Greg McElroy lists under the radar Week 9 game to watch with CFP implications

It’s a sentence that would hardly be believable at plenty of points in recent memory, but a Week 9 rivalry showdown between Kansas and Kansas State could shape the College Football Playoff race. That is, at least, what ESPN analyst Greg McElroy thinks.

It might not be the game getting the biggest billing that weekend — Missouri traveling to Alabama might take the cake — but McElroy thinks beyond likely playing a key role in shaping the Big 12 race, the winner of this in-state battle could be in a great spot to compete for a College Football Playoff spot.

“Missouri at Alabama is the headliner, but Kansas at Kansas State, rivalry game, ladies and gentlemen,” McElroy said. “This game — Kansas has the third-best odds to win the Big 12 this year. Kansas State is the favorite to win the Big 12, alongside Utah. Can Kansas go on the road and knock off Kansas State in a rivalry game to maybe upset the pecking order there in the Big 12? That’s a close one that we’ll be following.”

A big reason both the Wildcats and Jayhawks are among the Big 12 favorites has to do with what the respective squads have under center. Kansas returns dynamic quarterback Jalon Daniels, among the most exciting players in the country to watch when he’s on the field and healthy — which has been no guarantee of late.

And Kansas State will be breaking in Avery Johnson, a highly-touted prospect out of high school, with hopes he can push the Wildcats back to the top of the league and into the playoffs.

The Big 12 could be wide open in 2024

On3’s Andy Staples explained the set-up in the Big 12 for 2024 during a recent episode of his show. While he sees that the league has changed on the field over the years, the actual teams in the standings are all very close together for him. That comes, in part, from his belief that there’s no overwhelming favorite coming into kickoff.

“It’s a much more diverse league stylistically, schematically,” said Staples. “The thing that’s going to make it so interesting this year is there are no kind of giant, big dogs at the top.”

With Texas and Oklahoma departing for the SEC, the Big 12 lost its two biggest brands. However, from a competitive standpoint, it could be for the best for the product.

That’s the case when you consider how many teams can make and or win the Big 12 Championship. Whether a familiar face or a new nemesis, Staples thinks several will have their chance to make it to Arlington.

“Everybody is somewhat equal here,” Staples said. “They’re not completely equal. Like, we’re not expecting Houston or Cincinnati – we might not expect huge things out of Houston or Cincinnati. But, like, some of the newcomers? Utah, Arizona – we think they have a chance to win it. Kansas State has a chance to win it. Oklahoma State, which played for the Big 12 title last year against Texas, has a chance to win it. Colorado, Coach Prime, Deion – Coach Prime and company? They have a puncher’s chance.

“There’s a lot of teams that have a puncher’s chance. In fact, we can probably name 10 Big 12 teams that it would not be completely surprising if they wound up winning the league” noted Staples. “That’s what is going to make their games in October and November so much fun.”

Opportunity is going to be there in the Big 12, especially for those who can make the expanded playoff. However, with only one berth available for the conference champion and the rest left to at-large hopes, the ending of the race within their league should be theater as they battle it out for postseason reward.

“Understand that the winner of the Big 12 is more than likely going to be one of the top-four seeds in the playoff,” noted Staples. “They are playing for a very big prize.”