Big 12 standings, explained: Updated 2025 tiebreakers for Texas Tech, BYU, Cincinnati and more

The Big 12 had one of the wildest conference championship races in recent years in 2024. 

This year, the race is a little more straightforward. No. 6 Texas Tech, No. 12 BYU and No. 25 Cincinnati each have one loss in conference play – and it's a good bet two of those teams make the Big 12 championship game on Dec. 6 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. No. 13 Utah, Houston and Arizona State all have two losses in conference play, so there is a little bit of room for chaos in the final three weeks of the regular season. 

How all that shakes out will determine whether the Big 12 gets one or two College Football Playoff berths. Here is a breakdown of the Big 12 race, with standings, tiebreakers, paths to the championship game and a look at the cumulative conference winning percentage for each of those contenders.

MORE: ACC tiebreaker scenarios

Big 12 football standings 2025

The Big 12 has six teams with two conference losses or less heading into Week 12. Here is a closer look at those standings:

Big 12 tiebreaker rules for 2025 

The Big 12 will use six these tie-breakers for the 2024 season in this order until the tie is broken:

Step 1: Head-to-head competition among the teams.

Step 2: Win percentage against all common conference opponents among the tied teams.

Step 3: Win percentage against the next highest placed common opponent in the standings (based on the record in all games played within the Conference), proceeding through the standings

Step 4: Combined win percentage in conference games of conference opponents, or the strength-of-conference schedule.

Step 5: Total number of wins in a 12-game season

Step 6: Highest ranking by SportSource Analytics (team Rating Score metric) following the last weekend of regular-season games

Step 7: Coin toss.

MORE: College Football Playoff forecast after Week 11

Big 12 contenders path to the championship game 

Texas Tech (9-1, 6-1) 

Remaining schedule: vs. UCF, at West Virginia 

Texas Tech controls its own destiny in the Big 12, and they would have a significant advantage in the race because of head-to-head victories against BYU, Utah and Houston – three of the four remaining contenders. In the event of a loss, the Red Raiders would need Cincinnati to beat BYU on Nov. 22. Utah has a stronger cumulative conference winning percentage, and Arizona State has a 26-22 head-to-head victory against Texas Tech from Oct. 18. 

BYU (8-1, 5-1) 

Remaining schedule: vs. TCU, at Cincinnati, vs. UCF 

The Cougars control their own destiny – and the key game is Nov. 22 at Cincinnati. That could be a battle of teams with one loss apiece in conference play, and the winner would be in position to make the Big 12 championship game. The Cougars do have a head-to-head victory against Utah – a 24-21 thriller – but the Utes have a better ranking when it comes to conference opponents cumulative winning percentage. That would hurt BYU's chances if there is a pileup of teams with two losses in conference play.

MORE: CFP releases second set of rankings after Week 11 

Cincinnati (7-2, 5-1) 

Remaining schedule: vs. Arizona, vs. BYU, at TCU 

The Bearcats also control their destiny, and they have the next two games at home against the Wildcats and Cougars. There is still a path that could open if Cincinnati loses to BYU, but it would require the Cougars to lose a second conference game and a third Big 12 team – preferably Houston – to finish 7-2 in conference play. 

Houston (8-2, 5-2) 

Remaining schedule: vs. TCU, at Baylor 

The Cougars have a bye week, which keeps them in the race for at least another week. Houston's best path is Big 12 carnage. Utah and Arizona State need one loss each, and the Cougars and Bearcats likely need two losses each. Houston's opponents have the worst cumulative conference winning percentage at this point, and despite a 24-16 victory against Arizona State on Oct. 25 the Cougars face long odds to get back in the mix.

Utah (7-2, 4-2) 

Remaining schedule: at Baylor, vs. Kansas State, at Kansas 

Head-to-head losses to Texas Tech and BYU hurt, but they aren't dealbreakers. The Utes need to win out, and the easiest path would be two losses by BYU – which beat Utah 21-17 – and another loss from Cincinnati – a team which the Utes routed 45-14. Utah has the advantage in a two-loss pileup because it has the strongest cumulative conference winning percentage. 

Arizona State (6-3, 4-2) 

Remaining schedule: vs. West Virginia, at Colorado, vs. Arizona  

Arizona State is the chaos team again. The Sun Devils need Texas Tech to lose again to take advantage of the head-to-head victory. Cincinnati needs to lose two of its last three games, and Utah needs to lose once. A three-way tie with Texas Tech and BYU also would be favorable for the Sun Devils. 

MORE: Picks against the spread for Week 12's Top 25 games

Big 12 common opponents tracker for 2025

Here is a look at the common opponents for all the Big 12 teams with two losses or less. We added the cumulative conference winning percentage – the fourth Big 12 tiebreaker – to show which teams are in the best position heading into Week 12: 

Most likely Big 12 championship game scenario 

There are some combinations, and they can be calculated here. 

The most likely scenario is Texas Tech advancing to the Big 12 championship game. The Red Raiders lost their only conference game when quarterback Behren Morton was out, and they are considerable favorites against UCF before a bye week and a trip to West Virginia on Nov. 29. 

The winner of the BYU-Cincinnati is the most likely opponent, but keep an eye on Utah down the stretch. Yes, the Utes lost head-to-head to BYU and Texas Tech, but they beat Cincinnati.

We'll stick with the prediction that the winner of the Cincinnati-BYU matchup will face Texas Tech in the Big 12 championship. It requires that team to go 3-0 – and both teams face TCU. The Cougars get the Horned Frogs at home, however. That's a slight advantage.