Big 12 Football Schedule Breakdown: Who Has It Easiest in the 2023 Season? Who Has It the Toughest?
Toughest Overall Schedule - West Virginia
Taking advantage of a tough schedule is necessary for good football teams looking to make noise in January. Unfortunately, West Virginia is not a good team, therefore having a tough schedule provides no real advantages. The Mountaineers open the season at Beaver Stadium against the seventh-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions. I'm no genius, but I do not predict a favorable outcome for West Virginia. The Mountaineers play Duquesne the following week before welcoming Pitt to town for the classic Backyard Brawl. Things do not ease up in conference play, which we will get into very shortly.
Toughest Big 12 Schedule - West Virginia
West Virginia opens Big 12 play at home against Texas Tech, on the road against TCU and Houston, and at home against Oklahoma State. They finish the year on the road against Oklahoma, at home against Cincinnati, and on the road against Baylor. It's a difficult schedule all the way around, and West Virginia does not project to be great. Neal Brown has his work cut out for him if the Mountaineers want a bowl bid.
Toughest Big 12 Stretch - TCU
The end of the year for TCU will be one of the toughest closing stretches for any team in the country. The final five games on TCU's schedule are as follows: at Kansas State, at Texas Tech, versus Texas, versus Baylor, and at Oklahoma. BRUTAL. Kansas State is gearing up for another run at the Big 12 Title. Lubbock is one of the toughest atmospheres in the conference, especially at night. Texas *should* be really good. Baylor versus TCU is always a good game. And who knows what Oklahoma will look like? Regardless, Norman is always a tough place to win. Thankfully for the Frogs, the front end of their schedule is not too menacing.
Easiest Overall Schedule - Oklahoma State
The Cowboys will play Central Arkansas, Arizona State, and South Alabama to open the season before jumping into a Big 12 slate that is more than manageable. As it stands now (this will 100% change), Oklahoma State only has two top-25 teams on its schedule, and both of those games will be played in Stillwater. Mike Gundy's team has plenty of questions and concerns, but a tough schedule is not one of them.
Easiest Big 12 Schedule - Oklahoma
You can argue that Oklahoma State takes the cake here too, but in my opinion, the Sooners edge them out. Oklahoma avoids Kansas State, Texas Tech, and Baylor and gets TCU in Norman. They will, of course, play Texas on a neutral site at the Cotton Bowl, and Oklahoma State in the Bedlam game on the road. The conference games outside of these two rivalry games are versus Iowa State, versus UCF, at Kansas, versus West Virginia, at BYU, and versus TCU. There are always opportunities for upsets, but on paper, the Sooners have a straightforward path to a successful season.
Easiest Big 12 Stretch - Cincinnati
In its first season since Luke Fickell's departure to Wisconsin and its first season in the Big 12, Cincinnati is looking to prove it belongs. Many in the media are predicting a bottom-half finish for the Bearcats, but an uncomplicated end to the season gives them an opportunity to finish better than anticipated. The final four games of the year for Scott Satterfield's group are versus UCF, at Houston, at West Virginia, and versus Kansas. None of these games are certain victories for Cincinnati, but considering the alternatives, this is not too shabby.
Best Non-Conference Game - Texas at Alabama
Not only is this the best non-conference game in the Big 12, it is one of the best matchups we will see across the country all season. Texas almost took down the almighty Crimson Tide in Austin last season, but an injury to QB Quinn Ewers and a questionable call down the stretch, saw Alabama walk away with a win. By all estimations, the Longhorns should be a better team than they were when Alabama came to town last year, but winning in Tuscaloosa is nearly impossible. Since Saban took the job, the Crimson Tide has lost eight games in Tuscaloosa. Saban took that job in 2007.
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