Last week, the Big 12 released the matchups for the 2026-2027 conference schedule. While the dates for these matchups will be unveiled later, let’s take a look at BYU’s conference schedule and our three biggest takeaways.
1. Road Gauntlet
The first thing that stands out about BYU’s conference schedule is the road gauntlet. The Cougars will make trips to play at Arizona, at Houston, at Texas Tech, and at Iowa State. BYU also has to take on an Arizona State program in Tempe that is expected to take a big step forward. You combine those games with tough road tests at UCF and TCU, and BYU is about to face a very challenging conference road schedule.
Advertisement
In terms of the most consistent programs in the Big 12 – Houston, Iowa State, Arizona, Texas Tech, and Kansas – BYU has to play four out of the five on the road. Kansas is the only program that will come to Provo without BYU making a return trip.
On paper, BYU’s home/away split is more challenging than recent seasons. Last year’s BYU team struggled to win true road games. If this 2026-2027 team is going to exceed last year’s success, it will hinge on road success.
2. Only Two Marquee Home Games
In the Big 12, BYU fans have grown accustomed to hosting a handful of marquee games. This year, BYU only gets to host two marquee programs in Kansas and Arizona.
Advertisement
On one hand, BYU should be able to stack up some wins. That will be important give how challenging the road schedule is going to be. On the other hand, it’s the BYU fans that miss out on attending these games. The home schedule, combined with the increase in ticket prices over the last few years, is a hard pill for fans to swallow.
3. The BYU/Utah Series Doesn’t Mean What it Used to Mean
Back in the days of the Mountain West, the BYU-Utah games meant a lot in terms of the conference title race. These days, the matchups don’t carry nearly the same weight. Utah has been down for a decade now, and while BYU fans may enjoy their downfall, it hurts the strength and excitement of BYU’s conference schedule. Utah is a permanent home-and-home opponent, meaning no matter the season, BYU will face Utah twice.
Unless Utah can find a way to turn things around under Alex Jensen, this series won’t mean what it used to mean. College sports is about rivalries and entertaining matchups. Both fanbases miss out on good games when one program is down for an extended period of time.
Advertisement
Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on X and Facebook for the latest news.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/byu as 3 Takeaways From the 2026-2027 BYU Basketball Conference Schedule.
