A row of gaming computers shrouded in a soft orange glow inside the Oklahoma State University Esports Arena — The OSU Esports Team will be competing in the first officially sanctioned Big 12 Esports Tournament with the chance to represent the Big 12 at the Collegiate Esports Commissioners Cup later this spring.

Oklahoma State University students to compete in groundbreaking Big 12 esports tournament

Friday, February 28, 2025

Media Contact: Jeff Hopper | Communications and Media Relations Manager | 405-744-5827 | jeff.hopper@okstate.edu

Students from Oklahoma State University will compete in the first officially sanctioned Big 12 Conference esports tournament.

Teams from six other conference institutions will join them for the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (SSBU) tournament, which will take place virtually March 1, and serve as the conference qualifier for the prestigious Collegiate Esports Commissioners Cup (CECC), taking place in May.

The OSU esports team secured a first-round bye and will start its first match in Winner’s Round 2, beginning at 11:30 a.m.

The Big 12 has received an automatic qualifying bid for SSBU in the CECC, marking a significant milestone for the conference, which continues to grow its footprint in the fast-growing world of collegiate esports.

“This tournament offers an exciting opportunity for our student-athletes to compete against conference opponents and represent the Big 12 on a national stage,” said Shaun Noll, advisor for OSU esports. “As the popularity of esports continues to grow, we hope to attract more Big 12 schools to esports competitions and become leaders in the collegiate esports community.”

EsportsU will oversee the qualifier on behalf of the Big 12. A division of the Collegiate Sports Management Group (CSMG), EsportsU has hosted numerous national competitions, including the CECC at Arlington Esports Stadium.

The tournament will be hosted via EsportsU on Battlefy.

Since its inception in 2018, the OSU esports community has continued to grow and expand. The additions of the nearly 2,000-square-foot OSU Esports Arena in the heart of campus, the OSU Esports competitive team and Gaming Leadership certificate program demonstrate the commitment and dedication to developing OSU esports as a leader in this rapidly growing field.

For more information about Oklahoma State University esports, visit esports.okstate.edu or contact Jeff Hopper, jeff.hopper@okstate.edu, or 405-744-5827.

For more info on the qualifier and CECC you can visit EsportsU on Twitch.

Event Details:

Event Name: Big 12 Collegiate Esports Commissioners Cup SSBU Qualifier
Location: Online
Date: March 1, 2025
Number of Teams: 11 teams, seven universities
Game Title: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Competition Format:

Match Format: Best of 3 (Bo3)
Bracket Type: Double-elimination
Platform: Tournament will be hosted via EsportsU on Battlefy.

Tentative Schedule (All Times Local):

Check-In: 8 a.m.
Winner’s Round 1: 10:30 a.m.
Winner’s Round 2: 11:30 a.m.
Winner’s Round 3 & Loser’s Round 2: 12:30 p.m.
Winner’s Finals & Loser’s Round 3: 3 p.m.
Loser’s Round 4: 4:15 p.m.
Loser’s Round 5: 5:30 p.m.
Loser’s Finals: 6:45 p.m.
Grand Finals: 8 p.m.