BYU's playoff hopes hang in the balance as they remain stuck at No. 11 in the penultimate rankings, with a win over Texas Tech on Saturday being their only path to the College Football Playoff. The Cougars have endured a major distraction with the potential hiring of Kalani Sitake as head coach, but they've managed to keep their focus on the championship. Meanwhile, Utah continues to struggle, dropping to No. 15 after a 10-point win over Kansas, and now faces a challenging road ahead. The Utes' recent drop in rankings sees them fall behind Texas and Vanderbilt, who both move up the ladder. The Big 12 championship game features three top-15 teams: No. 18 Arizona, No. 21 Houston, and the highly ranked Texas Tech. The top four spots remain unchanged, with No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Indiana, No. 3 Georgia, and No. 4 Texas Tech securing their playoff bye. As the season nears its end, the playoff picture is set to be finalized on Sunday, with BYU's fate hanging in the balance and Utah's future looking uncertain.
