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[sdcforever]

Well, it appears the Big 12 is headed for 8 bowls.  If KU would've beat Mizzou it would've complicated things with 9 Big 12 teams being bowl eligible.  A lot is at stake, obviously, if Texas loses to Nebraska in the championship game.  If Texas loses, it means a BCS bowl bid; if Texas wins, a National Championship game bid.  The Big 12 brass are definitely rooting for Texas, since the conference most likely already lost $4.5 million when Oklahoma beat Oklahoma State (that's how much the conference receives for an at-large BCS bowl berth, which is where Oklahoma State was headed before the loss to Oklahoma).

Here's an interesting look at where the "experts" think the Big 12 teams are headed:
http://uponfurtherreview.kansascity.com/?q=node/1656

[Zephon]

I know this is your baby, Swoosh, but I figured you might be busy so I decided to help you out.  Great win for Mizzou over the weekend, and a good finish to the regular season.


WEEK 13 - BIG XII FOOTBALL

Thursday, November 26

Texas 49
Texas A&M 39

Friday, November 27

Nebraska 28
Colorado 20

Saturday, November 28

Missouri 41
Kansas 39

Oklahoma State 0
Oklahoma 27

Texas Tech 20
Baylor 13


-----------------
CURRENT STANDINGS

NORTH DIVISION
9 3 | 6 2 Nebraska *N
8 4 | 4 4 Missouri *
6 6 | 4 4 Kansas State x
6 6 | 3 5 Iowa State *
3 9 | 2 6 Colorado x
5 7 | 1 7 Kansas


SOUTH DIVISION
12 0 | 8 0 Texas *S
9 3 | 6 2 Oklahoma State *
8 4 | 5 3 Texas Tech *
7 5 | 5 3 Oklahoma *
6 6 | 3 5 Texas A&M *
4 8 | 1 7 Baylor x


* - Bowl eligible
x - Cannot become bowl eligible.
N - NORTH Division Champs
S - SOUTH Division Champs

[sdcforever]

Looks like Mizzou might be heading to the Texas Bowl instead of the Insight Bowl.  Rumors are going around that Iowa State may be selected for the Insight Bowl.  This slight comes as no surprise, since last year Nebraska was selected for a better bowl and in 2007 KU was selected for a better bowl.  Honestly, the Texas Bowl isn't so bad since Houston is a recruiting haven for MU, and it's aired on ESPN on New Year's Eve day.  More will be able to watch (the Insight Bowl is televised on NFL Network, which doesn't reach as large of an audience).  We'll find out for sure this weekend.

It comes as no surprise that Mangino accepted a buyout settlement of his contract and left KU.  Those allegations would've made it impossible to execute much authority in his position and recruit.  The next coach will be pivotal:  can he continue/build on the success Mangino brought to the program?

[KBCraig]

If today's Texas plays today's Alabama in January, there are going to be elephant-shaped footprints all over Bevo.

[sdcforever]

^Today's Texas won't play today's Alabama in January.  Nebraska's defense is one of the best in the game.  And, actually, Alabama provides a more winnable game than Florida would for Texas, if you look at the match-ups.  Many factors went into what I anticipated to be a close game, among them being Nebraska's tenacious defense (as I mentioned earlier) and conference foes who are very familiar with each other.  Another factor thrown in there would be that Nebraska needed this win more.  Yes, Texas was playing for a spot in the national championship, but they were headed for a BCS bowl win or lose.  Nebraska was playing for a BCS berth.  Many people will say that Alabama will roll over Texas, but I don't think so.  They have a month to prepare and get rested and healed, and they are not conference foes so there's no familiarity here.  It should be a great game.  They both play good defense, but Texas has a more explosive offense.  And when you're unfamiliar with each other, that offense has a better chance of exploding.

[KBCraig]

I haven't listened to any sports shows, so I don't know if anyone is talking about the critical blown call that went in UT's favor: the bogus defensive pass interference call when McCoy was about to be sacked deep in his own territory, and heaved it out of bounds. It was clearly not a catchable ball: it was 5 yards beyond the receiver and 15 feet in the air when it crossed the sideline.

That set them up for a field goal, without which they would have lost.

[sdcforever]

^Every team gets breaks.  You can't go undefeated without breaks.  I recall several "bogus" calls earlier in the season that helped give Alabama and Florida a victory.  Oh, those SEC officials.   One questionable call doesn't win a game.  It gave Texas a shot, sure, but the officials didn't kick the field goal.  It also doesn't negate the effort in the rest of the game.

Besides, saying it set them up for a field goal is a little bit of a stretch.  It certainly put them within range, but the penalty you reference occurred in the third quarter on 2nd and 10 and gave them a first down.  Who's to say that Texas wouldn't have gotten a first down on 3rd and 10?

I know it won't happen, but if any team deserves a shot at a BCS bowl, it's Boise State.  Consecutive undefeated seasons.  They really need to switch conferences.  It's clear that nobody will play them in non-conference, because win or lose, it will hurt the other team's RPI too much.  Boise State before this season went to ten major BCS schools and offered to play them on the road, a one and done deal.  They all said no.  Everyone says Boise State couldn't play with the "big boys".  Really?  If they believed that, they'd let them play in a BCS bowl, since they have no shot of winning.  It may look like they have no chance of winning, but that's why the games are played.  They deserve a chance.  It would be really interesting to watch them play someone from a major BCS conference in a BCS bowl.

