Colorado Big-12 Championship Scenario after Week 14: A closer look at Buffaloes's chances after blowing out Oklahoma State

Colorado (9-3, 7-2 Big 12) secured an emphatic 52-0 win over Oklahoma State on Friday but this did not confirm its place in the Big 12 championship game. Following the 21-37 defeat to Kansas in Week 13, the Buffaloes’s route to the conference title game grew increasingly convoluted.

Once in a position to chart their course, the Colorado Buffaloes now find themselves at the mercy of external outcomes. Their fate no longer lies solely in their hands, requiring a precise alignment of results in the final week of the regular season to keep their championship aspirations alive.

Following the win against the Cowboys to end the regular season, here’s a look at how the Buffs can make it to the Big 12 championship game.

How can Colorado make the Big 12 championship?

Colorado’s Travis Hunter in action against Oklahoma State. (Credits: IMAGN)

Heading to the final week of the 2024 regular season, four teams are in contention for the Big 12 championship game. These quartet include No. 16 Arizona State (9-2, 6-2), No. 18 Iowa State (9-2, 6-2), and No. 19 BYU (9-2, 6-2) and No. 25 Colorado (9-3, 7-2).

Following the win against Oklahoma State, Colorado’s route to the Big 12 championship game hinges on one of three intricate scenarios unfolding. For Coach Prime and the Buffs to have a chance to compete for the conference crown, one of the following scenarios must occur.

Path 1: The easiest route for the Buffs: Arizona State, BYU, and Iowa State must lose on Saturday, clearing the way for Deion Sanders and his team.

Path 2: This is a slightly less straightforward option for the team. It involves any two of Arizona State, BYU and Iowa State to record a loss on Saturday. This would also secure Colorado’s spot in the championship game with the only winner among the trio.

Path 3: This is the most complex scenario for Colorado. It requires a chain of specific results for things to be optimistic: Arizona State and Iowa State must win, BYU must lose, Texas Tech must defeat West Virginia, Baylor must beat Kansas State and Cincinnati must overcome TCU.

If all these outcomes align on Saturday, the Big 12 championship game will feature No. 25 Colorado facing Iowa State. The chances of going on this path are slim but not impossible.

It’s worth noting that the Buffaloes’s only path to the College Football Playoffs is winning the Big 12 championship. After three losses, they can only rely on the automatic spot of being a conference champion to be involved in the playoffs.