There was plenty of parity in Big 12 football during the 2024 season.
Four teams tied atop the league standings with a 7-2 record.
Three other programs were only one game back in conference play.
A total of nine Big 12 schools ended up playing in the postseason.
Going into 2025, there could be another year where parity reigns in the league.
While schools like Arizona State and Iowa State are expected to contend for a conference crown — one year after the two teams met in the Big 12 title game — there are other schools like Utah and Oklahoma State that could shake off poor seasons and challenge for conference supremacy.
What will that mean for the conference race this season, and what games might determine success — or at the very least progress — for teams across the league?
Here’s a look at the most critical two- to three-game stretch for each Big 12 team this season.
Arizona Wildcats
- Oct. 18 — at Houston
- Nov. 1 — at Colorado
Arizona, which is coming off a trying 4-8 campaign, will have five road games in Big 12 play to only four home games. This will be the only time all year that the Wildcats hit the road for back-to-back contests.
If Arizona is able to win one or both of these games, it would create some momentum going into the final month of the season.
The Wildcats only won once on the road in Big 12 play last season. If they want to be more competitive in their second year in the league, Arizona needs to find ways to be in — and win — games like these.
Arizona State Sun Devils
- Sept. 20 — at Baylor
- Sept. 26 — vs. TCU
- Oct. 11 — at Utah
The Sun Devils will begin the defense of their Big 12 championship with a bang.
First up is a road trip to Baylor, then a home game against TCU — both of these squads were among the hottest teams in the league by the end of the regular season last year after slow starts. Then there’s a road matchup against a more familiar opponent, Utah.
While Arizona State could win all three and get a leg up in the conference race, there’s the potential for the Sun Devils to lose one or two as well.
There is a home game against Texas Tech and a road matchup at Iowa State later in the year, combining for arguably one of the toughest Big 12 schedules this season.
Arizona State will be tested this year as it tries to make a return to the College Football Playoff.
Baylor Bears
- Sept. 20 — vs. Arizona State
- Sept. 27 — at Oklahoma State
- Oct. 4 — vs. Kansas State
Like Arizona State, the Bears will have some of their toughest Big 12 contests right out of the gate in conference play — and that includes hosting the Sun Devils.
If Baylor can get off to a strong start, though, it could pay major dividends at the end, when the Bears play three of their four November games at home.
Baylor got off to a slow start to last year, falling to 2-4 before a six-game winning streak got the Bears within one game of finishing in a tie atop the Big 12 standings.
Start better, and the Bears could find themselves making a run at the Big 12 crown this go-round.
BYU Cougars
- Oct. 18 — vs. Utah
- Oct. 25 — at Iowa State
- Nov. 8 — at Texas Tech
There is a difficult month’s worth of games here, when you add in that BYU hosts TCU after this stretch on Nov. 15. The Horned Frogs have won five straight against the Cougars.
Last year’s BYU-Utah game added lore to an already bitter rivalry while ending in controversial fashion, and this season’s matchup in Provo could very well be another thriller in mid-October.
BYU’s hopes to take the next step and reach the Big 12 championship may lie with finding success on the road in back-to-back games against the Cyclones and Red Raiders, though at least there is a bye week between the two matchups.
The Cougars looked like they were in solid position to reach the conference championship game last season after starting 9-0, but back-to-back losses in November spoiled that dream.
The front half of the schedule shapes up well for BYU to be in league contention yet again if the Cougars’ veteran lineup can take advantage.
Cincinnati Bearcats
- Oct. 18 — at Oklahoma State
- Oct. 25 — vs. Baylor
- Nov. 1 — at Utah
The Bearcats only play four road games in conference action this year, and this is the only time Cincinnati will play two road games in a three-week span.
Last season, the Bearcats lost three away from Cincinnati during a five-game losing streak to end the year as they came up one win short of becoming bowl eligible.
