The Big 12 went through almost 100 versions of its 2025 football schedule before settling on the final edition.
The (unofficial) Over/Under was 150.
After all, crafting a nine-game schedule for 16 teams spread across four time zones with fixed opponent rotations, pre-existing non-conference contracts and a desire for competitive balance is hardly easy.
Before we plunge into the weeds of the schedule revealed Tuesday morning — the breakdown below is for junkies — here are three reminders:
1. In the fall of 2023, the Big 12 set a four-year schedule matrix for both opponents and locations. Only the order of games for each particular season was unknown.
2. Kickoff times for early-season matchups and special date games will be announced in the spring. Also, several games currently set for Saturday could be moved to Friday.
3. A completely fair and balanced schedule is impossible whether it’s the Big 12 or Big Ten, the SEC or ACC.
The job of the conference office is to limit the instances of competitive disadvantages to the greatest extent possible.
Having written extensively about scheduling malpractice in the former Pac-12, the Hotline has developed a keen eye for egregious situations.
In our view, the Big 12’s schedule fits easily into a reasonable range.
Here we go …
— The 2025 competition calendar provides 14 weeks of regular-season play, giving each team two byes.
However, two Big 12 teams will have three byes: Kansas State and Iowa State open the season Aug. 23 in Dublin, Ireland in the first Week 0 conference game in Big 12 history.
As a result, the Wildcats and Cyclones have three in-season byes.
— Each of the former Pac-12 schools (and Brigham Young) plays a road game in Texas, which has become increasingly vital recruiting terrain now that they aren’t playing regularly in California.
Arizona State and Utah will visit Baylor; Arizona heads to Houston; Brigham Young makes the trip to Texas Tech; and Colorado gets a Lone Star State double dip with games at Houston and TCU.
— Several rivalry games will be played in the middle of the season, including the Holy War: Utah visits Brigham Young on Oct. 18, the same day TCU and Baylor collide. And the Sunflower Showdown matching Kansas and Kansas State is set for Oct. 25.
(The Territorial Cup in Tempe is unchanged from its usual position on the Friday or Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend.)
The October dates could rankle fans who prefer their rivalries at the end of the season. But practicality trumps tradition in the era of conference realignment, and the Big 12 must find optimal spots for its best inventory.
The Holy War has been played at the end of the regular season just once in the past 15 years. If slotted into that window in 2025, the showdown would get buried in the TV ratings game by SEC and Big Ten rivalries.
But Week 8 offers relatively light competition for the Fox and ABC/ESPN broadcast windows: Ohio State plays Wisconsin, Oregon faces Rutgers, USC visits Notre Dame (on NBC) and Texas plays Kentucky.
The Big 12’s rivalry games could have prime windows available.
— Arizona State, the defending conference champion, should be largely satisfied with its schedule.
The Sun Devils have well-placed byes (Weeks 6 and 11), play back-to-back home games in the middle of the season and don’t travel to the Eastern Time Zone.
The only tricky assignment comes late: ASU hosts West Virginia on Nov. 15, then visits Colorado on the penultimate Saturday. The Buffaloes will be coming off a bye.
— Arizona faces a similar situation: The Wildcats host Kansas on Nov. 8, then make the long trip to Cincinnati the following week. The Bearcats will have been resting for two weeks.
— Utah and Brigham Young have serious challenges the week after the Holy War. The Cougars visit Iowa State, while the Utes host Colorado.
However, the Buffaloes will have two weeks to prepare — a sneaky-tough assignment for Utah after the most emotional game of its season.
— Only one team opens conference play with two consecutive road games: Texas Tech heads to Utah (Week 4) and Houston (Week 6), but at least the Red Raiders have a bye in between.
— TCU has the earliest bye (Week 2), which is the result of the Horned Frogs’ non-conference schedule. Colorado has the latest bye: The Buffaloes don’t have a break until Week 8.
— Five teams play back-to-back road games without a bye in between: Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Oklahoma State and TCU. All five are located in the Central Time Zone, and none of them cross more than one time zone for either of the road games.
— Lastly, there are nine instances in which a team plays on the road against an opponent that’s coming off a bye — perhaps the most challenging logistical assignment in the sport (and a distinct competitive disadvantage for the visitor).
However, only one school draws that menacing task twice: West Virginia.
The Mountaineers visit Kansas early in the season, when the Jayhawks have an extra week to prepare, and they travel to Arizona State in mid-November, when the Sun Devils will be fresh from a week off.
Adding to West Virginia’s overall challenge: a Friday road game at Brigham Young.
Long trips on short weeks are not easy.
Otherwise, the Big 12 did a commendable job spreading the schedule pain equally.
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