Cheering Guide for BYU Fans on Thanksgiving Weekend

Casey Lundquist | 2 Hours Ago

BYU QB Jake Retzlaff drops back against Kansas State / BYU Photo

It's the last week of the college football season and the BYU football program still has a path to the Big 12 title game. The Cougars don't control their own destiny, however. Today, we'll outline a cheering guide for BYU football fans. The first four games are the most important by a wide margin.

1. #19 BYU vs Houston

Who to Cheer For: BYU

Explanation: This one is simple, but we'll use this game as a format example for the rest of the article. BYU needs to beat Houston to keep its reasonable Big 12 title hopes alive.

2. #24 Kansas State vs #18 Iowa State

Who to Cheer For: Kansas State

Explanation: Besides the BYU game, this is the most important game of the weekend for BYU fans. To get into the Big 12 title game, BYU needs either Iowa State or Arizona State to lose on Saturday. The Kansas State-Iowa State is by far the most likely to go in BYU's favor - it's essentially a tossup. A Kansas State win over Iowa State would open up a path to the championship game.

3. #16 Arizona State vs Arizona

Who to Cheer For: Arizona

Explanation: Similar to the Iowa State game, an Arizona State loss would open up a path to the Big 12 championship game for BYU. This game doesn't look like it will be close on paper, but anything can happen in a rivalry game. Additionally. Arizona star wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan could be a bad matchup for the ASU secondary.

4. #11 Boise State vs Oregon State

Who to Cheer For: Oregon State

Explanation: If the season ended today, Boise State would steal a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff from the Big 12. It's in not only BYU's best interest for Boise State to stumble down the stretch, but the Big 12's as well. This game kicks off on Friday morning at 10 AM Mountain Time.

The Big 12 got off to a good start on Thursday when Tulane fell to unranked Memphis. That loss essentially locked a spot in the CFP for the Big 12.

5. #14 Ole Miss vs Mississippi State

Who to Cheer For: Mississippi State

Explanation: An Ole Miss loss would knock the Rebels behind BYU in the rankings.

6. Georgia Tech vs #7 Georgia

Who to Cheer For: Georgia Tech

Explanation: A Georgia loss might not knock the Bulldogs out of CFP contention, but it would create absolute chaos. Chaos would be good for the Big 12.

7. Michigan vs #2 Ohio State

Who to Cheer For: Michigan

Explanation: If the season ended today and BYU was the winner of the Big 12, the Cougars would travel to Columbus to take on Ohio State in a true road game. That would be a tough matchup for BYU. A matchup against Penn State or Notre Dame would be a lot more favorable. An Ohio State would knock them out of the no. 5 seed.

8. #8 Tennessee vs Vanderbilt

Who to Cheer For: Vanderbilt

Explanation: A loss would probably knock the Vols out of the CFP field.

9. #15 South Carolina vs #12 Clemson

Who to Cheer For: Clemson

Explanation: This one could go either way. A South Carolina loss would surely knock the Gamecocks behind BYU in the rankings. However, a Clemson loss wouldn't hurt BYU either.

10. Maryland vs #4 Penn State

Who to Cheer For: Penn State

Explanation: This one might be a hot take. In a scenario where BYU wins the Big 12 and earns the no. 12 seed, Penn State would be one of the best, if not the best, matchups for BYU. A Penn State loss wouldn't knock them out of the playoffs, but it would make it a lot more likely that BYU could play in less favorable matchups like Ohio State or Georgia. Therefore, go Nittany Lions?

11. #5 Notre Dame at USC

Who to Cheer For: USC

Explanation: A second loss might knock the Fighting Irish out of the playoff picture.

12. #6 Miami at Syracuse

Who to Cheer For: Syracuse

Explanation: The ACC is currently in line to get as many as three teams in the CFP. That wouldn't be good for a Big 12 conference that is positioned to get only one spot. A Miami loss would ensure no more than two ACC teams get into the CFP.

13. Cal vs #9 SMU

Who to Cheer For: SMU

Explanation: If BYU wins the Big 12, its resume will be compared to likely Mountain West champion Boise State. A win over the ACC champion might be enough to earn a bye over the Broncos.

14. Auburn vs #13 Alabama

Who to Cheer For: Auburn

15. Arkansas vs #21 Missouri

Who to Cheer For: Arkansas

16. Purdue vs #10 Indiana

Who to Cheer For: Purdue

Explanation: Indiana is currently in position to get a spot in the CFP. A second loss would knock them out.

17. Washington vs #1 Oregon

Who to Cheer For: Washington

Explanation: An Oregon loss would complicate things in the Big Ten.

18. #3 Texas vs #20 Texas A&M

Who to Cheer For: Texas

Explanation: A Texas A&M win would probably put them ahead of BYU in the CFP rankings.

19. Nevada at #22 UNLV

Who to Cheer For: Nevada

Explanation: The weaker the Mountain West is, the better off the Big 12 will be.