Full Breakdown
BYU vs Texas Tech: Divergent Forecasts for the 2026 Big 12 Season
8/13/2026, 11:35:21 AM
Podcast Preview and Analysts
During the preseason “talking season,” the national college-football podcast The Audible released a Big 12 preview featuring analysts Bruce Feldman, Stewart Mandel, and Ralph Russo. The three provided competing outlooks for the upcoming campaign, focusing on the matchup between the Brigham Young Cougars and the Texas Tech Red Raiders.
Contrasting Win Projections
Feldman and Russo aligned in their optimism for Texas Tech, each projecting the Red Raiders to secure at least 11 victories and describing the team as possessing “by far” the strongest roster in the conference. Their assessment placed BYU as a nine-win program, citing a sizable talent gap between the schools.
Mandel offered the opposite view. He forecast Texas Tech finishing 9-3, arguing that the ongoing Brendan Sorsby situation would negatively affect the Red Raiders’ locker room. Conversely, Mandel predicted BYU would achieve 11 wins and contend for the Big 12 title, positioning the Cougars as the conference’s top contender.
Implications for the Conference Race
If Feldman and Russo’s projections hold, Texas Tech would emerge as a leading conference favorite, potentially shaping the Big 12 championship picture. Mandel’s scenario, however, would elevate BYU to the forefront, suggesting a tighter race and a possible shift in preseason expectations for other league members.
Commentary Context
The analysis reflects opinion commentary from a single podcast episode rather than established statistical modeling. As such, the forecasts represent the individual judgments of the three analysts and should be understood as speculative projections for the 2026 season.
