash at WWE Sunday Night’s Main Event. To give context, SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis threatened both men by saying that if they laid a finger on each other before the match, they would never get a WWE Title shot again. This is exactly the basis on which Orton started talking all sorts of trash to Cody. He took a shot at his dog Pharaoh, who is 15-16 years old and still alive. He asked if he was dead and buried. He hurled insults at Cody’s mom and wife that we can’t mention here, but you can see it in the tweet below.
Thanks for the submission!
Cody managed to restrain himself successfully. Regardless, the verbal attack was vicious even by Orton’s standards. The Viper has been on a bit of a tear this year, barring those few months when he was injured after WrestleMania 42. But it isn’t surprising in any way to see Orton reaching this state.
Randy Orton had a backstage interaction with Kevin Owens
What’s interesting is the fact that Orton had a backstage interaction with Kevin Owens, whom he was supposed to face at WrestleMania 41. They both were on the same page about disliking Cody Rhodes, but the tensions were still palpable, and they aren’t exactly going to be friends again.
We are going to witness a WrestleMania rematch at Sunday Night’s Main Event next week, and there will be a lot of anticipation regarding who picks up the victory and moves forward.
Get all the hottest wrestling news FIRST by clicking here
Edited by Rohit Nath
May 26, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (8) shoots the puck during the second period against the Vegas Golden Knights in game four of the Western Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar inked an eight-year, $163.2 million contract on Friday, becoming the first player in NHL history to earn more than $20 million per year.
The deal, which begins in the 2027-28 season, will pay the 27-year-old rearguard $20.4 million per year through the 2034-35 campaign.
The Calgary native won the Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenseman in 2021-22 and 2024-25, as well as the 2022 Conn Smythe Trophy for the playoff Most Valuable Player as the Avs captured the Stanley Cup title.
“I am so excited and humbled to continue to wear the Avalanche sweater and represent this incredible organization and community,” Makar said on Friday.
“To the Avalanche fans, thank you for your continued support and for welcoming us to Colorado years ago. Colorado has truly become a second home to us, and we are so grateful to be here. I look forward to getting back on the ice with my teammates and continuing to work toward our goal of bringing the Stanley Cup back to the Mile High City.”
Makar has scored at least 20 goals in four of the last five years. He led all NHL defensemen in scoring in the 2024-25 season with 92 points (30 goals, 62 assists).
For his career, Makar has 136 goals, 371 assists and 507 points in 470 games, all with Colorado since the 2019-20 campaign.
Makar’s contract exceeded the deal that San Jose Sharks’ young forward Macklin Celebrini signed in late July. Celebrini inked a five-year, $94 million contract with an AAV of $18.8 million. Makar played for Team Canada and earned a silver medal at the 2026 Olympics in Milano Cortina, Italy.
“Today is an exciting day for the Avalanche organization and our wonderful fans,” said Joe Sakic, the Avalanche president of hockey operations/general manager. “Cale is a generational defenseman and his accomplishments speak for themselves.
“He is obviously a tremendous competitor and player but even more so a great person, teammate and ambassador for the Avalanche and the Rocky Mountain region. We are beyond thrilled to get this deal done and have Cale in an Avalanche sweater for the next decade.”
–Field Level Media
Nigeria U17 women’s national team head coach, Hakeem Busari, has invited 25 players for the first phase of the team’s final camping ahead of the 2026 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
The tournament will take place from 17 October to 7 November 2026.
The Flamingos secured their place at the World Cup after defeating Benin Republic home and away in the final round of the African qualifiers.
Nigeria have been a regular presence at the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup since the tournament began in New Zealand in 2008. The country has missed only one edition, the 2018 tournament in Uruguay.
The invited players are expected to report to Serob Legacy Hotel, Wuye, Abuja, on Sunday, 30 August 2026.
### Invited Players
Goalkeepers:
Ifesinachi Iloh (Solo Wonders); Mercy Felix (Obosa FA); Precious John (Pelican Stars).
Defenders:
Elizabeth Adesuyi (Pacesetter Queens); Esther Stephen (Unification Ladies); Chidera Oparanmegwa (Bayelsa Queens); Azeezat Oduntan (Robo Queens); Opeyemi Sunday (Nasarawa Amazons); Omelogu Precious (Tophat SC); Christiana Ogunbunmi (Soccer Talent FC); Taiwo Abdulazeez (Dannaz Ladies).
