BYU now knows the shape of its 2026-27 Big 12 season, and the full conference calendar is finally on the books.
The league had already revealed the Cougars’ Big 12 opponents back in June. On Thursday, the conference released the dates, turning that list of matchups into an actual schedule. For BYU, it means an 18-game Big 12 slate for the second straight year.
The Cougars will open conference play on the road at Arizona State, and that trip brings a familiar name into the picture in Randy Bennett. Bennett spent 25 years as Saint Mary’s head coach and led the Gaels throughout BYU’s time in the WCC.
A few games later, the Marriott Center will get one of the biggest home dates on the schedule when Kansas comes to Provo. That matchup comes just three games into league play and will feature heralded freshman Tyran Stokes and the Jayhawks.
BYU’s regular-season Big 12 finale sends the Cougars to Lubbock for a game against Texas Tech. That one could carry real postseason weight, and it will also be BYU’s first regular-season Big 12 game on a Friday since entering the conference.
The schedule also includes the usual mix of home-and-home series and one-time opponents. Like last season, BYU will have a home-and-home setup with three teams, while other Big 12 foes will come to Provo only once. On the road, the Cougars will also see a group of opponents just once.
There are a couple of road trips that stand out immediately. Houston and Texas Tech have both been tough stops for BYU during the Kevin Young era, and the Cougars will be looking to flip that script this season.
As always in the Big 12, the opportunities for quality wins should be there throughout league play. But there’s another wrinkle hanging over the season: roster uncertainty.
Players from the 2022 class are pursuing a fifth year of eligibility for 2026-27, and some are already committed or signed with Big 12 programs. If any of those players are ruled ineligible, it could reshape rosters across the league.
There’s also uncertainty around some international players, whose status remains unclear because of NCAA rules and the definition of a pro player.
With the conference dates now set and the non-conference schedule already in place, BYU’s 2026-27 schedule is complete.
In Other News...
BYUs 2-0 Start Has A Breakout Star Fans Didnt See Coming
BYUs 2-0 start has come with an unexpected name popping up everywhere on the stat sheet. Cannon DeVries, the sophomore defensive back, has quickly become one of the Cougars most valuable players, leading the team in tackles while also giving the special teams unit a spark with his work as a kick and punt returner. His impact has stretched across both sides of the ball, and the coaching staff has leaned into his versatility at the nickel position.
The early-season resume already includes a 100-yard kickoff return touchdown in the opener, the kind of play that can change momentum for a young team in a hurry. Just as important for BYU, DeVries has looked steady enough in the defensive backfield to keep earning snaps, and teammates have taken notice of how naturally he has fit into a larger role. The bigger question now is how far that emergence can carry him as the schedule toughens and opponents start treating him like a player they have to plan around. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas States Fast Start Faces Its First Real Test Under Collin Klein
BYUs first Big 12 win came in convincing fashion, with Bear Bachmeier throwing for 217 yards and three touchdowns in a 28-17 victory over Arizona. It was the kind of league-opening result that can change the tone around a program quickly, especially with Oklahoma State already notching a defensive win against Oregon and Utah rolling past Idaho and Arkansas. For the Cougars, the early conference picture already has some shape to it, and the results around the league are starting to matter.
Kansas State has also opened strong under Collin Klein, putting together two wins as it heads into a matchup with Tulane. The Wildcats have looked steady in the early going, but this next game is the first real chance to see how that start holds up against a different kind of test. For BYU, it is another reminder that the Big 12 race will be full of moving parts, and that the teams getting off to clean starts are the ones worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
BYUs Tight End Duo Is Becoming A Real Problem For Defenses
BYUs offense has found something useful early in the season in a tight end room that looks deeper and more dangerous than it has in years. USC transfer Walker Lyons and Oregon transfer Roger Saleapaga II have both flashed as pass catchers and as blockers, giving the Cougars a pair of versatile options who can stay on the field in a variety of looks. Coaches have already pointed to this group as the best tight end unit BYU has had since 2018, and it has the feel of a position that can quietly shape how the offense functions week to week.
What makes the setup even more interesting is that Lyons and Saleapaga are not being treated like an either-or proposition. BYU expects them to play significant roles together, with additional depth behind them helping keep the position fresh and flexible. For a team looking for reliable mismatch options and more physicality at the point of attack, that kind of two-headed threat can be a real headache for defenses trying to sort out who is blocking, who is releasing and where the ball might go next. [Read more 🡒]