2012 Big 12 Football Schedule Released: Analysis Here

West Virginia was hellbent on playing in the Big 12 in 2012.

With Tuesday's announcement that they have reached a settlement with the Big East to allow them to leave the league on July, 2012, the Mountaineers will do just that. The Big 12 has had a schedule prepared for its television partners for over a week, but released it to the public on Tuesday now that West Virginia is officially on board.

Here are some highlights of the release.

General Notes

*For home-and-away pairing purposes, West Virginia assumed Missouri's schedule, and TCU assumed Texas A&M's schedule.

*2011 champion Oklahoma State will begin defense of its title on September 29th when Texas comes to Stillwater.

*One of college football's greatest rivalries, Texas vs. Oklahoma, will once again be played at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, on October 13th. The Sooners have won the past two meetings, and eight of the 13 meetings between Bob Stoops and Mack Brown.

*TCU will play its first Big 12 game on September 15th in Lawrence against Kansas and new coach Charlie Weis. West Virginia's Big 12 opener will take place September 29th in Morgantown, as Baylor comes to Mountaineer Field.

*TCU and Baylor will do battle in a rematch of one of 2011's best games, a 50-48 Bears win, on October 13th in Waco.

*Oklahoma will try and exact revenge for college football's biggest upset of 2011 when they travel to Texas Tech on October 6th. The Sooners have not won in Lubbock since 2003.

*Texas will play on Thanksgiving Night for the fifth consecutive year. TCU will be the Longhorns' new opponent, after playing Texas A&M from 2007-2010.

*The league will once again play regular-season games on Championship Saturday, including Oklahoma at TCU and Texas at Kansas State.

*A Big 12 team will face Notre Dame for the first time since 2001 when Oklahoma hosts the Irish on October 27th.

*Non-conference games against BCS opponents include Texas at Ole Miss, Miami (FL) at Kansas State, Oklahoma State at Arizona, Iowa State at Iowa, Maryland at West Virginia and Virginia at TCU.

*Oklahoma State will meet the only team it lost to last season, Iowa State, on October 20th in Stillwater.

*Baylor and Texas Tech will meet at a neutral site for the fourth consecutive season when they play Thanksgiving weekend at Cowboys Stadium. They previously met at Cowboys Stadium in 2009 and 2011, and at the Cotton Bowl in 2010.

Top 10 Games to Watch

1. Texas vs. Oklahoma (Dallas), October 13th

2. Oklahoma at West Virginia, November 17th

3. West Virginia at Texas, October 6th

4. Oklahoma at TCU, December 1st

5. Texas at Oklahoma State, September 29th

6. TCU at Texas, November 22nd

7. Oklahoma State at Oklahoma, November 24th

8. Kansas State at Oklahoma, September 22nd

9. West Virginia at Oklahoma State, November 10th

10. TCU at West Virginia, November 3rd

Toughest Three-Game Stretches

Baylor: at West Virginia (September 29th), TCU (October 13th), at Texas (October 20th)

Iowa State: at TCU (October 6th), Kansas State (October 13th), at Oklahoma State (October 20th)

Kansas: Oklahoma State (October 13th), at Oklahoma (October 20th), Texas (October 27th)

Kansas State: Oklahoma State (November 3rd), at TCU (November 10th), at Baylor (November 17th)

Oklahoma: at West Virginia (November 17th), Oklahoma State (November 24th), at TCU (December 1st)

Oklahoma State: TCU (October 27th), at Kansas State (November 3rd), West Virginia (November 10th)

TCU: Kansas State (November 10th), at Texas (November 22nd), Oklahoma (December 1st)

Texas: at Oklahoma State (September 29th), West Virginia (October 6th), vs. Oklahoma (October 13th)

Texas Tech: Oklahoma (October 6th), West Virginia (October 13th), at TCU (October 20th)

West Virginia: TCU (November 3rd), at Oklahoma State (November 10th), Oklahoma (November 17th)

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