Big 12 Blitz: Meet KSU, Utah, UCF, BYU, Colorado and more as we introduce Arizona's new conference rivals

The Arizona Wildcats are going “Big” in 2024. So are we — at Tucson.com, via The Wildcast podcast, and in the pages of the Arizona Daily Star.

This is the “Big 12 Blitz," thanks to support from presenting partner Tucson Appliance Company.

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The "Blitz" is how we introduce you — the discerning Wildcat season ticket holder, would-be road-tripper or local cardinal and navy die-hard — to the teams, towns, campuses, fanbases and more that the UA coaches, athletes and supporters will experience across the Big 12 Conference landscape in the years to come.

Over the coming weeks, find stories, insider interviews, podcast episodes and history lessons from longtime Star sports columnist Greg Hansen on the each of the Wildcats' 12 newest rivals, plus the few that are riding alongside the UA as all embark on this new athletic adventure.

COLORADO BUFFALOES

Boulder, Colorado

On and off the field, meet the Colorado Buffaloes, a charter Big 12 member returning home

Arizona hosts the Buffaloes Saturday in football as Big 12 cohorts. A charter Big 12 member, Colorado is back (across all sports) home after a decade-plus moonlighting in the Pac-12.

Getting to know Colorado: Like its former Pac-12 cohorts at Arizona, Arizona State and Utah, the Colorado Buffaloes are considered one of four newbies in the Big 12. Except Colorado isn’t new to the Big 12. The Buffaloes just renewed their membership for the conference, after spending the last 13 years in the Pac-12. Before CU moved to the Pac-12, the Buffs were charter members of the Big 12 in the 1990s, joining after nearly five decades prior as part of the Big Eight.

Colorado's eagerness to get back to Big 12 paved way for Arizona, ASU, Utah to come along | Greg Hansen

Why was Colorado so eager to rejoin the Big 12? Beyond a $2.5 million “bonus’,’ Deion Sanders or no Deion Sanders, columnist Greg Hansen sees it as simple as wins, losses.

From columnist Greg Hansen: The Four Corners schools were not united in their move to the Big 12. Proof? Colorado jumped to the Big 12 eight days before Arizona, ASU and Utah. Why were the Buffaloes so eager? It goes beyond the $2.5 million “bonus’’ they were given to join the league. It could be as simple as wins and losses. It could be that they were in over their heads in the Pac-12, Deion Sanders or no Deion Sanders.

UCF KNIGHTS

Orlando, Florida

'Space U' (aka UCF) is Arizona Wildcats' new ongoing Big 12 Florida connection

Arizona and UCF football square off Nov. 2 in the "Space Game." UCF, known as "Space U" for its setting and impact on NASA and nearby Kennedy Space Center, has played its way into becoming Orlando's home town team. 

Getting to know UCF: The University of Central Florida fittingly calls itself “SpaceU”; the institution was, after all, created 61 years ago to serve the space industry that’s long called the Atlantic coast 30-some-odd miles east of UCF’s campus home. Just as appropriate: since 2017, the Knights football team’s annual “Space Game” is talk of the school’s Orlando campus each fall. This year, another higher education brand with deep connections to NASA, space science education and astronomical exploration will visit Orlando for the game’s 2024 rendition: the Arizona Wildcats.

UCF mostly unknown to Arizona, but opportunity for Cats to reach farther East in Big 12 | Greg Hansen

In Arizona’s more than 100-plus years and 1,100-plus games of college football, the Wildcats have only played one game in the state of Florida. That changes with the Saturday, Nov. 2 "Space Game" at UCF.

From columnist Greg Hansen: In Arizona’s more than 100 years of college football — exactly 1,165 games — the Wildcats have played everywhere from Tokyo to Toledo, but only one game in the state of Florida. So bring on Central Florida, you say? The Wildcats will play new Big 12 rival UCF in Orlando, Florida, on Nov. 2. What we don’t know about UCF could fill the pages of a very thick football magazine.

BYU COUGARS

Provo, Utah

On and off field, what to know about Big 12's BYU Cougars, Provo, football's 'Holy War,' more

BYU seems like a geographically convenient rivalry-in-waiting for both Arizona and ASU as new Big 12 members, plus a look at college football's "Holy War" (Utah vs. BYU) and more.

