The Big 12 conference has revealed the upcoming football matchups for the 2024-2027 seasons, symbolizing a fresh start for the conference. With Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah joining in from the defunct Pac-12, alongside BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, and Houston, the Big 12 will expand to become a 16-team conference. Notably, Texas and Oklahoma have departed for the SEC.
In terms of the schedule, the Big 12 will feature nine conference games and will establish new annual rivalries to fill the void left by the Texas-OU matchup. When designing the schedule, the conference prioritizes factors such as geography, historic matchups, rivalries, and competitive balance. Each team is ensured to play against every other team at least once, both at home and away. Some matchups will span across three seasons, while others will extend over four. However, the specific schedule details will be disclosed at a later date.
Interestingly, Colorado, a previous member of the Big 12, will be making a return to the conference after their departure to the Pac-12 in 2010. Notably, the Big 12 will align with the Big Ten in playing nine conference games, while the SEC and ACC will stick to eight conference games. Moreover, the addition of Utah will revive the intense rivalry with BYU, while Arizona and Arizona State will bring their Territorial Cup rivalry into the conference. As for the remaining games, they will consist of non-conference matchups.