Three Big 12 teams in the College Football Playoff: Is it possible, or is the conference still fighting an uphill battle for respect in a system that seems rigged against them?
Drake Toll leads a passionate roundtable of Locked On hosts representing BYU COUGARS, TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS, HOUSTON COUGARS, CINCINNATI BEARCATS, and UTAH UTES to debate the playoff scenarios that could send multiple Big 12 teams to the postseason. The discussion breaks down critical strength of schedule rankings, playoff committee bias concerns with BAYLOR athletic director MAX RHOADES chairing the selection committee, and whether teams like an 11-1 BYU or 12-1 HOUSTON have what it takes to actually win playoff games against SEC and Big Ten powerhouses.
The hosts tackle the elephant in the room: does the Big 12 deserve respect, or are these teams destined to be first-round exits? They analyze whether BYU's impressive record holds weight when their strength of schedule sits outside the top 50, and debate if HOUSTON's potential conference championship would be enough to overcome perception problems. The conversation reveals deep frustration with how the committee evaluates Big 12 teams compared to their SEC and Big Ten counterparts, questioning whether the conference can ever escape the shadow of being viewed as inferior.
ESPN COLLEGE GAMEDAY finally coming to a Big 12 matchup between UTAH and CINCINNATI becomes a flashpoint for discussing conference visibility. Did the Big 12 have to bully its way into the national spotlight, or has the media simply ignored compelling storylines? With SCOTT SATTERFIELD's BEARCATS surging and former American Athletic Conference programs now leading the Big 12, the hosts examine whether this new blood brings credibility or reinforces doubts about conference strength.
The roundtable exposes double standards where close wins hurt Big 12 perception while SEC teams get praised for showing grit in similar situations. They question whether any Big 12 team can overcome these narratives, even with multiple teams potentially finishing with one loss or better.
Tune in for unfiltered analysis of Big 12 playoff hopes, conference perception battles, and whether this season represents a breakthrough moment or just another chapter in the struggle for national respect.

0:00 Intro
3:07 Three Big 12 Teams in Playoff Scenario
7:04 Can Big 12 Teams Win Playoff Games
12:28 Strength of Schedule and Brand Concerns
16:40 What Changes Get Three Big 12 Teams In
19:23 New Schools Running the Big 12 Conference
23:39 College GameDay Coming to Utah-Cincinnati
27:31 GameDay Moments and Big 12 Representation

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