As week 12 of college football approaches, fans want some clarity on some of the biggest matchups in the regular season. Both the SEC and B1G have opted to delay announcing kickoff times for three big Week 13 games. This has become a long-standing tradition for both conferences, allowing them to set game times based on the outcomes of the previous week’s results. But why can’t they just let it out early?

USC beat reporter Ryan Kartje revealed on X that the kickoff time for the USC-Oregon week 13 clash in November hasn’t been confirmed. Kartje also disclosed the reason behind the delay, stating that “the networks are holding off on announcing until after the Nov. 15 games.” The alarming part is that he is not the only one reporting the delays.

Nick de la Torre also posted on X about the delays in week 13, this time for the Florida-Tennessee matchup. Nick stated in his tweet that the game will be scheduled for either 3:30 p.m., 7:00 p.m., or 7:30 p.m. EST, with the television network yet to be determined. If that wasn’t enough, the Texas Longhorns beat reporter, David Eckert, also chimed in on the platform to tweet the SEC’s decision on the Longhorns-Arkansas game. He revealed that the SEC plans to schedule the matchup in the same time period as the Florida-Tennessee game.

It falls on the conferences and television networks like ESPN, FOX, and CBS to shape the late-season schedule, with the playoffs just around the corner. These networks regularly delay finalizing times for the best games until the previous week’s results clarify which matchups carry the most national significance, using a six-day hold approach.

This approach enables television partners to assess the outcomes and select matchups with the most significant impact on conference championships, college football playoff spots, and national rankings. With Commissioners Greg Sankey (SEC) and Tony Pettiti (B1G) supporting this model to help broadcasters adapt to late-season chaos, it seems fans will have to adjust to it.

Additionally, some of these matches hold significant meaning. Historically, the Gators and the Volunteers share a long-standing rivalry, but did you notice that the Gators never played a game at a noon kickoff this fall? It’s certainly strange. With the Gators having a season to forget (3-6), they hope to salvage some pride when they face the Volunteers in two weeks.

As of now, the buzz only continues to grow around what could be one of the biggest weekends of the 2025 college football season.

How Week 12 Results Could Reshape Week 13

Now that the schedule delays are official, the Week 12 games carry even more importance. HC Dan Lanning’s Oregon is well-positioned to secure a playoff spot. Sitting in fourth place in the B1G, they face seventh-place Minnesota this weekend. On the other side, HC Lincoln Riley’s Trojans face the Iowa Hawkeyes, a team Oregon beat last week. If Oregon fails to win its week 12 game, the appeal of the following week’s clash would plummet and would most probably be allotted to an afternoon window rather than primetime.

In the Gators-Volunteers matchups, the stakes are a bit different. Florida and Tennessee have a rivalry that always draws attention, so both teams must avoid defeat in Week 12. HC Josh Heupel’s Tennessee faces a relatively easy road ahead this weekend, taking on NM State at home. However, the Gators will have to secure a win against HC Lane Kiffin’s Rebels, who have been a top SEC team this season. If either team loses, it could affect the timing slots of their week 13 matchup.

Coming to the last matchup, the Longhorns and Razorbacks have one of the oldest rivalries in the SEC. Texas Longhorns are currently fifth in the SEC under HC Steve Sarkisian. However, that does not guarantee a Week 13 primetime spot, as they must beat Georgia at Sanford this week. And with a seven-game losing streak, interim HC Bobby Petrino and Arkansas will have to find a win against a weakened LSU in week 12.

So, a week 12 win could guarantee more than just another victory for these teams.