OSU Football's History With the New-Look Big 12: Arizona

The Cowboys have only a few matchups with the Wildcats, including some memorable ones in the Mike Gundy era.

Sept. 8, 2012; Tucson, AZ, USA; Arizona Wildcats running back Ka'Deem Carey (25) breaks into the endzone for a 1 yard touchdown as offensive linesman Chris Putton (62) celebrates during the first half against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports / Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Oklahoma State has some new opponents on the conference slate moving forward, but only one is not on the schedule next season.

After adding four group of five schools to the conference last year, the Big 12 expanded again this offseason. With the departures of Oklahoma and Texas to the SEC, the Big 12 added four teams from the dying Pac-12 conference. The Cowboys will match up with three of those four teams in 2024: Utah, Arizona State and Colorado.

However, Arizona will not play OSU until 2025, when the teams meet in Tucson. That will be the 10th meeting between the schools and the first since OSU visited Arizona in 2012.

In 2012, the Cowboys were blown out by the Wildcats 59-38 in one of the most forgettable games of OSU’s season. After a Quinn Sharp field goal brought the Cowboys within six to end the third quarter, Arizona poured it on in the fourth.

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That game was a stark difference from OSU’s previous two matchups against Arizona in 2010 and 2011. The Cowboys capped their 11-2 campaign in 2010 with a 36-10 Alamo Bowl win against the Wildcats. 

OSU played only one game in the 2011 season before facing Arizona again, this time on a Thursday night in Stillwater. Brandon Weeden completed 42 of his 53 passes for 397 yards in an easy 37-14 victory.

Before the three games in the early 2010s, OSU had not played Arizona in nearly 70 years. From 1931-42, the teams matched up six times, with each team earning three wins.

While the age of conference realignment in college football adds some uncertainty to the future of the Big 12, the Cowboys should have some intriguing matchups with a Wildcats program that is moving in the right direction, securing a 10-win campaign in 2023 after five straight losing seasons.

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