BYU football: Mathematically, Saturday couldn’t have gone better for the Cougars — the last undefeated Big 12 team

Texas Tech running back Tahj Brooks (28) runs into the end zone for a touchdown late in the second half of an NCAA college football game against Iowa State, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Bryon Houlgrave) | Bryon Houlgrave

The ninth-ranked BYU Cougars football team had this week off, but things couldn’t have gone any better for them Saturday — at least as far as math is concerned — ahead of the first College Football Playoff rankings of the season getting revealed next Tuesday.

In the span of almost exactly 30 minutes Saturday evening two results from other games were very favorable, leaving the Cougars not only as the lone undefeated team remaining in the Big 12 Conference, but also giving them a little more cushion in the race for the conference crown.

First, and most notably, the Texas Tech Red Raiders knocked off the 11th-ranked and previously undefeated Iowa State Cyclones, 23-22. Then, the Houston Cougars beat the 17th-ranked Kansas State Wildcats, 24-19.

There is an argument to be made that Iowa State and Kansas State having strong resumes would help how BYU is viewed nationally, but if BYU can keep winning, the more others lose, the better.

With those results, the Big 12 standings (conference games only) are as follows among teams that entered Saturday ranked and still in the College Football Playoff conversation:

No. 9 BYU, 5-0.

No. 11 Iowa State, 4-1.

No. 23 Colorado, 4-1. (Like BYU, the Buffaloes had a bye on Saturday).

No. 17 Kansas State, 4-2.

The rest of the conference race is as follows Saturday evening (again, conference games only), prior to the completion of the TCU-Baylor game:

Texas Tech, 4-2.

Cincinnati, 3-2.

Arizona State, 3-2.

TCU, 3-2.

West Virginia, 3-2.

Houston, 3-3.

Baylor, 2-3.

UCF, 2-4.

Utah, 1-4.

Kansas, 1-4.

Arizona, 1-5.

Oklahoma State, 0-6.

BYU is now firmly in the driver’s seat as it prepares for next weekend’s rivalry game against Utah. The Cyclones, meanwhile, will face the 2-6 Kansas Jayhawks on the road next week, while the…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/byu-football-mathematically-saturday-couldn-014612343.html

Author : Deseret News

Publish date : 2024-11-03 01:46:00

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