How would upset losses from BYU, Colorado affect the Big 12 standings and College Football Playoff picture?

The stage is set after the first College Football Playoff rankings were released on Tuesday. Everybody knows what they need to do to have a shot at getting into the 12-team playoff. 

But what happens when things don’t go the way teams want? In the case of the Big 12, it could result in a chaotic finish to the 2024 season. 

If two teams in particular — BYU and Colorado — manage to suffer upset losses, it would drastically shake up the conference standings and College Football Playoff picture. Let's dive into what an upset loss for each team would look like. 

What would a BYU loss to Utah mean for the Cougars’ playoff hopes?

If BYU loses to Utah, that wouldn’t be the worst thing for the undefeated Cougars. They’ve pretty much coasted their way through the season. They’re 8-0 and the only team with an undefeated conference record. BYU is basically locked into the Big 12 championship game and the Cougars are essentially playing the waiting game on who their opponent will be. Utah is out of the playoff picture so a win for them does nothing but make the end of the season interesting for bowl purposes. 

Because things have been so easy for the Cougars this season, this could be a trap game and a wake up call. And fortunately if it does happen, it wouldn’t trainwreck their season. 

Barring multiple losses against the Big 12’s bottomfeeders, BYU should get in even with a loss this weekend. If they did lose any of the games, they will have to win the Big 12 championship game to get in. They don’t have a strong enough schedule to lose two games to get one of the at-large spots. 

What would a Colorado loss to Texas Tech mean for the Buffaloes playoff hopes?

Colorado is riding a serious high this week after getting ranked for the first time in the College Football Playoff rankings. Despite having two losses on the year, the Buffaloes have won five of the last six games with its only conference loss coming to Kansas State. 

But as good as it is to be ranked in the first rankings, staying there and moving up is the real task. This week in Lubbock will pose a tough test to prove they’re as good as advertised. 

The Red Raiders are fresh off an upset road win over Iowa State. I’m sure they’re hungry to keep the upsets rolling in. And if Colorado isn’t careful, it could see its CFP hopes snatched away just as quickly as it got them. 

The Buffaloes are bowl eligible for the first time since Deion Sanders took over the program last season. They’ve already surpassed last season’s win total. Now they just have to stay the course. 

If Texas Tech manages to get a second straight win over a ranked team, they could make the argument to crash the Big 12 championship game and potentially find a way to land in the CFP. A lot has to happen, but it’s definitely possible. 

Colorado needs to stay focused. If they lose, they probably won’t have a chance to play for a conference title or a national title. The Buffaloes can’t lose the rest of the way with one conference loss already. 

But they also feel like they have a lot to prove. So Saturday’s game is shaping up to be just as important as any game this season for Colorado.