Joel Klatt breaks down chances OU, Texas both miss Big 12 title game in 2022

Only three times in the history of the Big 12 Championship game have neither Texas or Oklahoma participated, with 2021’s bout between Baylor and Oklahoma State marking the first title game since 1998 not two feature either of the two schools.

Given how the 2022 season started for both ball clubs, perhaps both will miss the game once again. In fact, college football analyst Joel Klatt believes it’s not just possible, but probable that neither Texas or Oklahoma play for the conference crown.

During a video he filmed for the CFB on Fox YouTube page, Klatt answered a question from a fan that proposed that exact premise: could 2022 be the second straight season — and just the second year this century — where the Longhorns and Sooners both fail to qualify for the Big 12 title? Here was his full answer:

“Yeah I think that there could be. In all reality, that might even be likely right now. I look at this Big 12, and you look at the standings right now. Texas is sitting there with just one loss. But then you look at what else is going on. Kansas, undefeated in conference. Kansas State, undefeated in conference. Oklahoma State, undefeated in conference. TCU, undefeated in conference. Tech and Baylor each with only a loss in conference.”

So with the Sooners two games behind the eight ball, it’ll be a tall task climbing out of that hole and back into control of the league race.

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“Just from the OU perspective, I don’t see how OU gets out of this and goes back to the Big 12 Championship game. Even if they were to win out, Kansas State is undefeated in conference. Which means Kansas State would have to lose three conference games. They’re essentially three games behind Kansas State because they would lose the direct tie-breaker, having lost to Kansas State in Norman.

“There is a really good chance Oklahoma is not there. And then, Texas, they have a loss, lose the tie-breaker to Texas Tech. And they have some tough opponents coming up.”

Joel Klatt did admit Texas has an easier road to the title game, only suffering one league loss thus far. But even he isn’t too optimistic over their chances.

“Now I do think that Texas can overcome to a greater degree than Oklahoma can here down the stretch of the Big 12. But we’re looking at another year in which we’re likely to see a Big 12 Championship game without either Texas or Oklahoma. Remember, this is one of the rare years where we’re getting a Red River game with both of those teams unranked.”