The Big 12 has developed into one of the most unpredictable conferences in college football, and that unpredictability extends to the offensive line.
There are veteran groups entering 2026 with proven continuity. There are others built around highly regarded transfers and returning stars. And then there are teams undergoing significant reconstruction, where the biggest question isn’t necessarily talent, but whether the pieces can come together quickly enough.
To get a clearer picture, we put three sets of preseason offensive line rankings through the same formula. Caleb, Matt and Zack each ranked all 16 Big 12 offensive lines from No. 1 through No. 16. A first-place vote was worth 16 points, a second-place vote 15 points, and so on down to one point for 16th place.
The result is a consensus ranking that reveals both where there is strong agreement and where opinions are dramatically divided.
The Big 12 Offensive Line Consensus Rankings
| Consensus | Team | Caleb | Matt | Zack | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas Tech Red Raiders | 3 | 4 | 2 | 42 |
| 2 | BYU Cougars | 7 | 2 | 1 | 41 |
| T-3 | Kansas State Wildcats | 1 | 6 | 6 | 38 |
| T-3 | Cincinnati Bearcats | 9 | 1 | 3 | 38 |
| 5 | TCU Horned Frogs | 8 | 5 | 5 | 33 |
| 6 | Houston Cougars | 12 | 3 | 4 | 32 |
| 7 | Utah Utes | 4 | 8 | 12 | 27 |
| 8 | Arizona State Sun Devils | 5 | 10 | 10 | 26 |
| T-9 | Baylor Bears | 6 | 9 | 14 | 22 |
| T-9 | Arizona Wildcats | 14 | 7 | 8 | 22 |
| T-11 | Iowa State Cyclones | 2 | 16 | 16 | 17 |
| T-11 | West Virginia Mountaineers | 15 | 12 | 7 | 17 |
| 13 | Oklahoma State Cowboys | 13 | 13 | 9 | 16 |
| 14 | Colorado Buffaloes | 11 | 14 | 11 | 15 |
| 15 | UCF Knights | 10 | 15 | 13 | 13 |
| 16 | Kansas Jayhawks | 16 | 11 | 15 | 9 |
There is a fascinating story at the top of these rankings. Texas Tech wins the consensus vote by a single point over BYU, while Kansas State and Cincinnati finish tied for third.
But the most revealing part of the exercise may be how differently the three voters arrived at that final picture.
Caleb
1. Kansas State | The Wildcats have built one of the nation’s most reliable offensive line development programs, routinely producing physical linemen who excel in both run blocking and pass protection. Their veteran leadership, excellent chemistry, and quality depth make this the most complete unit in the conference.
2. Iowa State | The Cyclones come in second because of their returning experience and continuity. Caleb believes Iowa State’s ability to play technically sound football and limit mistakes gives the unit a high floor, even if the depth isn’t quite at Kansas State’s level.
3. Texas Tech | Texas Tech’s physicality and tackle play make the Red Raiders one of Caleb’s favorites. The group has developed considerably over the past two seasons, and Caleb believes it has the potential to become the conference’s best by the end of 2026.
4. Utah
5. Arizona State
6. Baylor
7. BYU
8. TCU
9. Cincinnati
10. UCF
11. Colorado
12. Houston
13. Oklahoma State
14. Arizona
15. West Virgina | The Mountaineers have traditionally played physical football, but entering 2026 the Mountaineers are replacing several experienced offensive linemen and have more questions than answers. While there is some promising young talent, the unit lacks the proven depth and continuity found in the conference’s better offensive lines. The starters should be competitive, but injuries or inconsistency could quickly become an issue over the course of the season.
16. Kansas | The Jayhawks enter the season with the Big 12’s weakest offensive line room due to significant roster turnover and limited returning production. The Jayhawks have some young players with developmental potential, but they have yet to prove they can consistently hold up against the conference’s top defensive fronts. Pass protection and overall depth remain concerns, making this the biggest question mark among Big 12 offensive lines entering the 2026 season.
