Imagine this: In the heat of a thrilling rivalry game between Arizona and Arizona State, the Big 12 Conference's top executive goes on live TV and passionately champions one team's case for the College Football Playoff—while potentially knocking another powerhouse out of contention. It's the kind of bold move that could reshape college football's elite stage. But here's where it gets controversial: The commissioner is rallying for BYU over Notre Dame, sparking debates about fairness and favoritism in playoff selections. Stick around, because this interview might just tip the scales in ways you never expected.
It all unfolded during Friday night's first quarter of that intense Arizona versus Arizona State matchup. Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark joined the Fox broadcast for a chat, starting with light topics like the electric atmosphere at Arizona State and the rising power of the Big 12 conference. As the segment wrapped up, Yormark seized the moment by asking the hosts, 'Got anything on the CFP?' That opened the door for him to dive deeper into his conference's ambitions.
Yormark reflected on an unexpected upturn, saying, 'If someone had predicted a couple of months back that we'd land three teams in the top 13 spots, I'd have jumped at the chance—and I'm absolutely delighted with our conference's trajectory.' He didn't stop there; he singled out specific squads, declaring Texas Tech a 'shoo-in' for the playoffs due to their strong performance. Utah, he added, deserved serious thought for inclusion. But it was his enthusiasm for BYU that really lit up the conversation, making it clear this was his biggest push.
'I believe BYU has been overlooked throughout the entire season,' Yormark emphasized, his voice animated. 'When you stack them up against Notre Dame, there's simply no contest in terms of their record strength, schedule toughness, and overall win-loss balance.' To break that down for newcomers: 'Strength of record' means how impressive their wins and losses look against other teams—think of it as a report card on how they've performed. 'Strength of schedule' refers to the quality of opponents they've faced; playing top-tier rivals like Alabama or Ohio State builds a tougher resume than facing easier teams. And he expressed full faith in the CFP selection committee, confident they'd make the wise choice by season's end.
Currently, the CFP rankings have Texas Tech sitting at No. 5, Notre Dame at No. 9, with BYU and Utah at Nos. 11 and 13. If these standings hold steady, BYU would be the unfortunate first team booted from the playoff expansion. And this is the part most people miss: It highlights how subjective these decisions can be, especially in a new 12-team format where spots are precious.
Earlier this week, The Athletic's expert David Ubben ran a fascinating simulation to test this very issue. He was handed blind resumes—anonymous profiles—for seven teams on the playoff bubble and tasked with picking which three would make it in and which four would stay out. After crunching metrics like win-loss records, opponent strength, and other key stats, Ubben concluded that Alabama (currently No. 10), Oklahoma (No. 8), and BYU should earn those coveted playoff berths, while Utah, Miami (No. 12), Notre Dame (No. 9), and Vanderbilt (No. 14) would be left on the sidelines.
In his analysis of what he called 'Team E' (which turned out to be BYU), Ubben noted, 'With just one defeat and a solid schedule of challenging games, plus a robust strength of record and high opponent win percentage, it's the top pick among the contenders for that final slot.' For context, a 'strong opponent win percentage' means the team has beaten a higher proportion of tough foes, which is like scoring points against the best in the league—it boosts their credentials significantly.
Now, here's the controversy that might have you fired up: Is Yormark's public lobbying for BYU fair play, or does it smack of bias toward his own conference? Notre Dame fans are probably fuming—after all, the Fighting Irish have a storied tradition and a case built on marquee wins. Yet, BYU's undefeated-like run (with only one loss) and grueling schedule could argue they're the deserving underdogs. What if the committee prioritizes head-to-head matchups or intangibles over raw stats? And this is where opinions diverge wildly: Some argue the Big 12 deserves more representation in an expanded playoff, while others say regional favoritism undermines the meritocracy college football prides itself on.
So, what's your take? Do you side with Yormark and think BYU's the clear choice, or does Notre Dame deserve the edge? Should the CFP committee stick to objective numbers, or factor in conference politics? And how might this shake up future selections—could it set a precedent for commissioners to campaign on air? Drop your thoughts in the comments below; I'd love to hear if you agree, disagree, or have a wild counterpoint of your own!
