BREAKING: Back-to-back losses have left BYU needing outside help to secure a spot in its first Big 12 championship game and play for a bid into the College Football Playoff…

**BREAKING: Back-to-back losses have left BYU needing outside help to secure a spot in its first Big 12 championship game and play for a bid into the College Football Playoff**

The crisp November air in Provo, Utah, was thick with uncertainty as the final whistle blew at LaVell Edwards Stadium. BYU’s hopes of a historic Big 12 championship appearance had all but evaporated. A crushing loss to Texas the week before was followed by another devastating defeat to Oklahoma, leaving the Cougars’ dreams hanging by a thread.

For months, the team had been on an upward trajectory, riding the wave of their first season in the Big 12. The excitement was palpable, with the school’s loyal fans chanting “Rise and Shout” from the bleachers, their eyes set on a future where BYU stood as a contender in the conference. But now, with two back-to-back losses, the scenario had changed.

Coach Kalani Sitake stood at the podium, his normally confident demeanor strained. He addressed the media with a calmness that didn’t quite match the storm inside him. “We’ve put ourselves in a tough spot,” he said. “But the season isn’t over. We have a chance to still make it if we keep fighting. And we need help from the other teams in the conference.”

BYU’s playoff hopes were no longer in their own hands. A win against either Texas or Oklahoma would have all but guaranteed them a spot in the Big 12 championship, a chance to battle for a coveted berth in the College Football Playoff. But now, the Cougars would need a series of improbable events. They needed other teams to stumble. They needed Kansas State to lose to Kansas. They needed Baylor to drop a game to Texas Tech. The odds were stacked against them, and every fan knew it.

Senior quarterback Jaren Hall sat in the locker room, staring at his phone screen, reading updates from around the league. The message was clear—BYU’s fate rested not only on their own performance but on a string of unlikely outcomes. “We’ve fought all season for this,” Hall muttered to himself. “We can’t stop now.”

The next few days became a whirlwind of distractions. The Cougars spent hours reviewing game film, preparing for their final regular-season game, and watching the conference scoreboard with hope and anxiety. With the championship slipping through their fingers, every game across the Big 12 became a must-watch spectacle for the Cougars, each result impacting their slim chances.

As Saturday’s games unfolded, the tension in the BYU locker room reached its peak. Kansas State lost a heartbreaker to Kansas, and Baylor faltered against Texas Tech. The Cougars, though, had one final hurdle—West Virginia. It was a must-win game, but their opponents had nothing to lose, and they played like it.

The game went down to the wire, with BYU holding on by a single touchdown in the final seconds. Hall, bruised and exhausted, managed to find his receiver in the end zone, securing a win that kept their playoff hopes alive. The Cougars couldn’t control the outside events, but they had done their part. Now, all they could do was wait.

As the scoreboard flashed on the screen in the stadium, Coach Sitake and his players gathered in the locker room. The news broke: The Big 12 championship game was still in play for BYU. Despite the setbacks, the Cougars had defied the odds and found a sliver of hope.

“We’re not done yet,” Sitake said to his team. “We’ve got one more game to fight for, and the rest? We’ll see how it shakes out. But we’re still in it.”

The room erupted in cheers. The road to the College Football Playoff was longer and harder than any of them had imagined, but for BYU, it wasn’t over. Not yet.