The Arizona State Sun Devils were the first to punch their ticket to the Big 12 Championship Game. They did so after dismantling the Arizona Wildcats in Week 14.
With their spot in the Big 12 title secured, the Sun Devils will now need to win the conference in order to secure a berth in the College Football Playoffs. There is really no other way.
Arizona State’s Big 12 Championship Odds
With their ticket signed, sealed, and delivered for the Big 12 Championship Game, it’s now looking to the future while watching the rest of Week 14 unfold. With the second seat up for grabs, Arizona State’s opponent will be one of three teams:
- Iowa State
- BYU
- Colorado
If Iowa State beats Kansas State, they’re in. If Iowa State loses and BYU beats Houston, BYU’s in. If Iowa State and BYU lose, Colorado’s in.
MORE: Simulate the College Football Season with CFN’s College Football Playoff Predictor
And here is how the CFN College Football Playoff Predictor sees the Big 12 title game transpiring. Here are Arizona State’s winning probabilities vs. all three possible opponents:
- BYU 63.1%
- Iowa State 54.3%
- Colorado 57.4%
With the Sun Devils likely landing as the favorites, their playoff hopes are alive and well.
How Can Arizona State Make the Playoffs?
Like the rest of the Big 12 hopefuls, Arizona State will likely have to win the conference championship game in order to make the playoffs. The Sun Devils are the highest-ranked of the Big 12 teams vying for the conference’s spot in the playoffs, but even still, they rank 16th in the latest committee ranking.
In that instance, the loser of the Big 12 Championship Game would be eliminated due to a third loss on the season, and the remaining teams who don’t make the championship game, would likely be out of reach of an at-large bid.
For Arizona State, it’s win the Big 12 and punch your automatic ticket to the playoffs. There’s even room where a team like UNLV could upset Boise State in the Mountain West Championship Game and give Arizona State a first-round bye.
Crazier things have happened, but right now, to secure your fate, win the Big 12, Sun Devils.
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