The 2026 Big 12 football season is set to deliver global expansion, fresh rivalries and can’t-miss games from start to finish. The conference’s 16 programs will each play nine league games, and the season kicks off with a pair of trips overseas before building toward a new Friday night championship game at AT&T Stadium. Here’s your complete guide to the schedule, including dates, kickoff times, TV channels and how to watch every game.
When Does the 2026 Big 12 Football Season Start?
The Big 12 opens its season in Week Zero on Saturday, Aug. 29, when TCU faces North Carolina in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin, Ireland. That game kicks off at 11 a.m. CT (noon ET) on ESPN.
Most of the league gets going the following week. Three Big 12 teams open on Thursday, Sept. 3, with UCF hosting Bethune-Cookman, Colorado traveling to Georgia Tech and Utah welcoming Idaho. The rest of the conference kicks off Sept. 4-5, including Missouri at Kansas on Friday, Sept. 11 and Houston at Texas Tech on Friday, Sept. 18, both slated for FOX.
2026 Big 12 Schedule
(All times Eastern)
Dates, kickoff times and TV assignments are subject to change. Games without an announced kickoff time or network are listed as TBA.
Week 0
Saturday, Aug. 29
- North Carolina vs. TCU – noon ET (ESPN)
Week 1
Thursday, Sept. 3
Friday, Sept. 4
- LIU at Kansas – 8 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
Saturday, Sept. 5
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Week 2
Friday, Sept. 11
- Missouri at Kansas – 8 p.m. ET (FOX, FOX One)
Saturday, Sept. 12
Week 3
Friday, Sept. 18
- Houston at Texas Tech – 8 p.m. ET (FOX, FOX One)
Saturday, Sept. 19
Week 4
Saturday, Sept. 26
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Week 5
Saturday, Oct. 3
Week 6
Friday, Oct. 9
- Iowa State at BYU – 10:15 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Saturday, Oct. 10
Week 7
Saturday, Oct. 17
Week 8
Saturday, Oct. 24
Week 9
Friday, Oct. 30
- Baylor at UCF – 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Saturday, Oct. 31
Week 10
Friday, Nov. 6
- TCU at Arizona – 10:15 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Saturday, Nov. 7
Week 11
Friday, Nov. 13
- Houston at Colorado – 10:15 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Saturday, Nov. 14
Week 12
Friday, Nov. 20
- Iowa State at UCF – 6 p.m. ET (FS1, FOX One)
Saturday, Nov. 21
Week 13
Thursday, Nov. 26
- TCU at Texas Tech – 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Friday, Nov. 27
- West Virginia at Utah – 9 p.m. ET (FOX, FOX One)
Saturday, Nov. 28
Big 12 Championship
Friday, Dec. 4
- Big 12 Football Championship Game – 8 p.m. ET (ABC)
Big 12 members will also play 13 non-conference games against Power Four opponents and Notre Dame in 2026, including Cincinnati hosting Boston College, Kansas hosting Missouri, Oklahoma State welcoming Oregon and Utah facing Arkansas, all in the season’s first two weeks.
2026 Big 12 Championship Game
The 2026 Big 12 Football Championship will be played Friday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. CT (8 p.m. ET) on ABC at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The game launches a new Friday-Saturday rotation for the title game designed to boost national exposure.
Where Can I Watch Big 12 Football Games? What Channel Will They Be On?
Big 12 football games will be spread across FOX, FS1, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and TNT Sports (TNT and HBO Max) throughout the 2026 season. FOX and FS1 carry a heavy slate of marquee matchups, including “Big Noon Kickoff” games such as the Union Jack Classic at Wembley Stadium.
The Big 12 Football Championship Game will air on ABC.
How Can I Stream Big 12 Football or Watch Without Cable?
Select games will stream on ESPN+, while TNT Sports games are also available on HBO Max. Fans can get FOX, FS1 and more in one subscription with FOX One. Streaming services such as YouTube TV or Fubo can also be used to watch participating broadcast and cable networks.
How Can I Watch Big 12 Football for Free?
If you have an over-the-air antenna that picks up your local channels, you can watch games airing on FOX for free.
