Big 12 Football

The Colorado Buffaloes are going bowling for the first time in the Deion Sanders era.

Colorado announced Sunday it will play in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 28 in San Antonio. The Buffaloes will face BYU in a showdown between Big 12 teams during the holiday season:

It is unusual to say the least to see two conference opponents facing each other in a bowl game, but there is a reason for it.

As Mitch Harper of KSL Sports explained, former Pac-12 teams will be considered members of their former conference until 2026 for bowl game purposes. Since the Alamo Bowl traditionally matches the Big 12 against the Pac-12, Colorado will be considered part of the latter league for the purposes of this contest.

This also works because the Cougars and Buffaloes did not play each other during the 2024 campaign. In fact, they haven't played since the 1988 Freedom Bowl, although they are scheduled to play each other next season.

It's not a stretch to suggest this is one of the best non-playoff games of the bowl season.

BYU was No. 17 in the final College Football Playoff rankings, while Colorado was No. 23. It is a meeting of ranked opponents, and a win would give either side momentum heading into the offseason and the 2025 campaign.

That Colorado is in a high-profile bowl in Sanders' second season is a testament to the turnaround the head coach has led to this point.

The Buffalos were an ugly 4-8 in his first season but went 9-3 in 2024 and were in the CFP discussion until the final week of the regular season. They have two of the best players in the entire nation in quarterback Shedeur Sanders and cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter, and the latter may go into this game as the Heisman Trophy winner.

As for the possibility of either opting out, Deion Sanders previously told reporters the team's final regular-season game wouldn't be the last time his son and Hunter played for the Buffaloes.

"No, we got a bowl game," he said. "It's not the last time you're gonna see them in a Buff uniform."

The Alamo Bowl is surely pleased to hear that, and Colorado will have a chance to finish its season on a high note against the Cougars.

Colorado's final placement in the CFP rankings was revealed on Sunday.

Head coach Deion Sanders' team finished with the No. 23 spot.

It wasn't a surprise that the Buffaloes weren't included as one of the final 12 teams to make the CFP, as they weren't able to secure a spot in the Big 12 Championship game and recorded three losses to go along with their nine wins.

Colorado suffered an ugly 28-10 loss to Nebraska in its second game of the season, which didn't provide a lot of optimism surrounding a possible CFP berth. The Buffaloes went on to win seven of their next eight games to put them in the race for a Big 12 Championship game appearance, though.

Sitting at 8-2 with two contests remaining, Colorado was riding high entering a Nov. 23 matchup against a Kansas team that owned a 4-6 record at the time.

The Buffaloes ended up losing to the Jayhawks by the final score of 37-21, and a lopsided 52-0 win over Oklahoma State in the ensuing week wasn't enough to give Sanders' team an opportunity to compete for a Big 12 title.

"We controlled our own destiny, and we fumbled it," Sanders told reporters after the defeat.

The Big 12's guaranteed playoff spot ended up going to Arizona State, as the Sun Devils earned a first-round bye after taking down Iowa State by the score of 45-19 in Saturday's conference championship clash.

Despite failing to achieve a playoff spot, Sanders' second season with the Buffaloes was undoubtedly a success. His team improved after a 4-8 record in 2023, which already represented a step up compared to a 1-11 mark in the year before he took over the program.

In fact, Colorado has nine wins in 2024 after earning nine total wins in the past three years combined.

Now, Sanders and the Buffaloes will attempt to record the school's first bowl game victory since 2004.

Scott Frost is officially returning to UCF.

The Knights announced Saturday that Frost has been hired as their next head football coach, replacing Gus Malzahn. Frost agreed to a five-year contract through 2029, per a UCF press release.

"Today marks an exciting reunion for UCF Football as we welcome back Scott Frost, a coach who ignites the spirit and passion of Knight Nation," Director of Athletics Terry Mohajir said. "Scott's love for his players, along with his leadership, enthusiasm and vision were pivotal in making the decision to bring him back to UCF. Throughout this national search, his passion for UCF was clear. I believe no one wanted to lead our program more than Scott."

