Why the Big 12 football championship game isn't going anywhere for at least seven years

ARLINGTON, Texas — Lance Leipold had to know two years ago, that his first Kansas team would be nowhere near AT&T Stadium during the 2021 Big 12 championship game.

But that didn't stop him from sending a message to his Jayhawks, who would win two games that year and go 1-8 in the Big 12.

"My first season at KU, we played TCU down here, and we came here after we landed, and then we went to the hotel," Leipold said while sitting in that same stadium Wednesday for the first of two Big 12 media days. "Because I wanted them to see this place. I wanted them to have the opportunity to look and dream and think and motivate and have goals to be here.

"I think when you have one of the best football stadiums in this country, which then would be the world, it's a great opportunity to play on that stage, and I think that would be everyone's goal."

AT&T Stadium, home of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, has served as host of the Big 12 championship since the game resumed in 2017, matching the top teams with the top two regular-season records. And now, thanks to an agreement announced Wednesday by Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark, that relationship will continue at least through the 2030 season.

Related: Kansas State football embraces underdog role heading into Big 12 championship game

"It's a world-class venue, probably the finest venue in America," Yormark said. "We have great partnership with AT&T Stadium and the Dallas Cowboys and the entire organization, and it's kind of nice that we start our season here effectively and end it here.

"In speaking to some of the student-athletes that are here today, this place is very aspirational. So doubling down on that partnership (is) critically important for us and very happy about it."

Kansas may still be a longshot in Leipold's third season, to return to the Metroplex on Dec. 2 for the 2023 championship game. But the Jayhawks did take a step in the right direction last year by winning six games, including a 3-6 conference record.

And Leipold's side trip on that trip to Fort Worth two years ago was not lost on senior quarterback Jalon Daniels.

"Honestly, that was my first time ever going into this stadium before," said Daniels, the Big 12 preseason offensive player of the year. "I want to be able to see what it's like playing inside the stadium, not just look around and see a whole bunch of empty seats."

Related: KU football’s Jalon Daniels named preseason All-Big 12 offensive player of the year

Preseason favorite Texas and third-place pick Oklahoma, which won the first four championship games in Arlington, will move on to the SEC next year, but other teams that have participated in the game over the past six years gave a ringing endorsement to the extension.

"I think the longer you have continuity in games like this, for example like softball being in Oklahoma City, I think that people will see it that way, and I feel like it makes it better," said Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy, whose Cowboys dropped a 21-16 decision to Baylor in the 2021 championship game. "I think it's a good idea to stay with this.

"The structure and continuity of that, in a game where we don't have a lot of that, it's a positive situation for everybody. (The players) love it."

Just ask TCU all-conference cornerback Josh Newton, who transferred from Louisiana-Monroe last year and helped lead the Horned Frogs to a 12-0 record and the Big 12 regular-season title before they fell, 31-28, in overtime to Kansas State in the championship game.

Related: Recap: Ty Zentner's 31-yard field goal lifts K-State over TCU in overtime for Big 12 title

"It's amazing," Newton said of the stadium. "I truly enjoyed my first experience last year and hopefully I can get another experience this year. It's been surreal to me, coming from where I come from.

"I played my first bowl game last year — everything — conference championship (game), national championship, bowl game, 12-0 regular season. Everything was just a payoff. My last school, not being very successful, I truly appreciate it."

The fact that TCU plays its home games in nearby Fort Worth, practically in the shadow of AT&T Stadium, didn't diminish the opportunity in Newton's mind.

"It's kind of like giving you that extra boost of not just playing here for TCU, but trying to play for the Dallas Cowboys or any other NFL team," Newton said. "(Like) being a part of it and winning the Super Bowl. Everything.

"Just having the excitement of stepping in a stadium like this, you can see it from the highway, so it's self-explanatory."

Related: Winning field goal just another day at the office for Kansas State football's Ty Zentner

TCU coach Sonny Dykes, who led the Horned Frogs on a magic ride all the way to the national championship game in his first season, also endorsed keeping the conference title game in the Metroplex, last year's loss to K-State notwithstanding.

"It's one of the great stadiums in the world, and obviously football's important in the state of Texas, and it's kind of centrally located from a conference perspective," Dykes said. "It's a huge stadium and it's got a great atmosphere and the place is loud and they obviously know how to take good care of the teams."

Dykes, who coached at SMU before moving across the Metroplex to TCU, also appreciates AT&T Stadium for its practicality.

"It's nice. It's an 18-minute drive to media day today, and when I was in the American Conference, our media day was in Rhode Island," he said with a smile. "So this is a lot easier to drive 18 minutes over here than it was to fly 1,800 miles to the media day in Rhode Island."

Oklahoma State offensive lineman Preston Wilson played in the 2021 championship game at the stadium, and like TCU's Newton remembers it well.

"It was a surreal moment, because you walk out and you're like, 'Wow, this is where the big guys play,' " he said. "You're one step closer to being one of those guys and you feel like, 'Wow, this is attainable. That's something that I can achieve.'

"Cowboy Stadium, AT&T Stadium, it's such a great place to play. It's almost a dream come true for the players, playing in Jerry's World like this. It's playing in the ultimate dome of football stadiums."

That, besides KU's underdog role, is one thing that fuels Daniels' fire. He doesn't want to share the field with media types while the stands remain empty.

"I want to be able to come here and score some touchdowns on this field," he said.

Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Big 12 to keep football championship game at AT&T Stadium through 2030