Big 12's worst-case scenario can still unfold

Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark's request for Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire to "take care of business" against Texas on Friday went unfulfilled, leaving the door open to a worst-case scenario for the conference.

By the end of Week 13, Oklahoma (10-2, 7-2 in Big 12) could join Texas (11-1, 8-1 in Big 12) in the Big 12 championship game. On Friday, the Longhorns drubbed the Red Raiders, 57-7, in their final home game as a Big 12 member. Earlier in the day, the Sooners blasted TCU (5-7, 3-6 in Big 12), 69-45.

Both Oklahoma and Texas are leaving for the SEC following this season. During Big 12 media days over the summer, Yormark shot back at the suggestion that those schools have been huge for the conference in terms of recruitment, saying, "I don't think they've carried the conference in recruiting. They haven't been in our championship game for a couple years."

Those words could potentially come back to bite Yormark if No. 20 Oklahoma State (8-3, 6-2 in Big 12) doesn't "take care of business" on Saturday against BYU (5-6, 2-6 in Big 12), one of four teams added to the Big 12 this year.

Per the Big 12, "If Oklahoma State defeats BYU, the Cowboys clinch a berth to the Championship... If Oklahoma State loses... Oklahoma clinches the No. 2 seed."

The Cowboys, a 16.5-point favorite, were blown out by another newcomer, UCF (5-6, 2-6 in Big 12), 45-3, two weeks ago, and struggled to put away Houston (4-7, 2-6 in Big 12) in Week 12, eventually winning 43-30.

Having played down to the level of its competition the past two weeks, the potential is there for Oklahoma State to lay another egg against a BYU team that nearly pulled off a home upset over Oklahoma last Saturday before losing 31-24.

After first rooting for Texas Tech, Yormark's attention turns to Oklahoma State. He needs the Cowboys to take care of business, or next Saturday's Big 12 championship will be a 2024 SEC advertisement.