Saturday was an absolute nightmare for the Big 12 conference. Two of its top teams, considered prime contenders for the conference title game and a College Football Playoff bid, went down hard to unranked opponents, taking a massive gut punch that severely dimmed the league’s CFP outlook. It was a truly terrible, no good, very bad day for Big 12 football.
BYU’s Heartbreak in Double OT Against UCF
The big one, the real shocker, came from BYU. Fresh off a massive home win over then-No. 2 Notre Dame, the Cougars hit the road to face unranked UCF, a team sitting at 3-3 on the season and 1-2 in Big 12 play. BYU was absolutely expected to handle business. Instead, they lost in double overtime, 39-31, in a completely wild game that saw multiple penalties keep the Knights alive late.
UCF led 17-14 at halftime and took a 24-21 lead into the fourth quarter. BYU kicker Matthias Dunn clutched up, hitting a 47-yard field goal to tie it at 24 and send the game into overtime. Both teams scored touchdowns in the first overtime, pushing it to a second. Then, a wild turn: UCF was going to settle for a field goal on their first possession of the second OT. But thanks to a questionable roughing the kicker call, the Knights got a fresh set of downs. UCF quarterback Keyone Jenkins then found Grayson Brousseau in the end zone, capped with a successful two-point try, giving the Knights a 39-31 lead. BYU’s shot to answer ended when Bear Bachmeier failed to connect with receiver Walker Lyons in the end zone, sealing the stunning upset.
Texas Tech’s Abysmal Offensive Showing
Earlier in the day, Texas Tech didn’t fare much better, despite being 10.5-point favorites on the road against a 4-2 Cincinnati squad. The Red Raiders delivered an abysmal offensive performance, getting blown out 37-24. They had to settle for four field goals, and Cincinnati’s Bearcats were up 24-6 by halftime.
Texas Tech tried to mount a comeback, opening the third quarter with 10 points thanks to a field goal and a pick-six returned for a touchdown. They even intercepted Bearcat quarterback JC French IV a second time. But Red Raiders kicker Stone Harrington missed a 38-yard field goal, and Cincinnati responded with a touchdown on the next drive, making it 31-15. Cincinnati’s defense gave up 10 more points in the fourth, but the Bearcats scored an insurance touchdown, winning comfortably 37-24.
This double dose of losses has to sting the Big 12. Both BYU and Texas Tech were seen as legitimate contenders for the conference title, and now their path, and the conference’s overall standing for the College Football Playoff, looks a whole lot murkier. According to DraftKings, BYU still has odds inside, but after Saturday’s gut punches, the road ahead just got significantly tougher for the entire Big 12. Every game now feels like a must-win to salvage those playoff dreams.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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