The Huge 12 went by means of virtually 100 variations of its 2025 soccer schedule earlier than selecting the ultimate version.
The (unofficial) Over/Beneath was 150.
In any case, crafting a nine-game schedule for 16 groups unfold throughout 4 time zones with fastened opponent rotations, pre-existing non-conference contracts and a want for aggressive stability is hardly simple.
Earlier than we plunge into the weeds of the schedule revealed Tuesday morning — the breakdown under is for junkies — listed here are three reminders:
1. Within the fall of 2023, the Huge 12 set a four-year schedule matrix for each opponents and places. Solely the order of video games for every explicit season was unknown.
2. Kickoff occasions for early-season matchups and particular date video games shall be introduced within the spring. Additionally, a number of video games at the moment set for Saturday may very well be moved to Friday.
3. A totally truthful and balanced schedule is not possible whether or not it’s the Huge 12 or Huge Ten, the SEC or ACC.
The job of the convention workplace is to restrict the cases of aggressive disadvantages to the best extent potential.
Having written extensively about scheduling malpractice within the former Pac-12, the Hotline has developed a eager eye for egregious conditions.
In our view, the Huge 12’s schedule matches simply into an affordable vary.
Right here we go …
— The 2025 competitors calendar gives 14 weeks of regular-season play, giving every crew two byes.
Nevertheless, two Huge 12 groups could have three byes: Kansas State and Iowa State open the season Aug. 23 in Dublin, Eire within the first Week 0 convention sport in Huge 12 historical past.
Consequently, the Wildcats and Cyclones have three in-season byes.
— Every of the previous Pac-12 colleges (and Brigham Younger) performs a highway sport in Texas, which has develop into more and more important recruiting terrain now that they aren’t taking part in commonly in California.
Arizona State and Utah will go to Baylor; Arizona heads to Houston; Brigham Younger makes the journey to Texas Tech; and Colorado will get a Lone Star State double dip with video games at Houston and TCU.
— A number of rivalry video games shall be performed in the midst of the season, together with the Holy Battle: Utah visits Brigham Younger on Oct. 18, the identical day TCU and Baylor collide. And the Sunflower Showdown matching Kansas and Kansas State is ready for Oct. 25.
(The Territorial Cup in Tempe is unchanged from its normal place on the Friday or Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend.)
The October dates might rankle followers preferring their rivalries on the finish of the season. However practicality trumps custom within the period of convention realignment, and the Huge 12 should discover optimum spots for its greatest stock.
The Holy Battle has been performed on the finish of the common season simply as soon as up to now 15 years. If slotted into that window in 2025, the showdown would get buried within the TV scores sport by SEC and Huge Ten rivalries.
However Week 8 affords comparatively mild competitors for the Fox and ABC/ESPN broadcast home windows: Ohio State performs Wisconsin, Oregon faces Rutgers, USC visits Notre Dame (on NBC) and Texas performs Kentucky.
The Huge 12’s rivalry video games might have prime home windows accessible.
— Arizona State, the defending convention champion, ought to be largely happy with its schedule.
The Solar Devils have well-placed byes (Weeks 6 and 11), play back-to-back house video games in the midst of the season and don’t journey to the Japanese Time Zone.
The one tough project comes late: ASU hosts West Virginia on Nov. 15, then visits Colorado on the penultimate Saturday. The Buffaloes shall be coming off a bye.
— Arizona faces an identical scenario: The Wildcats host Kansas on Nov. 8, then make the lengthy journey to Cincinnati the next week. The Bearcats could have been resting for 2 weeks.
— Utah and Brigham Younger have critical challenges the week after the Holy Battle. The Cougars go to Iowa State, whereas the Utes host Colorado.
Nevertheless, the Buffaloes could have two weeks to arrange — a sneaky-tough project for Utah after probably the most emotional sport of its season.
— Just one crew opens convention play with two consecutive highway video games: Texas Tech heads to Utah (Week 4) and Houston (Week 6), however at the very least the Pink Raiders have a bye in between.
— TCU has the earliest bye (Week 2), which is the results of the Horned Frogs’ non-conference schedule. Colorado has the newest bye: The Buffaloes don’t have a break till Week 8.
— 5 groups play back-to-back highway video games and not using a bye in between: Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Oklahoma State and TCU. All 5 are situated within the Central Time Zone, and none of them cross a couple of time zone for both of the highway video games.
— Lastly, there are 9 cases during which a crew performs on the highway towards an opponent that’s coming off a bye — maybe probably the most difficult logistical project within the sport (and a definite aggressive drawback for the customer).
Nevertheless, just one faculty attracts that menacing job twice: West Virginia.
The Mountaineers go to Kansas early within the season, when the Jayhawks have an additional week to arrange, and so they journey to Arizona State in mid-November, when the Solar Devils shall be contemporary from per week off.
Including to West Virginia’s general problem: a Friday highway sport at Brigham Younger.
Lengthy journeys on quick weeks are usually not simple.
In any other case, the Huge 12 did a commendable job spreading the schedule ache equally.
