By the middle of Saturday afternoon, deep in the heart of Texas, another team will have secured its spot in the College Football Playoff.
No. 16 Iowa State and No. 13 Arizona State will face off in the Big 12 championship game this weekend in Arlington, Texas, with the winner clinching the league title and a spot in the inaugural 12-team playoff.
It’s a duel that few would have imagined at the start of the season. Neither the Cyclones nor the Sun Devils were ranked among the top five teams in the Big 12’s preseason poll, with Iowa State finishing fifth and Arizona State finishing last in the newly expanded 16-team conference.
Required reading: Ohio State, Alabama lead College Football Playoff winners and losers
For the Sun Devils, the turnaround was particularly drastic: After going 3-9 in 2023, coach Kenny Dillingham’s first season at the helm of the program, Arizona State finished its first season in conference play at 10-2 overall and 7-2 in Big 12 conference play, tied with Iowa State at the top of the league.
Follow here for live score, updates, highlights and more from the Big 12 Championship game between Iowa State and Arizona State:
Big 12 Championship Game results updates
TEAMS 1Q 2Q 3Q 4Q F
Iowa State 7
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Arizona State 3
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Required reading: Ohio State and Arizona State receive good news in the College Football Playoff forecast
Live updates on the Big 12 Championship Game
First quarter: Iowa State 7, Arizona State 3
Iowa State answers with a go-ahead TD
After allowing the early field goal, Iowa State responded with the utmost determination.
The Cyclones moved up the field with relative ease, covering 75 yards on 11 plays, on a drive that saw them gain at least seven yards on four plays. The cap was a 3-yard touchdown pass from Rocco Becht to a wide-open Carson Hansen that gave Iowa State a 7-3 lead with 6:30 left in the first quarter.
While scoring, Becht completed five of six passes for 33 yards.
Arizona State ends opening drive with FG
The Sun Devils opened the game with a 60-yard run in seven plays, highlighted by a 28-yard run by Cam Skattebo on the first play from scrimmage. Arizona State had a third-and-10 from Iowa State’s 22-yard line, but quarterback Sam Leavitt’s challenge ended three yards shy of a first down.
The Sun Devils capped the drive with a 32-yard kick by Carston Kieffer, his first career field goal, and scored their first points of the day.
Before the game
College GameDay tips for the Big 12 Championship Game
The Big 12 Championship was among the matchups selected by ESPN’s “College GameDay” during a live broadcast from Atlanta before the SEC Championship Game.
Here’s who the crew was with, including celebrity guest appearance Timothée Chalamet:
Desmond Howard: Iowa State
Nick Saban: Arizona State
Pat McAfee: Arizona State
Timothée Chalamet: Arizona State
Kirk Herbstreit: Iowa State
Arizona State and Iowa State uniforms for the Big 12 Championship Game
As the higher seed, Arizona State is the designated home team for the Big 12 Championship Game. It will wear maroon jerseys, yellow pants and a yellow helmet with Sparky, the school’s mascot.
Iowa State, meanwhile, will wear white jerseys, white pants and white helmets with a Cyclones lettering.
Brett Yormark: The Big 12 champion should be seeded higher than Boise State
During a pregame press conference, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark made the case for either Arizona State or Iowa State to receive a coveted bye in the first round of the College Football Playoff as one of the four top-rated conference champions.
As things stand, Mountain West champion Boise State will be the fourth and final conference champion to receive a first-round bye. The Broncos are No. 10 in the most recent playoff selection committee rankings, while the Sun Devils are No. 15 and the Cyclones are No. 16.
“There should be no comparison between us and any G5 (Group of Five) conference winner,” Yormark said. “The strength of the schedule is important. We play nine conference games. We commissioned ten (Power Four opponents). We know the data points. I won’t go into it too much today. I will definitely double this. Hopefully, the selection committee will do what it needs to do. It’s pretty public.
Update on Benjamin Brahmer’s injury
Iowa State may have one of its best pass catchers heading into its biggest game of the season.
