sure I see why the conference would prefer Utah. Their 2024 record is the same as Baylor's. If you want the conference to look good, why not just root for Baylor to win out?

I guess I kind of see what you mean. You're saying that Utah has better prospects than Baylor, so a Utah win has the best chance of not cannibalizing an eventual Big 12 top finisher.

I just can't believe fans are thinking like that in large numbers. Rooting for conference success is already rare. I think more people root based on impressions and underdog status, especially so early in the season when all the teams are 1-0.