Snyder favors return of Big 12 title game: 'It's been beneficial to us'

If Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder would have had it his way, the Big 12's championship game would have never been taken out of the conference's format.

Following TCU and Baylor's snubs from the inaugural College Football Playoff, there's been a push from many Big 12 officials to reinstate a conference title game, with the hope that it would bring the Big 12 up to par in the race for playoff selection.

"I've always favored the conference championship game, and I still do," Snyder said on the Big 12's coaches teleconference. "With the playoffs now, that muddies the water a little bit in that respect. I understand both sides of the fence or both sides of the argument.

"Looking at it maybe from a selfish standpoint, I think the divisional championship and the playoff game have been very rewarding for Kansas State and very rewarding for a few other schools in our conference. Not true for everybody, so there's two well-taken arguments in regards to bringing it back. But I favor it, and I favor it because it's been beneficial to us."

K-State's legendary head coach can back up his claim that he understands both sides of the argument on the hot-button issue, as the Wildcats once lost a chance at a national title because of a loss in a conference game.

"We played in it one year and lost, and it knocked us out of the [national] championship game," he recalled. "It's worked both ways and we suffered from it. But overall, collectively, it's been in the best interest of our program."

(h/t ESPN)