According to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel on Saturday morning, Cyclones tight end Benjamin Brahmer is expected to “make an attempt to return” today after missing his team’s last five games. Brahmer left Iowa State’s Oct. 19 win over UCF and was seen on the sideline on crutches and with a full brace on his right leg.
Before the injury, Brahmer had 10 catches for 179 yards and a touchdown. Despite missing nearly half of the regular season, he is the Cyclones’ fourth-best receiver.
Game time for the Big 12 Championship today
Date : Saturday, December 7thTime : Noon ETLocation : AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas)
The 2024 Big 12 Championship Game between Iowa State and Arizona State is scheduled to begin at noon ET on Saturday, December 7 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.
What channel is the Big 12 Championship game on today?
TV channels: ABCStreaming : ESPN app | ESPN+ | Fuboradio : TuneIn/The Varsity Network App
The Big 12 Championship game between Iowa State and Arizona State will air on ABC. Joe Tessitore (play-by-play) and Jesse Palmer (analyst) will be on the phone, while Katie George will serve as sideline reporter.
Streaming options for the game include the ESPN app, ESPN+ and Fubo.
Watch the Big 12 Championship Game live with Fubo
Iowa State vs. Arizona State story
Series record : First meeting
Big 12 Championship Game Predictions
Below are tips and predictions for Saturday’s Big 12 Championship Game:
Big 12 Championship Game Betting Odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Wednesday, December. 4
Spread : Arizona State (-2.5)Over/under : 49.5 pointsMoney line : Arizona State (-125) | Iowa State (+105)
Updates on injuries in the 12 major championship games
Arizona State
Iowa State
TE Benjamin Brahmer, expected play attempt
Weather update for the Big 12 Championship Game
According to a forecast from The Weather Channel, Arlington, Texas will experience periods of rain with a 90% chance of precipitation and high temperatures of 49 degrees on Saturday. Luckily for Iowa State, Arizona State and both schools’ fans, AT&T Stadium is an indoor venue, meaning they only have to brave the elements on the way into the stadium.
Required reading: Preview of all college football conference championship games with all nine scheduled matchups
Iowa State 2024 football schedule
Saturday, August 31st : vs. North Dakota (W, 21-3)Saturday September 7th : ranked 21st Iowa (W, 20-19)Saturday September 21st : vs. Arkansas State (win, 52-7)Saturday September 28th: at Houston* (win, 20-0)Saturday, October 5th : vs. Baylor* (W, 43-21)Saturday, October 12th : in West Virginia* (W, 28-16)Saturday, October 19th : vs. UCF* (L, 38-35)Saturday November 2nd : vs. Texas Tech* (L, 23-22)Saturday November 9th : in Kansas* (L, 45-36)Saturday November 16th : vs. Cincinnati* (W, 34-17)Saturday November 23rd : in Utah* (W, 31-28)Saturday November 30th : vs. Kansas State* (W, 29-21)Saturday December 7th: vs. No. 13 Arizona State* (Big 12 Championship Game)Record : 10-2, 7-2 Big 12
*Denotes Big 12 game
Arizona State 2024 football schedule
Saturday, August 31st : vs. Wyoming (W, 48-7)Saturday September 7th : vs. Mississippi State (W, 30-23)Thursday, September 12th : at Texas State (W, 31-28)Saturday September 21st : at Texas Tech* (L, 30-22)Saturday, October 5th : vs. Kansas* (W, 35-31)Friday, October 11th : vs. No. 17 Utah* (W, 27-19)Saturday, October 19th : in Cincinnati* (L, 24-14)Saturday November 2nd : at Oklahoma State* (W, 42-21)Saturday November 9th : vs. UCF* (W, 35-31)Saturday November 16th : ranked 19th Kansas State* (W, 24-14)Saturday November 23rd : vs. No. 15 BYU* (W, 28-23)Saturday November 30th : in Arizona* (W, 49-7)Saturday December 7th: vs. No. 16 Iowa State* (Big 12 Championship Game)Record : 10-2, 7-2 Big 12
*Denotes Big 12 game
Iowa State Football News
Arizona State Football News
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