It’s likely that TCU will play in Austin against Texas on Thanksgiving in 2012, TCU athletic director Chris Del Conte said Friday.

The Big 12 conference is still working with its member teams on the 2012 schedule, but TCU is replacing Texas A&M’s conference games next season, which includes the trip to Austin. They will play four conference games and five on the road.

“We are assuming that we’ll play at Texas on Thanksgiving, but nothing is finalized and we’re only talkin about 2012,” Del Conte said. “We know we’ve got three nonconference games and nine conference games, but the order is being determined. We looked at four schedules and sent the one we liked to the conference office, but we’re only one of 10 schools. We’ll know something in a couple of weeks.”

Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodd told reporters earlier this week that he’d heard that it was likely Texas would host TCU next Thanksgiving.

Del Conte said he’s also working under the assumption that West Virginia is one of those five road conference games. TCU will play Grambling State and Virginia at home and SMU in Dallas in nonconference. Taking over for A&M’s schedule means TCU would play Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Kansas State and Iowa State in Fort Worth with road games at Oklahoma State, Baylor, Kansas, West Virginia and Texas.

TCU will be playing those home games in a newly-renovated Amon G. Carter Stadium. Construction is scheduled to be completed prior to the 2012 season and will include new suites, press box and seating areas on the West side and a new upper deck on the East side. When completed, the stadium will seat between 45 and 50,000.

Del Conte doesn’t know what will happen in future years, but would like for TCU-Texas to become a Thanksgiving rivalry.

“It would be great for our fans and the city of Fort Worth,” Del Conte said. “I know our city would embrace that game, no doubt. The national exposure for the city and our football team would be phenomenal. But that’s something that has not been discussed.”