Top 10 Big 12 conference games in 2024

With the latest round of conference realignment and the dissolution of divisions in every power league, we’re in store for some crazy-good games in the 2024 season. 

The non-conference slate is littered with marquee matchups, but fans are in store for some fantastic new league games and several rivalries renewed. The SEC slate is so loaded this season that the Iron Bowl — which had an all-time finish in 2023 — just missed my Top 10 list for best conference games this season. 

The ACC didn’t feature quite as many awesome affairs, but it’s still a schedule with plenty of marquee matchups. 

Today, it’s a look at the Big 12, which introduces four new teams — including two programs in Utah and Arizona with real ambitions to win the league in Year 1.

Here are my Top 10 Big 12 conference games in the 2024 season:

1. Utah at Oklahoma State (Sept. 21)

This Week 4 matchup could be a major table-setter for how a wide-open Big 12 season shakes out. These are two of the top conference contenders — both led by seventh-year starting quarterbacks in Cam Rising and Alan Bowman. 

Both teams should be 3-0. Should. Utah has been a historically slow starter in recent years, while the Pokes opened last season with losses to South Alabama and Iowa State before unearthing Ollie Gordon off the bench and riding their star tailback to the Big 12 Championship Game. 

2. Kansas at Kansas State (Oct. 26)

Could this finally be the year that Kansas ends Kansas State’s long-running streak in the Sunflower Showdown (15 straight wins)? Maybe, but Lance Leipold’s program faces an uphill battle. The Jayhawks have won in Manhattan just twice in the last 35 years. 

Depending on how the season shakes out, the two in-state rivals should both be ranked come late October, and they might have two of the better quarterbacks (Avery Johnson vs. Jalon Daniels) in the conference. 

3. Oklahoma State at Kansas State (Sept. 28)

This caps a tough two-week stretch for Mike Gundy’s team, as they host a physical Utah squad and then must turn around and play Chris Klieman’s blue-collar K-State Wildcats. The Pokes upset Kansas State 29-21 in Stillwater last season, but they were blanked 48-zip in their most recent trip to Manhattan. 

While Gordon receives the majority of the headlines, Oklahoma State has a quality set of linebackers (Nick Martin, Collin Oliver and Justin Wright) capable of giving Avery Johnson some problems in what stands to be the sophomore’s toughest defensive test in his career to date.

4. Arizona at Utah (Sept. 28)

Similarly to Oklahoma State, Utah plays two of its toughest conference games in back-to-back weeks — hosting the Pokes and then Brent Brennan’s Wildcats. Under Jedd Fisch last season, Arizona blasted Utah 42-18, as Noah Fifita had a career day with 325 yards and four touchdowns. 

Will defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley, who was recently renamed Kyle Whittingham’s heir apparent at Utah, have a better answer for Fifita and Tetairoa McMillan (eight catches for 116 yards and a touchdown) in 2024? Will Cam Rising prove to be the difference in his return after going 2-0 against Arizona previously?

5. BYU at Utah (Nov. 9)

The Holy War is now a conference game, and after a two-year hiatus in the rivalry, these two programs are ripe with pent-up hate for one another. The Cougars actually won the most recent matchup, upsetting the Utes 26-17 back in 2021. 

Kyle Whittingham is famously a BYU alum who turned down the job way back in 2005 to take over for Urban Meyer at Utah. He’s mostly dominated the series since (nine straight wins at one point, 11-4 overall), and in what could be his final season at Utah, he’ll be looking to put one last exclamation point on the rivalry.

6. Kansas State at Iowa State (Nov. 30)

Last season’s Farmageddon was placed in a blizzard, and Cyclones tailback Abu Sama III ran wild for 276 yards and three scores in an upset over the Wildcats. What will be in store in Ames this year?

An ice storm? Another blizzard? Iowa State could be a sneaky darkhorse contender this season, as it ranks near the top of the country in all returning production metrics. Kansas State definitely aims to make the title game again after a one-year absence and the regular-season finale could determine the Wildcats’ fate. 

7. Kansas at West Virginia (Sept. 21)

The Jayhawks open Big 12 play on the country roads of West Virginia, and a victory in Morgantown could seriously kickstart a run toward a storybook 10-win season — and a potential spot in the conference title game. 

The two programs did not play in 2023. So can Kansas slow down the top-ranked rushing attack in the Big 12 last year? Will Jalon Daniels return to form after missing most all of last season and torch the Mountaineers’ defense like he did two years ago (300 total yards and three touchdowns)?

8. West Virginia at Oklahoma State (Oct. 5)

In a breakout sophomore season, Ollie Gordon had the best game of his career in a blowout win against the Mountaineers. The Pokes’ star tailback, who had his lone 100-yard performance in 2022 vs. WVU, went for a whopping 282 yards and four scores. 

So can the Mountaineers’ portal-overhauled defense muster a better showing in Stillwater? Will Neal Brown’s program be riding high after potential upset opportunities at home against preseason Top 25 teams Penn State and Kansas — or will the murmuring hot seat talk return if West Virginia has 2-3 losses (also an early season game at Pitt for the Backyard Brawl) come the start of October?

9. Arizona at UCF (Nov. 2)

Welcome to this year’s Space Game — UCF’s homage to NASA with an awesome Citronaut logo and special alternate uniforms. The Knights are 7-0 all-time in the Space Game, including housing Oklahoma State 45-3 last season. 

The matchup against Arizona could prove more challenging, though, as the Wildcats will bring one of the best offenses in the Big 12 to Orlando. UCF, with the additions of quarterback KJ Jefferson, tailback Peny Boone and wideout Jacoby Jones, should have plenty of firepower of their own, too, so this could be a classic Big 12 shootout.

10.  Oklahoma State at Colorado (Nov. 29)

Can I interest you in a Black Friday Keg ’N Eggs game between a Colorado team potentially vying for bowl eligibility against an Oklahoma State squad with conference title aspirations? 

The 10 a.m. (EST) kick could be the final chance to see Deion Sanders, Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter all on the sidelines together. Meanwhile, Ollie Gordon could be going for 2,000 yards in his quest for a Heisman Trophy season.

Honorable Mention: Iowa State at Kansas, Iowa State at Utah, TCU at Baylor, Kansas State at Colorado