HUGE: TCU's Gary Patterson LOVES Texas Tech, BYU Up in AP Poll, ACC, Big 12 Combining Conferences?

Based on the current date of October 2nd, the college basketball season has not yet begun, and conference play in the Big 12 generally doesn't start until January. Therefore, there are no Big 12 basketball conference games scheduled for this immediate weekend.

However, if we look ahead to the start of the conference schedule, which typically begins in the first week of January (around January 3rd, according to the schedule matrix), the importance of those initial weekends is immense, setting the tone for the entire season.

The Big 12 tournament is a complete meat grinder, making every weekend in conference play feel like an elimination round. When the schedule begins, the first full weekend will immediately test the mettle of the league's top-tier teams, who will face off in brutal, highly-ranked matchups. With preseason favorites like Houston, Texas Tech, and BYU, and traditional powers like Kansas and Arizona all positioned near the top, almost any head-to-head game between them on a Saturday will carry enormous weight.

In a conference where a 10-8 or 9-9 record might be enough for a bid, every single weekend is massive. When the games truly start in January, expect every Saturday and Monday slate to feature Top 25 implications, where a single road win or home loss can be the difference between a high NCAA Tournament seed and falling onto the bubble. The very first week of January, therefore, will be the true "big weekend" that kicks off the most competitive conference race in the nation.

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