The Big 12 will permit its teams to play one nonconference football game this year to go along with their nine league contests as plans for the pandemic-altered season continue to fall into place.
The Big 12 university presidents signed off on the conference's scheduling model, which gives schools the option to play one nonconference game at home. The 10-team Big 12 already plays a nine-game conference schedule.
Unlike other Power Five conference that have switched to either exclusively (Big 12 Pac-12 and SEC) or mostly (ACC) league games this season, the Big 12 could not add more conference games without teams playing each other more than once.
“I would like to salute the work of our university presidents and chancellors, athletics directors, coaches, medical advisors and administrators who have worked tirelessly and collaboratively during these extraordinary times,” said Commissioner Bob Bowlsby. “We believe this change provides the best opportunity going forward. However, we will undoubtedly need to be flexible as we progress through the season in order to combat the challenges that lie ahead.”
One question will be who will be able to play Big 12 schools as most other conference have decided to hold conference-only schedules.
