Dec 64 min read

Big 12 Conference Championship Preview: Champions of Chaos

Updated: Dec 8

The No. 16 Iowa State Cyclones (10-2, 7-2 Big 12 Conference) and No. 15 Arizona State Sun Devils (10-2, 7-2 Big 12) will meet in the Big 12 Championship game on Dec. 7 in Arlington, Texas.

A Big 12 title game no one expected, both teams rose above the chaotic fray that was the Big 12 race to have the opportunity to guarantee themselves a spot in the College Football Playoff.

See how our picks stack up compared to odds across betting sites.

The True Champion of Chaos

Both teams find themselves here due to their resilience, consistency and perhaps a little bit of luck. The Sun Devils, picked to finish dead last in the Big 12, went from worst to first in miraculous fashion. The Cyclones were picked as a dark horse contender at best, but after rattling off seven straight wins to start the season perfect, they commanded respect.

Coming out on top of the Big 12 is no easy feat, it is perhaps the conference with the most parity in college football. Mettle and resolve are tested, but there can only be one that is crowned the "Champion of Chaos."

A win here not only guarantees a College Football Playoff spot, something that was not guaranteed even two weeks ago due to how much cannibalization was happening in the conference, but shows what team is the best fit to take on a whole new type of chaos: The new 12-team College Football Playoff format.

Key Players: Arizona State Sun Devils

The Sun Devils bring a bruising, high-octane rushing attack that ranks No. 25 in the nation that goes for about 195 yards per game. They pair that with a defense that allows just 116.8 yards rushing per game and ranks No. 37 in total defense.

Cam Skattebo, Running Back

The first-team All-Big 12 running back will be heavily depended on in this game. The Cyclone rush defense allows 173.7 yards per game and ranks No. 96 in the land.

Running the ball down the throat of that Cyclone defense will be a major key in the Sun Devils' game and Skattebo is the right guy for the job, rushing for 5.7 yards per carry and totaling almost 1,400 yards on the year.

Xavion Alford, Defensive Back

While the strengths of this Sun Devil defense lie in their run defending, the Cyclones are feared more through the air, passing for 258 yards a game and ranking No. 36 in the nation.

This is where Xavion Alford comes in. The first-team All-Big 12 member has 2 interceptions and 4 pass deflections on the year along with 75 total tackles. Alford has the tall task of matching up with Iowa State's stellar receiving corps and will need to shut them down for the Sun Devils to have the best chance at victory.

Key Players: Iowa State Cyclones

The Cyclones bring the No. 4 passing offense in the Big 12 to the table, but have offensive weapons everywhere and run a balanced attack. Defensively, they have the No. 3 secondary in the nation, allowing just 156.9 yards a game.

Jayden Higgins, Wide Receiver

Quarterback Rocco Becht's favorite target, Higgins won second-team All-Big 12 honors with a 1,000-yard season and 9 touchdowns. Picking on this secondary that has solid players, but is inconsistent allowing the big play to bite them at times, will be imperative.

Higgins is an excellent route-runner and has the speed to get open at any point. Expect the Cyclones to look for him to open up the skies.

Kooper Ebel, Linebacker

The linebacking corps of Iowa State has been decimated by injury, which normally would spell trouble for going up against a bruising back like Skattebo. However, the Cyclones have flexed their depth at the position with guys like Kooper Ebel.

Ebel has recorded 59 total tackles, 6 tackles for loss and a sack on the year. Only a sophomore, he shows how much youth and depth this Iowa State defense has. He will be depended on to stop Skattebo. A healthy linebacking corps in general will prove to be heavily beneficial for the Cyclones.

Sun Versus Storm: Who Wins the Big 12?

These teams match up quite interestingly on paper. The Sun Devils dominate the run game, while the Cyclones dominate the pass.

This game will come down to who is allowed to play their game more. If it becomes an air-it-out shootout, advantage Cyclones. If it becomes a bruising, physical game, advantage Sun Devils. This being said, though, Iowa State has faced some of the best running backs in college football this season. They're 6-2 against the likes of Kaleb Johnson (Iowa), RJ Harvey (UCF) and other 1,000-yard rushers.

Granted, getting gashed as the Cyclones did against the UCF Knights, where the Knights ran for more than 350 yards, certainly wouldn't help their chances, but they did win that game by playing their game and showing great resilience. Something that has motivated them throughout.

For this reason and Iowa State carrying plenty of momentum into the contest, is why the Cyclones will pull off a skin-of-their-teeth type game. The Cyclones win 31-28.