Takeaways from BYU basketball’s Big 12 opponent lineup in 2026-27

PROVO – BYU basketball knows where it will be facing Big 12 opponents during the 2026-27 season.

The Big 12 Conference revealed the 18-game schedule matrix for each of the 16 league programs this week.

BYU's "two-play" matchups in the 2026-27 Big 12 basketball schedule.

– Utah
– Arizona
– TCU pic.twitter.com/IpRghxZ6NN

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) June 11, 2026

BYU will look to climb in the Big 12 standings after a 10th-place finish a season ago.

Here are some takeaways from the league opponents BYU will face in year three under head coach Kevin Young.

Protected rivalry with Utah

The rivalry between BYU and Utah continues to be protected in the Big 12 scheduling matrix.

Once again, the in-state foes separated by 45 miles will face off once at the Huntsman Center and another time at the Marriott Center.

It will be year two for Alex Jensen on the hill. The Utes finished in last place in the Big 12 in his first season as head coach. They should be improved this upcoming season with UVU transfer Jackson Holcombe joining the program, along with talented international point guard Noam Yaacov.

Since the Utes joined the Big 12, BYU is 3-1 against Utah, sweeping the series last year.

Budding rivalry with Arizona?

For the third consecutive year since Arizona joined the Big 12, BYU and Arizona will have a two-play on the league schedule. There’s a history between the two programs that dates back to the early WAC years. But the series went away when Arizona was in the PAC-10 and later the PAC-12.

Since the two reunited in the Big 12, the games have been high-level matchups with Arizona winning three of the four meetings. BYU’s lone victory occurred in Tucson in 2025.

Arizona reached the Final Four last season and won the Big 12 regular season and conference tournament championships. The Wildcats should once again be one of the favorites to win the league next season with Motiejus Krivas and Ivan Kharchenkov returning.

Arizona also brings in five-star freshman Caleb Holt.

No visit to Morgantown, West Virginia

In BYU’s first three years as a member of the Big 12 Conference, the Cougars traveled to Morgantown, West Virginia, each year. Next season, they won’t make a trip to the Country Roads; instead, they will only host West Virginia at the Marriott Center.

Along with it being the first year without a visit to Morgantown, it’s also the first time since BYU joined the league that the Mountaineers are bringing back a head coach from the previous year. Ross Hodge, who led West Virginia to a College Basketball Crown title in year one, returns for his second season.

No. 1 recruit Tyran Stokes, Kansas, will visit Provo

Despite an electric game last year between BYU and Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse, the two programs remain one-play opponents in the Big 12 schedule. That means Kansas will visit Provo this season for the first time since 2025.

Kansas earned its first win over BYU since the Cougars joined the league in 2023. The last time Kansas visited Provo, BYU hammered the Jayhawks by 34 points.

This year, Kansas has another star freshman as they added No. 1 recruit Tyran Stokes. Along with Stokes, Bill Self’s squad also has Taylen Kinney on the guard line.

Former Utah forward Keanu Dawes is also in on the new-look Kansas frontcourt.

Road-only games are some of the toughest venues in the Big 12

Every game in Big 12 basketball is difficult. There’s no doubt about that. However, some road environments are a step up from others.

Among the best road venues in the league are Houston’s Fertitta Center, Iowa State’s Hilton Coliseum, and Texas Tech’s United Supermarkets Arena.

BYU travels to all three with no return trips to Provo from those teams.

Also, Addition Financial Arena, home of the UCF Knights, has emerged as one of the league’s underrated road spots.

BYU basketball: Big 12 opponents for 2026-27 season

Two-play: Home-and-away

• Arizona
• TCU
• Utah

Home-only

• Baylor
• Cincinnati
• Kansas
• K-State
• Oklahoma State
• West Virginia

Away-only

• Arizona State
• UCF
• Colorado
• Houston
• Iowa State
• Texas Tech

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSL and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast daily on KSL Sports YouTube and KSL NewsRadio (SUBSCRIBE). Harper also co-hosts Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL NewsRadio.

Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU athletics in the Big 12 Conference on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram: @Mitch_Harper.

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