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November 4, 2009
For the latest edition of ConferenceChatterTV, featuring picks of each Big 12 game in week 10, see the video below:
It's about that time of year again. Time to look at Big 12 bowl projections.
The conference could sneak in eight teams this season, but that's more a testament to the Big 12's mediocrity than its depth.
Last season, a more top-heavy and deeper Big 12 had seven teams make bowls. The conference went 4-3. The best mark in the 13-year history of the conference is 5-3 in bowl games.
Rivals/Yahoo Sports released its latest bowl predictions today. Here's where Big 12 teams were placed. See if you agree:
BCS Championship Game: Texas vs. Alabama (Jan. 7, 7 p.m., Pasadena, Calif.)
My take: Any SEC vs. Big 12 game for all the marbles gets my seal of approval. Texas' schedule should enable it to coast to this game. The SEC is different. Alabama will likely meet Florida for the SEC Championship. The winner will likely meet Texas.
Texas wide receiver Marquise Goodwin
Texas vs. Florida is the title game I'd love to see, though. The Gators have captured two of the last three BCS titles. Can Urban Meyer, Tim Tebow and Co. make it three of four? Then, there's what happened last year with Florida handling Oklahoma. If they handle Texas, the Gators (and the SEC, for that matter) could really have bragging rights on owning the Big 12.
Also, both teams are ranked in the country's top 11 in scoring offense and scoring defense. Talk about balance.
Alamo Bowl: Nebraska vs. Michigan (Jan. 2, 8 p.m., San Antonio)
My take: It would be a fascinating clash of two historical powers. The Alamo Bowl takes the Big 12 No. 4 vs. the Big Ten No. 4.
I'm wondering why Texas Tech was left out of this spot. The Red Raiders may be fourth-best in the Big 12 South, but they're better than every team in the North, including Nebraska. Remember that 31-10 TTU victory in Lincoln?
Nebraska receiver Chris Brooks (1) tries to hold on
I guess Nebraska fans travel better than Tech's, but the product on the field is another story.
Cotton Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Auburn (Jan. 2, 1 p.m., Dallas)
My take: It's still tough to believe Auburn coach Gene Chizik is only one year removed from going 0-8 in Big 12 play with Iowa State. Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops has lost five of his past six bowl games. Three of those losses have come in the BCS Championship game.
This season, Oklahoma is the Big 12's clear No. 2 and should be able to achieve a Cotton Bowl berth.
Insight Bowl: Missouri vs. Michigan State (Dec. 31, 5 p.m., Tempe, Ariz.)
My take: In terms of a winter vacation, the weather probably won't get any better than Arizona. The Big 12 went 3-0 against the Big Ten in bowl games last season.
The conferences are 1-1 against each other this year. Missouri beat Illinois and Iowa crushed Iowa State. The Insight Bowl takes the Big 12 No. 6 vs. the Big Ten No. 6.
Texas Bowl: Texas A&M vs. Navy (Dec. 31, 2:30 p.m., Houston)
My take: The Aggies wouldn't have to drive far (under two hours) to play in this bowl. It would be a nice accomplishment for A&M coach Mike Sherman, who went 4-8 (2-6 Big 12) last year in his first season in College Station, Texas.
The Texas Bowl takes Navy vs. the Big 12 No. 8.
Sun Bowl: Texas Tech vs. Arizona (Dec. 31, 1 p.m., El Paso, Texas)
My take: The Pac-10 went an undefeated 5-0 in bowl games last season. It should be interesting to see how Tech (6-3 overall, 3-2 Big 12) finishes its season, especially since <a href="http://www.redraiders.com/2009/11/02/sheffield-out-longer-than-initial-report/"quarterback Steven Sheffield could be out up to six weeks. Taylor Potts and Seth Doege have been inconsistent with Sheffield sidelined.
The Sun Bowl takes the Big 12 No. 5 vs. the Pac-10 No. 3.
Holiday Bowl: Oklahoma State vs. California (Dec. 30, 7 p.m., San Diego)
My take: It's looking like the second consecutive appearance for the Cowboys in the Holiday Bowl. Oregon beat Oklahoma State pretty soundly (42-31) last year in San Diego.
The Holiday Bowl takes the Big 12 No. 3 vs. the Pac-10 No. 2.
Independence Bowl: Kansas vs. Georgia (Dec. 28, 4 p.m., Shreveport, La.)
Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing (5) tries to escape Texas Tech's Rajon Henley
My take: This bowl takes the Big 12 No. 7 vs. the SEC No. 8.
Both teams probably expected to be playing in more prominent bowls before the season. Georgia entered the season ranked No. 13, while Kansas was No. 25 to start the year. Georgia has already faced a Big 12 team this season. It lost that game to Oklahoma State, 24-10, on Sept. 5 in Stillwater, Okla.
What are your guys' thoughts on these projections?
As always, discuss.
Comments
KU_Alumn_2000 (anonymous) says...
Georgia vs. Kansas in Shreveport would be intriguing. Not too bad of a drive across beautiful northwest Arkansas either.
November 4, 2009 at 9:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
HawkfromHays (anonymous) says...
If we don't win this week, we don't deserve to go bowling in the union.
November 4, 2009 at 9:46 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
carterpatterson (anonymous) says...
