The college football season involves the race for the College Football Playoff, New Year’s Six bowl bids, and in the case of the Big 12, bowl eligibility. There is no divisional race in this league, but plenty of intrigue just the same.
Oklahoma at West Virginia – Week 12
The Sooners are currently undefeated and West Virginia has one loss in the Big 12. It’s true that Oklahoma State also has just one loss in the conference and has beaten West Virginia, but Oklahoma State has to visit Oklahoma. This is the game which, more than any other Big 12 game, will likely produce the conference champion. Oklahoma should be able to take care of Oklahoma State at home on December 3 in Week 14. They’ll be favored to win that game. Assuming that happens, and assuming West Virginia wins at Texas on November 12 in Week 11 – a game where they will also likely be favored – this game will decide the Big 12 champion. Oklahoma State has a chance to win the league, but this is the centerpiece game in the conference if no upsets occur elsewhere. West Virginia is a perfect 5-0 at home this season while Oklahoma is 3-0 on the road. We know the Sooners are far more vulnerable when they’re away from Norman but they’ll have to find a way here if they want to win the Big 12.
West Virginia at Texas – Week 11
The explanation above frames this game. If West Virginia beats Texas, the subsequent game against Oklahoma will give the Mountaineers a path to the Big 12 title. WVU would tie Oklahoma in the loss column but take the head-to-head tiebreaker. If WVU then beat Baylor in the season finale, the Mountaineers would finish with an 8-1 Big 12 record. They’d beat out Oklahoma. The only way West Virginia would fail to win the league title with an 8-1 record is if Oklahoma State somehow won at Oklahoma and also reached 8-1. OSU would win the title based on the head-to-head win over WVU in October.
Here’s another scenario for this game: If Oklahoma beats Baylor and then wins in West Virginia while Oklahoma State falls to TCU or Texas Tech, Oklahoma wins the Big 12 before even having to play Oklahoma State in the season finale. Both teams enter the week with a record of 7-2 with aspirations of playing in an important bowl game this season. The Sooners have won six straight games while the Pokers have won five in a row. West Virginia isn’t far behind in the conference as they are 7-1 overall and 4-1 in conference play, so they are still very much in the thinck of things.
One additional scenario: If West Virginia loses this game to Texas, Oklahoma can lose to West Virginia and still win the Big 12 if it beats Oklahoma State in Week 14.
Oklahoma State at Oklahoma – Week 14
It’s not the biggest game, because it is dependent on other outcomes, but if Oklahoma State and Oklahoma win their games leading up to this one, then this game will decide the Big 12 champion, either way.
If West Virginia beats Texas and Oklahoma while Oklahoma beats Baylor and Oklahoma State wins its next two against Texas Tech and TCU, this game would either make Oklahoma State the champion with an OSU win, or WVU the champion with an Oklahoma win.
If West Virginia loses to Texas and beats Oklahoma while Oklahoma State wins its next two games, this is also a winner-take-all game between the Cowboys and Sooners.
Texas Tech at Oklahoma State – Week 11
This is a game Oklahoma State needs in order to stay in good position for the Big 12 title. OSU has the head-to-head over West Virginia and needs to keep winning to make sure that matters. Texas Tech, after a bad loss at home to Texas, needs to win this game in order to have a decent chance at bowl eligibility this season. The good news for OSU is that Texas Tech has not played well on the road this year. They are just 2-4 in conference play and 1-2 in road games. On the flip side, Oklahoma State is 5-1 in Big 12 play and is 5-1 at home. They’ll be expected to take care of business in this spot.
