What is WVU’s path to the Big 12 title game?

Since returning in 2017, the Big 12 Championship game has pitted the conference’s top two teams each year to determine one winner. With only two games left in the regular season, West Virginia can still find a way in.

The Mountaineers, who were on a bye this weekend, currently have a conference record of 5-3. They sit at tied for fifth in the conference — surely a ways away, but still not out of it.

Currently leading the conference is the Iowa State Cyclones, who defeated the Kansas State Wildcats handily on Saturday, as well as Oklahoma State in a close second. Oklahoma and Texas round out the top four.

Seemingly, if West Virginia wants to secure a berth in its first-ever Big 12 title game, Iowa State and Oklahoma State will need to go down. Yet, there are a handful of other things that will have to take place, so here goes.

Week 13

West Virginia was set to take on Oklahoma, but the game was postponed to Dec. 12 after the Sooners did not meet the Big 12’s COVID-19-related protocols. So, the Mountaineers will be paying close attention to the TV this weekend.

With Oklahoma out of the question this week, obviously, the three other teams that are ahead of West Virginia (Iowa State, Oklahoma State and Texas) are in action.

The best case scenario for WVU would be that Texas beats Iowa State and Texas Tech defeats Oklahoma State. While Texas would gain a game with the win, it would prevent the top-ranked Cyclones from securing a likely berth until next week at the earliest.

Week 14

The Mountaineers will enter Week 14 with a 5-3 record as they go head-to-head with Iowa State.

Regardless of Week 13’s results, Iowa State will enter the matchup, at the very worst, tied for first place in the conference, so it is an obvious must-win game for the Mountaineers.

Things are still a bit foggy this many weeks out, but the obvious stance is that West Virginia should be rooting for Texas (facing Kansas State), Oklahoma (facing Baylor) and Oklahoma State (facing TCU) to all lose. However, given that the team’s three opponents have a combined 8-12 record in conference games this season, it seems fairly unlikely.

Week 15

West Virginia will be playing Oklahoma in the rescheduled game this week, and the Mountaineers will likely know ahead of time whether they have a chance or not to make it to the conference championship game.

If this game is the Mountaineers’ third-straight win, I would say that it is likely that they are extremely close to getting in. However, West Virginia does not control its own destiny, so the Mountaineers will need a lot of help to get over the top.

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