Midfielders:
Kaosarat Akanji (Dreamstar Ladies); Awawu Bashiru (Confluence Queens); Mary Dustan (Bayelsa Queens); Muinat Rotimi (Nakamura FA); Kate Laniran (Espora Queens); Annabelle Olubajo (Savannah United); Grace Akingboye (Ghetto Tigers); Eniola Abdulquadri (Unstoppable FA).
Forwards:
Adebimpe Kashimawo (Asisat Oshoala FA); Harmony Chidi (Bayelsa Queens); Mmesoma Uchendu (Ibom Angels); Istifanus Shavi (Youth Arise FA); Shakirat Sarafa (Remo Stars Ladies); Chisom Chukwuemeka (Diamond Stars).
Angel Reese received her eighth technical foul during the Atlanta Dream’s 101-83 loss to the Portland Fire on Friday and will be suspended for the team’s matchup with the league-leading Minnesota Lynx on Sunday unless it is rescinded by the league. Reese finished Friday’s defeat with 16 points, 16 rebounds and six assists, but shot just 5 of 14 from the field.
Under WNBA rules, a player or coach is automatically suspended without pay for one game upon receiving an eighth technical foul during the regular season. The previous limit was seven technicals, but the league increased it to eight last season with the jump to a 44-game schedule. For every two additional technical fouls received, the player or coach will be automatically suspended for an additional game.
Early in the fourth quarter, Reese got tangled up with Fire point guard Carla Leite during a box-out situation. Reese appeared to push down on Leite’s head/neck area, while Leite had her arm wrapped around Reese’s back. As the two started to separate, Reese gave a little shove and was called for a technical.
If the league does not rescind Reese’s technical, this will be the second consecutive season that she has been suspended for crossing the technical foul threshold. She led the league in technicals last season with eight, and served a one-game suspension in what turned out to be her final campaign with the Chicago Sky.
Reese now once again leads the league in technicals. Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark has also been called for eight technicals this season, but she had her most recent one rescinded by the league, and thus avoided a suspension and still sits at seven. Clark and Phoenix Mercury guard Kahleah Copper are both one technical away from suspension.
Notably, technical foul counts reset after the regular season.
Most technicals in the WNBA in 2026
Reese would be huge loss vs. Lynx as Dream fight for seeding
If Reese is suspended for Sunday’s game against the Lynx, that would be a major loss for the Dream, who are in a battle for seeding in the middle of the playoff picture.
Atlanta entered Friday in fourth place, half a game behind the third-place Las Vegas Aces and half a game ahead of the fifth-place Fever. Due to their defeat and the Fever’s win (the Aces will play later on Friday), the Dream have now dropped to fifth place and are just one game up on the sixth-place Washington Mystics, who own the tiebreaker between the clubs.
Without Reese, who recently set the single-game rebounding record and has been playing some of the best basketball of her career, the Dream would have real trouble beating the Lynx, who are eager to lock up the No. 1 overall seed.
Gilas Pilipinas’ Kai Sotto and Kevin Quiambao embrace after escaping Jordan in the Fiba World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIREr.net
Kai Sotto, CJ Perez and Scottie Thompson made sure their return to the Gilas Pilipinas roster would be impactful.
On Friday, the trio came together and gave the Philippines and its fans something to cheer about as it held off Jordan in overtime, 82-81, in the Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers that kept the Filipinos tugging at the coattails of the group leaders.
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Kevin Quiambao, meanwhile, didn’t hesitate in grabbing the spotlight on what he later described as a game where he wasn’t as sharp, knocking down the go-ahead triple that broke a 79-all tie with 11.7 seconds left to also stand out as one of the reasons why the Filipinos were able to come through before a sellout crowd at Mall of Asia Arena.
It was a highwire win that put some sense of hope in the Filipinos’ quest to make the global main event for the fourth straight edition, and they get back to work Sunday when they battle formidable Iran with the stakes the same for Gilas—that match again being a must-win.
Quiambao’s three-pointer came off an assist from Perez who, before that shot, had kept Gilas in the game with basket after basket in regulation and the extra five-minute period.
“I would just like to thank CJ for that pass,” Quiambao told a courtside reporter later. “We will enjoy this tonight, but will be back to work (Saturday).”
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Kai Sotto blocks Abdullah Olajuwon during a game between Gilas Pilipinas and Jordan in the Fiba World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers at Mall of Asia Arena. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
But that shot almost went for naught after Thompson, who put the clamps on Jordanian ace Jalen Harris, committed a five-second inbound violation that gave Jordan the chance to salvage the game.
