Brett McMurphy’s latest College Football Playoff projections are out, and the Big 12 didn’t just show up; it balled out. The longtime insider at On3 slotted Texas Tech at No. 5 and Utah at No. 10 in his updated playoff bracket, giving the conference two spots in the early forecast. Right on the outside looking in? BYU, hovering just below the cutoff.
After blowing out BYU in their matchup last Saturday, Texas Tech solidified itself as the Big 12’s best squad and one of the nation’s elite programs. The Red Raiders have boat raced virtually everyone when Behren Morton has been healthy, and they will look to continue that on a path toward Arlington in the coming weeks.
Then there’s Utah. Coming in at No. 10, the Utes have hung just outside of playoff contention this year due to their untimely losses, but now, they’re climbing past that. Their physical style and depth across the board make them a problem in November, and now they’re being treated like one.
BYU missing the cut might be the most interesting part. They’ve been undefeated all year long until their last outing, but in McMurphy’s eyes, they’re still one or two steps away from cracking the top tier. That doesn’t mean they’re done, but it shows just how tight the margin is in the Big 12 right now. One slip, one loss, and it might be enough to knock you out of the running.
For the Big 12, this kind of visibility rocks. Having two teams in the Top 10 of a national playoff projection gives the league more ammo in the ongoing fight for conference respect. It shows that voters and analysts aren’t sleeping on what’s happening across the conference anymore. If Texas Tech, Utah, and BYU keep stacking wins, that belief will only grow.
The playoff picture is still far from settled, but if McMurphy’s early forecast is any indication, the Big 12 could be in for an exciting December and January.
