Who will play in the Big 12 Championship? -Deseret News

It’s been 15 years since BYU was last in a conference race this late in the season, but the Cougars remain in contention after two straight losses in the Big 12.

Heading into the final weekend of the regular season, nine teams were vying for a spot in the Big 12 Championship, according to the league.

The Deseret News will be updating tiebreaker scenarios throughout Saturday as results come in showing who is eliminated, who is still in the race and who earns a spot in on Dec. 7 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas secured the Big 12 Championship.

The teams are still alive to compete in the Big 12 Championship

Team – Conf. Record – Opponent/Result Week 14

• Colorado – 7-2 – Defeated Oklahoma State 52-0
• Arizona State – 7-2 – Defeated Arizona 49-7
• BYU – 6-2 – vs. Houston, 8:15 p.m. MST (ESPN)
• Iowa State – 6-2 – vs. Kansas State, 5:30 p.m. MST (Fox)

Tiebreak scenarios that are still possible

Scenario 1: Arizona State, BYU, Colorado and Iowa State all win and finish Big 12 play at 7-2.

Arizona State vs. Iowa State in the Big 12 Championship.

Scenario 2: Arizona State and Colorado win (7-2 in Big 12 play), BYU and Iowa State lose (6-3).

Arizona State vs. Colorado in the Big 12 Championship.

Scenario 3: Arizona State, BYU and Colorado win (7-2 in Big 12 play), Iowa State loses (6-3).

Arizona State vs. BYU in the Big 12 Championship.

Scenario 4: Arizona State, Colorado and Iowa State win (7-2 in Big 12 play), BYU loses (6-3).

• If Texas Tech beats West Virginia, THEN if Baylor beats Kansas and Cincinnati beats TCU: Colorado vs. Iowa State in the Big 12 Championship.
• Otherwise: Colorado vs. Arizona State in the Big 12 Championship.

What is BYU’s final remaining path to the Big 12 Championship?

There is currently only one scenario in which BYU can compete in the Big 12 Championship:

• BYU beats Houston AND
• Kansas State beats Iowa State

In that scenario, there would be a three-way tie at the top of the Big 12 between BYU, Arizona State and Colorado.

How would BYU secure a spot under the Big 12’s tiebreaker guidelines?

First, we need to determine a seed from a three-way tie between BYU, Arizona State and Colorado.

“Tiebreaker A – Tie teams will be compared based on their head-to-head record during the season.

• Arizona State won 1-0 against BYU but did not play against Colorado.
• BYU went 0-1 against Arizona State but did not play against Colorado.
• Colorado did not play either Arizona State or BYU.
• Advantage: Arizona State. The Sun Devils are seeded No. 1 and BYU and Colorado face off in a two-team tiebreaker.

With a set set, we are now looking at a two-team tiebreaker between BYU and Colorado.

“Tiebreaker A – The tied teams will be compared based on their head-to-head record during the season.”

• BYU and Colorado did not face each other during the regular season.
• Advantage: None. We continue with tiebreaker B.

“Tiebreaker B – The tied teams will be compared based on win percentage against all common conference opponents.”

• BYU and Colorado played seven common conference opponents during the regular season – Arizona, Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, UCF and Utah.
• BYU went 6-1 against those opponents and won against all but Kansas.
• Colorado went 5-2 against those opponents and won against all but Kansas and Kansas State.
• Advantage: BYU. BYU receives the No. 2 seed in the Big 12 Championship.

Teams eliminated from the Big 12 Championship

Team – Conf. Record – Opponent/Result Week 14

• Baylor – 6-3 – Defeated Kansas, 45-17
• Kansas State – 5-3 – at Iowa State, 5:30 p.m. MST (Fox)
• TCU – 5-3 – at Cincinnati, 4:00 p.m. MST (ESPN+)
• Texas Tech – 6-3 – Beat West Virginia 52-15
• West Virginia – 5-4 – Lost to Texas Tech, 52-15

Note: Kansas, Cincinnati, Houston, Arizona, Utah, UCF and Oklahoma State were eliminated before this weekend.

How Baylor was eliminated: The Bears were eliminated when Arizona State won, ensuring two teams had a better Big 12 record than Baylor.

How Kansas State was eliminated: The Wildcats were eliminated after Baylor defeated Kansas and Texas Tech defeated West Virginia on Saturday morning.

How TCU, Texas Tech and West Virginia were eliminated: Colorado’s 52-0 victory over Oklahoma State on Friday eliminated all three teams from contention for the Big 12 Championship.