Big 12 conference announces major change in championship game

The last time the Big 12 championship trophy was on the line, Texas Tech beat BYU, 34–7, at AT&T Stadium to claim the conference crown for the first time in program history.

Texas Tech entered that game 12–1 and left the weekend as conference champion, the No. 4 seed in the College Football Playoff, and with growing hype that the Red Raiders could be legitimate national title contenders.

BYU, meanwhile, finished the season 11–2, landing at No. 12 in the final AP Poll, just two spots shy of a CFP berth, and securing a second straight double-digit win season under longtime head coach Kalani Sitake.

Both outcomes matter because the Big 12 is increasingly chasing prime-time relevance and greater respect in the College Football Playoff era.

On Tuesday, that future outlook took a significant turn, as ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported the Big 12 football championship game will move from its recent Saturday noon window to Friday, Dec. 4, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, while remaining at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

Texas Tech fans get ready for the start of the Big 12 Conference championship football game. — Texas Tech fans get ready for the start of the Big 12 Conference championship football game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This new decision marks a significant grab for visibility, serving as a deliberate push into the prime-time Friday window and a clear programming play by both the Big 12 and its broadcast partner.

By shifting the game to 8 p.m. ET on ABC, the conference avoids being swallowed by Saturday’s overloaded slate and instead positions its championship as a standalone national event, one that can command attention rather than compete for it.

The ripple effects are real, though. Fans and local businesses will feel the change immediately. A Friday night kickoff alters travel logistics, compresses arrival timelines, and reshapes tailgating culture, but it also concentrates economic impact into a single prime-time window that could benefit the Arlington area in a different, more intense way.

High school football is another pressure point. Friday nights remain sacred across much of the country, especially in football-centric states.

As college games continue creeping into that space, state associations and high-school coaches are likely to push back, arguing that television-driven decisions are squeezing the sport at its grassroots level.

From a broadcast perspective, however, this is a win. ESPN and ABC gain far more flexibility with an 8 p.m. Friday showcase, allowing for cleaner promotion, stronger lead-ins, and uninterrupted storytelling around the league’s biggest game, all of which directly translate to advertising value and national exposure.

As college football continues to spread marquee games across multiple days, what’s really at stake is visibility and leverage. The Big 12 is converting scheduling power into prime-time relevance, boosting recruiting optics and long-term media positioning, even if it risks straining tradition in the process.

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