The news comes after Matt Murschel of the Orlando Sentinel reported that the Knights were "close" to bringing back Frost as the team's next head coach.

Frost previously patrolled the sidelines at UCF from 2016 through 2017, finishing with a record of 19-7 in his two years with the program.

Malzahn served as head coach of the Knights over the past four years, but he resigned from the position to become Florida State's new offensive coordinator on Nov. 30.

Malzahn's UCF career started strong with consecutive nine-win seasons in 2021 and 2022, but his team struggled following a move to the Big 12 in 2023. In two years since switching to a new conference, the Knights own a 10-15 record.

This includes a 4-8 finish this season, marking the first year that UCF won't be participating in a bowl game since 2015.

After the Knights wrapped up a dismal 0-12 record that year, Frost was hired before their 2016 campaign. His brief tenure in Orlando included a memorable turnaround that was capped off with a 13-0 finish in 2017.

The Knights surpassed 30 points in each game during their undefeated campaign, emerging victorious over Auburn with a 34-27 win in the Peach Bowl.

There's some risk involved with bringing back Frost, especially considering his stint with Nebraska after leaving UCF. He compiled a record of just 16-31 with the Cornhuskers and was fired in the middle of the 2022 season.

Frost has been serving as a member of the Los Angeles Rams coaching staff since he left Nebraska, but the opportunity to reconnect with his former team reportedly has him close to a return to the college level.

As UCF looks to bounce back in 2025, Frost could attempt to oversee swift improvements once again.

Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo is not short on confidence.

As the 15th-ranked Sun Devils took down No. 16 Iowa State in the Big 12 Championship game on Saturday, Skattebo celebrated with a Heisman Trophy pose following a touchdown in the first half.

After the game, he discussed the celebration.

"Nobody respects the fact that I'm the best running back in the country," Skattebo said, per Chris Vannini of The Athletic. "I'm going to stand on that…Whatever NFL team takes me is going to get a gem."

The 22-year-old picked up 170 yards and two scores on just 16 carries against the Cyclones.

Skattebo showcased his hard-nosed rushing approach in the conference title clash, repeatedly breaking tackles and fighting for extra yards throughout the contest.

Entering Saturday's action, he already racked up 1,398 rush yards and 468 receiving yards to go along with 19 total touchdowns. Skattebo has now tallied more games with over 150 yards on the ground (six) than games with under 100 rush yards (five) this season.

Sun Devils head coach Kenny Dillingham has also supported the senior's Heisman quest.

"[Cam Skattebo] should 100 percent be getting some Heisman love," Dillingham said during a Nov. 27 appearance on SportsCenter. "I don't think there's any doubt about that."

While Skattebo has put together an impressive season, it may be difficult for him to surpass Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty in the Heisman discussion.

Jeanty has been dominant on the ground throughout the year, as his 2,497 rush yards are easily the most in the country. He's remained efficient despite his heavy workload, averaging 7.3 yards per carry and scoring 30 total touchdowns.

Travis Hunter, Colorado's two-way standout, is also a candidate to win the award. The 21-year-old has made an impact at wide receiver and cornerback once again, helping the Buffaloes improve from 4-8 in 2023 to 9-3 this season.

While Skattebo may not be the Heisman favorite over Jeanty and Hunter, he certainly could earn more consideration as a finalist after his performance against Iowa State.

After No. 15 Arizona State secured a Big 12 Championship game victory on Saturday, head coach Kenny Dillingham wasn't satisfied with clinching a College Football Playoff spot.

Following the Sun Devils' 45-19 win over No. 16 Iowa State, Dillingham campaigned for his team to receive a first-round bye.

"Last year they kept Florida State out because their quarterback didn't play," Dillingham said. "We're 11-1 with our quarterback, and we're Big 12 champs. I think we should be treated like an 11-1 team."

Arizona State owns a record of 11-2 this season, with one of their losses occurring without starting quarterback Sam Leavitt under center.

The defeat was against Cincinnati on Oct. 19 as the Bearcats prevailed 24-14. The scoring total represented a season-low mark for the Sun Devils.