Matt
1. Cincinnati | Returning a dominant foundation anchored by Preseason All-Big 12 selections Joe Cotton and Evan Tengesdahl to form the conference’s meanest front.
2. BYU | Blending high-end experience with physical size, headlined by standout senior center Bruce Mitchell paving ways for a potent ground game.
3. Houston | Featuring an explosive interior pocket anchored by star guard Shadre Hurst, giving them an incredibly high floor in pass protection.
4. Texas Tech
5. TCU
6. Kansas State
7. Arizona
8. Utah
9. Baylor
10. Arizona State
11. Kansas
12. West Virginia
13. Oklahoma State
14. Colorado
15. UCF | Facing structural issues after losing massive components of their interior line, leaving them thin on proven depth.
16. Iowa State | Facing a brutal uphill climb under a new coaching staff tasked with replacing 100% of their starting production.
Zack
1. BYU | The Cougars have a lot of solid depth, and they are led by Bruce Mitchell, a preseason All-Big 12 pick. BYU’s offense is loaded, and the guys in the trenches will play a huge role in their College Football Playoff hopes this season.
2. Texas Tech | The Red Raiders expect to repeat as Big 12 Champs, and this group is a big reason why. Howard Sampson and Sheridan Wilson both made the All-Big 12 Third Team last season, and they are both preseason All-Big 12 selections for this season
3. Cincinnati | The Bearcats also tout two preseason All-Big 12 selections in Evan Tengesdahl and Joe Cotton. Taran Tyo started every game last season, and Xavier Lozowicki played in all games but the season opener. There’s a lot of experience in this group.
4. Houston
5. TCU
6. Kansas State
7. West Virginia
8. Arizona
9. Oklahoma State
10. Arizona State
11. Colorado
12. Utah
13. UCF
14. Baylor
15. Kansas | Zack believes Kansas has enough returning pieces to potentially outperform the ranking, but the Jayhawks have major questions along the offensive line.
16. Iowa State | Zack is concerned about a unit that is essentially starting from scratch, with four transfers projected to start and the lone returning player having primarily contributed on special teams last season.
Where the Three Rankings Agree
The most important thing about a consensus ranking isn’t simply the final order. It’s identifying where the voters see the same thing.
And there is significant agreement at the very top.
Texas Tech is the most consistent elite pick
Texas Tech is the only team ranked inside the top four by all three voters.
Caleb has the Red Raiders third. Matt has them fourth. Zack has them second.
That makes Texas Tech the most stable high-end selection on the board, and it ultimately gives the Red Raiders the No. 1 consensus ranking with 42 points.
There is a good reason for that consistency. Texas Tech combines proven talent, strong tackle play and returning All-Big 12-caliber performers. Even when the three voters disagree about which team is best, they agree that the Red Raiders belong in the championship-level conversation.
TCU is another strong consensus
TCU finishes fifth with 33 points after receiving rankings of eighth from Caleb and fifth from both Matt and Zack.
That’s important because there isn’t a single dramatic outlier driving the Horned Frogs’ position. All three voters view TCU as a legitimate upper-tier offensive line.
Kansas is unanimously near the bottom
Kansas doesn’t receive a single top-half ranking.
Caleb has the Jayhawks 16th, Zack has them 15th and Matt has them 11th.
Where the Rankings Are Furthest Apart
This is where the exercise gets particularly interesting.
Iowa State: 2nd to 16th
No team generated a larger disagreement.
Caleb ranks Iowa State second.
Matt ranks the Cyclones 16th.
Zack also ranks them 16th.
That’s a remarkable 14-position spread.
Caleb’s evaluation is based heavily on continuity and the Cyclones’ reputation for developing offensive linemen. Matt and Zack, however, are looking at the current roster and see a team that has undergone an almost complete reconstruction up front.
The consensus lands Iowa State at No. 11, but that number masks one of the most significant disagreements in the entire exercise.
If Caleb is right, Iowa State could be one of the Big 12’s best offensive lines.
If Matt and Zack are right, the Cyclones could have one of the conference’s biggest weaknesses.
