Ranking the Big 12's Most Exciting Week 1 Games
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The Big 12 is back in action with a fun Week 1 on the horizon.
After a dark several months without college football, the Big 12 started off the season with a bang. Iowa State beat Kansas State in Ireland in a top 25 matchup to begin the year, with Kansas also beating Fresno State in Week 0.
Now, with all 16 Big 12 teams ready for action in Week 1, the season will truly feel underway. Although there won’t be any Big 12 matchups yet, there will be plenty of Big 12 action worth checking out over the next week.
Top 6 Big 12 Games of Week 1
1. TCU at North Carolina (Monday @ 7 p.m. CT on ESPN, ESPNU)
There’s no guarantee that the football will be better in this game than the others, but it’s hard to imagine any storylines matching the Horned Frogs and Tar Heels. Just two years ago, TCU opened its season by hosting Colorado in Deion Sanders’ debut.
Now, the Horned Frogs will welcome Bill Belichick to the college ranks, hoping to spoil his debut on the road. For Sonny Dykes’ squad, getting a win with the entire country watching on Monday night could lend some momentum for a potential Big 12 run.
2. Auburn at Baylor (Friday @ 7 p.m. on Fox)
Any time a Big 12 team hosts an SEC school, it’s a big deal, and the Bears will be looking to make a statement for the conference on Friday night. With quarterback Sawyer Robertson and Baylor looking to crash the Big 12 title race, a win over an intriguing Auburn squad could be a perfect start to the season.
3. Georgia Tech at Colorado (Friday @ 7 p.m. on ESPN)
It wouldn’t be a proper ranking without Colorado and Coach Prime. After some health scares in the offseason, the Colorado sideline star is ready for his team to begin the season.
With another potential classic to begin the season, Colorado will look to battle past a solid Georgia Tech team as an underdog in its own stadium.
4. Utah at UCLA (10 p.m. on Fox)
A Pac-12 rivalry renewed, Utah and UCLA should be a fun battle. While Pac-12 after dark is gone, this matchup should bring back some good memories.
With Utah and head coach Kyle Whittingham looking to bounce back and return to the Big 12 title picture, getting a road win against a former conference foe would be a great way to begin the year.
5. Cincinnati vs. Nebraska (Thursday @ 8 p.m. on ESPN)
Set for kickoff in Kansas City, this weeknight matchup could steal the early spotlight in Week 1. While Cincinnati hasn’t exactly found its footing since moving to the Big 12 in 2023, beating the Cornhuskers could be exactly what’s needed to give the program a boost.
6. Hawaii at Arizona (9:30 p.m. on TNT, HBO Max)
Although this would typically be the top five matchups for the Big 12 during nonconference play, Arizona-Hawaii is the only other FBS matchup on the slate for the Big 12 this week, with everyone else playing FCS opponents.
While this matchup isn’t as juicy as the games between two Power Four opponents, Hawaii is coming off a Week 0 win against Stanford and could give the Wildcats some trouble as they look to begin their bounce-back after a rough 2024.
Every other Big 12 matchup in Week 1:
Jacksonville State at UCF (Thursday @ 6 p.m. on ESPN+)
UT Martin at Oklahoma State (Thursday @ 6:30 p.m. on ESPN+)
Stephen F. Austin at Houston (Thursday @ 7 p.m. on ESPN+)
Wagner at Kansas (Friday @ 6:30 p.m. on ESPN+)
Robert Morris at West Virginia (1 p.m. on ESPN+)
South Dakota at No. 22 Iowa State (2:30 p.m. on Fox)
North Dakota at No. 17 Kansas State (6 p.m. on ESPN+)
Arkansas-Pine Bluff at No. 23 Texas Tech (6:30 p.m. on ESPN+)
Portland State at BYU (7 p.m. on ESPN+)
Northern Arizona at Arizona State (9 p.m. on ESPN+)
Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.