When the college football season kicks off in two and a half months, the Big 12 will have its opportunity to earn time in the spotlight — that includes two league teams opening up the 2025 FBS season with a game in Dublin, Ireland.
From that international matchup to a Big 12 championship rematch to rivalry games that could impact the league race, the 2025 season has plenty of must-watch games.
Here’s a look at 10 of the best Big 12 matchups in the upcoming season.
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1. Iowa State vs. Kansas State in Dublin, Ireland
Saturday, Aug. 23
The Cyclones and Wildcats are expected to be two of the primary contenders for the Big 12 title this season, and they’ll kick off the season in Ireland in a matchup that kicks off the 2025 FBS season and will be the first-ever Big 12 conference game in Ireland.
Iowa State’s Rocco Becht and Kansas State’s Avery Johnson are two of the best returning quarterbacks in the league, and they’ll have the chance to give their respective teams a leg up in the Big 12 race on a national stage.
The “Farmageddon” matchup, which has been played every year since 1917, is headed to a neutral site for just the third time — the Cyclones and Wildcats played at Arrowhead Stadium in 2009 and 2010.
Iowa State and Kansas State played in the 2024 regular-season finale, too. The Cyclones ended up beating the Wildcats 29-21, ensuring their spot in the Big 12 championship game.
2. Auburn at Baylor
Friday, Aug. 29
The Bears were one of the league’s hottest teams at the end of last year — they won six straight to end the regular season — and now they go into the 2025 season as a dark horse that could make a serious run at the league crown.
This game has important ramifications for the Big 12 as well — it’s one of three times all year that a league team takes on someone from the SEC in nonconference action, and it’s the only time a Big 12 team hosts an SEC team in 2025.
Auburn is coming off a 5-7 season, but beating the Tigers would do wonders not only for the Bears but for the Big 12 as a whole.
Having the game on a Friday night, when it will be one of the few primetime options, will be beneficial to both schools as well.
3. TCU at North Carolina
Monday, Sept. 1
The Horned Frogs have the honor of facing Bill Belichick in his first game as the Tar Heels’ head coach — perhaps that means they’ll thrive with the spotlight squarely on the other sideline?
A TCU win, too, would be nice for the Big 12 in its effort to prove the conference has an edge over the ACC.
This will be one of seven times that a Big 12 team faces one from the ACC during the regular season. The Horned Frogs also take on ACC newcomer — and Dallas-Forth Worth metroplex rival SMU — later in the season.
TCU ended the 2024 season on a roll — winning six of its final seven games, including a bowl victory — and could start off 2025 with a statement victory.
4. Arizona State at Baylor
Saturday, Sept. 20
The Sun Devils will open their Big 12 defense on the road against a Baylor team that looks primed to have a significant impact on the league race this season.
This will be the first time Arizona State plays in Waco, Texas, since joining the league, adding a layer of intrigue.
It’s also only the second time these two teams will meet — the Sun Devils beat the Bears in 1990.
Plus, this is arguably a matchup of the top two quarterbacks in the Big 12 — Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt and Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson. Leavitt guided the Sun Devils to a Big 12 title last season, while Robertson is the conference’s leading returner in touchdown passes (28) and pass efficiency (153.1).
5. Arizona State at Utah
Saturday, Oct. 11
These old Pac-12 foes went in opposite directions of expectations last season, and the Sun Devils ended up beating the Utes in Arizona last year.
Cam Skattebo isn’t back to harass Utah again, but Arizona State does return plenty of talent from its College Football Playoff team from last season.
Utah will have its chance to exact some revenge for that loss in front of a home crowd. Arizona State hasn’t beaten Utah at Rice-Eccles Stadium since 2017.
This is also one of those matchups for the Utes that could provide the momentum Utah needs to be a factor in the Big 12 race after a forgettable 2024 season.
6. Utah at BYU
Saturday, Oct. 18
The rivalry game might be in mid-October and not where the majority of fans would prefer — at the end of the regular season — but by having it midseason, that allows the winner to build some momentum towards a Big 12 chase when the calendar flips over to November.
There should be plenty of motivation in this one.
BYU is trying to prove that it has gained the edge in the rivalry after two straight wins over the Utes. A third straight victory over their rival would go a long way to removing the bitter taste from Utah’s nine-game win streak in the 2010s.
Utah, meanwhile, wasn’t happy with some controversial calls in last year’s affair, when BYU rallied to win on a field goal at the last second. The Utes are still bemoaning allowing the Cougars to come back after taking a 21-10 lead into halftime at Rice-Eccles Stadium last season.
7. Texas Tech at Arizona State
Saturday, Oct. 18
There’s not a lot of history between these two programs, but they both looked prime to be major players in the Big 12 over the next few years.
The Red Raiders have gone all in on the transfer portal and with NIL this offseason, and it’s paid off with a handsome reward — a 2025 transfer portal class that ranks second nationally, according to 247 Sports, with 13 four-star transfers going to Lubbock, Texas.
Texas Tech has to travel to Arizona for this matchup with the Sun Devils, but if its team can mesh by midseason with so many new faces, the Red Raiders could provide a stiff challenge for Arizona State.
The Sun Devils fell at Texas Tech last season in Arizona State’s first-ever Big 12 Conference game, though ASU was able to quickly shake that off and push its way to the league title.
This matchup could well shape the Big 12 race again.
8. BYU at Iowa State
Saturday, Oct. 25
This is the first of two straight difficult road games for the Cougars. BYU will head to Lubbock to take on Texas Tech on Nov. 8.
It also comes one week after the Cougars host rival Utah and represents the toughest stretch for BYU during conference play, along with a home game against TCU on Nov. 15.
The Cougars and Cyclones didn’t play last season — Iowa State went into Provo in 2023 and throttled BYU — but this will match up two teams who are expected to be league contenders in 2025.
If the Cougars want to take the next step and reach the Big 12 championship game, this game is sure to be critical in that pursuit.
9. Arizona State at Iowa State
Saturday, Nov. 1
What a way to start off the month of November, with a rematch of last year’s Big 12 championship game that ought to have league implications this year as well.
The Cyclones were blown away by the Sun Devils in the league title game last season, when Arizona State pushed out to a 24-10 halftime lead and put the game away with a 21-point third quarter.
That victory earned the Sun Devils a top 4 seed in the playoff, where they lost to Texas in the quarterfinals.
Iowa State will have the opportunity to make amends for that loss with a home game against Arizona State, and it’s the second straight home game against a fellow contender for the Cyclones, who host BYU the week before.
10. Texas Tech at Kansas State
Saturday, Nov. 1
Kansas State has dominated this series in recent years, as it heads into 2025 on an eight-game win streak against Texas Tech.
The Wildcats have also won 12 of their last 13 matchups with the Red Raiders.
If Texas Tech can cash in on the hype surrounding it heading into the 2025 season, a victory over Kansas State could be the catalyst for earning a spot in the conference title game.
Conversely, if the Wildcats can keep their dominance over Texas Tech rolling for another year, they could find themselves in the thick of the Big 12 race, one year after Kansas State faltered down the stretch and missed out on a spot in the Big 12 championship game.
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