Oklahoma 'unaware' of reported clarification of Big 12 tiebreaker rules
With just two games remaining, the Big 12 championship race is a bit messy. Texas is currently the only one-loss team in Big 12 play, while Kansas State, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State all have two conference losses on their record. With how the current tiebreaker is written, if all four of those teams win out, the Wildcats would be in Arlington.
However, there is reportedly a change coming from the Big 12 and that would be a surprise to the folks in Norman. George Stoia of On3’s Sooner Scoop says Oklahoma is “unaware” of any type of “clarification” coming from the conference.
“I’m told OU was unaware there would be a ‘clarification’ of the tiebreaker rules tomorrow,” Stoia said via X. “The Big 12 athletic directors met today and there was no discussion of it. They meet every Wednesday as a standing (virtual) meeting in line with CFP rankings release. #Sooners
For the most part, all of this is presumptuous considering there are two weeks left in the regular season. Texas losing on Saturday to Iowa State would throw a whole new wrench into the scenario, potentially drawing up four-way ties heading into the final weekend.
But still, the Big 12 needs to be prepared for all possible scenarios.
If all four teams win out, Texas gets in due to only having one Big 12 loss. And here is the current Big 12 three-way tiebreaker which would send Kansas State to AT&T Stadium as the Longhorns’ opponent.
“Record against the next highest placed common opponent in the standings (based on record in all games played within the conference), proceeding through the standings.”
This comes into effect because Oklahoma and Kansas State did not face off against one another. Even though Oklahoma State has head-to-head wins over both teams, the Sooners and Wildcats playing against each other mess up the first tiebreaker, which is a round-robin record.
Kansas and Iowa State are the next two “highest place common opponent(s)”, where Kansas State would be 2-0 against them in this scenario. However, those two games have not yet been played and for the tiebreaker to come into effect, Kansas State would have to win them.
However, as Berry Tramel of Sellout Crowd reports, a “clarification” is being presented to Big 12 ADs on Wednesday.
“Last week, I corresponded with a Big 12 source to get clarification on what that tiebreaker meant,” Tramel said. “Our exchange kept confusing me, but I eventually was told that because OU and K-State did not play each other, OSU’s sweep of the Sooners and Wildcats was nullified. OK. Seemed silly. But at least I had confirmation.
“Then Monday, I was told by the Big 12 source that our Saturday night communication caused further discussion in the conference office, leading to the clarification, which is scheduled to be presented to the Big 12 athletic directors in a conference call Wednesday.”
If the clarification is put in place, Oklahoma State would then be the second team playing in the Big 12 championship game.
Of course, the games have to be played and these tiebreakers may not even come into effect. Oklahoma needs Oklahoma State to lose one of their two final games against BYU and Houston. That would send the Sooners through, no matter what Kansas State does.
No matter the scenario, Oklahoma was not aware of a “clarification” coming from the Big 12 offices on the tiebreaker rules.