The University of Utah's athletics department reported a $17 million budget deficit for the 2024 fiscal year, marking its first significant shortfall in years

The 2025-26 college football season is already generating excitement with ESPN’s way-too-early College Football Playoff projections. Following Ohio State’s cham

Several external factors resulted in the school's athletic program suffering a $17-million deficit for the 2024 fiscal year.

The Cougars finished tied for first place last season but did not qualify for the conference championship. They are the team to beat next fall.

Both the Bearcats and Cowboys sit below the Utes (11-8, 3-5 Big 12) in the conference standings — Cincinnati and Oklahoma State are each 2-6 in league play. The Bearcats are coming off an embarrassing 28-point loss at BYU, while the Cowboys fell on the road by 10 at Texas Tech.

The Runnin' Utes got back to basics and back to winning Saturday night in the Huntsman Center taking it to the Oklahoma State Cowboys, 83-62 to notch their first win in the Big 12 Conference.

Below is a closer look at a ranking of the toughest Big 12 football schedules in 2025 based on the 2024 win percentage of the opponents: Editor's note: The records of FCS opponents are not factored into the overall win percentage, but those games are listed on the 2025 schedules.

The Utes improved to 11-6 and 3-3 in Big 12 Conference play. The Cougars dropped to 11-6, 2-4. “These rivalry games, you just throw everting out the door,” Utah coach Craig Smith said.

BYU's Emma Calvert (25) and Lauren Gustin (12) battle Utah forward Jenna Johnson (22) for the ball during game at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023. The two teams meet at conference foes Saturday afternoon at the Marriott Center in Provo.

Although the basketball version of the BYU-Utah rivalry isn't as heated as football, there will be plenty of emotions and hype for Saturday's showdown in Salt Lake City. There will

Both BYU and Utah have some "traitors" on their rosters, as Cougars coach Kevin Young said. That will only make Saturday's rivalry game that much more interesting.

Coach Joey McGuire's third season with the Texas Tech Red Raiders was full of ups and downs on the way to a seventh-place finish in the conference with six Big 12 wins.