Playoff rankings were released on Tuesday, and these weren’t as kind to the Big 12 as last week’s were. The path to multiple bids is shrinking, though it’s certainly not gone. 

Baylor AD and College Football Playoff committee chair Mack Rhoades is stepping down from both roles, which complicates the playoff picture a bit for the league. 

And we’re right in the thick of the Big 12 title race with Texas Tech, BYU, Cincinnati, Arizona State, and Utah all in action. 

Here are the five biggest storylines of the week.

Big Brands Keeping the Big 12 Down

BYU fell five spots to #12 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings, while Utah stayed at #13 and Texas Tech ascended to #6. It’s frustrating to see BYU three spots behind Notre Dame. 

According to ESPN’s metrics, BYU has a better strength of schedule and strength of record than Notre Dame. The Cougars also have the better win (No. 13 Utah) and one fewer loss.

A wave of Notre Dame fans in my mentions screamed that this is about efficiency numbers and the eye test, and I’m sure that’s what the committee would say. It’s hard not to feel like it’s about the shiny gold helmets, though.

Call me crazy, but I’d prefer we reward teams based on actual, tangible on-field accomplishments. It’s a slippery slope if you veer too far from that.

It’s wild that Notre Dame has put me in this position, but I’d defend the resumes and profiles of Oklahoma and Texas against the Irish right now. They both have a legitimate beef sitting behind Notre Dame. 

This all has to feel like deja vu for BYU fans, who dealt with ridiculous treatment from the committee last year, too, when they had better metrics and wins than Miami, yet got zero consideration while the Hurricanes were right in it. 

Look at the three brands directly in front of BYU and Utah, and you realize why the Big 12’s odds of becoming a two-bid league look slimmer by the day. Even a three-loss Texas or Oklahoma is probably getting in over a two-loss BYU or Utah–especially Texas, considering the Longhorns would have a win over Georgia or Texas A&M if that happens. 

The most interesting case would be a two-loss BYU that loses a competitive Big 12 title game to Texas Tech. The CFP committee has said it doesn’t want to punish teams for losing a conference championship game. 

BYU would need to climb into the top ten before the title game, which isn’t impossible. With ACC and Group of Six autobids in the field, you need to be in the top ten for an at-large bid. 

How would the committee compare the two-loss Cougars at that point to two-loss Vandy with a win over Tennessee or three-loss Texas with wins over Texas A&M, Vandy, and Oklahoma?

I’m not sure we want to know the answer to that. 

As Jon Wilner points out, schools like USC and Michigan also have a chance to play their way into the top ten with big games left against Oregon, Ohio State, and Iowa. 

It probably doesn’t help that the Big 12 just lost the committee chair. Today, Baylor AD and selection committee chair Mack Rhoades announced he’s stepping away from both roles for personal reasons. 

Per ESPN: 

Baylor told ESPN's Adam Rittenberg that the university received allegations involving Rhoades on Monday. The allegations do not involve Title IX, student welfare or NCAA rules and do not involve the football program, indicating it is a separate incident from Rhoades' alleged altercation with a football player during a September game.

The Big 12 is pushing for Utah AD Mark Harlan to replace Rhoades on the committee, but he’s not going to be the committee chair. 

The ADs on the committee have to recuse themselves when teams they’re connected to are being discussed, but it certainly can’t hurt to have the committee chair come from your conference. Frankly, the Big 12 needs all the help it can get in this Power Two environment. It’s not an ideal development. 

I’d love to be wrong. It’s been a wild year, and we aren’t done with upsets. This column could look silly in a week.

But it doesn’t feel like things are trending in the right direction. 

Any Letdown Danger for Texas Tech and BYU?

UCF (4-5, 1-5) at #9 Texas Tech (9-1, 6-1) – 2:30 Fox
Line: TTU -23.5

TCU (6-3, 3-3) at #12 BYU (8-1, 5-1) – 9:15 ESPN
Line: BYU -3.5

There was a crazy build-up to last week’s top ten showdown between Texas Tech and BYU with College Gameday and ABC in Lubbock. How will both teams handle the come-down?

