Big 12 Championship Race Narrows to Four Teams as Rivalry Week Approaches

ARLINGTON, Texas — As rivalry week approaches, the Big 12 Championship race is down to four teams: Texas Tech, BYU, Arizona State, and Utah. Following last weekend’s games, the spotlight now focuses on how these teams can secure their spots for the title game in December.

Texas Tech and BYU are both tied at 7-1 in Big 12 play, while Utah and Arizona State are close behind at 6-2. Despite being in contention for a College Football Playoff spot, Utah is at a disadvantage due to tiebreakers stemming from losses against Texas Tech and BYU.

Coach Joey McGuire of Texas Tech spoke highly of BYU’s performance since joining the conference. “I have so much respect for BYU. They carry a lot of weight and respect,” he noted during a recent interview, emphasizing the importance of playing within a conference rather than maintaining an independent schedule.

The Big 12’s tiebreaker procedure will be crucial in determining which teams advance should a tie occur. Currently, Texas Tech appears favored to clinch a spot in the championship game, needing only to win against West Virginia on November 29.

For BYU, clinching requires them to win against UCF on the same day. Arizona State faces an uphill battle, needing wins across multiple games to advance, including a critical match against rival Arizona.

Utah’s path to the championship involves securing a win against Kansas and hoping for losses from both BYU and Texas Tech. The competition is intense, with the stakes high as each team vies for a place in the playoff discussion.

As the final week of the regular season unfolds, fans eagerly await to see how these scenarios will play out.