There are some conferences in America known for having obnoxious league pride (yes, we are talking about the S.E.C.). That's never been the case for the Big 12, though. This weekend, however, all Big 12 fans, especially Texas Tech fans, should be squarely in BYU's corner.
Saturday at 6:30 p.m. Central Time, the No. 8 Cougars host No. 2 Notre Dame in a game that could have massive playoff implications for both BYU and the Big 12. It is the non-conference game of the year in the Big 12 and the best opportunity for the conference to change its national perception.
No sport in the world is more impacted by perception than college football. The 12-team playoff is the most exclusive in American sports, and how each conference is viewed by the selection committee is a massive factor in determining the field.
Unfortunately, the Big 12 lags behind the other three major conferences in terms of perception. Fair or not, the conference's lack of blue-blood programs leads many to assume that it is inferior to the other Power 4 leagues.
That means that a Big 12 team with one or two losses is far less likely to get an at-large bid to the playoffs than a S.E.C. or Big Ten team with two or even three losses. In fact, though the playoff format has been expanded to 12 teams for the past two seasons, we are still waiting for a Big 12 team to be rewarded with an at-large bid.
Meanwhile, such programs as Tennessee, Penn State, Oklahoma, and even SMU have all been given at-large invitations to the playoff despite having two losses when the bids were handed out. What's more, now that the S.E.C. and Big Ten are playing nine conference games this year, up from their traditional number of eight, there will be a groundswell from many in the sport to allow a three-loss team from one of those leagues into the field.
Meanwhile, the Big 12, which currently has three teams in the top 11 of both national polls, is still looked down upon by a huge swath of the college football media. Therefore, most believe that it is unlikely that the conference will put two teams in this year's playoff bracket.
That could change if BYU beats Notre Dame on Saturday night. Certainly, that would be great news for the entire league, and especially for a team like Texas Tech.
Texas Tech's path to the playoff would improve if BYU beats Notre Dame
BYU is not favored to win this week's marquee matchup. The ESPN.com Matchup Predictor gives them just a 21.8% chance of coming out on top.
That's due in part to the fact that their best offensive player, running back L.J. Martin, is going to miss the game due to a high ankle sprain sustained a couple of weeks ago in a win over TCU. That leaves the Cougars to face a daunting Notre Dame defense without arguably the best running back in the conference.
Still, BYU has a puncher's chance of pulling off the upset. That's especially true since the game is a nighttime affair in Provo, a place where the Cougars rarely lose after dark.
If BYU prevails, the Big 12's path to two bids opens up. BYU will be favored in every other game in the regular season except when they play rival Utah on November 7 in Salt Lake City.
So if the Cougars beat Notre Dame, they will likely end the season at either 11-1 or 12-0, and one of their wins will be over the No. 2 Fighting Irish. Therefore, even if they fail to make it to the Big 12 title game because Utah and Texas Tech run the table in the conference, they would have a fantastic case for an at-large bid.
As for the Red Raiders, their path to the Playoff still has to run through Arlington, Texas, and the Big 12 Championship Game. Of course, if they win that game for the second year in a row, they will earn an automatic bid.
However, let's envision a scenario in which an undefeated Red Raider team loses a close game in Arlington to an undefeated Utah team. If that happens, there would be three Big 12 teams with legitimate claims for a playoff spot, and certainly the committee would have to strongly consider giving either Tech or BYU an at-large bid.
If BYU doesn't beat Notre Dame, though, then the Big 12 will continue to be looked upon as the worst of the four major conferences (even though the ACC has no depth or quality behind Miami). That would mean that the loser of the BYU and Utah game would potentially be eliminated from the at-large discussion. What's more, if BYU and Tech were to meet in Arlington again, the loser of that game might be left out in the cold in favor of a two-or-three-loss S.E.C. or Big Ten team.
Of course, Texas Tech can eliminate any doubt about its playoff future by winning out and claiming the Big 12 crown. However, given the way the Red Raiders have played this year, that won't be an easy task.
That's why it would be great for there to be some margin for error. The best way for that to happen would be for the conference to be viewed positively enough that it is finally rewarded with an at-large bid. So while cheering for the best interest of a conference rival is not in Texas Tech fans' nature, it is what we should all be doing Saturday night when the Cougars have the chance to carry the banner for a conference that desperately needs a needle-moving non-conference win.
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