Jordan could not, as Abdullah Olajuwon, the son of NBA great Hakeem, ran into Sotto, who came through with a massive block that triggered a thunderous roar from the gallery as practically an entire country erupted in celebration when the final buzzer sounded.
Gilas snapped a four-game skid in the Qualifiers and improved to 3-4 to start off the second round and the fourth window. More importantly, it narrowed the gap not only with Jordan, but also with Iran, which earlier lost, 93-91, to New Zealand, also in overtime.
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“It’s a huge thing, because we’ll be back to close the gap even further if we beat Iran [on Sunday],” Perez said as Gilas now sets itself for another difficult battle in less than 48 hours at the same venue.
Australia, which routed Syria, 123-64, earlier, remained unbeaten in Group E to be at 7-0, while New Zealand joined Jordan and Iran in a three-waytie at 5-2, with Gilas at 3-4 and Syria dead last at 2-5.
The top four teams in the group after the Qualifiers get to play in Qatar for next year’s World Cup. And Gilas regained a solid shot with the close win.
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While it’s a huge win, the margin of error remains slim for the Philippines as one loss may still jeopardize its ambitions of a fourth successive World Cup appearance.
At Vikings Territory, every effort is made to ensure our readers stay informed on what’s taking place within the world of Vikings news.
This week’s offering of content has talked about J.J. McCarthy (on at least a few occasions). So, too, has there been discussion of the cuts, adds, a suspension, position switch, and various other items. Take a look at some of the other things to have come through the NFL’s headlines.
Vikings News Tracker | Friday, August 28th, 2026
Zeke Correll Gets Another Shot
Growing up, my parents would tell me that there’s no such thing as a money tree. Can the same be said of an offensive line tree? The Eagles do remarkably well of developing the large lads. Is there some sort of magical tree down in the City of Brotherly Love?
If so, then Zeke Correll landed in a good spot.
Check out the update from Philly’s social media: “We signed C Zeke Correll and WR Brandon Hayes. We also placed Tariq Castro-Fields on the Injured Reserve List and waived/injured WR Johnny Wilson.”
Note that former Vikings OL coach Chris Kuper is now the OL coach with the Eagles. He’ll know Correll from their shared time in the Twin Cities.
Daniel Carlson is Back in Action
Once upon a time, the Minnesota Vikings could have taken down the Green Bay Packers. The issue is that the rookie kicker — Daniel Carlson — was snakebitten that day, missing several kicks as the Vikings finished off at a tie. Mike Zimmer moved on shortly thereafter.
The specialist then went to the Raiders, doing tremendous while there. Carlson was an All Pro in 2021 and 2022.
Mike Garafolo of The NFL Network sent along the news Carlson landing with the Saints alongside some background on what’s taking place: “The former #Raiders kicker brings experience to New Orleans, which had been holding a competition between Tanner Brown and Charlie Smyth.”
If the football gods want to be especially cruel, then maybe Carlson will power the Saints to a victory over the Vikings someday.
Kirk Cousins Rides Again (Probably)
Kirk Cousins (former Vikings QB) is probably going to be the Raiders’ Week 1 starter. Klint Kubiak (former Vikings OC) is still being a touch coy, though.
The update from Mike Garafolo of The NFL Network: “They used to play six preseason games. Soon, they’ll play two. For now, it’s three and Klint Kubiak makes it clear Fernando Mendoza could use more work. Still not naming a #Raiders starting QB but everything Kubiak has said for months has pointed to Kirk Cousins Week 1.”
The Minnesota Vikings and Las Vegas Raiders aren’t scheduled to play each other in the upcoming season. However, the two teams are theoretically possible for a Super Bowl matchup. How wild would that be?
Former Vikings Corner Gets Scooped Up
Ian Rapoport sends along the news that corner Mekhi Blackmon has landed on his feet. Check out the news: “The #Browns claimed CB Mekhi Blackmon via waivers from the #Colts.”
The Vikings drafted Blackmon in the 3rd Round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He did well as a rookie before missing his sophomore season due to injury. He then got shown the door, leading to the Colts moving on and the Browns adding him.
— Check Back Throughout the Day for More Quick Vikings News Updates —
Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.
The Minnesota Vikings head to Mile High to take on the Denver Broncos for their final preseason game. The season will start for real in two weeks.
3 Things That Need To Improve in the Vikings Final Preseason Game
The first two games of the Vikings’ preseason were both low-scoring games, where the defense looked to be continuing from where they left off last season (but slightly worryingly, so has the offense). Here are three things that I would like to see improve in the Vikings’ final preseason game.
