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Big 12 Notes – Wyoming Week
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September 19th
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Arizona State and Kansas to play in London in 2026
From CBS Sports … College football is headed to London, England. Arizona State and Kansas are in discussions to meet in Wembley Stadium on Sept. 19, 2026 in the first installment of what’s expected to be a multi-year event called the Union Jack Classic, CBS Sports confirms.
Both schools are seeking a one-year waiver to stage what would be the first major college football game to take place in the United Kingdom. Richmond and Boston did meet in London’s Crystal Palace National Sports Centre on Oct. 16, 1988.
The timing of Arizona State and Kansas’ future matchup is notable since it will fall during Week 3 of the 2026 season. Normally, international contests occur during Week 0 — such as Ireland’s Aer Lingus Classic, which featured Kansas State and Iowa State this season — or during the bowl slate.
The Post and Courier notes that the Big 12 could be featured in the next two Union Jack Classics beyond 2026.
Though this is college football’s first real foray into England, the NFL has been a mainstay around the United Kingdom for almost 18 years. The United Kingdom has hosted at least three NFL games in all but one season since 2014.
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September 18th
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Big 12 to implement live replay center look-ins, starting this weekend
From CBS Sports … The Big 12 will offer a look inside its replay center for conference football games beginning this week, CBS Sports’ Richard Johnson confirms, delivering live video during reviews on its broadcasts. The league conducted a soft run during last week’s game between Houston and Colorado and is prepared to roll out the feature on its ESPN, Fox and TNT broadcasts starting in Week 4.
Live review look-ins began this season in the ACC, which unveiled the feature in select games during the first three weeks of the season. The Big 12 will be the second conference to pull back the curtain on its review process, delivering a new layer of transparency. Unlike the ACC, however, it will only offer video from the command center, according to Brett McMurphy. The ACC pairs its video with an audio feed between the replay officials and referee, which the Big 12 plans to do next season.
No. 16 Utah and No. 17 Texas Tech square off at noon ET on Saturday in the biggest Big 12 game of the week, marking a high-profile debut for the new broadcast feature. Oklahoma State hosts Tulsa on Friday, but with American Conference officials assigned to that nonconference matchup, there will be no live replay center look-ins.
Last week’s matchup between Clemson and Georgia Tech put the ACC’s process on full display and added a unique, well-received wrinkle to the broadcast of one of the biggest games on the Week 3 college football schedule. Viewers got an inside look into the decisions on game-defining reviews as the Yellow Jackets pulled off a major upset.
… Continue reading story here …
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NCAA Eliminates Spring Transfer Window
From ESPN … College football is officially moving to a single offseason transfer portal window, the NCAA announced Wednesday.
The Division I Administrative Committee voted to approve a legislative change that eliminates the spring transfer window but did not sign off on establishing Jan. 2-11 as the lone portal window for FBS and FCS players.
In response to feedback from student-athletes, the FBS and FCS oversight committees will discuss modifying the dates and length of the proposed January window. The Administrative Committee will consider those adjustments when it meets in October.
FBS head coaches advocated for a January portal window at the AFCA convention in January, and both oversight committees voted to support changing the transfer windows earlier this month. The reform will bring major changes to the timing and duration of the offseason transfer period in college football.
The initial proposal would require college football players to wait until Jan. 2 — the day after the completion of the College Football Playoff quarterfinals — to enter their names in the NCAA transfer portal database and be contacted by prospective schools. Graduate transfers were previously allowed to enter the portal early but now must also wait until the January window.
Players would have 10 days to enter the portal but are under no deadline to make a commitment to their next school once they enter.
Players on teams still competing in the College Football Playoff in January would have five days after their final postseason game to enter the portal. This season’s CFP semifinals — the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl — are scheduled for Jan. 8 and 9, respectively.
In previous years, the winter transfer portal window opened in early December on the Monday after bowl game selections. The change is aimed at alleviating some of the stress of the loaded December calendar, during which transfer recruiting, coaching changes, bowl practices, high school signing day, bowl games and the College Football Playoff all were going on simultaneously.
Last year’s winter portal window was Dec. 9-28 with the spring portal window on April 16-25. The total number of FBS scholarship transfers has increased yearly and surpassed 3,200 in 2024-25.
The elimination of the spring transfer period is a move the NCAA has considered in recent years. It was first established as a 15-day window in April 2023 and marked the final deadline for players to transfer and be immediately eligible at their next school. In 2024-25, the spring window was reduced to a 10-day period.
