AMES, IA - NOVEMBER 16: Head coach Tom Herman of the Texas Longhorns signals touchdown as a play is reviewed by officials in the first half of play against the Iowa State Cyclones at Jack Trice Stadium on November 16, 2019 in Ames, Iowa. (Photo by David Purdy/Getty Images)We’re just two weeks into conference play for the Big 12 and it’s starting to feel like the conference’s chances at having a team qualify for the College Football Playoff are all but dead.
A week ago, No. 3 Oklahoma blew a 21-point lead in the second half to Kansas State. Saturday, the league’s other top-10 team, Texas, fell to TCU.
At the moment, there is just one undefeated team left in the entire conference. No. 17 Oklahoma State, which is taking on Kansas right now, sits at 2-0 atop the league.
There’s no doubt that it’s going to be a weird year – the Big Ten and Pac-12 don’t start their seasons until multiple weeks from now. But there doesn’t appear to be an elite team in the Big 12, and that is starting to worry fans of the conference. They could very well miss out on the College Football Playoff this year.
It is Oct. 3 and the Big 12 has already been eliminated from the College Football Playoff
— Gene Ross (@Gene_Ross23) October 3, 2020
And West Virginia knocks off Baylor in 2OT.
The Big 12 standings might as well just say "screw it, we give up."
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) October 3, 2020
The Big 12 is an absolute dumpster fire this year. Change my mind.
— Kayce Smith (@KayceSmith) October 3, 2020
Big day for Pac-12. On same day Pac-12 announces schedule, Big 12 implodes. Only one undefeated team left in Big 12: Oklahoma State
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) October 3, 2020
Anything is possible – Oklahoma, Texas or another program could straighten things out and go on a run and finish with a gaudy record. But it doesn’t look that way – it looks like anyone can beat anyone in this league this year.
Oklahoma’s next game comes Saturday night against Iowa State. The Sooners will be looking to get back on track and prove that last year’s collapse was a fluke.
Texas, meanwhile, will take on OU on October 10. That’ll be a big one.
