The Big 12 conference has been struggling to keep up with its Power conference counterparts in the College Football Playoff (CFP) format. Since the introduction of the 12-team CFP in 2014, the Big 12 has only produced two teams, both of which were conference champions, and has yet to secure a national championship. This is in stark contrast to the Big Ten, SEC, and ACC, which have all produced multiple national champions in the same period. ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) provides an interesting insight into the Big 12's current standing and its prospects for the future.
The FPI rankings show that the Big 12 has only two teams in the top 25, with five more in the top 40. This is a stark contrast to the SEC, which has nearly half of its teams in the top 25, and the Big Ten, which has seven teams in the top 25. The ACC, meanwhile, has three teams in the top 25, including Miami in the top 10. This disparity highlights the challenge the Big 12 faces in competing with the other Power conferences.
One interesting observation is that the Big 12 has a top-heavy league, with only nine teams having a 60% chance or better of winning six games and becoming bowl eligible. This suggests that the conference may be struggling to develop consistent winning programs across the board. The FPI rankings also show that only three Big 12 schools have better than a 10% chance of making the CFP this year, with Texas Tech leading the way at 57.9%.
The Big 12's struggles are further emphasized when compared to the other Power conferences. The SEC has 12 schools with better than a 10% chance of making the CFP, the Big Ten has seven, and the ACC has four. This disparity highlights the challenge the Big 12 faces in competing with the other Power conferences for national titles and CFP bids.
However, the Big 12 does have some opportunities to improve its standing in the 2026 regular season, with 13 games against other Power conference programs. This provides an opportunity for the conference to showcase its talent and improve its perception. Nevertheless, the Big 12 will need to make significant strides to catch up with the other Power conferences and secure a national championship in the future.
