Well, it’s officially that time of year when we start counting the days until college football is back and obsessively checking game times, networks, and matchups like our lives depend on it. On Tuesday, the Big 12 dropped a massive batch of early-season TV selections, and let me say it’s got a little something for everyone.
The biggest thing? This is the debut year for the Big 12’s new media deal, which brings ESPN and FOX back to the table and introduces a new player: TNT Sports. Yep, starting this fall, you’ll be seeing Big 12 football not just on the usual channels but also on TNT and their streaming platform, Max. Things are getting…interesting.
Let’s talk about Week Zero first because, wow. Iowa State and Kansas State are headed across the pond to play in Dublin, Ireland, in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. The first-ever international Big 12 game, by the way. That game kicks off at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN, and it’s wild to imagine Big 12 fans waking up early for some coffee and Guinness. Who knows. Either way, it’s gonna be cool.
That same Saturday (August 23), Kansas hosts Fresno State in the newly renovated David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium at 5:30 p.m. CT on FOX: new stadium, new vibes.
The opening weekend also brings a *ton* of Thursday and Friday games. UCF, Oklahoma State, and Houston are all getting things started early on ESPN Thursday night (Aug. 28), with matchups that let’s be honest—aren’t super sexy but still fun if you’re just thrilled to see the football back.
But Friday, August 29? That’s a little more juicy. Kansas plays Wagner at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN+, and then it’s Auburn at Baylor at 7 p.m. on FOX. That one’s a must-watch SEC vs. Big 12, new season, early fireworks.
Saturday, August 30, is the official grand opening of the college football buffet. We’ve got West Virginia vs. Robert Morris, South Dakota taking on Iowa State, and Arizona playing host to Hawaii on TNT and Max at 7:30 p.m. MST. Honestly, if you’re a Big 12 fan, cancel all your plans. Stock up on snacks and keep the remote close because you’ll be flipping around all day.
Also worth pointing out, Stanford at BYU on Sept. 6 (8:15 p.m. MT on ESPN) feels like one of those low-key awesome games that could end up as a thriller. Plus, Arizona vs. Weber State and Army at Kansas State are tucked into that same Saturday lineup.
The schedule this year is leaning into the Friday night lights energy—big time. You’ve got Colorado at Houston on Sept. 12 and Kansas State at Arizona later that same night. Then there’s Tulsa at Oklahoma State (Sept. 19), TCU at Arizona State (Sept. 26), and West Virginia at BYU on Oct. 3, which kicks at 10:30 p.m. ET so grab some coffee.
These Friday games might not please every coach (looking at you, traditionalists), but for fans? Not bad. It stretches the weekend just a little longer, and who doesn’t want more football?
Looking ahead, the Big 12 Championship is locked in for Dec. 6 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington (11 a.m. CT on ABC), but before we get there, don’t sleep on rivalry weekend.
Utah plays Kansas on Black Friday morning (Nov. 28), and that’s gonna be spicy. Also, that day, we’ve got the Arizona-Arizona State showdown on FOX. No time slot yet, but we know that one always delivers drama, especially now that it’s a Big 12 game. Still getting used to that.
All in all, this Big 12 schedule feels fresh. The TNT and Max additions are a shakeup. Some folks are gonna need to figure out how to stream Max on their smart TVs (hint: maybe do that before kickoff). But it feels like the conference is leaning into this new 16-team identity, big matchups, a mix of traditional and new rivalries, and a spotlight that stretches beyond just ESPN and FOX.
There are still plenty of games to be scheduled with the usual 12-day or 6-day notice windows, so this isn’t the full picture yet. But what we’ve got already is enough to get excited, confused, and maybe slightly overwhelmed.
