BYU linebacker Jack Kelly (17) celebrates after the UCF Knights were downed during a game held at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret NewsBrandon JuddMon, December 1, 2025 at 11:56 PM UTC·5 min readCome late Sunday afternoon, all questions regarding the College Football Playoff field and bowl matchups will be answered.
By then, the 12-team CFP field, as well as all bowl matchups, will be announced.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBetween now and then, though, is conference championship weekend, which could change the postseason destinations for many teams.
That includes the leaders from the Big 12 in Texas Tech, BYU and Utah.
If the Cougars beat the Red Raiders in Saturday’s Big 12 championship game (10 a.m. MST, ABC), BYU will earn an automatic spot in the playoff. Otherwise, it’s looking unlikely that the 11-1 Cougars will have enough of a case to make the CFP.
Texas Tech, meanwhile, is currently ranked No. 5 in the CFP committee rankings and is viewed as a virtual lock to make the playoff, even if the favored Red Raiders lose in the Big 12 title game.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBefore all this happens, national experts have shared their predictions of how the bowl situation will play out. The Deseret News looked at seven different bowl projections following Week 14 of the 2025 season — it helped give a picture of what might lie ahead in the postseason for the 10 bowl-eligible Big 12 teams.
Here’s a look at the latest bowl projections for every Big 12 team, as well as for Utah State, which is bowl eligible after missing the postseason last season.
Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham watches warmups prior to Utah and Cincinnati playing at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret NewsWhat are the latest bowl projections for BYU, Utah and the Big 12?
ESPN, Kyle Bonagura
BYU’s bowl projection: Alamo Bowl, vs. USC
Utah’s bowl projection: Las Vegas Bowl, vs. Iowa
Texas Tech’s bowl projection: CFP quarterfinals, Orange Bowl — No. 4 seed vs. No. 5 seed Texas A&M
Other Big 12 bowl projections
Arizona: Holiday Bowl, vs. Pittsburgh
Arizona State: LA Bowl, vs. UNLV
Cincinnati: Rate Bowl, vs. Northwestern
Houston: Pop-Tarts Bowl, vs. Miami
Iowa State: Texas Bowl, vs. Tulane
Kansas State: Armed Forces Bowl, vs. East Carolina
TCU: Liberty Bowl, vs. California
ESPN, Mark Schlabach
BYU’s bowl projection: Alamo Bowl, vs. USC
Utah’s bowl projection: Las Vegas Bowl, vs. Illinois
Texas Tech’s bowl projection: CFP quarterfinals, Cotton Bowl — No. 4 seed vs. No. 5 seed Oregon
Note: Both Bonagura and Schlabach have Texas Tech advancing to the CFP semifinals before losing.
Other Big 12 bowl projections
Arizona: Holiday Bowl, vs. SMU
Arizona State: Sun Bowl, vs. Clemson
Cincinnati: Rate Bowl, vs. Penn State
Houston: Pop-Tarts Bowl, vs. Georgia Tech
Iowa State: Liberty Bowl, vs. Memphis
Kansas State: First Responder Bowl, vs. Texas State
TCU: Texas Bowl, vs. North Texas
CBS Sports, Brad Crawford
BYU’s bowl projection: Pop-Tarts Bowl, vs. SMU
Utah’s bowl projection: Las Vegas Bowl, vs. Iowa
Texas Tech’s bowl projection: CFP quarterfinals, Cotton Bowl — No. 4 seed
Note: Crawford does not designate winners in each of his CFP matchups; he has Texas Tech facing the winner of No. 5 Texas A&M and No. 12 North Texas in the Cotton Bowl.
Other Big 12 bowl projections
Arizona: LA Bowl, vs. San Diego State
Arizona State: Sun Bowl, vs. Wake Forest
Cincinnati: Rate Bowl, vs. Northwestern
Houston: Alamo Bowl, vs. USC
Iowa State: Texas Bowl, vs. Missouri
Kansas State: Armed Forces Bowl, vs. Navy
TCU: Liberty Bowl, vs. Tulane
Action Network, Brett McMurphy
BYU’s bowl projection: Alamo Bowl, vs. USC
Utah’s bowl projection: Las Vegas Bowl, vs. Nebraska
Texas Tech’s bowl projection: CFP quarterfinals, Cotton Bowl — No. 3 seed vs. No. 6 seed Oklahoma
Note: McMurphy has Texas Tech advancing to the CFP semifinals before losing.