The Red Raiders have the easier opponent on paper. They also did a wonderful job of blocking out the myriad of distractions a week ago and took care of business. But while they received plenty of praise before Saturday, that’s been taken up a notch after they dismantled top-ten BYU. 

Tech is now in the top six of the playoff rankings, and some even project them to finish in the top four. 

College football media is raving about the Lubbock experience, Tech’s defense, and the program’s future. With two sub-.500 teams left, many consider it a foregone conclusion that the Red Raiders will cruise into the Big 12 title game.

That creates a nothing-to-lose spot for UCF head coach Scott Frost and the Knights. Can they apply real game pressure and make Tech tense up?

In Provo, the mental state of both teams is the question. 

BYU fell flat in one of the biggest games in school history last week, and TCU removed itself from the Big 12 title picture by blowing an 11-point fourth-quarter lead to Iowa State. 

The Cougars vowed to circle the wagons this week and say they’re not paying attention to the outside noise. 

“No one’s worried. No one is stressing out. No one is freaking out,” tight end Carsen Ryan told the Desert News. “We will take the loss and just take it on the chin and move on, find ways to correct the mistakes we made.”

As if BYU needed more motivation with Big 12 title and playoff goals on the line, they’d also like some revenge on TCU QB Josh Hoover.

Hoover threw for 439 yards and four touchdowns in a 33-point TCU win over BYU two seasons ago. It’s unlikely to be that easy this time against a BYU defense that was the lone bright spot in Lubbock.

The Horned Frogs are certainly talented enough to win the game if they don’t get in their own way. Hoover is still second in the Big 12 in passing but also second in interceptions with eight. A critical fumble late in the Iowa State game last week turned the tide toward the Cyclones. 

TCU’s running game did take a hit with an injury to starting RB Kevorian Barnes, who won’t be available on Saturday. 

Cincinnati and Arizona State Need to Take Care of Business

Arizona (6-3, 3-3) at #25 Cincinnati (7-2, 5-1) – 11:00 FS1
Line: Cincinnati -6.5

West Virginia (4-6, 2-5) at Arizona State (6-3, 4-2) – Noon TNT
Line: ASU -10.5

Cincinnati had an off week to lick its wounds after taking it on the chin in Salt Lake City. 

The 45-14 loss to Utah was a wake-up call, but the Bearcats still have everything to play for. They control their own Big 12 title and playoff destiny with only one conference loss. 

The stretch run won’t be easy. Arizona brings Noah Fifita—one of the league’s best QBs—to town to duel Bearcats QB Brendan Sorsby. Then it’s a home date with BYU and a season-ending trip to TCU.

Fifita and Sorsby might be duking it out for first-team All-Big 12 quarterback honors in this game.  

A key for the Wildcats will be protecting Fifita, who was sacked five times last week by a pedestrian Kansas defense. Arizona’s offensive line has allowed 22 sacks all season. 

It’s been a wild season of highs and lows for the Sun Devils: a brutal defensive breakdown in Starkville, upsetting Texas Tech, losing QB Sam Leavitt for the season, and backup QB Jeff Sims’ herculean effort in Ames.

Believe it or not, there is still a path for Arizona State to play for a Big 12 championship in Arlington. 

The rest of the schedule is manageable with Colorado and Arizona after West Virginia. Is Sims capable of leading a 9–3 finish?

It would help to get All-American WR Jordyn Tyson back. Unfortunately, that won’t be this week. Tyson has been ruled out.

Don’t sleep on West Virginia. The Mountaineers have won back-to-back league games and are finding a groove with freshman QB Scotty Fox Jr. under center.

Will the Utah Blowouts Continue?

