BYU doesn’t need help to keep its season alive, but Halloween could still shake up the path in front of the Cougars.
After last week’s loss at UCF, BYU heads home for a Halloween matchup with Arizona State. The Cougars still control their own destiny, yet a full slate of games across the country could influence both their Big 12 outlook and their College Football Playoff chances.
The result in Lubbock may matter most outside of Provo. Arizona has a shot to jump into the top 15 with a road win over Texas Tech, and that would only make BYU’s earlier win over the Wildcats look better.
That victory already has real weight, and by the end of the year it could rank among the two or three best on BYU’s schedule. A Texas Tech loss would also help BYU’s Big 12 and CFP position.
Utah’s place at the top of the Big 12 brings another game into focus. The Utes, now alone in first place after last week, host Cincinnati, which just beat undefeated Texas Tech.
BYU would benefit from a Utah loss in the league race. From the playoff angle, though, a Utes win would keep alive the possibility of BYU getting a crack at a top-10 Utah team next week.
Oklahoma State is also worth watching. The Cowboys’ schedule has lined up in a way that could allow them to sneak into the Big 12 title game, and the teams chasing them need a stumble somewhere. That chance comes on the road at Iowa State.
There are also a few games with broader playoff ripple effects. No.
2 Ohio State heads to USC with quarterback Julian Sayin out for the season after last week’s injury, and a Trojans upset would help both BYU and the Big 12. Florida and Georgia are in a game where either outcome works in BYU’s favor: a Florida loss would end its at-large hopes, while a Georgia loss would leave the Bulldogs in a dangerous spot heading into November.
Auburn, which already helped the Big 12 by upsetting Georgia, has another shot to dent the SEC’s playoff picture at No. 12 Ole Miss. An Ole Miss loss would hit the SEC’s CFP outlook hard and give BYU and the Big 12 a boost.
Indiana has lived through several close calls this season and is favored by nearly three touchdowns over Minnesota. Still, an Indiana loss would open up an at-large path for somebody else.
Then there’s No. 1 Miami, which has played one of the weakest schedules in the Power Four and ranks 60th in strength of schedule. The Hurricanes get a modest road test at North Carolina before a much bigger one next week at Notre Dame.
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