Because at this point, winning the Big 12 is the goal (and makes the rest irrelevant), but an at-large playoff bid is also on the table. Potentially even with a home game in Provo in December.

Iowa State - you want a potential Big 12 title game to be a battle of two very highly ranked teams so that the loser doesn’t fall in the final playoff rankings too much.

Kansas State - this win keeps looking better and better. The farther they move up the rankings, the higher they push BYU with them.

SMU - most of the same as Kansas State above. They avoid both Clemson and Miami on their conference schedule. Could fly into the ACC Title game.