How Far Will Oklahoma State Travel in Year 1 of the New Big 12?

Big 12 football will be played in three different time zones this season, spanning from Utah to West Virginia and plenty between.

The conference on Aug. 2 officially added Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah. Last year, BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF joined the league, putting Big 12 football inside the Mountain Time Zone and growing its footprint in the Eastern Time Zone. With conferences no longer being based on geography, though, that means later kickoffs and more travel for Big 12 members.

Fortunately for Oklahoma State, the Cowboys will travel the least of any Big 12 team in 2024, going 4,380 linear miles in six road trips. For comparison, West Virginia, being on the East Coast, will travel the furthest distance stadium to stadium, racking up 11,137 miles during the season with one less road trip than OSU. Although the Cowboys hit the road an extra time, that does include only a 60-mile trip down the highway to Tulsa. A chunk of West Virginia’s mileage will be gained on its 3,595-mile trek to Tucson, Arizona.

Here’s a look at every Big 12 team’s linear mileage for 2024, ranked from most to least, according to Bookies.com.

OSU travels over 1,000 less miles than the next shortest traveler, Iowa State. Although the Cowboys’ number seems small in comparison, it’s not compared to what OSU has traveled in the past before college football experienced massive realignment.

Last season wasn’t much different for OSU, traveling 3,781 linear miles in only five road trips. However, that did include a pair of East Coast treks to Morgantown, West Virginia and Orlando, Florida. Pre-alignment, though, that Orlando trip wouldn’t have happened. Neither would that Morgantown journey if you go back even further.

In 2022, before BYU, Cincinnati, UCF and Houston were added, the Cowboys traveled 1,046 miles. That included two trips to Texas, two trips to Kansas and a skip to Norman. That was more like how things used to be — when conferences made sense.

But when the Big 12 was like the Good Lord intended and the name made sense in 2010 — with Colorado (the first time), Missouri, Nebraska and Texas A&M — OSU traveled 1,663 miles in five road trips. The Cowboys’ furthest distance was a nonconference journey to Lafayette, Louisiana. The longest Big 12 trek was to Austin.

As rumors swirl of the Big 12 continuing expansion, whether it’s further east or west, Stillwater does benefit from its central location. The Center of the Universe is less than 100 miles away, after all (this is a Tulsa reference for those who don’t get it). Unless the Cowboys are cursed with all the East Coast trips in one season, which should never happen, they will continue to travel the least more often than the furthest.