The Big 12 has traditionally had two major powers, Oklahoma and Texas. A changing of the guard has taken place the last several years, with TCU, Baylor and even our beloved Oklahoma State finding themselves in contention for the conference title.

As the 2014 season comes to a close, Baylor and TCU lead the conference. Baylor has the tiebreaker advantage, having beaten the Horned Frogs earlier this year. Nonetheless, both have their sights set on the College Football Playoff. 

Will a team from the Big 12 conference make the playoff? Or maybe the better question is: can a Big 12 team make the playoff? The College Football Playoff panel has preached “body of work.” The panel analyzes each team’s entire schedule and its performance in every game. 

Looking at Baylor’s body of work, they make a strong case for playoff contention with one blemish. Baylor has rolled through the Big 12, showing it was the best team in the conference for the majority of the year. They beat TCU, who is ranked ahead of them, in a crazy shootout game. The Bears came back riding Bryce Petty’s arm for an impressive win, only to then lose in a blowout to West Virginia; their worst loss of the season came in Morgantown to a lesser Big 12 opponent. 

TCU, on the other hand, is technically behind Baylor in conference standings but ahead in the eyes the playoff panel. When examining TCU’s season thus far, they do appear to have the better resume. Their only loss came in that wild game in Waco; after that, their closest call was a hard-fought win to top West Virginia. Add that to an impressive win over a good Kansas State team and the Horned frogs appear more suited for the first playoffs in college football history. 

Though both the Big 12 contenders are impressive, is it enough to grant one of them a chance at the playoffs? The SEC has been beating each other up this year, leaving Mississippi State and Alabama as the only two contenders from the Southeastern Conference. Oregon consistently holds one of the four spots, and Florida State remains undefeated and grasping tight to a playoff berth. 

There may not be room for a Big 12 team. The question is raised whether being dominant in the Big 12 is enough to place a team in the playoff. Overall, the conference has not played well and that could ultimately keep TCU and Baylor out of the national championship race. 

In the end, Baylor and TCU both have solid arguments for entering the College Football Playoff. As the last few weeks progress, everyone will be anxious to see if the playoff committee deems one of them worthy of the play.