Senior Jeff Sims started the contest, but he wasn't able to replicate Leavitt's impact. The redshirt freshman Michigan State transfer is in the midst of a strong inaugural season with Arizona State.

Entering Saturday's contest, Leavitt completed 62.7 percent of his throws for 2,444 yards and 12 touchdowns compared to five interceptions. He remained poised in the pocket against the Cyclones, passing for 219 yards and racking up four total scores.

Dillingham referenced Florida State's 2023 campaign, as the Seminoles sat at 13-0 following an ACC Championship win but were ultimately left out of the four-team playoff after quarterback Jordan Travis suffered a season-ending leg injury.

Florida State eventually lost in the Orange Bowl by the final score of 63-3.

While the Sun Devils' situation is slightly different considering Leavitt is back on the field, Dillingham understandably wants his team to receive a bye.

In the new 12-team format, the top four conference champions receive first-round byes and the remaining eight schools will square off in on-campus showdowns on the higher-seeded team's home turf.

Saturday night's clash for the ACC title between No. 8 SMU and No. 17 Clemson could determine the Sun Devils' CFP bye status, but Dillingham believes that his team should receive one of the top spots regardless of the result.

Behind a dominant performance by running back Cam Skattebo, the No. 15 Arizona State Sun Devils beat the No. 16 Iowa State Cyclones 45-19 in the Big 12 Championship Game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday.

With the win, ASU clinched a spot in the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history.

As was the case throughout the season, Skattebo was the driving force behind Arizona State's success on Saturday, as he racked up 170 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, plus two receptions for 38 yards and a score for the Sun Devils.

Skattebo, who went over 2,000 total yards and 20 total touchdowns on the season in Saturday's win, was praised emphatically by college football fans and analysts on social media:

Arizona State improved to 11-2 on the year with the victory over ISU, and it is among the hottest teams in college football, having won six consecutive games since a loss to Cincinnati.

Given their recent rise, the Sun Devils were heralded as a potential dark-horse team in the CFP with a chance to make some noise:

After a field goal on Arizona State's first drive, Iowa State took a 7-3 lead on a three-yard touchdown pass from Rocco Becht to Carson Hansen, but it was all ASU from there.

The Sun Devils outscored the Cyclones 21-3 for the remainder of the half with Skattebo delivering multiple long runs and two short touchdowns during that timeframe:

Arizona State entered the half with a 24-10 lead, and things only got worse from there for Iowa State.

Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt threw a pair of touchdown passes to Xavier Guillory in the third quarter, and he also hit Skattebo for a 33-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 35.

Skattebo struck the Heisman pose multiple times during Saturday's game, and while Colorado two-way superstar Travis Hunter is the heavy favorite to win the hardware, Skattebo has perhaps earned a trip to New York City as a finalist.

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty has the best chance to knock off Hunter for the Heisman after rushing for 2,497 yards, scoring 30 total touchdowns and leading the Broncos to the CFP, but Skattebo isn't far behind.

With over 2,000 total yards, 20 touchdowns and a CFP berth of his own, Skattebo would likely be widely considered the best running back in college football if not for Jeanty.

While Skattebo waits to see his Heisman status, the Sun Devils will also await word on whether they will have to play a first-round game in the CFP.

Since Boise State entered conference championship weekend ranked No. 10 in the poll, it is fairly unlikely that the Broncos will get bypassed by the Sun Devils.

While ASU's drubbing of Iowa State was more impressive than Boise State's 21-7 win over UNLV in the Mountain West Championship Game, it will be a surprise if the Sun Devils leap five spots to go above Boise State.

There is one other potential path to a bye, and that is if No. 17 Clemson beats No. 8 SMU in the ACC Championship Game, but Clemson would probably end up ranked ahead of ASU in that scenario.

Assuming the Sun Devils do not receive a bye, head coach Kenny Dillingham's team has the makings of a very tough matchup for a first-round opponent such as Notre Dame, Ohio State, Tennessee, Penn State, Georgia, Texas or Oregon, depending on the result of the SEC and Big Ten Championship Games.