The spring window had become a source of frustration among coaches in recent years. Unexpected post-spring departures are difficult to replace, and the elimination of the one-time transfer rule has given players and agents the leverage to demand more money by threatening to transfer. Coaches have also taken advantage of the spring window to cut underperforming players and bring in additional transfers.
This year, more than 1,100 FBS scholarship players entered the transfer portal in the month of April.
… Continue reading story here …
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September 17th
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Ten Big 12 games with over two million viewers to date (including all three CU games)
Big 12 to date (all times ET):
Week 1 – TCU at North Carolina – Monday – 8:00PM – ESPN – 6,600,000
Week 2 – Iowa/Iowa State – Saturday – 12:00PM – FOX – 4,278,000
Week 0 – Iowa State/Kansas State – Saturday – 12:00 PM – ESPN – 4,008,000
Week 1 – Georgia Tech at Colorado – Friday – 8:00PM – ESPN – 3,700,000
Week 1 – Nebraska vs. Cincinnati – Thursday – 9:00PM – ESPN – 3,300,000
Week 1 – South Dakota at Iowa State – Saturday – 3:30PM – FOX – 3,044,000
Week 3 – Colorado at Houston – Friday – 7:30PM – ESPN – 2,900,000
Week 1 – Auburn at Baylor – Friday – 8:00PM – FOX – 2,832,000
Week 2 – Delaware/Colorado – Saturday – 3:30PM – FOX – 2,685,000
Week 2 – Oklahoma State/Oregon – Saturday – 3:30PM – CBS – 2,320,000
Week 2 – Kansas/Missouri – Saturday – 3:30PM – ESPN2 – 1,812,000
Week 3 – Pitt at West Virginia – Saturday – 3:30PM – ESPN – 1,708,000
Week 3 – Kansas State at Arizona – Friday – 9:00PM – FOX – 1,625,000
Week 0 – Fresno State/Kansas – Saturday – 6:30PM – FOX – 1,597,000
Week 1 – Utah at UCLA – Saturday – 11:00PM – FOX – 1,528,000
Week 2 – Stanford/BYU – Saturday – 10:15PM – ESPN – 1,090,000
Week 2 – Baylor/SMU – Saturday – 12:00PM – CW – 1,003,000
Week 2 – Arizona State/Mississippi State – Saturday – 7:30PM – ESPN2 – 977,000
Week 3 – Oregon State at Texas Tech – Saturday – 3:30PM – FOX – 859,000
Week 2 – Army West Point/Kansas State – Saturday – 7:00PM – ESPN – 791,000
Week 3 – Iowa State at Arkansas State – Saturday – 4:00PM – ESPN2 – 623,000
Week 3 – Texas State at Arizona State – Saturday – 10:30PM – TNT/TruTV – 202,000
Week 2 – West Virginia/Ohio Saturday – 4:00PM – ESPNU – 199,000
Week 2 – Kent State/Texas Tech – Saturday – 12:00PM – TNT/TruTV – 196,000
Week 1 – Hawai’i at Arizona – Saturday – 10:30PM – TNT/TruTV – 186,000
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September 16th
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Travis Hunter effect alive and well in the 2025 college football season
From ESPN … Utah’s mission to reboot its offense started with adding a quarterback-coordinator combination from New Mexico, as Devon Dampier and Jason Beck made their way to Salt Lake City.
But the Utes also needed playmakers to surround Dampier. Their search led them to the transfer portal, naturally, but also to their own roster and, ultimately, to the other side of the ball.
Smith Snowden, who started at nickel in 2024 and had 10 passes defended, and linebacker Lander Barton, the team’s tackles leader in fall 2024 who had six passes defended, were the top options.
“Obviously Travis Hunter last year, the success he had, winning the Heisman [Trophy], that struck a chord with a lot of coaches, taking them through their roster: Who do we have that can contribute both ways?” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham told ESPN. “The bottom line is: What’s going to help you win games? It’s not the novelty of having a two-way guy. Who’s going to give us the best chance to win?”
Hunter’s surge to the 2024 Heisman at Colorado, while playing full time on both offense and defense, might have nudged coaches to expand their view of what was possible for the right players. Although Hunter did things not thought possible in the modern era of college football — he played 2,625 snaps in two seasons at Colorado, leading the FBS in both 2023 and 2024 — his success is already increasing opportunities for others.
