Analyst Brad Crawford of CBS Sports has unveiled his preseason bowl projections for the Big 12, painting a picture of several teams poised for deep postseason runs.
The model elevates BYU to a No. 10 seed in the College Football Playoff, pairing the Cougars with No. 7 Indiana in the opening round.
In the Alamo Bowl, Utah is slated to meet Washington, a matchup that could showcase the Utes’ revamped roster under first‑year head coach Morgan Scalley, featuring standouts such as Devon Dampier, Wayshawn Parker and Jackson Bennee.
Texas Tech, projected as the conference’s automatic playoff qualifier, would host No. 11 SMU in the first round before potentially confronting No. 3 Georgia in the Cotton Bowl.
Projected Bowl Pairings
Other projected pairings include Kansas State versus Memphis, West Virginia against Tulane, Arizona State taking on Wisconsin, Oklahoma State facing Missouri, Houston meeting Louisville, Arizona squaring off with NC State, and TCU playing Tennessee.
Crawford notes that BYU’s combined 2024 and 2025 campaigns produced a 23‑4 record and featured a marquee non‑conference victory over top‑five Notre Dame in October, underscoring the team’s momentum.
The Big 12 finished the previous bowl season with a 4‑4 record, highlighted by wins from BYU, Utah, Houston and TCU, a performance that adds context to the new projections.
While the projections do not crown a champion, they suggest that the conference could see multiple teams competing for playoff spots and high‑profile bowl games, setting the stage for an intriguing season ahead.