Texas Tech gets the Arizona Schools early
As for the other new Big 12 members, Tech doesn't play Utah but will see both Arizona Schools in the first half of the season. That's likely for the best.
Arizona State will come to Lubbock for the Big 12 opener on September 21. Meanwhile, Tech goes to Arizona on October 9.
While Tech will be expected to take care of business against a bad Sun Devil team, the game with the Wildcats will be intriguing. That's because Arizona is in a state of flux this year.
After losing head coach Jedd Fisch to Washington, many of Arizona's top players from 2023 entered the portal. That included last season's leading rusher, top corner, two tight ends, and a starting offensive lineman. Also, a number of 2024 signees, including a highly-rated QB, also jumped ship.
That put a damper on a program that surprised the country in 2023 and finished ranked 11th in the NCAA. Now, it will be interesting to see how they rebuild under head coach Brett Brennan, a rather uninspiring hire who was just 34-48 overall at San Jose State prior to getting the gig in Tucson.