Joel Klatt names one Big 12 team on an unexpected CFP path

News Correspondent
Joel Klatt names one Big 12 team on an unexpected CFP path image

Joel Klatt believes the Cincinnati Bearcats have a legitimate path to the College Football Playoff. One of the stunning twist in a season dominated by traditional powerhouses.

On Wednesday’s episode of The Joel Klatt Show, the FOX Sports analyst said the Bearcats “control their own fate” after appearing at No. 25 in the latest CFP rankings. Despite a 45-14 loss to Utah in Week 11, Cincinnati at 7-2 remains tied for second in the conference standings with one-loss BYU and behind Texas Tech. 

“Cincinnati controls their own fate to get to the Big 12 championship game,” Klatt said. “If they were to win, that would get the automatic berth out of the Big 12, and lo and behold, they would find themselves into the College Football Playoff.”

After the Utah loss, everything is still in front of Cincinnati, who can't afford any slip-ups. The offense, powered by quarterback Brendan Sorsby and wideout Cyrus Allen, has kept the team in contention despite inconsistencies.

The Bearcats host Arizona on Saturday, followed by pivotal matchups against BYU and TCU. Wins in all three would secure a trip to the Big 12 title game, and potentially the 12-team playoff. 

For a program that hasn’t been ranked since 2022, Klatt’s endorsement show how the expanded playoff format has reopened the door for surprise contenders, especially late in the season. 

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News Correspondent