Texas Tech’s 26–22 loss to Arizona State over the weekend didn’t just sting in the standings, it added another layer of drama to what’s shaping up to be one of the most competitive Big 12 races in years.
The Red Raiders now sit tied with Arizona State at 3–1 in conference play, though the Sun Devils own the head-to-head tiebreaker. Above them, BYU and Cincinnati remain unbeaten in Big 12 action at 4–0, with BYU fresh off an massive Holy War win over Utah.
Those standings could look drastically different soon. BYU travels to Lubbock to face Texas Tech on November 8th, a game that suddenly looms large in the Big 12 title picture. Later, BYU and Cincinnati will square off on November 22nd, a showdown that may ultimately decide which program punches its ticket to the championship game.
Meanwhile, Arizona State holds one of the friendlier remaining schedules in the conference — a slate of all unranked opponents, which makes their win over Texas Tech even more significant.
For the Red Raiders, the loss has tightened the margin for error. Even if Texas Tech wins out, the Big 12’s chances of sending more than one team to the expanded College Football Playoff could take a hit. A two or three loss runner-up won’t have much of a case for an at-large bid in a crowded national field.
The Big 12 race is shaping up to be a wild one this year in college football. No other conference in the nation may have as much parity as the Big 12 right now. After Texas Tech's loss, it revealed that nobody in the Big 12 is unbeatable.