The Run Game
We haven’t seen the starting offensive line or Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason since early in the game against the Giants. Minnesota did run the ball well with Jones having three rushes for 27 yards and Mason three rushes for 17 yards. That does come with the caveat that the Giants were shorthanded in the middle of their defensive line that day, but the Vikings did well to take advantage. Demond Claiborne was unable to have the same success with 12 rushes for 34 yards.
We also saw the all-too-familiar failure to punch the ball in at the goal line, with Claiborne rushing three times for no gain. Minnesota was saved by a couple of penalty flags and an excellent throw and catch between Carson Wentz and Myles Price. Claiborne struggled again against a good Baltimore Ravens defense, while Zavier Scott got more opportunities and averaged a respectable 4 yards per carry. The rushing attack has always been the poor complement to Kevin O’Connell’s passing attack since he became Vikings head coach, but we need to see improvement.
I have confidence in the starting offensive line – outside of the center position – but as we saw last season injuries happen and the backup players need to show they can at least be physical and keep the run game intact. Likewise, Jones is at the stage of his career where injuries have become a regular occurrence. Scott and Claiborne need to be ready to step up; both have the chance to stake their claim as the next in line during the final preseason game.
Special Teams Penalties
If you are anything like me, the sight of those yellow penalty flags on what seemed like every Vikings punt return last season probably drove you to the brink of insanity. Every time it looked like a good return had us in some good field position, there was the yellow marker and we were marching backwards. It’s something that has to improve this season and the early signs from the preseason outings are not good.
I have already seen enough of it this preseason that I’m wondering what efforts have actually been made to remedy this very obvious problem from last season. Special teams coordinator Matt Daniels should be under pressure to fix this problem and I want to see a clean game in Denver to at least alleviate some of my fears that this is going to be a major issue again. Minnesota has some talent returned in Price and Tai Felton but they are being rendered almost useless because of penalty flags.
Score Some Points
It’s only the preseason and the results don’t matter. With the majority of what will be the Vikings starters sitting out most of the preseason games, it’s mostly about players fighting for the final roster places. However, watching the Vikings offense struggle to put points on the board hasn’t exactly been fun. With just 13 points against the Giants and 3 points against the Ravens, that’s a combined 16 points over two games. A paltry effort by any standards.
While there have been standout moments from young players on the defense, there has been a lot of struggle on offense. Price has been one exception, but the QB play hasn’t been great, the backup offensive linemen have really struggled, and the rushing attack hasn’t got anything going. It doesn’t lead to much confidence in these backup players if they are required to step up once the regular season has started. I want to see the offense firing whoever is on the field.
Proud UK Viking. Family Man. Enjoy writing about my team. Away from football an advocate for autism acceptance.
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On Sunday afternoon, Texas’ and Nebraska’s women’s volleyball teams will face each in the regular season for the first time in a decade. There wasn’t this kind of gap between matches before, however: the Longhorns and Huskers have an intense rivalry spanning decades, tied in part to the creation of the Big 12. At the Players Era Volleyball Showcase in Las Vegas on Aug. 30, the two will jump right into the new season by renewing that rivalry.
Nebraska and Texas had their first meeting back in 1981, less than 10 years after each program had begun, and just like on Sunday, it was hosted in neutral territory. The two played a pair of matches in the Oral Roberts Invitational on Oct. 17, with Texas winning both: the Longhorns would eventually be crowned the 1981 champions in the final season playing under the Associate for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women banner (AIAW), while the Huskers’ program was already part of the NCAA at this point; 1981 would mark the lone campaign that the team wasn’t invited to the 20-team NCAA Division I tournament at the end of the regular season, and this despite its fourth-straight unbeaten season in Big 8 conference play.
Senior Bergen Reilly, Nebraska’s star setter, is on the 2026 preseason watch list for AVCA’s Player of the Year honors. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
In the 1982 Oklahoma Invitational, Nebraska would collect its first win against Texas, 3-1, but that would be the last victory for the Huskers against the Longhorns until Nov. 5, 1988 — both teams were already powerhouses by then, with Nebraska losing in the national championship in 1986 to Pacific, and Texas winning its second title later in ‘88. Nebraska would once again lose the national championship game in 1989, this time to Long Beach State — it took until 1995 for that to change… and against Texas.
