Conference championship games are just a couple weeks away in college football, and two teams have emerged as the frontrunners to play in for the Big 12 title.
Making the conference championship game is especially important for several Big 12 teams looking to advance to the College Football Playoff. While Texas Tech appears to be a near-lock for the CFP, that is not the case for any other Big 12 team. If one of those other teams can win the Big 12 championship game, they would almost definitely make the CFP as one of the five highest-ranked conference champions.
With those stakes on the line, here’s a look at scenarios for the Big 12 championship game.
Fischer: How Every Contender Can Still Make (or Miss) the College Football Playoff
Who are the top contenders for the Big 12 championship?
There are six teams in the Big 12 that can advance to the conference championship game this season, but the top two contenders for the Big 12 championship game are clearly Texas Tech and BYU. Both have better records than their competitors, and control their own destinies as as they try to advance to the conference championship.
Big 12 standings entering Week 13 (only teams listed are those alive for conference title)
Big 12 championship game matchup if the season ended today
If the season ended today, Texas Tech and BYU would play in the Big 12 championship game.
How Week 13 will affect Big 12 championship game scenarios
In Week 13, BYU and Texas Tech will each have opportunities to clinch berths in the Big 12 championship game, but they will need help. Texas Tech does not play this week, so they can only clinch a championship berth if several other conference foes lose in Week 13.
The biggest game in Week 13 is Cincinnati-BYU. If BYU wins this game, they will get even closer to appearing in the Big 12 championship game. If BYU loses, however, it will open up a number of scenarios that would give Houston, Utah, Arizona State and Cincinnati increased opportunities to make the conference championship game.
Clinching scenarios for each Big 12 team to make it to the conference championship
Texas Tech reaches the Big 12 title game if:
- They win their final game of the season against West Virginia
- Arizona State and Cincinnati each lose their games this week OR
- Arizona State and Houston each lose their games this week OR
- Arizona State and Utah each lose their games this week OR
- BYU and Utah each lose their games this week
BYU reaches the Big 12 title game if:
- They win their final two games against Cincinnati and UCF
- Arizona State and Houston each lose their games this week OR
- Arizona State loses to Colorado and Utah beats Kansas State
Utah reaches the Big 12 title game if:
- Utah, Cincinnati and Arizona State win out
- Utah, Cincinnati, Houston and Arizona State win out OR
- Utah, Cincinnati and Houston win out, and Arizona State wins one of its final two games OR
- Utah and Cincinnati win out, Houston beats TCU and Arizona State wins one of its final two games OR
- Utah and Cincinnati win out, Houston loses out and Arizona State wins one of its final two games
Houston reaches the Big 12 title game if:
- Houston wins out, Utah, Cincinnati and Arizona State each lose one of their final two games and BYU loses out
Cincinnati reaches the Big 12 title game if:
- Cincinnati must win out and Utah, Houston and Arizona State must lose at least one of their final two games
Arizona State reaches the Big 12 title game if:
Arizona State must win out and:
- Texas Tech loses to West Virginia, BYU wins out, Utah loses one of their final two games OR
- Texas Tech beats West Virginia, BYU loses to Cincinnati and beats UCF, Cincinnati loses to TCU OR
- Texas Tech beats West Virginia, BYU loses to Cincinnati and beats UCF, Utah loses one of their final two games, Cincinnati beats TCU and Houston wins out OR
- Texas Tech loses to West Virginia, BYU loses to Cincinnati and beats UCF, Utah loses one of their final two games or Iowa State wins out
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Big 12 Championship Game Scenarios Entering Week 13: How BYU Could Cement Its Spot.