Utah opened the season with a 43-10 win at UCLA, in which Snowden led the team in receiving and added a rushing touchdown while Barton caught a touchdown pass from Dampier. Safety Jackson Bennee also had a 17-yard reception. In Week 2, Snowden had two rushes, three catches and two tackles.
“Travis Hunter really set the standard for it,” Snowden said. “He opened a lot of doors for younger athletes that can’t decide if they want to play offense or defense.”
Maybe they don’t have to anymore.
The Utes’ crew is among a small but growing group of players with the license to play both ways. Minnesota sophomore Koi Perich, a first-team All-Big Ten defensive back in 2024 who also stood out on returns, is carving out a bigger role with the Gophers offense. Vanderbilt defensive back Martel Hight, an All-SEC return specialist this past season, is on a similar path as a wide receiver.
They’re all occupying expanded roles, at least in part, because of the Travis Hunter effect.
… Continue reading story here …
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September 14th
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Big 12 Lines: CU opens as a two-touchdown favorite over Wyoming
From DraftKings …
The Big 12 …
Friday, September 19th
- Tulsa at Oklahoma State … 5:30 p.m., MT, ESPN … Oklahoma State is a 13.5-point home favorite …
Saturday, September 20th
- No. 17 Texas Tech at No. 16 Utah … 10:00 a.m., MT, Fox … Utah is a 4.5-point home favorite …
- SMU at TCU … 10:00 a.m., MT, ESPN2 … TCU is a 6.5-point home favorite …
- North Carolina at UCF … 1:30 p.m., MT, Fox … UCF is a 6.5-point home favorite …
- West Virginia at Kansas … 4:00 p.m., MT, FS1 … Kansas is a 13.5-point home favorite …
- Arizona State at Baylor … 5:30 p.m., MT, Fox … Baylor is a 2.5-point home favorite …
- BYU at East Carolina … 5:30 p.m., MT, ESPN2 … BYU is a 6.5-point road favorite …
- Wyoming at Colorado … 8:15 p.m., MT, ESPN … Colorado is a 14.0-point home favorite …
- Idle … Arizona … Kansas State … Houston … Iowa State …
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UCLA & Virginia Tech fire head coaches after 0-3 starts
UCLA … From ESPN … UCLA fired football coach DeShaun Foster on Sunday after a winless start to the season.
Foster, who was in his second year as the Bruins’ coach, went 5-10 during his short tenure and began this season with a 43-10 loss to Utah at home followed by back-to-back losses to Mountain West teams.
“I regret putting Deshaun in that situation where we were going into the Big Ten and even though we were supported from a resource perspective, getting a start so late, really disadvantaged the beginning to his coaching career here,” UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond told reporters.
Tim Skipper, previously the special assistant to Foster, will serve as the Bruins’ interim head coach for the rest of the season, the school said.
“[UCLA chancellor Julio Frenk] trusts me to lead the athletic department. This is a decision I made, I called the chancellor,” Jarmond said. “I’ve been in conversation with him, and I ultimately made this decision, and he supported it.”
After a drubbing at the hands of the Utes in Week 1, the Bruins suffered a 30-23 loss to UNLV in Las Vegas. Looking to bounce back, UCLA welcomed a New Mexico team to the Rose Bowl that was picked to finish 11th in the Mountain West. But following a shocking 35-10 defeat Saturday at the hands of the Lobos, Foster did not mince words about the state of the program.
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Virginia Tech … From ESPN … Virginia Tech has fired coach Brent Pry on Sunday, a day after a 45-26 home loss to Old Dominion in which the Hokies were booed loudly while heading to the locker room for halftime.
Saturday’s loss dropped Virginia Tech to 0-3 on the season and 16-24 through four seasons under Pry. He is set to be owed more than $6 million in his buyout.
“Blacksburg will always hold a special place in our hearts,” Pry said in a statement. “We leave with wonderful memories and lifelong friendships, and we will forever be cheering for the Hokies.”
In a statement, school president Tim Sands said the change was “necessary” due to on-field results described as “not acceptable.”
The hot-seat talk bubbled up around Pry in November last season, and if the Hokies had lost to Virginia to end the season, a change may have been made at that point. But Virginia Tech defeated Virginia, and Pry’s second consecutive 6-6 regular season landed him in a bowl game.
… Continue reading story here …
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