Let the debate begin.
Arizona State’s decisive Big 12 championship game win over Iowa State didn’t provide much drama, but it will still fuel arguments until the College Football Playoff committee reveals the 12-team playoff field.
With a 45-19 romp over CFP No. 16 Iowa State (10-3) on Saturday, No. 15 Arizona State (11-2) made a convincing final statement for a first-round bye.
For a refresher, in the 12-team playoff format, the five highest-ranked CFP conference champions receive automatic bids, and the top four receive a bye.
In the most recent rankings, Arizona State was the fifth-highest-ranked conference leader and the projected 12-seed in the CFP. If No. 8 SMU (11-1) beats No. 17 Clemson (9-3) on Saturday night, the Sun Devils will be the lowest-ranked conference champion entering Selection Sunday, setting them up for a first-round road playoff game.
But Arizona State has quietly compiled a resume that suggests it deserves a bye.
Over the last month, it’s defeated two currently ranked CFP teams (No. 18 BYU, Iowa State) and another — Kansas State — that was ranked No. 16 at the time and finished the season 8-4.
Its only loss in its last nine games was against Cincinnati (5-7), which looks bad on the surface until you consider the Sun Devils were without starting quarterback Sam Leavitt.
As Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham noted, last year’s committee heavily emphasized player availability after undefeated Florida State lost quarterback Jordan Travis, electing to put one-loss Alabama into the field instead.
“Last year, they kept Florida State out because their quarterback didn’t play,” Dillingham said. (h/t Awful Announcing) “We’re 11-1 with our quarterback. 11-1. And we’re Big 12 champs. I think we should be treated like an 11-1 team.”
