The latest Big 12 playoff resume rankings from CBS Sports place BYU at No. 1 in the country, and the conference now has a legitimate argument for landing more than one team in the 12-team field. Three unbeaten Big 12 programs and a pair of marquee results in Week 7 have turned the league into one of the deepest resume groups in the sport heading toward the stretch run.
BYU’s 28-24 win over Notre Dame in Week 7 sits at the center of that case. The Cougars posted a resume score of 1.85 in the CBS Sports system, the top mark in the country, built on a slate that includes wins over Utah Tech, No. 22 Arizona, No. 50 TCU, No. 57 Iowa State and the Fighting Irish, who came in ranked No. 5. BYU’s lone loss came against No. 118 Colorado State, a game decided in part by location under the CBS Sports model.
1. BYU Cougars (No. 1 Resume Ranking)
BYU’s victory over Notre Dame did more than boost a single résumé line. It pushed the Cougars to the top of the CBS Sports resume rankings and gave them one of just four résumés nationally with four wins over teams ranked inside the top 65 of the CBS Sports 138, joining Houston, Alabama and Kentucky. BYU is also one of six teams with two wins over top-25 opponents, a group that otherwise includes Alabama, Texas, Florida, Ole Miss and Ohio State.
The CBS Sports model grades every game by the odds an average No. 25 team would have won it, based on opponent strength and site, so BYU’s full slate is carrying the weight rather than a single standout result. The Big 12 later acknowledged that one additional second should have been placed on the clock in the Notre Dame game, a detail that does not change the final score but adds context to how close the result was.
2. Texas Tech Red Raiders (Unbeaten)
Texas Tech is one of three Big 12 teams, along with BYU and Utah, that remain unbeaten among Power Four programs, out of just five such teams left nationally. The sources do not detail the Red Raiders’ individual resume score or specific wins, but CBS Sports notes that a 12-1 Texas Tech squad that finishes as Big 12 runner-up would carry a strong case for an at-large bid even without a conference title.
That scenario matters because of how the Big 12 race is shaping up. If BYU wins the Big 12 Championship Game, the league’s argument for a second bid grows, and Texas Tech’s unbeaten status through this point in the season positions it as the most likely beneficiary of that path.
3. Houston Cougars (6-1, Four Top-65 Wins)
Houston moved to 6-1 with a 35-32 win over Oklahoma State in Week 7, a result that lifted the Cougars from 20th to 14th in the AP Poll. Quarterbacks Conner Weigman and Drew Mestemaker combined for 708 passing yards and eight touchdowns in that game, numbers that reflect how the Big 12 title race has turned into a shootout league through seven weeks.
Houston’s four wins over CBS Sports 138 top-65 opponents put the Cougars in the same company as BYU, Alabama and Kentucky, the only four teams nationally with that distinction. That depth of quality wins gives Houston a path into the at-large conversation even with one loss already on the record.
4. Utah Utes (Unbeaten)
Utah rounds out the trio of unbeaten Big 12 programs identified in the resume rankings, part of a group of five unbeaten Power Four teams left in the country. The sources do not provide a specific resume score or opponent breakdown for Utah, but its unbeaten record alongside BYU and Texas Tech underscores how unusual the Big 12’s depth has become this season. Three of the five remaining unbeaten Power Four teams coming from one conference is a rare concentration, and it is the clearest statistical signal behind the push for multiple playoff bids.
What Could Still Change The Picture
The clearest path to a multi-bid Big 12 runs through the conference championship game. CBS Sports frames it directly: a BYU win in that game would open the door for the Big 12 to send a second team into the 12-team field as an at-large selection, with a 12-1 Texas Tech squad the likely candidate if it finishes as runner-up. Houston’s resume gives it a case as well, built on quality wins rather than an unbeaten record.
None of that is settled. The sources do not detail the remaining schedule for BYU, Texas Tech, Utah or Houston, so how each team’s resume evolves over the final weeks remains the open question. For context on the broader shape of the postseason, the sources also note a reported push toward a 24-team playoff format beginning in 2027, a change that would arrive a year after this season’s bracket.
The next data point for the Big 12’s playoff case arrives with Week 8 results, which will update the CBS Sports resume rankings and the AP Poll positioning for BYU, Texas Tech, Utah and Houston alike.
Don't stop here
Every Score. Every Story. One Home.
Breaking sports, entertainment and news from across the Total Apex network, updated all day.
Get the Full Story →