[sdcforever]

Well, Mizzou did get relegated to the lesser Texas Bowl, while teams (Minnesota and Iowa State) with worse records get the Insight Bowl.  I know the Texas Bowl gets more exposure and is in a great recruiting area for Mizzou, but I'd still like to see them get the better bowl.

To my surprise Boise State is playing in the BCS Fiesta Bowl.  Unfortunately, they're playing another school from a small conference, TCU.  To make matters worse, this is a rematch of last year's Poinsettia Bowl, which TCU won 17-16.  So, the BCS is in effect declaring that yes, schools from smaller conferences can play in a BCS bowl, but not against the bigger schools.  They get their own "special" bowl game where they get pitted against each other.  Even if it is a rematch from the year before.  It's like this year is one step forward and back for smaller schools.  Which means really no progress was made at all.  Give me a break.

[Swoosh]

Ok, get ready for something that is going to blow you away.

So you know how you keep hearing that Mizzou is excited to be going to the Texas Bowl because Houston is such a good recruiting pool for Mizzou.

BULL S#!7.  This is just Pinkel wearing his positive panties.

The University is LIVID that they are being forced to go the WORST bowl game that the Big XII is affiliated with.  In fact the Athletic Director's office is on the brink of calling it quits with the Big XII due to the fact Missouri gets no respect whatsoever in the conference.

Yes you read it correctly, calling it quits on the Big XII.

So where are they looking to go?

Brace yourselves -- it blew me away too when I heard this.

They are thinking about going to the Big10 conference and as early as next season.

Now you won't read this on mutigers.com or even hear it from the AD office, but this is what has been leaked to the coaches of the football team (Andy Hill is the nephew of a colleague) and this is not just some random rumor -- this is legit this time. 

A little on the fence about how I feel about it, but to be honest, Missouri is right in the middle of the Big10 teams anyway so it would be a great fit. 

Oh and who will fill Mizzou's spot in the Big XII -- TCU.

Yeah I know.  Wow is what I said too when I first heard this tonight.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see how this all unfolds.

[sdcforever]

Well, for bowl games the Big 12 is 2-2 so far.  Nice wins for Nebraska and Oklahoma, and disappointing performances by A&M and Mizzou.

I knew Navy would be tough, and Mizzou had absolutely no answer for Navy's precise flexbone option offense.  I'm always impressed when I watch the academies play because they're so disciplined, and it takes a disciplined team to effectively run the flexbone offense.  As for Mizzou, Gabbert was off all day.  I know Pinkel is big on the spread offense and likes to pass, but seriously, he should've stepped in and forced Yost to run the ball.  Congrats Navy, on the big win.  And Mizzou has a lot to think about this offseason after the worst loss in a bowl game in school history.

[KBCraig]

After Texas Tech's win tonight (great game!), the Big 12 is 4-3 in bowl games, and the SEC is 5-4.

We'll see how it shapes up on Thursday, but I expect 'Bama to win. As a Horn Hater, and SEC foe of Bama, I have no favorite in this game. I do expect it to be a great game, and I expect Bama to educate UT like Florida educated Cincy.

[sdcforever]

^In order for it to be a great game it has to be close, so I'm not hoping for a Florida/Cincy type of blowout.  Blowout games are never great, even if I don't like the team that's being blown out.

[Swoosh]

Mizzou looked absolutely pathetic in the Texas Bowl.  It was no secret that Navy was going to run the option.  It's not hard to defend against, we had to do it all the time in high school.  You run a 5-3 front and force them to pass, but with the 5-3 front you're putting so much pressure on the QB that he won't have time to pass.  It's not difficult, it's just that no body runs this style of offense anymore except a handful of schools.

I honestly did not understand the play calling by Yost (however I haven't understood it most of the season).  I really think that Yost does a good job with the QBs, but I think it is time to go out and get an offensive cordinator.  Yost is not getting it done just like the one before that went to Wyoming.  

[sdcforever]

^One thing that baffles me is that Navy had less time to prepare for this game due to their game against Army, but they looked more prepared than Mizzou.  The way we played it looked like we didn't have a month to prepare, more like a week.  I also don't understand why we played a read defense against the triple option.  In order to effectively defend the triple option you have to play assignment defense, not read and react.  That's just basic fundamentals.  I continue to be baffled at Pinkel and staff's inability to make in-game adjustments.  We also tanked in the second half again, failing to score a touchdown after halftime.  There's a lot for this team to reflect on before next season.

[Zephon]

^^Gotta agree on the play calling.  It's been a mystery all season.  Continuing to call pass plays when the defense sets up with 2 on the line and 8 in pass coverage is just...well...'nough said.  Sad thing is...they could have easily won the game if the coaches had been smarter.

Congrats to the Big 12 winners though.  Texas Tech had a great game.  Gotta root for Texas in the big one too.  Go Big 12!