Big 12 Football Championship Odds for 2026: Where Do Kansas Jayhawks Stand?

Kansas is viewed as a long shot to win the Big 12 title entering the 2026 season, according to new odds.

Nov 8, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Lance Leipold against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As the Kansas football program prepares for the post-Jalon Daniels era, nobody really knows what to expect from the 2026 Jayhawks. While they return some key pieces and have talented skill-position players, the roster is still lacking in several areas.

Following consecutive 5-7 finishes in Lawrence, KU is looking to not only get back to a bowl game, but prove the past two seasons were more of an anomaly than anything. A good portion of those losses can be attributed to poor decision-making from the coaching staff rather than a significant talent disparity on the field.

Some people believe the Jayhawks can return to their winning ways, but it's hard to blame anyone who is skeptical entering the season. That skepticism is reflected in Polymarket's recently released Big 12 championship odds. Here's where Kansas ranks among the conference's 16 teams.

Polymarket's Big 12 Championship Odds

1. Texas Tech (50%)
2. BYU (14%)
3. Utah (10%)
4. Oklahoma State (7%)
5. Houston (6%)
6. Kansas State (6%)
7. TCU (6%)
8. Arizona (4%)
9. Arizona State (4%)
10. UCF (4%)
11. Kansas (3%)
12. West Virginia (3%)
13. Baylor (2%)
14. Cincinnati (2%)
15. Colorado (2%)
16. Iowa State (2%)

Texas Tech is the overwhelming favorite, with a one-in-two chance to win the Big 12 crown. No other school is given even a 15% chance, according to Polymarket's odds.

Kansas is tied with West Virginia for 11th at just 3%, meaning oddsmakers view the Jayhawks as a long shot to contend for the conference title.

Even if Lance Leipold's squad exceeds expectations, the schedule doesn't do them many favors. Conference play begins in Week 3 with a trip to Wembley Stadium in London to face Arizona State. Later in the year, KU also has difficult road games at Utah and Kansas State before closing the regular season against BYU and Oklahoma State.

Winning the Big 12 isn't something any reasonable Jayhawk fan expects in 2026. At this point, the goal is simply to put out a competitive team and avoid letting another handful of winnable games slip away because of late-game mistakes from the coaching staff.