Due to its common history with the Missouri Valley Conference, Big Eight championships from 1907 through 1927 are also claimed by the MVC.
The first Big Eight conference team to attend a bowl game was Missouri, at the 1924 Los Angeles Christmas Festival.
In the 1971 NCAA University Division football season, Big Eight teams finished ranked #1 (Nebraska), #2 (Oklahoma) and #3 (Colorado) in the nation in the AP Poll – the only time in college football history teams from one conference have held the top three spots in the final poll.
With common histories dating back even before the 1907 formation of the conference, many of the Big Eight's rivalries were among the most-played in college football.
‡ Oklahoma initially won the 1972 title, but after it was found that they used ineligible players, they were penalized by the NCAA, though they did not force OU to forfeit games.