Big 12 Update: Oklahoma State, Texas to Meet for Conference Title; Final Conference Standings

It all comes down to this.

The Big 12 as we know it will conclude this weekend. Oklahoma State and Texas will play at 11 a.m. Saturday in Arlington with the conference title on the line. It will be the Longhorns’ last Big 12 football contest ever as they leave for the SEC at the end of this academic year.

The OSU-Texas matchup, which wasn’t scheduled to happen this season, was set up after weeks of confusing tiebreaker scenarios and a race for that second spot that came down to the last day of the regular season. Had OSU lost to BYU on Saturday, OU would have gotten in, setting up a Red River rematch and meaning the trophy would leave the conference, as both Texas and OU are bolting for the SEC. Even Texas didn’t clinch its spot in the title game until beating Texas Tech on Friday night.

After a chaotic regular season that perfectly suited this era of the Big 12, and a final week that mirrored it perfectly, here’s how the last ever full slate of this group competing went, and a look at the final standings.

Oklahoma 69, TCU 45

The week started with a last.

OU played in its final Big 12 game, dominating TCU 69-45 in Norman. However, when the game ended, the Sooners still had hope there was still one Big 12 contest left in their future if Bedlam rival OSU slipped up the next day. But the Pokes (somehow) prevailed, abruptly ending OU’s Big 12 reign while the Sooners were watching from home, finishing the regular season at 10-2.

TCU, a year after making the national championship game and finishing the regular season undefeated, missed a bowl game at 5-7.

Texas 57, Texas Tech 7

Texas still isn’t finished with the Big 12, as the Longhorns made the title game for the first time since losing to OU in 2018. Despite leaving for greener and tougher pastures, the Longhorns haven’t won a conference championship since 2009.

At 11-1, Texas earned the top seed for the Big 12 championship game with its 57-7 thumping of Tech on Friday night in Austin. Tech, on the other hand, will still get a chance to finish its season with a win after earning a bowl berth at 6-6.

Oklahoma State 40, BYU 34  (2OT)

The Cowboys coming back from down 18 to beat BYU in double overtime may have been the wildest Big 12 game of the season. You can read all about it all over PFB and read the recap here. 

OSU’s win clinched its spot in the title game, while BYU fell one game shy of bowl eligibility at 5-7 in its first season at the Power Five level.

UCF 27, Houston 13

Unlike BYU in its first Power Five season, UCF notched a sixth win in its last chance to earn a bowl berth as a Big 12 newbie. UCF was the only Big 12 newcomer to reach a bowl game at 6-6, while Houston finished its first season as a Power Five program at 4-8 and fired its coach, Dana Holgorsen, on Sunday.

West Virginia 34, Baylor 31

Baylor was playing only for pride by the final week, but it was almost enough to get the Bears past a surprisingly overachieving West Virginia squad. But Garrett Greene hit Jahiem White streaking down the sideline for a 29-yard touchdown with 23 seconds left to ultimately win the game.

Neal Brown may have saved his job as the Mountaineers finished a season with low expectations at 8-4. Baylor, two years after winning the Big 12 title, went 3-9 with one conference win in 2023.

Kansas 49, Cincinnati 16

Quarterback Jason Bean returned for the Jayhawks, igniting KU in a 49-16 explosion against Cincinnati.

What a season for KU despite losing two of its last three, finishing at 8-4 with a win over OU to end October. Cincinnati was 3-9, going winless in its first Big 12 slate after starting the season 3-0.

Iowa State 42, Kansas State 35

Hurts to say, but thank goodness Texas won.

If Texas and K-State both loss, then, because of tiebreaker procedures, there would have been no way for OSU to make the title game, even with a win Saturday. ISU upset K-State 42-35 on a snow-covered field Saturday night in Manhattan.

The Wildcats won the Big 12 last year and at times looked to be able to do it again, but ultimately finished short at 8-4. The Cyclones surprised many at 7-5 after their roster was gutted by gambling allegations just before the season started.

Big 12 Standings