November 18th 2024.
During the Big 12 football media day in Las Vegas last July, Commissioner Brett Yormark confidently declared that the conference was the deepest in the country. As the season enters its final stretch, it's becoming clear that the Big 12 may not have the top-ranked teams, but it certainly has depth.
Yormark recently visited Folsom Field to watch the Colorado Buffaloes defeat the Utah Utes 49-24 on Saturday. He shared his thoughts with BuffZone, saying, "It's been a wild ride every weekend. The preseason projections have been turned upside down. Some of the top teams are now at the bottom, while some of the underdogs are leading the pack."
Indeed, the Big 12 has been full of surprises this season with three projected top teams, including Arizona, Utah, and Oklahoma State, struggling at the bottom of the standings with a combined conference record of 3-18. On the other hand, three projected bottom teams, including 14th-ranked BYU, 16th-ranked Colorado, and 21st-ranked Arizona State, have exceeded expectations and currently sit at the top of the standings with a combined conference record of 17-4.
Despite the unexpected outcomes, Yormark's promise of depth and parity in the Big 12 has held true. "We talked about November being a magical month because of the various scenarios that could play out," Yormark explained. "And now, with so many schools in contention for the championship and the race to get to the Big 12 title game in Arlington, it's playing out just as we hoped. It may not be the teams we expected, but the depth and parity are still there. Every game matters."
With only two weeks left in the regular season, BYU and Colorado currently hold the top spots in the race to get to the Big 12 title game. However, Arizona State and No. 22 Iowa State are close behind, with five other teams still in contention with 4-3 conference records. In fact, only the SEC and Big Ten have more Associated Press ranked teams, and eight of the 16 teams in the Big 12 have already secured a spot in a bowl game, with seven others still having a chance to get there.
Yormark spoke with BuffZone just hours before BYU's unexpected loss to unranked Kansas on Saturday night, which was just the latest surprise result in a wild season for the Big 12. "I was looking at a stat recently, and we lead all FBS conferences in lead changes in the fourth quarter," Yormark shared. "It's compelling, it's full of drama, and it's played out each weekend. We're really excited about it."
However, the parity and competitiveness in the conference could potentially hurt the Big 12's chances in the College Football Playoff standings. With the CFP expanding from four teams to 12 this year, there is a better opportunity for the Big 12 to get multiple teams into the mix. But as entertaining as the weekly upsets and close games may be, they could also harm the conference's chances.
Last week, BYU was the only projected team for the 12-team field, sitting at No. 6 in the rankings. But teams like Kansas State and Colorado were on the bubble. However, with BYU's loss and Kansas State's upset at home to unranked Arizona State on Saturday, the Big 12's chances of getting two teams into the playoff seem less certain.
Yormark had previously stated that the Big 12's goal was to have two teams in the playoffs, saying, "Our expectation in July was that we were going to get two in. That was our goal. We felt that would be a positive year, and I think we're on track to do that." But with the new CFP rankings set to be released on Tuesday, it seems like the conference may need some help from other teams around the country to secure a second spot.
Despite the uncertainty, Yormark maintains his trust in the CFP selection committee, saying, "Let's not focus on the logo on the helmet. Let's look at the resume and performance week to week. There are some great stories in teams like BYU, Kansas State, and Colorado. I love where we are right now, and I'm excited about how we're going to finish."
It's been an unpredictable and thrilling season for the Big 12, and with just a few games left, anything can happen. For more sports news and analysis on Denver's teams, be sure to sign up for the Sports Omelette.
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