After going winless in conference games this season, Oklahoma State and head coach Mike Gundy have reportedly agreed to extend their partnership.

According to The Action Network's Brett McMurphy, Gundy and Oklahoma State agreed "in principle to a restructured contract" on Saturday.

ESPN's Chris Low reported earlier Saturday there was "growing optimism" that Gundy and Oklahoma State would come to terms on a new contract.

ESPN's Pete Thamel first reported the two sides were in a "standoff" and had meetings on Friday. The school reportedly asked Gundy to take a "significant pay cut" that would also reduce his buyout, which is currently around $25 million.

Even though the two sides seemed inclined to get something done, Thamel did point out that Oklahoma State had discussed firing Gundy for cause if he didn't agree to a new deal.

Gundy signed a perpetual five-year contract with the university in October 2021. The deal extends by a season every year on Jan. 1, so he is currently signed through 2028.

Oklahoma State announced in March 2022 a change to Gundy's deal that increased his annual compensation by $1 million, as well as gave him an annual retention bonus of $1 million every year for five years.

Gundy has generated controversy multiple times throughout the 2024 season for some of his public comments. He said during Big 12 media days in July that he's probably driven a vehicle under the influence of alcohol "1,000 times" in his life to excuse star running back Ollie Gordon II's arrest on suspicion of DUI.

In the wake of a 42-21 loss to Arizona State on Nov. 2 that dropped the Cowboys' record in Big 12 play to 0-6, Gundy said at a press conference that people who were critical of his coaching "are the same ones that can't pay their own bills."

Gundy did issue public apologies after both incidents.

After starting this season 3-0 in non-conference games, Oklahoma State lost its last nine games against Big 12 opponents. It's the first time the program has gone winless in conference play since 1993 when it finished 0-7 in the Big 8.

The three wins and .250 winning percentage for the Cowboys are both the worst single-season marks of the Gundy era. He was named head coach in 2005 after Les Miles was hired by LSU to replace Nick Saban.

Gundy, who played quarterback at Oklahoma State from 1986 to '89, has a 169-88 record as head coach at his alma mater. The Cowboys have won at least 10 games eight times since 2010.

Oklahoma State and football head coach Mike Gundy are reportedly in a "standoff" over a dispute regarding a restructured contract, to the point where the university has discussed firing him for cause if he doesn't agree to a new deal, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel.

Gundy has "nearly" $25 million remaining on his existing deal, Thamel reported.

Pete Nakos of On3 and John Holcomb of KOTV provided more information:

The 57-year-old Gundy just finished his 20th season as the head coach for his alma mater, where he played as the starting quarterback in the late 1980s. This year's squad went 3-9 overall and 0-9 in Big 12 play.

Austin Curtright of The Oklahoman provided the terms of the current deal and also noted that he's owed $25,359,375 if fired.

"Gundy is currently on a 5-year rollover contract, which extends by a season every Jan. 1. He earned $7.75 million in 2024," Curtright wrote. "Gundy's contract is set to lengthen by another season on Jan. 1, 2025, along with his annual $125,000 raise."

The 2024 season was Gundy's worst leading the Cowboys. It was also just the second time Oklahoma State had a losing overall record under Gundy and the first since 2005, his first year at the helm.

Generally speaking, Gundy has enjoyed much success as Oklahoma State's head coach. Half of his 20 seasons have resulted in Top 25 Associated Press poll finishes. The Cowboys have also gone 169-88 (102-72 in Big 12) with Gundy leading the way.

His peak was in 2011, when Oklahoma State went 12-1, won the Big 12, earned a Fiesta Bowl victory and finished third in the polls. The Cowboys also found great success in 2021, when they went 12-2, went to the Big 12 Championship Game, won the Fiesta Bowl again and finished seventh in the polls.

It's been an uneven ride in Stillwater ever since. Oklahoma State dropped to 7-6 in 2022 and lost the Guaranteed Rate Bowl. But the Cowboys improved in 2023, winning 10 games and finishing 16th in the polls.