#13 Utah (7-2, 4-2) at Baylor (5-4, 3-3) – 6:00 ESPN2
Line: Utah -7.5

The only thing you need to know about the 2025 Utah Utes is this: If they’re going to beat you, they’re going to BEAT you. 

Utah’s six FBS wins are by an average of 33 points per game, and all four Big 12 wins have come by at least 31. In other words, they get their money’s worth.

Baylor is prone to digging itself big holes this season. The Bears have fallen behind by double digits in five games, coming back to win only two of those. 

Allowing Utah to get a double-digit lead opens the door for the Utes to lean on a lethal ground game. Nobody in the Big 12 comes close to Utah’s 267 rushing yards per game. The Utes’ offensive line was just named a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award, given to the best line in the nation.

The key to taking down the Utes is forcing QB Devon Dampier to beat you with his arm. BYU and Texas Tech matched Utah’s physicality, and Dampier couldn’t make the plays to get it done. 

The stakes in this game are high. At #13 in the College Football Playoff rankings, Utah needs to win with style points to have a shot at an at-large playoff bid. Baylor isn’t playoff-bound in any scenario, but head coach Dave Aranda is coaching for his job. 

Who knows what happens with Aranda now that AD Mack Rhoades has stepped away. Whoever makes the call, an upset of a top-15 team could buy him time.

Is K-State Still Motivated?

K-State (4-5, 3-3) at Oklahoma State (1-8, 0-6) – 11:00 ESPNU
Line: K-State -19.5

I want to see how K-State plays this weekend to gauge what the rest of the season will look like.

It’s highly unlikely the Wildcats lose. Oklahoma State has dropped 15 straight Big 12 regular-season games and is a near three-touchdown underdog.

But how inspired will K-State be? A loss to Texas Tech two weeks ago effectively killed any hope of reaching the Big 12 title game after being labeled the preseason favorite by the coaches.

With that in mind, players went home last week while the team was off Saturday. Will they come back fired up to play the league’s worst team with little on the line?

This isn’t a K-State-specific issue, by the way. It’s just a harsh reality of the new college football environment. With the transfer portal here to stay, it’s harder to keep a team focused for an entire season when it hasn’t met expectations. 

The Wildcats can still get bowl-eligible by winning two of their final three against OSU, Utah, and Colorado. It doesn’t mean what it used to, but it’s something.

We’ll have a good idea how much this K-State team cares about finishing strong by about 3:00 Central on Saturday.

Week Twelve Power Rankings

1. Texas Tech (LW: 2)
2. BYU (LW: 1)
3. Utah (LW: 3)
4. Cincinnati (LW: 4)
5. Arizona State (LW: 6)
6. Houston (LW: 7)
7. Arizona (LW: 9)
8. TCU (LW: 5)
9. Iowa State (LW: 11)
10. Baylor (LW: 8)
11. K-State (LW: 10)
12. Kansas (LW: 12)
13. West Virginia (LW: 14)
14. UCF (LW: 13)
15. Colorado (LW: 15)
16. Oklahoma State (LW: 16)

• Texas Tech has more than earned the top spot after its 29-7 win over BYU. 

• Arizona moves up a couple of spots by getting bowl eligible with the win over Kansas, and TCU takes the biggest fall after coughing up an 11-point fourth-quarter lead to Iowa State. There is still plenty of upward mobility left for the Frogs if they can beat BYU. 

• West Virginia is finally out of the bottom three spots after a second-straight Big 12 win.

What You Need to Know

• If the College Football Playoff were today, here’s what the bracket would look like. 

• Here is what FanDuel says the line on a Texas Tech-Miami College Football Playoff game would be. 

• Here’s the latest update on what the allegations against Baylor AD Mack Rhoades are. 

• The College Football Playoff selection committee approved Utah’s Mark Harlan as Rhoades' replacement. Arkansas AD Hunter Yuracheck is now the committee chair. 

• Kansas basketball’s freshman phenom Darryn Peterson didn’t play in Tuesday’s KU win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Here’s why.

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