Yes, Texas can still make the Big 12 championship game

AP's Ralph Russo reports that there's still a way that the Longhorns could end up playing in Arlington this weekend

Yes, the Big 12 championship game is just six days away, and no, that headline is not a typo.

Per Ralph Russo of the Associated Press, Texas is still technically in contention for a conference title, as there's one scenario in which the Big 12 championship matchup between Oklahoma and Iowa State isn't guaranteed.

Should COVID-19 guidelines prevent either the Sooners or Cyclones from taking the field this weekend, the game wouldn't be rescheduled. Instead, the ineligible team would be replaced with the Big 12's third-place team ... and yes, that would be Tom Herman's Longhorns.

From the Big 12, if either Oklahoma or Iowa State cannot play in the championship game a replacement team will be selected using the standings and tiebreakers. Texas is next in line to play if the Cyclones or Sooners cannot.

— Ralph D. Russo (@ralphDrussoAP) December 13, 2020

Granted, there's currently no indication that either Oklahoma or Iowa State is in any danger of being dramatically shorthanded this weekend, and even if one of the programs were to experience an outbreak, it stands to reason that they'd do everything in their power to play anyway. But is anything out of the question in 2020? Would it be all that surprising if Texas were to earn a backdoor berth in the Big 12 title game by virtue of the mighty hand of COVID-19?

Oklahoma releases updated testing data every Monday evening, and the Sooners' most recently tallied 24 active cases across the athletic department. Nevertheless, Lincoln Riley's team was fully prepared to head to Morgantown this weekend to face West Virginia; it was the Mountaineers, however, who were forced to shut down football activities and cancel the game due to a spike in cases.

With the benefit of an off weekend, the Sooners figure to be close to full health when they journey to AT&T Stadium on Saturday.

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