Who Is in the Big 12 Football Conference in 2025?

By Sarah Miller · June 28, 2042

The Big 12 Conference in 2025 consists of 16 universities competing in NCAA Division I FBS football: Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas, Texas Tech, and West Virginia.

What Is the Big 12 Football Conference?

The Big 12 Conference is one of the Power Four (P4) athletic conferences in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), known for high-level competition, national championship contenders, and strong television exposure. Originally founded in 1996 from a merger between the Big Eight Conference and four schools from the Southwest Conference, the Big 12 has undergone significant realignment over the years, especially in 2023 and 2024.

Key Characteristics of the Big 12

Comprises 16 member institutions as of the 2024 season
All members compete in football at the FBS level
Part of the College Football Playoff (CFP) structure with access to New Year’s Six bowls
Geographically spans the Southwestern, Central, and Western United States
Known for fast-paced, offense-driven football traditions

Current Big 12 Football Teams in 2025

Following major conference realignment, the Big 12 expanded to 16 teams by July 2024, welcoming four new programs from the Pac-12 and maintaining stability among its core members.

New Additions to the Big 12 (2024)

Arizona – Former Pac-12 member, brings strong recruiting ties in the Southwest
Arizona State – Historically competitive program, enhances media market presence
Colorado – Returning to the conference after 13 years in the Pac-12
BYU – Joined in 2023, now fully integrated into conference play

Longstanding Big 12 Members

Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, West Virginia – Core members since at least 2012
Oklahoma and Texas – Historic flagship programs; played final season in Big 12 in 2023 before moving to SEC in 2024
UCF, Cincinnati, Houston – Added in 2023 from the American Athletic Conference (AAC)

School	Location	Joined Big 12	Football Stadium	Stadium Capacity	Head Coach (2025)
Arizona	Tucson, AZ	2024	Arizona Stadium	50,782	Jedd Fisch
Arizona State	Tempe, AZ	2024	Sun Devil Stadium	53,757	Kenny Dillingham
Baylor	Waco, TX	1996	McLane Stadium	45,140	Dave Aranda
BYU	Provo, UT	2023	LaVell Edwards Stadium	63,470	Kalani Sitake
UCF	Orlando, FL	2023	FBC Mortgage Stadium	44,667	Gus Malzahn
Cincinnati	Cincinnati, OH	2023	Nippert Stadium	40,758	Luke Fickell
Colorado	Boulder, CO	2024	Folsom Field	50,183	Deion Sanders
Iowa State	Ames, IA	1996	Jack Trice Stadium	61,500	Mike Elko
Kansas	Lawrence, KS	1996	David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium	47,234	Lance Leipold
Kansas State	Manhattan, KS	1996	BILL Snyder Family Stadium	50,000	Chris Klieman
Oklahoma	Norman, OK	1996	Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium	80,126	Brent Venables
Oklahoma State	Stillwater, OK	1996	Boone Pickens Stadium	50,830	Mike Gundy
TCU	Fort Worth, TX	2012	Amon G. Carter Stadium	45,040	Sonny Dykes
Texas	Austin, TX	1996	DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium	100,119	Steve Sarkisian
Texas Tech	Lubbock, TX	1996	Jones AT&T Stadium	60,229	Joey McGuire
West Virginia	Morgantown, WV	2012	Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium	60,000	Neal Brown

Table data source:1, 2, 3

The 2025 Big 12 roster reflects a geographically diverse yet strategically aligned group of universities focused on national TV reach and playoff competitiveness. With average stadium capacity exceeding 55,000, the conference maintains strong live attendance potential. The inclusion of Arizona, ASU, and Colorado strengthens the western footprint, while programs like UCF and BYU expand national recruiting and fanbase appeal.

Big 12 Conference Realignment Timeline

The Big 12 underwent one of the most dramatic transformations in college sports history between 2021 and 2024, responding to instability caused by key departures and aggressive expansion from rival leagues.

Major Milestones

2021: Oklahoma and Texas announce departure to SEC in 2024
2022: Big 12 announces addition of BYU, UCF, Houston, and Cincinnati for 2023
2023: Four new schools join; Oklahoma and Texas play final Big 12 season
2024: Arizona, Arizona State, and Colorado join from Pac-12 amid collapse of that conference
2025: Conference stabilizes with 16 teams, begins new media rights deal with ESPN and Fox

Big 12 Football Structure and Championship

Unlike previous formats, the Big 12 eliminated divisions starting in 2023. The top two teams in the final regular-season standings qualify for the Big 12 Championship Game, typically held in early December at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Championship Format Highlights

No divisional split — ensures best two teams meet in title game
Conference championship game has hosted College Football Playoff semifinals in past
Strong tie-ins with major bowl games including Sugar, Fiesta, and Cotton Bowls

Television and Media Rights

The Big 12 holds a $2.28 billion media rights agreement with ESPN and Fox through 2031, ensuring widespread broadcast coverage across ABC, ESPN, FS1, and regional networks. This deal includes full distribution of conference-controlled games and digital streaming rights.

Media Impact

National exposure for all member schools, especially newer additions like BYU and UCF
Enhanced recruiting visibility due to consistent prime-time matchups
Revenue sharing model supports competitive equity among members

Frequently Asked Questions About the Big 12 Football Conference

Which schools are in the Big 12 football conference in 2025?

As of the 2025 season, the 16 member schools are: Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas, Texas Tech, and West Virginia.

Did Texas and Oklahoma leave the Big 12?

Yes, both the University of Texas and Oklahoma officially left the Big 12 after the 2023 season and joined the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in July 2024.

Why did the Big 12 add Arizona, ASU, and Colorado?

The Big 12 added these three former Pac-12 schools in 2024 following the destabilization and eventual collapse of the Pac-12 Conference, allowing the Big 12 to expand its geographic reach and media market strength in the western U.S.

How many teams are in the Big 12 in 2025?

The Big 12 Conference has 16 football-playing members in 2025, making it one of the largest Power Four conferences in terms of membership.

Does the Big 12 have divisions for football?

No, the Big 12 eliminated football divisions starting in 2023. The conference championship game features the top two teams in the overall standings, regardless of geography or division.

Where is the Big 12 Championship Game played?

The Big 12 Championship Game is held annually at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys. The venue has hosted the event since 2017 and is under contract through at least 2027.

Who are the biggest rivals in the Big 12?

Notable rivalries include the Red River Showdown (Texas vs. Oklahoma, now non-conference), Lone Star Showdown (Texas vs. Texas Tech), Sunflower Showdown (Kansas vs. Kansas State), and the Battle for the Braggin’ Rights (Iowa State vs. Kansas).