Paul Finebaum declares Big 12's CFP chances 'pretty much over' after Oklahoma upset

When Oklahoma lost to Kansas on Saturday, the Big 12 lost its final undefeated team. After the loss, is that it for the conference’s hopes of pushing a team into the College Football Playoff this year?

According to Paul Finebaum, it’s not looking great.

“It’s pretty much over for [the Big 12]. You can make a case for Texas, but then you need Alabama to keep winning,” Finebaum said on SportsCenter on Sunday. “For the most part, that was a devastating loss for the league that has been through so much. Oklahoma was its best bet, and now to hope that Texas creeps up — and Texas did really well with a backup quarterback but I don’t think it’s going to be enough.”

The Sooners were ranked No. 6 before the loss, while the No. 7 Longhorns, who defeated BYU 35-6 despite the absence of starting quarterback Quinn Ewers on Saturday, will likely only move up one spot. Though, No. 8 Oregon‘s convincing 35-6 defeat of No. 13 Utah could see the Ducks occupy that spot despite having one loss entering Week 10. The rest of the top-five remain undefeated, and likely unchanged.

Regarding the future of the Big 12, when Oklahoma and Texas — who are the only two ranked teams in the conference before Saturday’s Week 9 slate — leave for the SEC, who’s going to be the team to beat in the Big 12? If you take them out of the picture and end the season right now, we’d get a three-loss Iowa State team vs. Oklahoma State in the championship game.

If that was the case, the Big 12 would be the only Power Five conference not in contention to make a College Football playoff berth. Three new additions to the conference in Cincinnati, UCF and Houston occupy the bottom of the conference, and BYU isn’t too far ahead.

Even with Arizona, Arizona State and Utah joining the conference next season — at least right now — they wouldn’t be doing much to improve the conference’s national competitiveness.

Now that the Big 12 needs Texas to win out to earn a spot in this year’s playoffs, an eventual conference championship rematch and victory over Oklahoma will be needed in order for the Longhorns to complete its CFP resume.

If not, the Big 12 will be forced to let go of its two best programs with nothing to show for it during their final season together.