Utah is now the consensus top-seeded Big 12 team in the nation, with BYU making the playoffs as an at-large team. ESPN, CBS Sports, and USA TODAY Sports just dropped their updated playoff and bowl projections after Week 9’s games, and things are getting seriously intense.
The Big 12’s Playoff Double Punch
So, Utah. They’re sitting pretty as the top-seeded Big 12 squad, and get this: one analyst is even throwing them into the title game picture. Talk about some major optimism for the Utes! It’s clear the experts are high on what Utah can do. Then you’ve got BYU, grabbing an at-large spot in the playoffs. That’s a huge deal for them! However, not every analyst is feeling a deep playoff run for the Cougars. They’re in, no doubt, but don’t expect them to go all the way, at least according to the projections.
Bowl Game Grinders and Sure Bets
Beyond the playoff contenders, the bowl picture is also taking shape. Texas Tech, for example, is almost a lock for the Alamo Bowl, projected there by every outlet. They’ll face either Oregon or USC, depending on who you ask. Now, here’s the rub for the Red Raiders: they’ve got a rough history in the Alamo Bowl, losing two of three times they’ve played there. Plus, they’re winless against both Oregon and USC. Not exactly ideal matchups, right? While they still have a slim path to the Big 12 championship game if they win out and BYU loses a conference game, the Alamo Bowl is way more likely.
Then there’s UCF, sitting at 4-4. The Knights should be making a bowl game for the first time since 2023. They’re getting projected into the First Responder Bowl, Liberty Bowl, or Armed Forces Bowl, with different opponents like Tulsa, Missouri, Army, or North Texas. Their remaining schedule is looking pretty friendly, with games against Kansas, Arizona State, Iowa State, and Colorado, none of whom have winning records. They’ve been to the Liberty Bowl twice, losing in 2007 and winning in 2010, but have never played in the First Responder or Armed Forces Bowls.
Baylor is also on the brink. After a dominant win over UCF last week, they’re just one victory away from locking up a bowl spot. They’re projected to the Cactus Bowl, First Responder Bowl, Liberty Bowl, or Texas Bowl. But they’ve got a must-win game this weekend against Iowa State before facing back-to-back-to-back ranked teams to finish the season. That Iowa State game is absolutely critical.
On The Outside Looking In
Not everyone’s getting a bowl game, though. Colorado, TCU, Iowa State, and Kansas are the only Big 12 teams no outlet projects to make one. Colorado, sitting at 3-5 with only four games left, isn’t projected for a bowl by any analyst. They still have to play Houston, which is one of the Big 12’s best. But, they also face Arizona State, Cincinnati, and UCF, all sitting at 2-3 in the Big 12 after nine weeks. So, they do have a path, but beating Arizona State is essentially a must-win game if they want to keep those bowl hopes alive.
As teams get closer to those six wins for bowl eligibility, every game from here on out is massive. Baylor’s got that must-win against Iowa State this weekend, and Colorado really needs that Arizona State game to go their way. It’s crunch time in the Big 12, and the race is far from over!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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