That squad, led by First-Team All-American and American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Co-Player of the Year Allison Weston, was playing for more than just a championship in the moment. It was also playing for bragging rights within a soon-to-be-formed conference. For the 1995 championship, Nebraska was representing the Big 8, and Texas the Southwest Conference, but that was a temporary arrangement: Texas was one of four schools that had committed, back in Feb. 1994, to join the Big 8 and make it the Big 12 in 1996. Nebraska and Texas, two mainstays of women’s volleyball in the midwest, two of the teams that had shown the sport could thrive outside of the West Coast, would now be in the same conference vying for supremacy.
Nebraska won 31 straight matches to end the season: the Huskers won the opening game, lost the second to Stanford, and then didn’t taste failure again. Texas was the No. 2 team in the country and had won its two previous national championship games, while Nebraska was hoping that, for the Huskers, the third time would be the charm. It was, and now these two would be in the same conference going forward.
Texas’ 2023 national championship came at the expense of longtime rivals, Nebraska, just like the Huskers’ first title in 1995 went through Texas. (Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
And what a run the pair had in the Big 12. Nebraska would win the conference in 1996. Texas would win it in ‘97. The Huskers would then take it in 1998 through 2002, and again from 2004 through 2006 — this stretch was interrupted by a single Big 12 regular season championship by Kansas State, but flanking that were a pair of Nebraska national championships, in 2000 and 2006. In 2007 and 2008, Texas and Nebraska tied for conference championship, then the Longhorns won it outright in ‘09. The Huskers would once again come out on top in 2010 — it was their final year in the Big 12, as now it was their turn to switch conferences. Nebraska joined up with the Big Ten in 2011, and remains there to this day.
With Nebraska gone, Texas, somewhat unsurprisingly, dominated the Big 12 in the Huskers’ absence. The Longhorns won 12 of 13 Big 12 conference regular season titles before leaving for the SEC in 2024, with national championships in 2012, 2022 and 2023 and three national title losses, as well. That 2023 championship came against Nebraska, which the Longhorns also defeated in the regional final in the delayed 2020 season as well as in 2021 — the two no longer had conference games, but still played the occasional non-conference matchup and faced each other on the sports’ biggest stage on multiple occasions.
All-time, the two have been evenly matched, with Nebraska ahead 25-23 thanks to dominating in Big 12 conference play, 2-12, making up for the initial losing streaks to the Longhorns in the 80s. The pendulum has swung back in Texas’ direction, though, with the Longhorns winning seven of the last 10 matchups between the two.
Only one of Nebraska or Texas could come out on top in the Big 12, and more often than not it was the Huskers. (Corbey R. Dorsey/NCAA Photos via Getty Images photos)
Nebraska had its own post-Big 12 success even if direct competition against Texas hasn’t gone as well of late, becoming national champions in 2015 and 2017, while losing in the 2018, 2021 and 2023 championship matches. The Huskers were the favorite for the 2025 title, and came into the regional final against Texas A&M undefeated before the Aggies upset them and ended their season, as well as the chance to be the second-ever Nebraska squad to achieve an undefeated championship season, joining the 2000s Huskers. Maybe not coincidentally, the last two undefeated teams standing in Division I last season were Texas and Nebraska, with the Longhorns losing on Halloween to … Texas A&M.
Texas’ 2023 victory over Nebraska for the national championship marks the last time the two have faced each other, though, until this weekend, when the No. 2 Longhorns and No. 1 Huskers square off. There is the rivalry to consider, as well as the shocking way 2025 ended for both: both teams lost in their respective regional finals in significant upsets, with 1-seed Nebraska falling to 6-seed Texas A&M and 1-seed Texas to 10-seed Wisconsin. A win against a longtime rival — one the other hasn’t seen in a few years now — would help to wash away the taste of that defeat. But as has so often been the case with the Longhorns and Huskers, only one of these teams is going to walk away on top.
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Northern Illinois went west, Sacramento State moved east and the Pac-12 is actually back.
Ahead of the 2026 college football season, 22 teams changed conferences. Five of the Group of Six leagues experienced changeover, while the Power 4 remained the same.
But two years ago, UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington joined the Big Ten; Arizona, ASU, Utah and Colorado went to the Big 12; and Stanford and Cal became members of the ACC. Then in 2025, three more teams changed conferences.
Now, ahead of the 2026 season, let’s do it again.
To help you keep up with the trends, and remember who each team will compete against for conference titles, here’s a look at who came, who went and who remained in each FBS conference.
