Kansas is undeniably influencing the standings in the Big 12 conference, albeit in a manner that diverges from the anticipated outcome, especially considering their status as one of the pre-season favorites in the newly expanded 16-team league.
Instead of vying for a position in the championship game, Kansas (4-6, 3-4 Big 12) is currently striving to secure bowl eligibility, with their focus on overcoming ranked opponents this November. The Jayhawks recently achieved consecutive victories over Top 25 teams for the first time in history, triumphing against Iowa State and then BYU, which had remained undefeated until last Saturday. This week, they prepare to host league co-leader No. 16 Colorado.
Kansas receiver Luke Grimm expressed the team’s confidence, stating, “We know the kind of team we are, we know how good we can be, and coming into (BYU), people might label it an upset. But I don’t think anybody on the team labels it an upset based on how we know our team can play.”
The defeat BYU suffered at the hands of the Jayhawks resulted in a significant drop in their ranking, as the Cougars fell seven spots to No. 14 in the latest poll. As a result, they are now positioned below teams from the Big Ten, SEC, ACC, and even the Mountain West, with both Colorado and BYU trailing behind an undefeated Army team from the American Athletic Conference.
In the upcoming playoff, the five highest-ranked conference champions in the final CFP rankings on December 1 will earn automatic entries into the 12-team playoff, with the top four teams receiving first-round byes. The remaining seven teams will be selected based on at-large bids determined by their rankings.
In the current standings, both league newcomer Arizona State and Iowa State, each with an 8-2 record, are tied for third place in the Big 12 with two conference losses. Iowa State managed to stay undefeated until November for the first time since 1938 before facing two consecutive defeats against Texas Tech and Kansas.
Arizona State is slated to play BYU on Saturday, representing the sole matchup this season among the league’s top four teams. Sun Devils coach Kenny Dillingham humorously commented on the complexities of the tiebreaker scenarios, saying, “Somebody was telling me if we win and somebody else loses and then like ranch dressing falls on a wing … I don’t really know.”
Several teams trailing Arizona State and Iowa State, with 4-3 records, such as Baylor, Kansas State, TCU, Texas Tech, and West Virginia, remain mathematically viable for bowl contention.
As for scenarios leading to a championship game clinch, both BYU and Colorado could secure their spots for the December 7 title match with victories and the right outcomes. However, a loss by the Cougars at Arizona State would eliminate their chances of clinching the title.
Following a previous 12 seasons as an independent before joining the Big 12 last year, BYU can reach the title game if they win and Utah beats Iowa State. If that scenario unfolds, Colorado would also clinch a spot by defeating Kansas.
The Buffaloes have returned to prominence after having participated in four Big 12 championship games between 2001 and 2005. After a 13-year absence in the Pac-12, Colorado is now in a strong position to compete for another championship title.
Deion Sanders, the second-year coach of Colorado, confidently stated, “Look at me, man — do I look like I subscribe to pressure or do I look like I apply it? We apply pressure. We don’t subscribe to it.”
Colorado began its Big 12 campaign with an overtime victory against Baylor, having a winning streak that has kept hopes alive following a narrow loss to Kansas State earlier in the season.
On the other hand, Kansas started its season strong but faced a five-game losing streak, with unfortunate losses coming in close contests, typically by six points or less. Quarterback Jalon Daniels remarked on the team’s resilience, saying, “Our team has always done a great job of being able to stay the course.”
The Jayhawks are now focused on securing a bowl appearance for a third consecutive season, a feat that would establish a new program milestone, all while shaking up the upper tier of the Big 12 standings in the process.