Welcome to our newest feature, which we’re calling “What-If Wednesday.” In this column, I’ll propose a handful of questions that, at this point, have not come to fruition. But IF they do, what will come out of it? What’s the end game?
Join us for this one, and let’s have some fun and talk some Big 12 football.
What if BYU Football is For Real?
Then the Big 12 schedule is going to shape up much differently than we expected. Teams like Arizona, Oklahoma State, Utah and Kansas, who assumed they would be decent favorites over BYU football before the season, now look at this game as, at least for now, a Top 25 opponent, after BYU crushed Kansas State last week in Provo, Utah and improved to 4-0 on the season.
However, the final score does not tell the entire story. BYU’s defense remains elite, but the offense is where questions remain as we head into the thick of the Big 12 football season.
Also, if BYU is going to be the surprise team in the Big 12 Conference, then they better not lose at Baylor this weekend, which is setting up to be the perfect trap game for the Cougars. This week will tell us a lot about this team.
RELATED: BYU vs. Baylor Prediction, Picks, Preview and Odds
What if Cam Rising is Going to Miss Extended Time for Utah?
Then, step up Isaac Wilson, who I have much more confidence in after he went on the road in one of the tougher environments in college football and led Utah to a win over Oklahoma State in Stillwater.
And now that Utah has that tough road win, they’re in a great position to reach the College Football Playoff, and they already have a key head-to-head tiebreaker over an Oklahoma State team that we expect to be in contention come the end of the college football season.
Utah’s next four games come against Arizona, Arizona State, TCU and Houston. Other than the Arizona State game, the other three look easier than they did before the season, at least based on how the first four weeks of the college football season has developed.
So with that, Cam Rising being done would have signaled the end of Utah winning the Big 12 Conference in 2024.
But, I no longer feel that way. I have confidence that Isaac Wilson can still get this team to Arlington.
RELATED: Who are the Top Five Big 12 Football Teams Entering Week 5?
What if Oklahoma State vs. Kansas State is an elimination game?
Then Oklahoma State better win it, or they’re done.
Oklahoma State vs. Kansas State does feel like an elimination game, but it’s more of an elimination game for the Cowboys than the Wildcats. That’s because Oklahoma State has a loss to a team we expect to be there at the end. I’m not saying BYU (who beat Kansas State last Saturday) can’t be there at the end, but right now, it’s more like Utah will be a road block for Oklahoma State getting in than BYU being a road block for Kansas State getting in.
So if this game matters more to one of these two teams, from a Big 12 race perspective, it’s Oklahoma State. And the tough part for the Cowboys is they have to go on the road against another top coach and top team coming off a loss. This game is must-watch on Saturday afternoon.