Wow! If Georgia and KU play that will split my half in two down here in Atlanta. That would be awesome. I still have have bragging rights when KU beat UGA in basketball in the first ever basketball game at the Georgia Dome back in 1993.
November 5, 2009 at 6:11 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
PikesPeakSmitty (anonymous) says...
I want San Antonio or Tempe or San Diego.
November 5, 2009 at 9:28 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jayhawk_sean (anonymous) says...
Glad to see you don't have ksu going to a bowl game. LOL. I agree though - we're staring down the barrel. If we don't win this weekend - put a fork in KU football this year. Even if we did happen to get to six wins - it's no guarantee!
November 5, 2009 at 9:59 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
leikness (anonymous) says...
Picking which bowls KU, NU and MU will end up in at this point and leaving KSU out of the conversation pretty much makes this article nonsense to me. Absolutely no way of predicting this at all. Instead of actually listing one of the teams it should just have all 4 of the in parentheses.
November 5, 2009 at 10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jwliddell (anonymous) says...
I think we get the Alamo, if not by some crazy chance the Tostitos =)) All we have to do is win out and beat UT twice! So yea, Alamo bowl.
November 5, 2009 at 10:01 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jnewell (Jesse Newell) says...
leikness — Are you saying KSU will make a bowl? Remember, the Wildcats need to get to seven victories because they played two non-Division-I opponents. Hypothetically, KSU could beat KU, then lose to MU and NU, make it to the Big 12 Championship game and still not be bowl eligible. The Wildcats have to win two of their last three to be bowl eligible, which is possible, but I definitely don't think it's a given.
November 5, 2009 at 10:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
FriscoKU (anonymous) says...
At the beginning of the year I had great expectations for a great bowl for KU. I bet if KU wins six games they will be passed over by other Big 12 Schools. It looks like there will be ten Big 12 Eligible teams for bowls, with only eight slots. A bowl is going to take A&M and K-State over KU. They have more fans that travel. Last year the attendance at the Insight Bowl was awful. KU needs to get to seven wins to guarantee a low tier bowl. Mangino has the best college football job in America. KU fans would be happy with a Texas Bowl appearance.
November 5, 2009 at 2:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
txrockchalk (anonymous) says...
FriscoKU ~
Your post is all over the map.
First, did you read Jesse's post directly above yours? K-State is probably not even going to be eligible. Even if they win 2 of their last 3 regular schedule games, and go on to the Big 12 Championship game and get blasted by Texas, they will be 6-7 in bowl qualifying games.
Second, did you attend the Insight Bowl last year? We easily outnumbered the Minnesota fans 2 to 1.
Third, "...Mangino has the best college football job in America..." - - what the?? I love KU football, but he does not have the best college football job in America.
November 5, 2009 at 3:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
FriscoKU (anonymous) says...
If you go 7-5 at the top BIG 12 footballs schools, you may get fired. At KU, you are a hero. I think the fans expectations should be higher than 6-6 or 7-5. All Mangino does is win an easy non-conference schedule, and average around three to four conference wins a season. In 2007, the schedule was so easy. This team got lucky. That will never happen again under this coach. I still cannot believe he pulled Todd Reesing during the Tech game. If it was not for Todd Reesing, Mangino would not be making $2.3 Million a year.
November 5, 2009 at 3:29 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
leikness (anonymous) says...
Jessie - Thanks for pointing that out, guess I didn't completely think it all the way through, but I would say that at this point in the big 12 schedule, saying KSU will win two more is about as likely as saying KU will win again given the way these teams have performed so far. After watching KSU against Oklahoma on Saturday I'm pretty convinced they are truly the team to beat this year.
November 5, 2009 at 6:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Jimmy_Dean (Alan Halvorsen) says...
Frisco burger, or shall I call you Jason Whitlock? Guess what? Mangino is the one who took a chance on Reesing, and had it not been for that, Reesing would probably be getting pounded behind a terrible Duke offensive line in the ACC. Because those were the only guys taking a chance on him. So who really "owes" anybody anything here? Don't forget we still had Kerry Meier, we wouldn't have been terrible in '07.
November 5, 2009 at 9:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
HawkfromHays (anonymous) says...
Frisco is wrong about the Reesing benching but is absolutely dead-on concerning the expectations for this team.
Should have been 9-3 this year, will probably end up 7-5. If we lose to K-State this season is an utter failure. It's too bad we have to scrape for a "season-saving" victory following a 3 or 4 game losing streak every year.
November 5, 2009 at 11:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
OakvilleJHawk (anonymous) says...
KU Bowl Summary:
Since 1948, KU has been in 11 bowls. Of those 11, 7 are previous coaches at 3-4, 4 are Mangino teams at 3-1. No other Kansas coach has won more than two. No other Kansas coach has won a major/BCS bowl. No other Kansas coach has been named Coach of the Year.
If you judge a Coach strictly on league play, HCMM has won nothing.
If you judge a Coach strictly on post-season play, HCMM beats all other Kansas coaches.
If you judge a Coach on overall performance, HCMM although has brought the program back a long way, but still has a long way to go before achieving elite status.
November 6, 2009 at 1:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
njjayhawk (anonymous) says...
If KU loses to KSU, it will be the Latrine Bowl for KU vs. Washburn on the Pop Warner Pee-Wee Field at Lake Shawnee City Park in Topeka.
November 7, 2009 at 6:42 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )