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Only 3 Arizona opponents and Big XII teams in second 2024 CFP Rankings

Only three of Arizona's 2024 opponents and teams in the Big XII are in the second 2024 College Football Playoff rankings.

By Alan Rubenstein

Oct 19, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffaloes defensive tackle Anquin Barnes Jr. (92) pulls the face mask of Arizona Wildcats running back Kedrick Reescano (3) during the fourth quarter at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images
Oct 19, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffaloes defensive tackle Anquin Barnes Jr. (92) pulls the face mask of Arizona Wildcats running back Kedrick Reescano (3) during the fourth quarter at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images / Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images
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BYU, Colorado and Kansas State who all defeated Arizona in 2024 are the only Big XII teams and Wildcats' opponents ranked in the second College Football Playoff rankings released on Tuesday night. BYU is sixth, Kansas State 16th and Colorado 17th in the current CFP rankings.

Kansas State beat Arizona 31-7 on September 13. BYU defeated Arizona 41-19 on October 12 and Colorado won 34-7 in Tucson on October 13. BYU needs to win two out of their last three games to clinch a berth in the Big XII Championship game on December 7. Colorado needs to win its final three games to play in the Big XII title game.

BYU is 9-0 overall, 6-0 in the Big XII, seventh in the Associated Press Top 25 and eighth in the US LBM Coaches Polls. As the highest-ranked team in the Big XII, BYU currently slots in as the third seed in the CFP. The winner of sixth-seeded Penn State and 11th-seed Mississippi projects to play BYU in the Fiesta Bowl quarterfinals.

The only way the Big XII has a chance at earning a second CFP berth is for BYU to go undefeated through the regular season and lose the conference championship game. The winner of the Big XII Championship Game earns an automatic berth in the CFP.

BYU had a huge 18-15 win over SMU in September. SMU is 14th in the CFP rankings this week. The Mustangs are the second team out of the CFP. Georgia plummeted from third in the inaugural 2024 CFP rankings to 12th and the first team out of the CFP this week.

Seventh-ranked and 8-1 Tennessee plays at 7-2 Georgia on Saturday in what could be an elimination game in the CFP. The loser will likely take a significant drop depending on the margin of the game. BYU and Big XII teams will be helped as Big 10 and SEC CFP contenders beat each other in the final three weeks of the regular season.

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