WVU Football: 4 Things ‘Eer Fans Should Be Thankful For
By Phil Poling
The Big 12 is the only current Power 5 conference without a championship game. That means every team in the SEC, PAC 12, BIG 10 and ACC have an opportunity at playing a 13th game, one more than WVU or any other Big 12 team can play. This extra game, often referred to as the “13th data point,” hurts the Big 12 when being compared to those other conferences.
In 2017, though, all Power 5 Conference’s will be on a level playing field.
If there were a conference championship game this season, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State would faceoff against each other. These two teams are scheduled to play their regular season game on Dec. 3, but with a championship game, would play again the following weekend in a rematch for the conference championship.
Seems a little weird, as it’s hard to beat the same team twice in a single season, but it’s the only way things will work for the Big 12 as it currently stands at 10 teams.
This will help the Big 12 moving forward, which in turn will benefit West Virginia. As the College Football Playoff committee values a “Conference Champion,” having that option starting next season should make all Big 12 fans thankful.