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SALT LAKE CITY — As the calendar flips to June and less than 100 days until the 2024 college football season, conferences and television networks unveiled the rite of passage that is the planning of the season.
In conjunction with television partners ESPN and FOX, the Big 12 revealed the dates and kickoff times for select broadcasts of the 2024 season, when the league will expand to 16 teams to include Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah.
Most directly, the first three weeks of the season are set, along with a handful of "special date selections." The remaining scheduled will be announced on a 12-day or six-day notice via the conference office.
Utah will open its first season in the Big 12 at home Thursday, Aug. 29 against FCS foe Southern Utah. The game, which will be streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+, will kick off at 7 p.m. MDT and be one of four Big 12 contests on a Thursday night — with three of them streamed on the conference's digital network operated by ESPN.
BYU's home opener will be Saturday, Aug. 31 against FCS foe Southern Illinois. Kickoff on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ will be at 6 p.m. MDT.
The Cougars will then face their first short week of the season, when they travel to new ACC foe SMU for a Friday night kickoff at 5 p.m. MDT from Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas. The Sept. 6 game will be televised on ESPN2.
The Utes' nonconference game Sept. 7 against Baylor will kick at 1:30 p.m. MDT on FOX.
The program's first game against Utah State since 2015 will follow Saturday, Sept. 14. Kickoff of the Battle of the Brothers from Logan is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. MDT on CBS Sports Network, as noted by the Mountain West and its television partners CBS and FOX. On the same day, BYU will travel to face Wyoming at 7 p.m. MDT on CBS Sports Network.
The Pac-12-turned-Big 12 rivalry of Utah's trip to Arizona State will kickoff Friday, Oct. 11 at 8:30 p.m. MDT on ESPN.
BYU adds another Friday night game Oct. 18, when the Cougars will host Mike Gundy and Oklahoma State at 8:15 p.m. MDT on ESPN.
Finally, Utah's first trip to UCF will air Friday, Nov. 29 at 6 p.m. MDT on FOX in what will be the final game of the regular season.
The Mountain West also revealed three conference games for the Aggies, beginning with a Friday, Oct. 11 matchup against UNLV. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. MDT on CBS Sports Network.
Utah State will also face Wyoming on Saturday, Oct. 26 at 5 p.m. MDT on CBS Sports Network, and San Diego State at 1:30 p.m. MDT Saturday, Nov. 23 on CBS Sports Network.
The Aggies' trip to Boise State on Saturday, Oct. 5 will air on a FOX network, and Utah State's Friday, Nov. 29 tilt with Colorado State will air on FS1.
Here's the complete list of dates announced Thursday: