Big 12 post-spring rankings: Who benefits most from Texas Tech uncertainty?

The Big 12 race has taken on a different feel with the news this month that high-profile Texas Tech transfer Brendan Sorsby has taken an indefinite leave of absence to enter a treatment program for a gambling addiction. An active NCAA investigation into bets he made at Indiana and Cincinnati could cost Sorsby his final year of eligibility. Even if the Red Raiders remain the Big 12 favorites, Sorsby was viewed as the missing piece that could lead them deeper into the College Football Playoff.

POWER RANKINGS AFTER SPRING: Big Ten | SEC Teams that stand to gain from Sorsby’s absence are BYU , Houston and Utah, which come in just behind Tech in the USA TODAY Sports post-spring conference power rankings. The Cougars lost twice to the Red Raiders in 2025, including in the Big 12 title game, but have the pieces and experience to leap to the top of the league standings and book a playoff berth. Here’s how the conference shakes out coming out of the spring: 1.

Texas Tech (12-2) Tech’s national outlook changed dramatically with the questions around Sorsby. Will Hammond, the expected backup quarterback, is expected to miss at least the first few weeks of the regular season as he continues his recovery from a torn ACL. Without Sorsby, the result is a team that’s good enough to win the conference for the second year in a row but not one that’s built to go any deeper into the playoff.

2. BYU (12-2) BYU stands poised to take advantage of any slide from the Red Raiders. While finding new production at wide receiver to support sophomore quarterback Bear Bachmeier will remain a key task heading into the summer and fall camp, the Cougars might’ve found a new top target in Oregon transfer Kyler Kasper, who had a strong spring.