That’s a storyline worth watching immediately.
Houston: 3rd to 12th
Houston is another fascinating disagreement.
Matt ranks the Cougars third, while Zack has them fourth. Caleb, however, puts them all the way down at 12th.
That produces a consensus No. 6 ranking.
Matt’s optimism is based on the interior strength of the unit and Shadre Hurst. Zack sees enough experience to make Houston a legitimate top-four group.
Caleb clearly isn’t buying the same level of upside.
Cincinnati: 1st to 9th
Cincinnati produces perhaps the most surprising consensus result.
Matt has the Bearcats first.
Zack has them third.
Caleb has them ninth.
That gives Cincinnati 38 points and a tie for third overall.
The Bearcats’ consensus position is a great example of how a team can rank highly even without universal agreement. Two voters see a potential elite offensive line, while the third remains much more cautious.
West Virginia: 7th to 15th
Zack is considerably higher on West Virginia than the other two voters.
He ranks the Mountaineers seventh, compared with 12th for Matt and 15th for Caleb.
That eight-position range suggests West Virginia could be one of the more interesting teams to watch early in the season. If the newcomers gel quickly, Zack’s evaluation could look prescient. If the lack of continuity becomes a problem, Caleb’s skepticism may prove justified.
The Consensus Tiers
The voting also reveals several natural groups.
Tier 1: The Championship Contenders
1. Texas Tech
2. BYU
T-3. Kansas State
T-3. Cincinnati
These four teams separated themselves from the rest of the conference.
Texas Tech is the most universally respected. BYU received two top-two votes. Kansas State received Caleb’s No. 1 vote. Cincinnati received Matt’s No. 1 vote and Zack’s No. 3 vote.
There is no single overwhelming favorite, but these four have the strongest cases to be considered the Big 12’s offensive line elite.
Tier 2: The Upper-Middle Class
5. TCU
6. Houston
7. Utah
8. Arizona State
These teams aren’t far removed from the top group.
TCU, in particular, shows impressive consensus, while Houston’s position reflects one of the biggest philosophical differences among the voters.
Tier 3: The Uncertain Middle
T-9. Baylor
T-9. Arizona
11. Iowa State
T-12. West Virginia
13. Oklahoma State
This is where preseason projections become particularly difficult.
There are legitimate arguments for movement in either direction. Iowa State is the obvious wild card because of the enormous disagreement surrounding the unit.
Tier 4: The Biggest Questions
14. Colorado
15. UCF
16. Kansas
These teams enter the season with more concerns than the groups above them, particularly regarding depth and proven production.
What the Consensus Tells Us
Perhaps the biggest takeaway is that there isn’t a dominant offensive line in the Big 12 in the same way there might be at some other positions.
Instead, there is a cluster of teams with legitimate claims.
Texas Tech comes out on top because all three voters view the Red Raiders as elite. BYU is only one point behind, making the Cougars essentially a co-favorite. Kansas State and Cincinnati then form an intriguing tie for third.
And that tie says something important.
The Big 12’s offensive line race is wide open.
There is no overwhelming gap between the top four. Different evaluators are prioritizing different things: returning starters, recruiting, development, preseason honors, physicality, depth and continuity.
That makes the offensive line one of the most fascinating position battles to monitor throughout the 2026 season.
For Texas Tech and BYU, the challenge will be proving that preseason talent translates against the conference’s best defensive fronts.
For Kansas State, it will be about maintaining the consistency that has made the Wildcats one of the conference’s most dependable programs up front.
For Cincinnati, the question is whether the experience Matt and Zack see can elevate the Bearcats into genuine championship contention.
And for Iowa State, the stakes may be even higher.
The Cyclones are either a dramatically underrated veteran unit, as Caleb believes, or a massive rebuilding project, as Matt and Zack believe.
By November, we’ll know which version of these rankings was closest to reality.
For now, the consensus is clear: Texas Tech has the Big 12’s best offensive line entering 2026, but the margin between the Red Raiders and the teams chasing them is razor thin.