Which Big 12 teams will reach CFP? -Deseret News

When the 2024 college football season began for BYU and Utah seven weeks ago, the outlook for the season was completely different.

The Cougars were the team looking to become bowl eligible after a 5-7 season, while the Utes were expected to be a College Football Playoff contender.

Fast forward a little over a month and a half and how things have changed.

That’s reflected in the latest bowl predictions from national writers this week – BYU is 6-0 atop the Big 12 standings and considered a conference contender, while Utah is 4-2 and cam rising for the season If you leave, you have to readjust your expectations.

What are the latest postseason predictions for both schools? They’ve changed from the last time the Deseret News summarized the national bowl predictions two weeks ago.

Note: Currently, Utah State, which is ranked 1-5 this season, does not appear in any bowl predictions. However, if the Aggies do so in the future, they will be included in future editions of these bowl prediction recaps.

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What are the latest bowl predictions for BYU?

• Kyle Bonagura, ESPN: CFP first round – No. 9 at No. 8 Alabama
• Mark Schlabach, ESPN: Fiesta Bowl, CFP quarterfinals – No. 4 vs. No. 5 Ohio State
• Jerry Palm, CBS Sports: CFP first round – No. 9 seed at No. 8 seed Penn State
• Brett McMurphy, Action Network: CFP first round – No. 11 at No. 6 Georgia
• Brad Crawford, 247 Sports: CFP Quarterfinals (no bowl set) – No. 4 vs. No. 5 Oregon
• Erick Smith, USA Today: Alamo Bowl vs. Washington State
• Steve Lassan, Athlon Sports: Alamo Bowl, vs. USC
• Pete Fiutak, College Football News: Fiesta Bowl, CFP Quarterfinals – No. 4 vs. No. 5 Oregon
• Oliver Hodgkinson, College Football Network: CFP first round – No. 12 at No. 5 seed Penn State

Unlike two weeks ago, when BYU was in just a few bowl projections for a College Football Playoff berth, the Cougars are now projected for a CFP berth in seven of the nine projections used for this story.

The Fiesta Bowl and an upcoming CFP first-round game are currently the two most popular favorites for BYU, which makes sense considering Iowa State is also undefeated and tied with the Cougars at 3-0 in Big 12 play (also , is 5-1 Texas Tech).

The other projected postseason outcome on the horizon for BYU is a trip to the Alamo Bowl.

In the second half of the season, the Cougars host Oklahoma State, Kansas and Houston while traveling to UCF, Utah and Arizona State.

The rivalry game against the Utes could be the toughest game remaining and will likely have a big impact on whether BYU has a shot at the Big 12 title.

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What are the latest bowl predictions for Utah?

• Kyle Bonagura, ESPN: No bowl projection
• Mark Schlabach, ESPN: Texas Bowl, vs. Arkansas
• Jerry Palm, CBS Sports: Holiday Bowl vs. Pittsburgh
• Brett McMurphy, Action Network: LA Bowl, vs. Boise State
• Brad Crawford, 247 Sports: Las Vegas Bowl, vs. Oklahoma
• Erick Smith, USA Today: Holiday Bowl vs. Duke
• Steve Lassan, Athlon Sports: Holiday Bowl, vs. Syracuse
• Pete Fiutak, College Football News: Sun Bowl, vs. Syracuse
• Oliver Hodgkinson, College Football Network: Holiday Bowl, vs. Pittsburgh

After two straight losses — and Rising’s loss this year — the national narrative around Utah has changed.

Now the Utes are expected to finish the year in a non-CFP bowl game, and one writer, ESPN’s Bonagura, didn’t even have the Utes in a bowl game.

The Holiday Bowl is currently the most popular projection for Utah – the Utes last played in the Holiday Bowl in 2018, losing to Northwestern.

An interesting matchup on this list would be the Texas Bowl against Arkansas – that would allow Utah to face former Utes running back Ja’Quinden Jackson.

Utah has two winnable games in its next two contests — against TCU and at Houston — that will likely give the Utes bowl eligibility before they begin what looks to be a difficult November schedule.

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Which Big 12 schools are scheduled for the College Football Playoff?

Here’s a look at which Big 12 teams will make the College Football Playoff this week in each of the nine predictions used for this article:

• Kyle Bonagura, ESPN: CFP first round – No. 9 seed BYU vs. No. 8 seed Alabama; CFP First Round – No. 10 seed Iowa State vs. No. 7 seed Georgia
• Mark Schlabach, ESPN: Fiesta Bowl, CFP Quarterfinals – No. 4 BYU vs. No. 5 Ohio State; CFP First Round – No. 10 seed Iowa State vs. No. 7 seed Penn State
• Jerry Palm, CBS Sports: Fiesta Bowl, CFP quarterfinals – No. 4 seed Iowa State vs. TBD; CFP first round – No. 9 seed BYU at No. 8 seed Penn State
• Brett McMurphy, Action Network: Fiesta Bowl, CFP Quarterfinals – No. 4 seed Iowa State vs. No. 5 seed Ohio State; CFP first round – No. 11 seed BYU at No. 6 seed Georgia
• Brad Crawford, 247 Sports: CFP Quarterfinals (no bowl set) – No. 4 BYU vs. No. 5 Oregon
• Erick Smith, USA Today: Fiesta Bowl, CFP quarterfinals – Iowa State vs. Georgia (no seeds)
• Steve Lassan, Athlon Sports: Fiesta Bowl, CFP Quarterfinals – No. 4 Kansas State vs. No. 5 Ohio State
• Pete Fiutak, College Football News: Fiesta Bowl, CFP Quarterfinals – No. 4 BYU vs. No. 5 Oregon
• Oliver Hodgkinson, College Football Network: CFP first round – No. 12 BYU at No. 5 Penn State

Not surprisingly, Iowa State and BYU currently receive the most support as potential CFP contenders for the Big 12.

The Cougars have a slight edge over the Cyclones in this week’s bowl predictions from nine national writers.

Three writers project BYU to reach the CFP quarterfinals with a first-round bye, while four others predict the Cougars will start in the CFP first round.

Similarly, three writers have Iowa State earning a first-round bye and a spot in the CFP quarterfinals, while the Cyclones have just two writers starting in the CFP first round.

Kansas State, which is 5-1 this year and 2-1 in Big 12 play, also received one vote to secure the Big 12’s top seed and an automatic spot in the CFP quarterfinals.

However, two of the predictions present another interesting scenario in which Boise State, as Mountain West Conference champion, actually overtakes the Big 12 champion and secures one of the coveted automatic bids – and a first-round bye – awarded to the will be the top four conference champions.

ESPN’s Bonagura is among those predicting the Broncos will receive a CFP first-round bye, although he sees BYU and Iowa State as overall picks for the CFP field.

College Football Network’s Hodgkinson also has Boise State taking the fourth automatic conference champion spot, with BYU, the projected Big 12 champion, getting the No. 12 seed and the final spot in the 12-team CFP field.