Cincinnati is likely to be the underdog against both Baylor and Utah — and perhaps in all three of these games — but even going 1-2 in this stretch might be enough to become bowl eligible.
Colorado Buffaloes
- Sept. 27 — vs. BYU
- Oct. 4 — at TCU
- Oct. 11 — vs. Iowa State
With how much turnover there is on Colorado’s roster this year and with guys like Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders off to the NFL, the Buffaloes’ ability to contend again in the Big 12 this year will be questioned.
This stretch of games gives Colorado the opportunity to show it can be a factor in the league race again — or it could be the start of a slide. The Buffaloes will also get a shot for some revenge against the Cougars, who beat them in the Alamo Bowl last year.
At least Colorado will host two of these three games, before hitting the road again for a difficult road trip to Utah.
If Colorado is able to beat either BYU and/or Iowa State at home, though, that could spark another run. Both the Cougars and Cyclones are expected to be Big 12 contenders this year.
Houston Cougars
- Oct. 18 — vs. Arizona
- Oct. 25 — at Arizona State
- Nov. 1 — vs. West Virginia
Houston had some competitive moments last year in its second season in the Big 12, but the Cougars are still looking to establish some consistent play at the power conference level.
This stretch could provide a platform to make that happen.
Home games against Arizona and West Virginia in a three-game span — against two teams where expectations are low going into 2025 — gives Houston the chance to build some momentum going into the final month of the regular season.
The road game at Arizona State also allows the Cougars to see how they stack up against what is expected to be one of the league’s best teams this season.
Iowa State Cyclones
- Oct. 25 — vs. BYU
- Nov. 1 — vs. Arizona State
The Cyclones, who return several key contributors from last season outside of their top two wide receivers, are expected to contend for the league crown this year, especially if their small transfer class pans out.
The schedule makers also smiled on Iowa State with a more favorable league slate.
The Cyclones play three of their final five games of the regular season at home, beginning with this pair of games. Both BYU and Arizona State are projected to be Big 12 contenders this year, but getting these matchups at Jack Trice Stadium should help.
After opening the year against Kansas State in a neutral-site game in Ireland, this pair of contests will set the tone for November for the Cyclones.
Plus, Iowa State gets another shot at Arizona State after losing to the Sun Devils 45-19 in last year’s Big 12 championship game.
Kansas Jayhawks
- Sept. 20 — vs. West Virginia
- Sept. 27 — vs. Cincinnati
- Oct. 4 — at UCF
The Jayhawks have a unique Big 12 schedule — unlike any of the other 15 teams, Kansas will play two straight at home, followed by two in a row on the road, then repeat that process again before a home finale against Utah.
Kansas’ 2024 season was undone by a 1-5 start. Even though the Jayhawks were able to rally and win four of their final six games, including three straight against top 25 teams, they fell short of becoming bowl eligible.
This year, if Kansas can get off to a strong start to Big 12 play — and these three games all look winnable — perhaps the Jayhawks can factor into the Big 12 race like they were expected to last season.
Kansas State Wildcats
- Nov. 15 — at Oklahoma State
- Nov. 22 — at Utah
The Wildcats’ season opener against Iowa State in Dublin, Ireland, on Aug. 23 will set the tone for a program that’s been one of the Big 12’s most consistent and should again factor into the league race.
This pair of games, though, provides its own unique challenges.
Kansas State has stumbled in November the last couple of years — they went 1-3 during November in 2024 and 2-2 the season prior.
Also, both of these road games come against programs who had a rough 2024 but are historically one of the most difficult to face, especially on the road.
The Wildcats will again be tested in November. If they hold up to the challenge, they could find themselves back in a New Year’s Six bowl for the first time since 2022, or perhaps even more.
Oklahoma State Cowboys
- Oct. 25 — at Texas Tech
- Nov. 1 — at Kansas
One year after everything fell apart for the Cowboys, Mike Gundy has the challenge of making Oklahoma State feared again in the Big 12.
