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Updated Big 12 Championship Game Scenarios: Colorado's Win Clarifies Paths

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Updated Big 12 Championship Game Scenarios: Colorado's Win Clarifies Paths
The Big 12 Championship game finds itself in a state of uncertainty as the regular season enters its final week. Colorado's victory against Oklahoma State on Friday has begun to shape the picture for the bulk of action on Saturday.

The Paths to the Championship

Colorado's Routes

After Friday's win, Colorado has three potential paths to the conference title game. The most straightforward is if Arizona State, Iowa State, and BYU all lose. This would make Colorado the clear top team in the conference. Another scenario is if two of those three teams lose. In this case, the two remaining two-loss teams would meet in the championship game. Additionally, if Arizona State and Iowa State win, BYU must lose while Texas Tech beats West Virginia. Baylor must also beat Kansas State and Cincinnati must beat TCU. This would set up a Big 12 Championship game between Colorado and Iowa State.If Arizona State, Colorado, and Iowa State all win and BYU loses while Texas Tech beats West Virginia, Baylor must beat Kansas State and Cincinnati must beat TCU. If all these conditions are met, it will be Colorado vs. Iowa State in the championship game, leaving Arizona State out. However, if West Virginia beats Texas Tech, it would change the matchup to Arizona State vs. Iowa State.Just like Arizona State, if Iowa State wins on Saturday and the Sun Devils and Cougars lose, it would be Colorado vs. Iowa State in the conference championship game. But if Iowa State, BYU, and Colorado win and Arizona State loses, it will be Iowa State vs. BYU in the championship game.If Arizona State, Colorado, and Iowa State all win this week, Texas Tech would need to beat West Virginia and Baylor must beat Kansas State and Cincinnati must beat TCU. In this case, Colorado vs. Iowa State would be the championship game.The WVU-Texas Tech game is a major factor in this scenario as well. If the Mountaineers beat the Red Raiders, it would shake up the title game's matchup to Arizona State vs. Iowa State.

BYU's Possibilities

If Iowa State and Arizona State lose, BYU would advance to the conference title game against Colorado. This is the easiest path for BYU. If BYU and Arizona State win and Iowa State loses, it would be Arizona State vs. BYU in the Big 12 Championship game.What if Arizona State, Iowa State, and BYU all lose? This would open the door for one of the five three-loss teams (which would expand to eight in this scenario) to face Colorado in the conference championship game. The game would most likely feature Colorado vs. Kansas State or Baylor, depending on how the rest of the Big 12 slate unfolds across Saturday, including TCU vs. Cincinnati, Kansas vs. Baylor, Utah vs. UCF, and WVU vs. Texas Tech.

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