{"id":8223,"date":"2025-12-07T02:04:07","date_gmt":"2025-12-07T02:04:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/byu-playoff-big-12-loss\/"},"modified":"2025-12-07T02:04:07","modified_gmt":"2025-12-07T02:04:07","slug":"byu-playoff-big-12-loss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/byu-playoff-big-12-loss\/","title":{"rendered":"Playoff-bound BYU? Big 12 made case, but 11th-ranked Cougars&#8217; pitch falls flat with loss &#8211; KSL.com"},"content":{"rendered":"<article>\n<p>ARLINGTON, Texas \u2014 On Saturday at AT&amp;T Stadium, No. 11 BYU fell to No. 2 Texas Tech 34-7, a defeat that undercut a week of public lobbying by Big 12 figures for the Cougars&#8217; inclusion in the 12-team College Football Playoff. BYU finished the regular season 11-2 while the Red Raiders improved to 12-1; Texas Tech\u2019s starting quarterback Behren Morton remained unbeaten in games he started. Despite endorsements from Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark and Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire, BYU\u2019s performance \u2014 marred by turnovers and limited offense \u2014 weakened its postseason argument.<\/p>\n<h2>Key takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>BYU ended the regular season 11-2 after a 34-7 loss to No. 2 Texas Tech on Dec. 6 in Arlington, Texas.<\/li>\n<li>Texas Tech improved to 12-1; its starting quarterback Behren Morton has not lost a start this season.<\/li>\n<li>BYU\u2019s quarterback Bear Bachmeier was limited by a lower-leg issue and threw two interceptions with a noted season-low passing total reported at 115 yards.<\/li>\n<li>The Big 12\u2019s public lobbying included commissioner Brett Yormark and coach Joey McGuire urging the College Football Playoff committee to consider BYU among 12 teams.<\/li>\n<li>Box-score details reported varied; some sources cited BYU\u2019s fewest season yards (200) while a drive-by-drive account recorded 90 total yards in the game.<\/li>\n<li>Notre Dame (10-2) sits ahead of BYU in current listings despite having a worse strength of schedule metrics referenced by Big 12 officials.<\/li>\n<li>Public and conference advocacy may not overcome the selection committee\u2019s eye-test and comparative metrics for one of the final at-large slots.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Background<\/h2>\n<p>BYU joined the Big 12 this season and compiled an 11-1 mark before the conference title game push, generating debate about how new entrants are evaluated by the College Football Playoff committee. The Big 12\u2019s stronger-than-expected top of the standings \u2014 led by Texas Tech \u2014 has created a case that the league should receive multiple playoff berths.<\/p>\n<p>Across the season, BYU produced signature wins and a strong overall record but also accumulated two losses, both to the same opponent: Texas Tech. Those defeats amplified questions about whether two losses to a single conference rival weaken a team&#8217;s at-large credentials compared with other 10-2 or 11-1 candidates.<\/p>\n<p>Conference leaders and rivals publicly amplified BYU\u2019s r\u00e9sum\u00e9 in the days before the selection show, arguing that the Cougars\u2019 record, schedule and results warranted inclusion. That external advocacy set heightened expectations that a win on Saturday could clinch a spot; a loss, conversely, left the committee\u2019s decision to the metrics and subjective assessments used in past CFP selections.<\/p>\n<h2>Main event<\/h2>\n<p>The championship-week matchup opened with Texas Tech asserting control. The Red Raiders\u2019 defense limited BYU\u2019s offense early, forcing punts and turnovers and preventing sustained drives. BYU managed one sustained opening-quarter drive culminating in a 10-yard touchdown run by LJ Martin, but thereafter struggled to move the ball consistently.<\/p>\n<p>Quarterback Bear Bachmeier appeared limited at times after a first-half lower-leg injury and finished with two interceptions and a reported season-low passing yardage figure. Play-by-play reporting noted a short passing day for Bachmeier, with a 22-yard completion to Parker Kingston among the few significant gains.<\/p>\n<p>Stat lines cited in postgame notes varied: an aggregate claim that Texas Tech held BYU to its fewest yards of the season (200) appeared alongside a drive-level summary that totaled 90 yards for BYU in the contest. Texas Tech\u2019s offense, led by Morton, produced points against short fields and capitalized on turnovers to build a decisive lead.<\/p>\n<p>Coach Kalani Sitake acknowledged Texas Tech\u2019s quality in postgame remarks, stressing that his team had faced the Red Raiders twice and that the opponent\u2019s full-strength roster had been a major factor. Coach Joey McGuire, meanwhile, praised BYU\u2019s season and urged the committee to weigh the Cougars\u2019 overall r\u00e9sum\u00e9 despite the loss.<\/p>\n<h2>Analysis &amp; implications<\/h2>\n<p>From a committee-perspective, BYU\u2019s 11-2 record is durable but complicated. Losses to a single opponent can be interpreted two ways: either as evidence of a matchup problem or as context for the team\u2019s strength if that opponent is demonstrably elite. Texas Tech\u2019s national standing bolsters the latter view but does not erase the two losses on paper.<\/p>\n<p>Selection criteria mix objective metrics (strength of schedule, common opponents, record) with subjective evaluation (eye test). High-profile endorsements from conference leaders can draw attention to a team\u2019s case but do not substitute for on-field evidence in the committee\u2019s deliberations. BYU\u2019s limited offensive performance in a high-visibility game is likely to weigh against them if competing at-large teams have similarly strong resumes without late-season setbacks.<\/p>\n<p>For the Big 12, the result reinforces the conference\u2019s top-heavy narrative: Texas Tech\u2019s wins elevate the league\u2019s national profile, but having multiple teams argued for playoff slots highlights both depth and selection complexity. If the committee awards two Big 12 berths, it will strengthen the conference&#8217;s standing; if not, questions about comparative metrics and regional bias will resurface.