After the No. 11 Brigham Young Cougars suffered a 34-7 defeat against the No. 4 Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Big 12 Championship Game, head coach Kalani Sitake expressed concern that this loss could jeopardize his team”s chances of qualifying for the 12-team College Football Playoff (CFP).
Following the game, Sitake acknowledged the frustrations of losing twice to the same opponent this season but seized the moment to advocate for his team”s inclusion in the playoffs. He emphasized that BYU had faced the top-ranked team in the nation and argued for their merit in the rankings.
“If you look at what Texas Tech has done, they”re the best team in the country for a reason,” Sitake stated during the postgame press conference. He noted that the Red Raiders” earlier loss came when they were without their starting quarterback, which he described as a significant challenge, especially since the game was played on the road.
Sitake continued, “Who”s played the best team in the country twice? We have. Everybody else will find out. I”d love to have a third chance at them.” His team had previously lost to Texas Tech in the regular season with a score of 29-7, and the championship game did not show a closer contest.
In terms of performance, BYU struggled significantly, losing the turnover battle with four fumbles—two of which were lost—and two interceptions. In contrast, Texas Tech managed only a single fumble, which they recovered. Additionally, BYU”s offense was limited to just 200 total yards, while Texas Tech amassed 374 yards.
This lopsided outcome is likely to weigh heavily in the CFP committee”s deliberations. Despite having a respectable record and a top-12 ranking leading into the championship, BYU”s inability to compete effectively against a top-four team raises questions about their postseason viability.
Furthermore, the prospect of the Big 12 securing two playoff spots seems unlikely, particularly with several teams from the Big Ten and SEC already claiming their places. Sitake expressed a desire for BYU to receive at least fair consideration in the playoff discussions, stating, “At least put us in the graphic, that”d be nice.” He noted that current media attention seems disproportionately focused on teams like the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Miami Hurricanes, and Alabama Crimson Tide.
“I don”t know what the other rankings are, but this team is really good. You go play the number one team in the country twice, one in Lubbock, Texas, and then one in a neutral site, which is still in the state,” Sitake explained. “I think we have a great resume. I just know when they”re doing comparisons, hopefully they put it out there and make it fair. At least put us in the graphic, that”d be nice.”
