Race to title game remains chaotic

Scenarios abound with 2 weeks left in regular season.

The most straightforward championship game scenario for the Big 12 would be No. 4 Oklahoma and No. 12 TCU winning their last two games and meeting again Dec. 2.

Then again, nothing ever seems to come that easily for the Big 12.

Remember, the Big 12 brought back its championship game in hopes that it would bolster the conference’s chances to be in the College Football Playoff each year. Now there is the lingering possibility the Sooners (9-1, 6-1 Big 12), who are fourth in the CFP rankings this week, could get there and lose a title-game rematch against a league opponent with at least two losses.

And what if Oklahoma loses one, or both, of its last two regular-season games? While the Sooners play at Kansas (1-9, 0-7) Saturday, West Virginia (7-3, 5-2) could still be in the mix for a spot in the Big 12 title game when the Mountaineers finish the regular season in Norman.

“The only thing that we’ve really talked about is understanding that we are in that conversation, and everybody wants to be in that conversation,” West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen said.

Before the CFP selection committee reveals the four playoff teams Dec. 3, the Big 12 has its first championship game since 2010. No team is locked into that game.

Big 12 schedule makers might avoid what was the biggest concern — an immediate re match in the championship game. A rematch was guaranteed, but there were adjustments to the schedule, such as Oklahoma and No. 13 Oklahoma State (8-2, 5-2) playing Bedlam the first weekend in November instead of for the regular-season finale.

There still is the possibility, though unlikely, of Oklahoma and West Virginia playing back-to-back weeks.

A lot of things could get all tied up over the next two weekends, and put quite a few tiebreakers in play:

■ There could still be six teams finishing 6-3 in the Big

12. That would mean Oklahoma losing twice — including to a one-win Kansas team.

While out of playoff consideration, the Sooners would still get the league championship game as the home team since they would have the first spot after a series of tiebreakers. TCU, which lost 38-20 at Oklahoma last weekend, would get a rematch closer to home after another series of tiebreakers among the remaining five teams.

■ Oklahoma could split its last two games and clinch the first spot at 7-2 without a tiebreaker, if Oklahoma State, TCU, West Virginia and Iowa State all finish 6-3. In that scenario, the Sooners again would play TCU, which would have the head-to-head win over Oklahoma State after round-robin records knocked West Virginia and Iowa State out of consideration for the second spot.

■ If Oklahoma State beats Kansas State and Kansas, the Cowboys would be 7-2 and clinch the top spot in the title game if TCU, Oklahoma and West Virginia are 6-3. In that scenario, the Sooners still get in the title game on a two-game losing streak.

Oklahoma, TCU and West Virginia would all be 1-1 against each other, so the next step would be their outcomes against Oklahoma State. The Mountaineers would be eliminated because of their regular-season loss to the Cowboys, and Oklahoma would have the headto-head tiebreaker over the Horned Frogs since both of them beat Oklahoma State.

AP Quarterback Baker Mayfield (left) has led Oklahoma to a No. 4 CFP ranking, but the Sooners must keep winning — including the Big 12 title game — to earn a playoff berth.