Ari Wasserman over at On3 dropped his latest list of teams still alive in the College Football Playoff hunt, and while there are 19 programs hanging around with a pulse, only two Big 12 teams made the cut: Texas Tech and BYU. You know who wasn’t on there? Utah.
That’s right. The Utes, a team that a lot of folks were talking up during the preseason as a legit contender in the Big 12, didn’t even get a mention. Meanwhile, the Red Raiders and Cougars are both sitting at 11-1 and headed into the conference title game with a shot to punch a ticket to the playoff. That part makes sense. They’ve done what they needed to do. But Utah being completely left off the radar? That’s a bit louder than people realize.
Look, Ari’s not making the playoff bracket. But he’s not just some dude throwing takes at the wall either. His job is literally to track the pulse of the national narrative. If you’re not on his radar right now, you’re not in the room where the conversation is happening.
For Utah, that’s tough. The team currently sits at No. 13 in the College Football Playoff rankings, and while there’s still some ground to make up, a team rising a few spots during conference championship weekend isn’t unheard of or anything.
Texas Tech and BYU, on the other hand, are in a prime position. The game stays competitive, and it’s tough to keep either of them out, especially with the way some of the other playoff hopefuls have stumbled lately. These aren’t fluky resumes either. Both teams have handled business, beaten good competition, and done it without the SEC or Big Ten boost the media usually leans on.
What this really says is that the Big 12 has shifted. There’s no longer a built-in pecking order. It’s not about what your name carries. It’s about wins, resume, and how you stack up in December. Right now, Texas Tech and BYU are standing tall. Still, Utah shouldn’t be written off considering how close they are.
