The season will begin with non-conference play on Friday, September 2, 2016, with Kansas State traveling to face Stanford.

As a 10-team league, the Big 12 will play a 9-game, round-robin conference schedule and each member will play 3 non-conference games–one of which must be against another Power Five conference foe.

In the event of a tie atop the standings, the conference tiebreaker shall determine the champion.

[4] The Big 12 Champion will earn a berth to the 2017 Sugar Bowl, to play the SEC Champion at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, on January 2, 2017.

[5] If the Big 12 Champion or SEC Champion are selected for the College Football Playoff, then a replacement team from the league will be designated to represent its conference in the Sugar Bowl according to the league's rules.