<\/p>\n<h2>Comparison &amp; data<\/h2>\n<figure>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Team<\/th>\n<th>Record<\/th>\n<th>Noted ranking<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Texas Tech<\/td>\n<td>12-1<\/td>\n<td>No. 2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>BYU<\/td>\n<td>11-2<\/td>\n<td>No. 11<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Notre Dame<\/td>\n<td>10-2<\/td>\n<td>No. 10<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Miami<\/td>\n<td>10-2<\/td>\n<td>Unranked\/competing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The table compares records and rankings cited in postgame coverage. These snapshot figures matter in committee comparisons, where head-to-head and conference championships are weighed alongside strength of schedule and recent performance. BYU\u2019s 11-2 ledger is strong numerically but less persuasive when the most recent marquee game resulted in a decisive loss.<\/p>\n<h2>Reactions &amp; quotes<\/h2>\n<p>Conference and opponent voices framed the postgame narrative immediately, offering both praise and practical perspective on how selection might unfold.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>I think if you look at what Texas Tech has done, they&#8217;re the best team in the country for a reason. Who has played the best team in the country twice? We have.<\/p>\n<p><cite>Kalani Sitake, BYU head coach (postgame)<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p>That&#8217;s a really good football team. I hope the committee looks at it because there are going to be two-loss teams out there, but there&#8217;s not going to be an 11-2 team. They did a great job throughout the season getting here.<\/p>\n<p><cite>Joey McGuire, Texas Tech head coach (postgame)<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p>I would hope that they wouldn&#8217;t have to convince the selection committee, with a win today, that they deserve to be in the CFP. But it might take that.<\/p>\n<p><cite>Brett Yormark, Big 12 commissioner (pre-game comments)<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2>\n<aside>\n<details>\n<summary>Explainer: How the 12-team College Football Playoff selection works<\/summary>\n<p>The 12-team CFP field uses a combination of automatic bids for conference champions and at-large selections determined by the CFP committee. Committee members evaluate win-loss records, strength of schedule, head-to-head results, conference championships, and a subjective &#8220;eye test.&#8221; Recent seasons show both objective metrics and late-season performance can sway selections, particularly for the final at-large slots.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<\/aside>\n<\/h2>\n<h2>Unconfirmed<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Reported total yardage figures for BYU in the game vary in postgame accounts (one report lists 200 season-low yards while a drive-by-drive summary lists a 90-yard total); these discrepancies are unresolved.<\/li>\n<li>How the selection committee will weigh two losses to the same opponent versus other teams\u2019 resumes remains speculative until the committee announces final seeding.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Bottom line<\/h2>\n<p>BYU enters the CFP conversation with a strong 11-2 record and vocal support from Big 12 figures, but Saturday\u2019s loss to a top-ranked Texas Tech undercut the on-field case. Public advocacy highlights perceived inequities in ranking and scheduling comparisons, yet the committee\u2019s blend of metrics and judgment means the Cougars cannot rely on endorsements alone.<\/p>\n<p>The coming days will clarify whether BYU\u2019s overall r\u00e9sum\u00e9 and conference advocacy are enough to secure an at-large slot. For BYU and the Big 12, the matchup underlined both the conference\u2019s strength and the fine margins that decide postseason inclusion.<\/p>\n<h2>Sources<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ksl.com\/article\/51415604\/playoff-bound-byu-big-12-made-case-but-11th-ranked-cougars-pitch-falls-flat-with-loss\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">KSL.com<\/a> \u2014 regional news outlet (game coverage and quotes)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CFBONFOX\/status\/173632...\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FOX College Football (tweet)<\/a> \u2014 national sports broadcaster (postgame highlights\/quotes)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>ARLINGTON, Texas \u2014 On Saturday at AT&amp;T Stadium, No. 11 BYU fell to No. 2 Texas Tech 34-7, a defeat that undercut a week of public lobbying by Big 12 figures for the Cougars&#8217; inclusion in the 12-team College Football Playoff. BYU finished the regular season 11-2 while the Red Raiders improved to 12-1; Texas &#8230; <a title=\"Playoff-bound BYU? Big 12 made case, but 11th-ranked Cougars&#8217; pitch falls flat with loss &#8211; KSL.com\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/byu-playoff-big-12-loss\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Playoff-bound BYU? Big 12 made case, but 11th-ranked Cougars&#8217; pitch falls flat with loss &#8211; KSL.com\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8217,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_title":"Playoff-bound BYU? Big 12 case vs. loss \u2014 Insight Sports","rank_math_description":"BYU\u2019s 11-2 season took a hit with a 34-7 loss to No. 2 Texas Tech in Arlington; conference lobbying highlighted the Cougars\u2019 r\u00e9sum\u00e9 but on-field struggles weakened their CFP pitch.","rank_math_focus_keyword":"BYU,College Football Playoff,Texas Tech,Big 12,Bear Bachmeier","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8223","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-top-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8223","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8223"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8223\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8217"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8223"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8223"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8223"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}