The Big 12 just got a little bigger.
A year after BYU and three other newcomers arrived, Utah, Colorado, Arizona and Arizona State now join the fold.
The Big 12′s map is expanding and fans from those new schools will need to navigate the Big 12′s more traditional roots.
Here is a guide to some of our favorite things about the conference.
Best town to visit
I haven’t hit every Big 12 town at this point, but I do have a few favorites.
One that stands out is Morgantown. You can fly into Pittsburgh and see the bridges in the morning. You can walk along the Allegheny River and see PNC Park and what was formerly known as Heinz Field. Stop by Primanti Bros. for a sandwich.
After that, make the hour drive to Morgantown. A night game in West Virginia feels very Big 12. Secluded in the back woods and hills, the stadium’s backdrop is beautiful. From the top of the stadium, you can look out and not see a single light for miles at night. It is the only show in town and the fans flock to it every Saturday. The “Country Roads” tradition is also one of the more unique sites in the conference.
After Morgantown, I’d go with Stillwater as my No. 2. The paddles in the student section are a nice touch. Boone Pickens Stadium is iconic for its massive video board in one end zone. The walkout before the game, with the Cowboy shooting his gun, is also cool.
One other underrated city is Cincinnati. If you have the chance, I’d say go.
— Kevin Reynolds
Favorite stadium
TCU is pretty hard to beat on the stadium front. It might be the best college football stadium I’ve been to. The concourse is a purple mausoleum and the grass field is a nice touch.
One stadium I’d avoid is Kansas — although that won’t be an issue anymore. KU tore down its old stadium and is playing at Arrowhead Stadium for some home games this year. Utah fans dodged a bullet visiting that one.
— Kevin Reynolds
Best restaurant
My favorite Big 12 kind of restaurant is Eskimo Joe’s in Stillwater, Okla. It has its own shop on the downstairs level, and the restaurant is located right on the main strip of bars in the college town.
— Kevin Reynolds
When Utah travels to Lawrence, Kan., in a couple of years, there’s this fantastic pizza joint called Papa Kenos Pizzeria. It has some of the best cheese pizza I’ve had in Big 12 country.
— Jason Batacao
Most underrated venue
I have to say the Big 12 has some of the best arenas in the country.
But, I have a few favorites. Even if it’s old, Gallagher-Iba Arena is by far one of the best complexes in the entire country. The orange seats and steep stands make it intense for both the fans and players.
When it’s packed, Oklahoma State has one of the best home-court advantages in the country.
It’s not as iconic as Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, but it’s amazing nonetheless.
— Jason Batacao
Best gas station grub
Welcome to the Big 12, Utah fans. It’s the conference of hilly plains, humid weather and massive pickup trucks. That means the gas stations are elite, especially the OnCue and QuikTrip gas station chains in Oklahoma. I will say this: Personally, I’m unbearably excited to stroll into an Oklahoma City QuikTrip and eat something off the roller grill.
Don’t hate it until you try it.
— Jason Batacao
Big 12 after dark
To give a list of my favorite food places in the Big 12, I have to say Whataburger is my go-to late-night food spot. Sorry In-N-Out fans, the Sweet and Spicy Burger with fries is elite (with no mustard, of course).
— Jason Batacao
Least favorite Big 12 town
The worst place in the conference is by far Manhattan, Kan. There is absolutely nothing to do in that town and the drive is absolutely awful.
I don’t have many qualms about the conference, but the drives to both Kansas universities and Texas Tech are mind-numbing. It’s just grass, hills and the occasional tumbleweed. I do not recommend it at all.
— Jason Batacao
