Big 12 Championship Game scenarios: How BYU, Iowa State, Colorado make it to face Arizona State

Arizona State avoided even a hint of drama in the Big 12 Championship Game race on Saturday. Despite going into rivalry week and staring down the Territorial Cup against rival Arizona, the Sun Devils looked fully ready for the moment. They left no doubt with a dominant 49-7 victory on the road in Tuscson.

With that win, Kenny Dillingham and Arizona State have punched their ticket to the Big 12 Championship Game and will be the No. 1 seed in the conference standings when it's all said and done. It's a remarkable run for this Sun Devils team to win 10 games and find itself in this spot but it's more than deserved.

What remains to be seen, however, is which team Arizona State will be facing in the Big 12 Championship Game as three teams remain alive going into the night windows on Saturday. So let's take a look at how BYU, Iowa State and Colorado can all still make the conference championship game.

Update: More context has been added to these Big 12 scenarios.

How Iowa State gets into the Big 12 Championship Game vs. ASU

Iowa State, given the results of the final week of the regular season, has the easiest path to playing Arizona State in the Big 12 Championship Game. If they win and BYU also wins, it's the Cyclones in the conference championship game. Considering both are favorites, that's the most likely outcome. However, it's not entirely as simple as win-and-in for Matt Campbell's team.

With a win over Kansas State on Saturday night but a BYU loss to Houston, that would actually put Colorado in over them (as the No. 1 seed no less) to face Arizona State. So the Cyclones need a win and a BYU win to get in.

How BYU makes it an Arizona State rematch in Big 12 Championship Game

BYU has the simplest path to the Big 12 title game of the remaining teams alive in the final week of the regular season. If the Cougars can continue to rebound and get a win at home in Provo over the Houston Cougars (10:15 p.m. ET on Saturday), that puts them in great position.

Beyond that, though, the Cougars also need an Iowa State loss in their rivalry game against Kansas State to get into the Big 12 Championship Game. They don't fully control their own destiny but it starts with winning.

How Colorado could still sneak into the Big 12 Championship Game

Speaking of not controlling their own destiny, that's the position Colorado finds itself in. The good news for Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes is that they've already gotten the part in their control out of the way. Friday's shellacking of Oklahoma State to the tune of 52-0 is the first part of the equation that they needed to get likely Heisman winner Travis Hunter into the Big 12 title game.

However, they need the most help of the still-alive contenders. Colorado would need both BYU and Iowa State to to lose to Houston and Kansas State, respectively. That's the simplest way in but not the only way in. If Iowa State wins but BYU then loses to Houston, that would also put the Buffs into the matchup playing for the conference championship.