Other Big 12 bowl projections
Arizona: Holiday Bowl, vs. SMU
Arizona State: Sun Bowl, vs. Clemson
Cincinnati: Armed Forces Bowl, vs. Army
Houston: Texas Bowl, vs. UTSA
Iowa State: Liberty Bowl, vs. Tulane
Kansas State: Rate Bowl, vs. Minnesota
TCU: Pop-Tarts Bowl, vs. Georgia Tech
College Football News, Pete Fiutak
BYU’s bowl projection: Alamo Bowl, vs. USC
Utah’s bowl projection: Las Vegas Bowl, vs. Illinois
Texas Tech’s bowl projection: CFP quarterfinals, Cotton Bowl — No. 4 seed vs. No. 5 seed Oregon
Note: Fiutak has Texas Tech advancing to the CFP semifinals before losing.
Other Big 12 bowl projections
Arizona: Holiday Bowl, vs. SMU
Arizona State: Sun Bowl, vs. Louisville
Cincinnati: Rate Bowl, vs. Penn State
Houston: Pop-Tarts Bowl, vs. Georgia Tech
Iowa State: Liberty Bowl, vs. Memphis
Kansas State: Armed Forces Bowl, vs. Army
TCU: Texas Bowl, vs. UNLV
Athlon Sports, Steve Lassan
BYU’s bowl projection: Pop-Tarts Bowl, vs. Georgia Tech
Utah’s bowl projection: Las Vegas Bowl, vs. Nebraska
Texas Tech’s bowl projection: CFP quarterfinals, Cotton Bowl — No. 4 seed vs. No. 5 seed Oregon
Other Big 12 bowl projections
Arizona: Holiday Bowl, vs. Pittsburgh
Arizona State: Sun Bowl, vs. SMU
Cincinnati: Liberty Bowl, vs. East Carolina
Houston: Alamo Bowl, vs. USC
Iowa State: Texas Bowl, vs. UNLV
Kansas State: Independence Bowl, vs. Louisiana Tech
TCU: Rate Bowl, vs. Northwestern
The Sporting News, Bill Bender
BYU’s bowl projection: Alamo Bowl, vs. USC
Utah’s bowl projection: Sun Bowl, vs. Louisville
Texas Tech’s bowl projection: CFP quarterfinals, Cotton Bowl — No. 3 seed vs. No. 6 seed Texas A&M
Note: Bender has Texas Tech advancing to the CFP semifinals before losing.
Other Big 12 bowl projections
Arizona: Pop-Tarts Bowl, vs. Clemson
Arizona State: Rate Bowl, vs. Nebraska
Cincinnati: Texas Bowl, vs. SMU
Houston: Liberty Bowl, vs. Tennessee
Iowa State: Independence Bowl, vs. Wake Forest
Kansas State: Salute to Veterans Bowl, vs. USF
TCU: First Responder Bowl, vs. UTSA
What are the latest bowl projections for Utah State?
ESPN, Kyle Bonagura: First Responder Bowl, vs. Texas State
ESPN, Mark Schlabach: Bowl TBD (former Bahamas Bowl), vs. Missouri State
CBS Sports, Brad Crawford: Independence Bowl, vs. Kennesaw State
Action Network, Brett McMurphy: First Responder Bowl, vs. Washington State
College Football News, Pete Fiutak: Independence Bowl, vs. Louisiana
Athlon Sports, Steve Lassan: Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, vs. Western Michigan
The Sporting News, Bill Bender: Cure Bowl, vs. Miami, Ohio
Utah State Aggies head coach Bronco Mendenhall signals that he thinks the Aggies go a first down during a review on a play in the first half Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, in Logan. | Eli Lucero/Herald JournalAdvertisementAdvertisement
