Ranking the top rivalries in the Big 12: Does Texas Tech still have a rival?

One unfortunate byproduct of the conference realignment saga has been the loss of numerous traditional rivalries across the country. Texas Tech football fans are all too familiar with that reality.

With both Texas A&M and Texas now in the SEC, the Red Raiders have lost their primary in-state rivalries. That's certainly made for some hard feelings in West Texas and left the football calendar lacking the type of annual hatred that fuels the sport.

Meanwhile, other Big 12 rivalries have been impacted as well. For instance, Kansas and Missouri's "Border War", which dates back to 1891, hasn't been played since 2011 because of the Tigers' leaving the Big 12 for the SEC.

For years, Oklahoma and Nebraska were conference rivals. The series between those two rivals has meant quite a bit for the sport and produced a number of memorable moments but the Sooners and Cornhuskers have only played twice since 2010.

Speaking of Oklahoma, their annual "Bedlam" game with Oklahoma State is now in jeopardy with the Sooners' move to the SEC. That rivalry dates back to 1904 but is on hold for the foreseeable future now that the two schools will be in different conferences.

Perhaps no conference in the nation has seen more important and entertaining rivalries impacted by conference realignment. However, there are still some fun series that remain alive in the Big 12. Let's look at the five best rivalries the conference has to offer.

No. 5: Texas Tech vs. Baylor

Sure, Texas Tech's series with Baylor doesn't carry the type of angst for either team that rivalries with Texas or A&M once held. However, this is still a historic rivalry that is one of the oldest continually-played series in the Big 12.

The two schools have met on the gridiron every year since 1956 with Baylor leading all-time, 41-40-1. Unfortunately, though, this is not one of the rivalries that the Big 12 chose to protect when it expanded so in 2025, the string of 68 straight years for this rivalry will end.

Still, this game means something to both fan bases and given that each has lost Texas and A&M as rivals, this series will take on even greater significance for the fans of the Red Raiders and Bears. It is also a contrast in cultures with the large state institution taking on the small private Christian school, ingredients that make for plenty of contrast and contrast makes for good rivalries.

As the new Big 12 moves forward, mid-tier rivalries will take on greater importance, and Baylor and Texas Tech could be one that picks up steam in the absence of other rivalries for each school. So while this long-running series won't grab the nation's attention, it is one to watch because it could become a rather contentious affair in the coming years.

No. 4: Kansas State vs. Kansas

The "Sunflower Showdown" between Kansas and Kansas State checks in at No. 4 on our list. It is a series that carries a ton of weight in Kansas but only recently has it become competitive on the football field. Played since 1902, the series lead belongs to Kansas 65-51-5.

What makes this rivalry from being even more intriguing is that for long swaths of time, one of the two programs has been so terrible that the series hasn't been intriguing. That isn't all Kansas' fault, either.

There was a time when Kansas State was the laughingstock of college football, not Kansas. In fact, from 1956-1988 (1988 was the final year before Bill Snyder took over at as Kansas State head coach), the Jayhawks went 25-6-2 against KU.

The tables soon flipped with Kansas taking on the role of the worst program in the nation. In fact, KSU has won the last 15 games in the series and has gone 27-4 since 1993.

Now, though, both programs are on stable footing and this could become a rivalry that is intriguing for the first time in over 50 years. If both teams continue on their current trajectory, this could be one of the better rivalries in the new Big 12.

No. 3: Kansas State vs. Iowa State

"Farmageddon" is one of the most clever rivalry names in college football. The series between Kansas State and Iowa State, which dates back to 1917 is also one of the most even rivalries in the Big 12 with the Cyclones leading 53-50-4.

However, this has been a series featuring long winning streaks. For instance, from 1994-2003 and 2008-17, Kansas State rattled off ten wins in a row. That's the same number of wins ISU rolled to consecutively from 1943-52.

This game was played in 1918 during the Spanish Flu, during both World Wars, and even during COVID-19. However, it won't be able to survive Big 12 realignment as it is not going to be protected by the conference meaning that the series that has been played every year for 106 seasons will have its first break in 2027. That's a shame given how long this series has been running.

No. 2: Arizona vs. Arizona State

Playing annually for the Territorial Cup, Arizona and Arizona State have a great in-state rivalry and it is one that is protected by the Big 12. The series dates back to 1899 and all-time, Arizona holds a 51-45-1 lead.

Arizona State became a four-year school in 1925. Since then, the only years that this rivalry was not played were 1938-40 and 1943-45.

What's interesting is that Arizona can attribute its series lead to the era prior to the start of WWII. From 1902-1937, the Wildcats went 15-1 against their in-state foes.

In the modern era, Arizona State has had the edge. This century, the Sun Devils are 15-9 overall. However, ASU has dropped the last two games in the series.

No. 1: BYU vs. Utah

The coolest name for a rivalry in the Big 12, and one of the coolest in the nation is the "Holy War" between BYU and Utah. That's only one reason why it is the best series in the Big 12, though.

The dislike between these two schools is not hard to understand. Battling for state bragging rights, one school (Utah) is a large state institution and the other is a private religious institution with a massive national following. Thus, the cultural contrast between the two makes for plenty of sizzle.

The rivalry can be traced back to 1896. All-time, Utah leads 59-32-4.

However, most of Utah's lead is due to the early years of this series. In fact, from 1896-1941, Utah went 18-0-3 before BYU finally broke through in 1941.

These rivalries will help shape the Big 12 moving forward. What's more, new rivalries are sure to be born as new bunkmates in the conference square off and fan bases become acquainted with each other. But for now, these are the best rivalries the conference has to offer.