While the 2025-26 college football season just ended on Monday night, the Big 12 will release the conference schedule for the 2026-27 campaign on Wednesday morning. On Tuesday evening ahead of its release, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported a few tidbits that could be of interest to fans of the conference in general and of the BYU Cougars specifically.

The embers had barely cooled on Indiana’s celebratory cigar on the first 16-0 season in modern college football history (and first since Yale in 1896, if you’re counting) when Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark flipped the page to next fall.

It’s the day after the National Championship, which means “way-too-early” top 25 preseason rankings are out. The rankings at this point are mostly meaningless, but it’s some fun early fodder to look ahead to the 2026 season.