Two weeks ago, BYU was in prime position to reach the Big 12 championship game and was a popular talking point in College Football Playoff discussions.

But after back-to-back losses to Kansas and Arizona State, respectively, the Cougars need to break a two-game losing streak — and get some help — to reach the Big 12 title game.

Fortunately for BYU, Colorado also lost Saturday — 37-21 to Kansas — and that gives the Cougars more hope that they can still reach the conference title game in Week 14, the final week of the regular season.

Who’s still in the running to get a spot in the Big 12 football championship game?

Entering the final week of the regular season, there is a tie between four players atop the Big 12 standings:

• Arizona State — 6-2
• BYU-6-2
• Colorado-6-2
• Iowa State — 6-2

There are also five teams within one match of the leader:

• Baylor-5-3
• Kansas State — 5-3
• TCU-5-3
• Texas Tech – 5-3
• West Virginia – 5-3

Who are the teams competing for a spot in the Big 12 Championship in Week 14?

Only one of the four tied teams in the Big 12, Iowa State, will play a team with a winning record in league play during the final week of the regular season.

Friday

• Colorado — vs. Oklahoma State (0-8 in Big 12 play)

Saturday

• Arizona State — at Arizona (2-6)
• Baylor — vs. Kansas (4-4)
• BYU — vs. Houston (3-5)
• Iowa State — vs. Kansas State (5-3)
• Kansas State — at Iowa State (6-2)
• Texas Tech — vs. West Virginia (5-3)
• TCU — at Cincinnati (3-5)
• West Virginia – at Texas Tech (5-3)

Can BYU control its own destiny for the Big 12 championship game?

No. With two straight losses and how Saturday went, the Cougars are no longer in control of their own destiny to reach the Big 12 Championship, which will be held on December 7 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Had Iowa State lost to Utah late Saturday night, BYU would have needed just a win next week to clinch a spot in the Big 12 championship game, but the Cyclones rallied past the Utes to win 31-28.

If Arizona State, BYU, Colorado and Iowa State all win in Week 14 and finish tied at 7-2 in conference play, the Big 12 championship game will pit Arizona State as the No. 1 seed against Iowa State as the No. 2 seed, according to Max Olson of The Athletic.

Conversely, if BYU wins next week, any kind of tie involving the Cougars would guarantee them a spot in the Big 12 Championship.

What is BYU’s clearest path to the Big 12 championship game?

While there are mathematically several potential scenarios in which BYU could find itself tied with two or more teams for the Big 12 lead after Week 14, let’s take a look at the most likely scenario, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index.

FPI currently gives BYU an 86.5% chance of beating Houston, Arizona State a 70.6% chance of beating Arizona, Colorado an 82.9% chance of beating Oklahoma State and Iowa State a 70.6% chance of beating 57.8% to beat Kansas State.

Given these numbers, BYU would have to pull off one upset to pull itself off a win.

The easiest path for BYU to reach the Big 12 championship game is this:

• BYU beats Houston EN
• Kansas State beats Iowa State

In that scenario, Arizona State would be the No. 1 seed and BYU would earn the No. 2 seed.

Even if that results in a tie between Arizona State, BYU and Colorado, the Sun Devils would receive the top seed based on Big 12 tiebreaking rules, then the Cougars would earn the tiebreaker over the Buffaloes based on BYU’s 6-1 record. against regular conference opponents, while Colorado has a 5-2 record against regular conference opponents, according to this site, and another site, which searches Big 12 tiebreaker scenarios.

What if Arizona State loses to Arizona?

Another potential scenario that would work in BYU’s favor is if Arizona were to upset Arizona State.

The Sun Devils are the only team of the four tied for the Big 12 lead BYU will have played in the regular season, and while ASU holds the head-to-head tiebreaker, an Arizona State loss and a win over BYU next week. the Cougars hold a one-game lead over the Sun Devils in Big 12 play.

In summary, this would also lead to BYU clinching the Big 12 Championship:

• BYU beats Houston EN
• Arizona beats Arizona State

If BYU, Colorado and Iowa State all finished tied at 7-2 for the Big 12 lead, the Cyclones would be the No. 1 seed and the Cougars would be the No. 2 seed, according to the aforementioned Big 12 tiebreaker scenario sites here and here.

Again, it comes down to common conference opponents that would give BYU the edge over Colorado.

Iowa State, meanwhile, would be the No. 1 seed over BYU due to its conference opponent’s winning percentage, or the Cyclones’ superior schedule against all conference opponents, according to the sites mentioned above.