How can the Iowa State Cyclones reach the Big 12 championship game?
For the first time since 2009, the Iowa State Cyclones have a winning season under their belts. But after Oklahoma State was shockingly upset by Kansas State, the Cyclones are back in the picture to reach the Big 12 championship game at AT&T Stadium on December 2nd.
There are 32 different scenarios for Saturday’s Big 12 games and only three teams can make the Big 12 Championship game. Oklahoma is a lock, now it’s just a matter of if OU will have to play TCU or Iowa State in Jerry’s World.
Here are the four scenarios that have to happen for Iowa State to reach the conference championship game. All four obviously involve Iowa State beating Kansas State, that’s a given. The other given: Baylor must upset TCU. So here’s what has to happen in the other three games.
1. Texas Tech beats Texas, Kansas beats Oklahoma State, West Virginia beats Oklahoma.
2. Texas Tech beats Texas, Kansas beats Oklahoma State, Oklahoma beats West Virginia.
3. Texas Tech beats Texas, Oklahoma State beats Kansas, Oklahoma beats West Virginia.
4. Texas beats Texas Tech, Kansas beats Oklahoma State, Oklahoma beats West Virginia.
I don’t love the odds obviously, as Baylor beating TCU, even without possibly Kenny Hill and Darius Anderson, is a big ask for a young and one-win Baylor team. But hell, crazier things have happened! What Iowa State fan even thought there’d be four scenarios in the final week of the season that would see this team reach the Big 12 title game?!
Clearly, the best option here is #3. That is the only one that doesn’t require Kansas to beat Oklahoma State. Even though the Pokes didn’t look all that impressive against Kansas State, Kansas has just had too many struggles this season to have any expectations that they can knock off the Cowboys.