The bottom fell out on Oklahoma State in 2024, a year that ended an 18-year bowl game streak. The Cowboys began the year with three wins against Division I-FCS South Dakota State, a 6-6 Arkansas team in double overtime and a 3-9 Tulsa squad. Oklahoma State then went winless in conference play for the first time since 1994.

The defense in particular struggled. Oklahoma State allowed 35.6 points per game, the ninth-most in the 134-team Division I-FBS. The season ended with an ugly 52-0 road loss to Colorado.

It was a stunningly bad season for a team that finished third in the preseason Big 12 poll and was as high as 13th in the AP poll earlier this year.

And now Gundy's two-decade tenure as Oklahoma State's head coach appears to be on the brink.

Deion Sanders has done a fantastic job at Colorado, turning a program that went 1-11 in the year prior to his arrival (2022) into a 9-3 program that currently sits 20th in the Associated Press poll.

Naturally, that two-year turnaround could (and may have already) grab the attention of bigger programs looking to make a coaching change.

As far as the potential of Sanders bolting Colorado for another school, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Adam Rittenberg wrote the following, noting that the Pro Football Hall of Famer would "only target programs that will allow him to be his full self."

"If LSU or Florida make changes next season, Sanders certainly could be a candidate. The same goes for Auburn if it moves on from Hugh Freeze. Sanders will only target programs that allow him to be his full self, sources said, which means extra elements and people around the program that aren't present at most places.

'There aren't a lot of Deion Sanders growing on trees,' an industry source said. 'The package of who he is, is rare. So it's very much the place.

'You've got to give credit to CU and their leadership and the administration for going out and saying, 'Let's go all-in.'"

Sanders once starred at Florida State, which dropped from 13-1 in 2023 to 2-10 in 2024. That program is in turmoil, and head coach Mike Norvell just fired both coordinators. The team's swoon begs the question regarding Norvell's future, but it doesn't appear the hypothetical door would be open for Sanders (or anyone) imminently.

"A Sanders-FSU reunion wouldn't happen until 2026, at the earliest, and even that seems unlikely," Fowler and Rittenberg wrote.

Ultimately, programs looking to make a turnaround could look toward Sanders.

"It's going to be hard for Colorado to hang onto him," a college coaching agent told Rittenberg. "Everyone has taken notice, and rightfully so, of what he's doing."

For now, Sanders remains at Colorado, which has a to-be-determined bowl game. It's unclear where the Buffaloes are headed, but the latest projection from David Kenyon of Bleacher Report has the team going to the Alamo Bowl against BYU.

Travis Hunter has been fantastic for Colorado as a dual-threat receiver and cornerback, but as ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. noted Thursday, there is debate within NFL circles whether he should operate primarily on the offensive or defensive side of the ball at the next level.

"This is people in the league. Every time I get a call. 'OK, Travis Hunter, where do you think he should be a priority, in terms of position, focus on the defensive secondary or the receiving entity? Where is he?' They're all over the place. It's 50-50. A split," he said on First Draft (5:45 mark). "Every time I get a different answer. So nobody's in agreement as to what his primary position will be, and what it should be. So when you get Hunter and you get this great receiver and great corner, how do you balance that out? How do you sprinkle him in? What position is he best suited for to maximize that talent? We're gonna be debating that even once he's in the league."

Hunter makes the case to be a top-five pick at either position.

On the offensive side of the ball, he's caught 92 passes for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns this season alongside one rushing score. Defensively, he's notched 31 tackles, four interceptions, 11 passes defensed and a forced fumble despite quarterbacks often ignoring his side of the field.

He's the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy for a reason, but it would be unheard of for him to focus full-time on both sides of the ball at the next level. That level of responsibility, workload and physical strain on the body over a 17-game season is too intense an ask, so he'll have to specialize more on one side of the ball than other.

The safest bet is probably remaining at cornerback and having a package of plays designed for him at receiver, similar to how Deion Sanders was utilized. But the team that drafts him will have an interesting decision on its hands.