Getting to know BYU: Whenever the Arizona Wildcats play sporting events in Phoenix or Las Vegas, more often than not the UA faithful take over the venue with their Cardinal-red and Navy-blue clothes. That isn't as much the case when BYU is on the other side, though. Tucsonan Matt Bushman, a Sabino High School grad, former BYU tight end, and contributor to the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, gives the lowdown on the Cougars, BYU's Provo, Utah, campus, and more.

BYU, we hardly know you in Tucson; Cougars, Arizona in Big 12 changes that | Greg Hansen

When Arizona was absorbed by the Big 12 a year ago, columnist Greg Hansen found comfort that the Wildcats and BYU's Cougars would become big-game rivals in football and across all sports.

From columnist Greg Hansen: BYU, we hardly know you. Or perhaps it’s more accurate to say, we sort of forgot you. The Cougars have only played football in Tucson twice in the last 47 years, twice in men’s basketball. ... but when Arizona was absorbed by the Big 12 a year ago, I found comfort that the Wildcats and Cougars would become big-game rivals in all sports. The relationship that quietly went dark in 1977 has been revived. 

 UTAH UTES

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Salt Lake City

On and off field, what to know about the Utah Utes, another Big 12 newcomer

The Wildcats play the Utes this Saturday. Learn more about sports culture at Utah and in Salt Lake City, and about the football program picked to top the Big 12.

Getting to know Utah: This isn't Utah's first — or second, or third — rodeo in conference realignment in the last two decades. When Kyle Whittingham took over for Urban Meyer as Utah's head football coach in 2005, the Utes were in the Mountain West. For a decade prior to that Utes were in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). In 2011, the Utes transitioned to the Pac-12, and now it's on to the Big 12.

100-year rivals Arizona Wildcats and Utah Utes seem closely matched as ever | Greg Hansen

Across 100 years, 48 Utah-Arizona football matchups, the Utes twice won the Pac-12 and played in the Rose Bowl. The Wildcats? Neither. Columnist Greg Hansen unpacks the ongoing series.

From columnist Greg Hansen: After 100 years of sports competition, 1924-2024, Arizona and Utah have never been more closely matched. In the just-completed Learfield Director’s Cup final standings, Utah ranked No. 47 and Arizona No. 48. ... The unpredictability of the all-time series between Salt Lake City's Utes and Tucson's Wildcats could make quite the compelling TV documentary as it shifts to the Big 12 conference.

KANSAS STATE WILDCATS

Manhattan, Kansas

Getting to know Kansas State — those other Wildcats in the Big 12, Arizona's new conference

In football and other sports, an introduction for Arizona Wildcats fans to Kansas State University — those other Cats from Manhattan, Kansas. Dig in to traditions, traditions, what to expect on a visit and more.

Getting to know KSU: It’s not common for two teams both with “Wildcats” as their mascots to share the same conference. But now, as Big 12 foes, whenever Kansas State and Arizona see each other in any sport, referring to either team as the Cats could get confusing. Wyatt Thompson, longtime KSU play-by-play voice is among those to help straighten us out on KSU and Manhattan, Kansas. 

Greg Hansen: No Lute in Tucson? Could have been if intertwined Kansas State, UA history went differently

Big 12 Blitz: Star columnist Greg Hansen on Arizona almost stealing Kansas State's basketball coach — a move that likely would have meant no Lute Olson in Tucson.

From columnist Greg Hansen: Arizona came within a whisker of hiring Kansas State's successful basketball coach, Jack Hartman, 40-plus years ago. He said no, but only after initially saying yes. Had he made the trek to Tucson, a certain Iowa Hawkeye boss named almost certainly would not have ended up in Southern Arizona. Also, KSU's rags-to-riches football history under legendary coach Bill Snyder had an early date at Arizona Stadium. 

Coming soon:

• ASU Sun Devils | Tempe

• TCU Horned Frogs | Fort Worth, Texas

• Baylor Bears | Waco, Texas

• Texas Tech Red Raiders | Lubbock, Texas

• Cincinnati Bearcats | Cincinnati

• Iowa State Cyclones | Ames, Iowa

• West Virginia Mountaineers | Morgantownn, West Virginia

• Oklahoma State Cowboys | Stillwater, Oklahoma

• Houston Cougars | Houston

• Kansas Jayhawks | Lawrence, Kansas