After a relatively favorable schedule to begin league play, wins in one or both of these two road games could not only have the Cowboys back in bowl contention but help them factor into the conference race.
Oklahoma State has dominated its series with Kansas in recent years, winning 13 of the past 14 dating back to 2010.
That game could be a lynchpin for the Cowboys making headlines at the end of 2025 — and not in a negative way like last season.
TCU Horned Frogs
- Sept. 26 — at Arizona State
- Oct. 4 — vs. Colorado
- Oct. 11 — at Kansas State
The Horned Frogs came on strong at the end of last season, winning six of their final seven games, including a blowout bowl victory.
If TCU wants to be a player in the Big 12 race this year, the Horned Frogs will need to come out firing — and they’ll have the platform to do so with road games at ASU and Kansas State sandwiched around a home game against Colorado.
There’s also a home game against Baylor (Oct. 18) that follows these three games.
If TCU comes out of that stretch with a winning record, the Horned Frogs would be in excellent position going into the regular season’s final five games.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
- Oct. 18 — at Arizona State
- Oct. 25 — vs. Oklahoma State
- Nov. 1 — at Kansas State
The Red Raiders will have five road games in Big 12 play — and that starts with a road matchup at Utah on Sept. 20 in the first game between the two teams as conference foes.
There are high expectations for a Texas Tech team that hit the transfer portal, and this three-game swing includes road games at Arizona State and Kansas State that could be just as difficult — or more so — than the Utah contest.
By the first weekend in November, the Red Raiders — who likely have the most difficult Big 12 schedule this season, if preseason projections are to be believed — will know whether they will be in the league race or not.
Win all three, along with the game at Utah and a later home tilt with BYU (Nov. 8), and Texas Tech would have a real shot at the playoffs.
UCF Knights
- Oct. 11 — at Cincinnati
- Oct. 18 — vs. West Virginia
The Knights will never have back-to-back home games during Big 12 play, as they play five road league contests.
That’s a bit of an unforgiving schedule characteristic for Scott Frost in his first season back as UCF’s head coach.
In the middle of October, though, the Knights find themselves with a pair of back-to-back games where, on paper, UCF looks like it could be competitive and perhaps win both.
It’s expected to be a challenging season for the Knights, but stacking wins here could be a positive step.
Utah Utes
- Oct. 11 — vs. Arizona State
- Oct. 18 — at BYU
If the Utes want to make a run at the Big 12 title in their second season in the league, this mid-October stretch is likely going to play a major factor in how serious that run is.
There’s also a home matchup against Colorado (Oct. 25) after the BYU game that could be interesting.
The Sun Devils are defending conference champions and return a lot from a team that went from being projected 16th in the league last year to winning the Big 12.
Arizona State and Utah know each other well, and this series has had its share of fun matchups, but at least the Utes get this one in Rice-Eccles Stadium, where the Sun Devils haven’t won since 2017.
That immediately precedes a trip to BYU to face a Cougars team that’s won two straight in the rivalry after Utah’s nine-game run. The winner of this matchup is primed to be a Big 12 contender as the calendar shifts over to November.
Utah’s Big 12 opener is also challenging — at home against Texas Tech on Sept. 20 — as is a two-game stretch in November (at Baylor on Nov. 15 and against Kansas State on Nov. 22).
These midseason back-to-back games, though, could help vault Utah into the Big 12 conversation, or send them down a similar path forged during the forgettable 2024 season.
West Virginia Mountaineers
- Oct. 3 — at BYU
- Oct. 18 — at UCF
This is the only time all year that West Virginia plays back-to-back road games, though there is a bye week between the two contests.
The Mountaineers have never lost to BYU — they are 2-0 against the Cougars, with both wins coming in the past decade.
The game against UCF could be West Virginia’s best chance for a road victory in Big 12 play under Rich Rodriguez in his return to the school.