Pac-12
Additions: Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Texas State, Utah State
Holdovers: Oregon State, Washington State
After a season in which Washington State and Oregon State were the only two teams representing the Pac-12, the conference has expanded to eight Division I football schools. Colorado State, Utah State, San Diego State, Fresno State and Boise State came over from the Mountain West. Texas State also made the move to the Pac-12 from the Sun Belt Conference. The Pac-12 will include nine schools for college basketball season as Gonzaga came over from the West Coast Conference, but doesn’t have a football program.
Boise State and San Diego State are two of five Mountain West teams to join the Pac-12. (Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
Mountain West
Additions: North Dakota State, Northern Illinois, University of Texas-El Paso,
Holdovers: Air Force, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV, Wyoming
Losses: Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Utah State
After losing five teams to the Pac-12, the Mountain West was replenished with three teams from different conferences. North Dakota State is the headliner. The 10-time FCS national champions come over from the Missouri Valley Football Conference for its debut season in the FBS. Northern Illinois enters from the Mid-American Conference (MAC) and University of Texas-El Paso transfers from Conference USA.
After 80 years in the MAC, Northern Illinois moved to the Mountain West. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Mid-American Conference
Additions: Sacramento State
Holdovers: Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Miami (OH), Kent State, Ohio, Toledo, UMass, Western Michigan
Losses: Northern Illinois
The changes to the MAC are simple. Northern Illinois moves to the Mountain West and Sacramento State replaces them, keeping the total at 13. Sacramento State comes over from the Big Sky Conference.
Sun Belt Conference
Additions: Louisiana Tech
Holdovers: Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia State, Georgia Southern, James Madison, Louisiana, Louisiana Monroe, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, Old Dominion, South Alabama, Southern Mississippi, Troy
Losses: Texas State
Similar to the MAC, the Sun Belt made a one-for-one trade. Texas State joined the Pac-12 and Louisiana Tech replaced them from Conference USA, keeping the Sun Belt’s total at 14.
Conference USA
Holdovers: Delaware, FIU, Jackson State, Liberty, Kennessaw State, Middle Tennessee, Missouri State, New Mexico State, Sam Houston State, Western Kentucky
Losses: Louisiana Tech, UTEP
Conference USA lost Louisiana Tech and University of Texas-El Paso, and did not replace them as their total dropped from 12 to 10 members.
American Athletic Conference
Holdovers: Army, Charlotte, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Memphis, Navy, North Texas, Rice, South Florida, Temple, Tulane, Tulsa, UAB, UTSA
The AAC remained the same heading into the 2026 college football season. It produced a CFP team last year as Tulane earned the 11th seed in the 12-team bracket. Charlotte, FAU, North Texas, Rice, UAB and UTSA joined the AAC as recently as 2023 as the conference has expanded to 14 teams for football.
While the Power 4 conferences also avoided any change heading into the 2026 season, it’s still worth refreshing who’s where.
Big Ten
Holdovers: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, UCLA, USC, Washington, and Wisconsin
The Big Ten didn’t experience any change ahead of the 2026 season. The 2026 season marks the third season in which former Pac-12 schools Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington will compete in the 18-team Big Ten.
Oregon and Washington went from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten ahead of the 2024 season. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Big 12
Holdovers: Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, BYU, Cincinnati, Colorado, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, UCF, Utah, and West Virginia
The Big 12 didn’t add or lose any teams heading into the 2026 season. The 2026 season marks the third year in which former Pac-12 schools Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah joined the league. It’s also the fourth year of BYU, Cincinnati, UCF and Houston coming over to the Big 12 as the conference has expanded to 16 teams.
SEC
Holdovers: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Missouri, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, and Vanderbilt
The SEC didn’t experience any change ahead of the 2026 season. This will be the third season in which Oklahoma and Texas compete in the conference after coming over from the Big 12 to make a 16-team league.
ACC
Holdovers: Boston College, Cal, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Pittsburgh, SMU, Stanford, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest
The ACC didn’t make any moves ahead of the 2026 season. The 2026 season will be the third year in which Stanford and Cal compete in the 17-team ACC.
The Denver Broncos and Minnesota Vikings will square off in the final preseason game for both teams. We don’t expect much in the way of snaps from starters tonight, but a lot of these players are having their last chance to make a case for a roster spot – whether on the final 53 or the 16-man practice squad. Week 1 is officially just around the corner, Broncos Country!
Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. Mile High time on Friday, August 28, 2026 at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado. You can also check local Broncos radio network affiliate stations. Join the discussion in the comments section below.
Vikings at Broncos live updates
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