SportsBetting.ag dropped hypothetical lines this week for a 12-team College Football Playoff, and both Big 12 teams in the mix aren’t getting much love from Vegas. According to the oddsmakers, BYU would be a 7.5-point underdog against Notre Dame, while Texas Tech would be a 2.5-point dog against Oregon.
Now, let’s be clear. These aren’t actual matchups yet, and we’re still a long way from Selection Sunday. But when the books start assigning point spreads, it gives us a window into how these programs are viewed on a national scale, and right now, it’s clear that BYU and Tech are still climbing that ladder.
BYU’s spread against Notre Dame makes some sense if you buy into the “eye test” crowd that still treats the Irish like a playoff lock any time they’re halfway decent. But if you’ve watched BYU this season, you know they’ve looked more than competent. They’re physical up front, they’ve gotten better quarterback play than anyone expected, and they’ve won the games on their schedule. A touchdown-plus underdog? That’s a stretch.
Texas Tech being just a slight underdog to Oregon is a little more reasonable, but it still feeds into the same idea: Big 12 teams, unless they’re blowing the doors off people, are going to be treated like second-class playoff guests. Oregon gets the benefit of the doubt because of flash and branding. Tech gets the question mark.
This is where perception meets reality for the Big 12. You can have good teams, you can have solid wins, and you can still show up in a betting market and find out you’re not getting the respect you thought you’d earned. That’s the challenge with the new playoff format. You’re in, but the outside world still sees you as a guest, not a threat.
For BYU and Texas Tech, this should serve as fuel. These aren’t definitive statements, just early snapshots. But they do reflect a real gap in how Big 12 teams are still viewed. If either of them ends up in the playoffs, they’ll be coming in with something to prove. And that’s exactly the kind of spot this conference thrives in.
