CINCINNATI (WCMH) — The Cincinnati Bearcats are getting ready for one of its biggest seasons in program history and they now know its exact schedule.

The 2023 schedule for the Big 12 conference was announced Tuesday afternoon with the likes of Cincinnati, Houston, UCF, and BYU included for the first time in the expanded conference.

After starting the season with three straight non-conference games, the Bearcats inaugural conference game as a Big 12 team will be against powerhouse Oklahoma at Nippert Stadium. While the date of Sept. 23 is set a stone, a kickoff time has not been announced.

Cincy will also face all three of its new fellow members in 2023 with a special Friday night game on Sept. 30 at BYU, a Nov. 4 home match against UCF and a road trip to Houston on Nov. 11. The regular season will end at home for the Bearcats as they take on the Kansas Jayhawks on Nov. 25.

Among the teams the Bearcats avoid in its first Big 12 season are the reigning conference champions Kansas State and the reigning national runners-up TCU. The Horned Frogs lost the Big 12 title game to the Wildcats last season but still were awarded the three-seed in the College Football Playoff. After beating Michigan in a thrilling semifinal, TCU was stomped 65-7 by Georgia in the championship game.

The Bearcats ended its final year in the American Athletic Conference with a 9-4 record along with a Fenway Bowl loss to Louisville. 2023 will also be the first season for new head coach Scott Satterfield, who replaces new Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell. Cincinnati opens its season on Sept. 2 against Eastern Kentucky at Nippert Stadium.

2023 Cincinnati football schedule