On Tuesday, the Big 12 football timetable for the 2024 season was released, marking the conference’s inaugural season with a 16-team line-up. The inclusion of four Pac-12 programsโArizona, Arizona State, Utah, and Coloradoโand the departure of Texas and Oklahoma for the SEC this summer marked this magnificent transition, which resulted from broad sport realignments. Additionally, since 2022, the Big 12 roster has expanded to include BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF. The Buffaloes from Colorado, an original Big 12 member from 1996โ2010, participate in the expansion that culminates in a 16-school headcount.
Late 2023 ushered in the release of an opponent matrix through 2027. The Big 12โs member schools can expect to have numerous interactions on the football field. Even though the Big 12 only maintains four annual gamesโBYU-Utah, Arizona-Arizona State, TCU-Baylor, and Kansas-Kansas Stateโit is the fewest of any power conference. The “Holy War” contest between the Cougars and Utes is being recognized as a conference matchup after a decade since both in-state rivals were in the Mountain West.
The 2024 Big 12 football schedule carries a few anomalies due to shifting conference dynamics. Utah’s Week 2 local game against Baylor and Kansas State’s Week 3 local match against Arizona do not count in the Big 12 standings. These games were previously scheduled for non-conference matchups before Utah and the Sun Devils joined the league. It is also worth noting that Kansas will host games outside their campus due to significant refurbishment undertakings at Memorial Stadium; this includes the Big 12 home games due to be played at the Kansas City Chiefs Arrowhead Stadium.
Finally, the two most successful teams in the Big 12 ranking are set to compete for the conference championship at Arlington, Texas AT&T Stadium on December 7. As recently crowned conference champion Texas exits, the Big 12 is set to announce a fifth new champion in five years. Amid all the rapid shifts, there are four teamsโKansas State (2003, 2022), Baylor (2013, co-2014, 2021), Oklahoma State (2011), and TCU (co-2014)โwith credit for having previously won a Big 12 football title.
As we edge closer to witnessing the grand spectacle that is the Big 12 football schedule in 2024, fans, players, and coaches alike are consumed with a singular focus: emerging victorious in the hallowed championship game where legends are born and legacies are cemented. Keep a vigilant eye on the schedule, settle the bets, and prepare for the gripping journey as the quest for the Big 12 championship unfolds.
In the realm of college football, few things are certain, but one thing is for sureโthe Big 12 football schedule is the crucible where champions are made, and with the roar of the crowd and the smell of the turf, December 7 can’t come soon enough.
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