Posted by berrytramel
on November 16, 2009M at 8:12 am
The Big 12 bowl lineup is taking better shape. Barring big upsets — Colorado over OSU or Nebraska, Texas losing in the Big 12 title game, etc. — the options are much more clear. And they basically come down to this.
OSU: The Cowboys won’t fall far. Cotton or Holiday or even Fiesta, if OSU can knock off the Sooners in Norman.
OU: Holiday or one of three Texas bowls — Cotton, Alamo or Sun.
Here’s a look at each bowl.
Fiesta: If the Cowboys win out and finish 10-2, there’s an excellent chance they would be selected here. Four at-large BCS berths are available, with the Alabama-Florida loser, TCU and Penn State the likely choices. That’s assuming, of course, that Cincinnati wins the Big East and Georgia Tech wins the ACC. Then it would all come down to OSU or Boise State for the final slot. Boise State would have a shot, but the mid-majors’ sniping at the bowl system might not do them any favors when it comes to selection.
Cotton: The Cotton would take a 10-2 OSU, of course, and might take a 9-3 OSU, if the Cowboys lose to OU. If the Sooners win out and go 8-4, they could be selected, but don’t forget Nebraska, which is 7-3 and hosts Kansas State and goes to Colorado. If NU wins out, then loses to Texas in the title game, the Huskers still would be attractive at 9-4. But Nebraska would have just played in Dallas (Arlington, for the title game), so they might end up in the Holiday instead.
Holiday: This is the lowest OSU could fall, providing the Cowboys beat Colorado. Lose to OU, and the Cowboys might be San Diego-bound for the second straight year.
Alamo: Nebraska could end up here, but two South teams are much more attractive. Texas Tech, 6-4 with OU and Baylor remaining, hasn’t played in the Alamo since 2002. And OU, 6-4 with Tech and OSU remaining, has never played in the Alamo Bowl, though the Sooners were in the Alamodome for the 2007 Big 12 title game.
Sun: The Sun would love to have Tech or OU, but it might have to settle for a Big 12 North team, like Missouri, which is 6-4 and with Kansas and Iowa State remaining could rally for a good record.
Insight: It’s possible, but unlikely, that OU could go West with a 6-6 record. Wouldn’t that be a reversal; an OU-OSU doubleheader in Phoenix, only switched, with the Cowboys in the Fiesta and the Sooners in the Insight. In 2007, OU played West Virginia in the Fiesta and OSU played Indiana in the Insight, two days apart.
Texas: No way are OU or OSU involved here. Texas A&M and Iowa State could be jostling between this and…
Independence: the Independence Bowl, now that Kansas and Kansas State have put themselves in bowl jeopardy. KU has to beat Texas or Missouri get bowl eligible, while K-State has to beat Nebraska in Lincoln, since the Huskers have two wins over Division I-AA foes.
So, here are projections, based on both sides of a Bedlam result:
IF OSU WINS BELDAM
Fiesta: OSU
Cotton: Nebraska
Holiday: Missouri
Alamo: Texas Tech
Sun: Oklahoma
Insight: Texas A&M
Texas: Iowa State
Independence: Out of luck
IF OU WINS BEDLAM
Cotton: OSU
Holiday: Nebraska
Alamo: OU-Tech winner
Sun: OU-Tech loser
Insight: Missouri
Texas: Texas A&M
Independence: Iowa State
