Big 12 Now Requires One Power Conference Opponent per Season

The Big 12 Conference joined the likes of the ACC, Big Ten, and SEC this morning by announcing stricter guidelines as to which opponents its member institutions can schedule during the non-conference portion of the season. Big 12 teams are now required to face at least one opponent from a fellow power conference, either the ACC, Big Ten, Pac-12, or SEC, or Notre Dame each year.

ESPN's Brett McMurphy is reporting that BYU and Army will also count toward the Big 12's new power conference opponent requirement. UPDATE (2:45): Brett McMurphy has clarified that BYU and Army DO NOT count.

Couple of Big 12 ADs said BYU & Army would count toward Big 12’s non-league Power 5 requirement but Big 12 spokesman says they do not

— Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN) December 8, 2015

These new measures are designed to strengthen the Big 12's overall resume in regard to the College Football Playoff selection process.

"Schedule strength is a key component in CFP Selection Committee deliberations. This move will strengthen the resumes for all Big 12 teams. Coupled with the nine-game full round robin Conference schedule our teams play, it will not only benefit the teams at the top of our standings each season, but will impact the overall strength of the Conference."

- Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby

These new rules will not impact TCU for the foreseeable future as the Frogs have at least one power conference opponent on their schedule all the way through 2024. TCU is no stranger to tough opposition. The Frogs have faced at least one current power-conference team outside of league play every season since 1939, with the exception of 1979.

The Big 12 stated that the new rules will not impact teams that already have schedule agreements in place. Additionally, conference teams can now only face one non-Football Bowl Subdivision opponent each season.

Here's a look at upcoming Big 12 non-conference games against power conference opponents:

TCU:

2016 - vs. Arkansas
2017 - at Arkansas
2018 - vs. Ohio State
2019 - at Ohio State
2020 - at California
2021 - vs. California
2022 - at Colorado
2023 - vs. Colorado
2024 - at Stanford
2027 - vs. Stanford

Baylor:

2017 - at Duke
2018 - vs. Duke
2023 - vs. Utah
2024 - at Utah

Iowa State:

2016 - at Iowa
2017 - vs. Iowa
2018 - at Iowa
2019 - vs. Iowa
2020 - at Iowa
2021 - vs. Iowa
2022 - at Iowa
2023 - vs. Iowa

Kansas:

2018 - vs. Rutgers
2023 - vs. Illinois
2024 - at Illinois

Kansas State:

2016 - at Stanford
2017 - at Vanderbilt
2018 - vs. Mississippi State
2019 - at Mississippi State
2020 - vs. Vanderbilt
2021 - vs. Stanford

Oklahoma:

2016 - vs. Ohio State
2017 - at Ohio State
2018 - vs. UCLA
2019 - at UCLA
2021 - vs. Nebraska
2022 - at Nebraska
2025 - vs. Michigan
2026 - at Michigan
2027 - vs. LSU
2028 - at LSU

Oklahoma State:

2016 - vs. Pittsburgh
2017 - at Pittsburgh
2019 - at Oregon State
2020 - vs. Oregon State

Texas:

2016 - vs. Notre Dame, at California
2017 - vs. Maryland, at USC
2018 - at Maryland, vs. USC
2019 - vs. LSU
2020 - at LSU
2021 - at Arkansas
2022 - vs. Ohio State
2023 - at Ohio State
2024 - at Michigan
2027 - vs. Michigan

Texas Tech:

2016 - at Arizona State
2017 - vs. Arizona State
2019 - at Arizona
2020 - vs. Arizona

West Virginia:

2016 - vs. Missouri
2017 - vs. Virginia Tech (Landover, MD)
2018 - vs. Tennessee (Charlotte, NC)
2019 - at Missouri, vs. NC State
2020 - vs. Maryland
2021 - at Maryland, vs. Virginia Tech
2022 - at Pittsburgh, at Virginia Tech
2023 - at Penn State, vs. Pittsburgh
2024 - vs. Penn State, at Pittsburgh
2025 - vs. Pittsburgh