Big 12 Football Weekday Schedule 2026: Key Matchups and Dates Revealed

The Big 12 has announced its weekday schedule for the 2026 college football season.

A general view of the Big 12 logo on the field during the game between the Kent State Golden Flashes and the Texas Tech Red Raiders | Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images

Nearly four and a half months lie between the middle of April and the opening weekend of the 2026 college football season.

While the yearly wait is tedious for college football fans, there are occasional developments that can create excitement. Spring football presents a nice break from the boredom in March and April, and the sporadic scheduling announcements generate optimism for the season ahead.

The Big 12 added excitement to the anticipation with its announcement of its 2026 weekday schedule on Friday. The league will play nine games on weekdays, eight of which will fall on Fridays throughout the season.

September

Texas Tech Red Raiders running back Cameron Dickey (8) rushes against Houston Cougars defensive back Will James (15) | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

The first game of the Big 12's weekday slate is Kansas' bout with Missouri on Sept. 11. The Tigers and Jayhawks have dueled 121 times in their border rivalry, although conference expansion brought a 13-year stalemate when the Tigers joined the SEC in 2012. The 2026 meeting is the Kansas end of a home-and-home; Missouri defeated Kansas 42-31 in the second week of the 2025 season.

The league's only other Friday game in September is Houston at Texas Tech on Sept. 18. This game gained notoriety in recent weeks with the public feud between Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark and Texas Tech billionaire booster Cody Campbell about whether it should be played on Friday or Saturday. The Red Raiders have won both meetings since the Cougars joined the Big 12 in 2023.

October

Iowa State at BYU on Oct. 9 is the first of the Big 12's two Friday games in October. The Cougars pieced together a 24-3 second-half effort to leave Iowa State with a 41-27 win a season ago.

Baylor at UCF on Oct. 30 is the second of the Big 12's two Friday games in October. The 2014 Fiesta Bowl and a pair of conference meetings are the extent of the Bears and Knights' history, but this game may fall at a critical point on their schedules. Scott Frost is trying to guide the Knights to their first winning record since 2022, while Dave Aranda is working to stave off hot-seat conversations at Baylor.

November

Texas Tech Red Raiders running back Tahj Brooks (28) runs for a touchdown against the TCU Horned Frogs | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

The Big 12 will play five games on weekdays in November, starting with TCU at Arizona on Nov. 6. These two teams have only met three times, the only matchup as conference foes a 49-28 win for the Horned Frogs in Fort Worth.

Houston and Colorado will meet at Folsom Field on Nov. 13. This is the only appearance for Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes in the Big 12's weekday slate in the midst of a pivotal 2026 season.

UCF will receive a second weekday home game against Iowa State on Nov. 20. The only meeting between the Cyclones and Knights was at Jack Trice Stadium in 2024, a thrilling 38-35 victory for the Cyclones in the game's final minute.

The Big 12 is double-dipping during the final weekend of the regular season. TCU and Texas Tech will renew their rivalry on Nov. 26, which is Thanksgiving. The Horned Frogs have won five of the last six meetings, but the 2026 meeting is the first since Texas Tech reached the College Football Playoff.

West Virginia at Utah will round out the weekday slate on Black Friday. The matchup features a first-year head coach in Morgan Scalley and a coach still working to establish himself at a prior stop in Rich Rodriguez. The Mountaineers are seeking their first win against the Utes in program history.