Until the past two seasons, the discussion about the Big 12 title race was about who was going to face Oklahoma in the championship game. However, it was Baylor and Kansas State taking home championships with the Sooners still being present, and TCU advanced to the College Football Playoff last season.
This is the final league campaign for Oklahoma and rival Texas before their departure to the SEC. But before then, four new teams are added to the Big 12 mix this season – Brigham Young, Central Florida, Cincinnati and Houston – creating a 14-team league that may be short on playoff contenders and big on competitive balance.