Berry Tramel, Sports columnist

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David Stanley Ford

Big 12’s true test comes in the next two weeks
Bowl season wins at neutral fields would validate league’s claim as best

By Berry Tramel    Comments Comment on this article17
Published: December 24, 2008

Big 12 football enters the bowl season with its highest status ever.


OU head coach Bob Stoops talks to the press during the final University of Oklahoma media luncheon on Monday, Dec. 22, 2008, at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla. Photo by Chris Landsberger/The Oklahoman

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Oklahoma is in the national championship game. The league supplies the No. 1 (OU), No. 3 (Texas) No. 7 (Texas Tech) and No. 13 (OSU) teams in the BCS rankings.

By contrast, the SEC’s fourth-highest team (Ole Miss) is ranked 25th in the BCS.

But the Big 12’s prowess is largely inbred. A house built on sand.

The best Big 12 non-conference victories this year come from the Sooners, who routed Cincinnati and TCU at Owen Field in September, and Colorado, which beat West Virginia in overtime at Boulder.

The best non-conference road victory belongs to Tech, which bested Nevada 35-19.

Not much to get excited about past that. OSU beat Houston 56-37. Colorado beat Colorado State 38-17 in Denver. Missouri beat Illinois 52-42 in St. Louis. Texas thrashed Rice 52-10.

Compare those wins to the SEC’s best wins.

Florida won 45-15 at Florida State and beat Miami 26-3. Alabama beat Clemson 34-10 in Atlanta. South Carolina blanked North Carolina State 34-0. Kentucky won at Louisville 27-2. Arkansas beat Tulsa 30-23.

Not a big difference. Give a little edge to the SEC for Florida’s road win at Tallahassee and a little edge to the Big 12 for OU’s wins over top-15 teams at home.

But do you see what I mean? The power of the Big 12 (and the SEC, too, for that matter) is inflated. The true test comes in the next two weeks, when the league starts playing quality competition at neutral fields.

OU-Florida. Texas-Ohio State. Tech-Ole Miss. OSU-Oregon. Missouri-Northwestern. Nebraska-Clemson. Kansas-Minnesota.

Win four of those games, and the Big 12 will have done OK. Win five, particularly if it’s the Big Bowl, and the league can strut its stuff. But win only two or three and lose the Big Bowl?

Well, that will end all talk about the Big 12’s reputation as the best conference in college football.

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David Stanley Ford



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Berry Tramel has the courage to say it. We don't know how good the big 12 is until the bowls. Playing each other doesn't prove much. The big 12 teams play mostly patsies outside of league games. This Makes for big surpises.. I can't say teams from other conferences do much better. Don't worry, it just makes the bowl season more fun.
David, Ponca City - Dec 25, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Who cares about the other Big 12 teams. Our Sooners won the conference again, despite being hated by all the other teams in the Big 12, not to mention the whole nation and ESPN. Personally, I hope Texas and Okie State get blown out(TRUE OU HATERS). To the rest of the Big 12, good luck next year because they are going to need it, Sooners are locked and loaded for next year. BOOMER SOONER 4 LIFE. Happy Holidays to all Sooner Nation Fans across America.
Kim, Sacramento - Dec 25, 2008 at 2:18 pm
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The Big 12 will do fine in the Bowls, as Mizzou, Kansas, Tech, and Texas are sure to win. The tougest games will be OU-Fla, OSU-Ore, and Nebraska will win a close game.

Boomer Sooner! and GO BIG !@
Michael , Edmond - Dec 25, 2008 at 1:01 pm
I personally think all 7 are possible Big 12 wins with OU/FL &
Tech Ole Miss being the toughtest.
Boomer !
william, destin - Dec 24, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Bradford is too humble to fall into ego tripping. He'll still be dependable, efficient Sam. He's experienced and has shown that distractions don't get him out of his game. What a game it will be.
mark, oklahoma city - Dec 24, 2008 at 3:39 pm
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Okie State's bowl record is 12-6 which is tops in the Big XII. OU's bowl record in Miami is the same at 12-6. Texas has the same amount of bowl wins(24) as OU but 21 losses to OU's 16.
Ed Lova, Oklahoma City - Dec 24, 2008 at 12:57 pm
hey Berry can you check on Sam's head to see if it is normal or abnormally inflated. if it is inflated then we are doomed.
Tony, glendale - Dec 24, 2008 at 12:33 pm
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Ed Lova, I agree, after OU, and maybe Texas, OSU has the toughest game. But I'm curious. You said only one school has a better bowl record than OU. Who is that? I know, just want to hear you say it.
tyler, yukon - Dec 24, 2008 at 11:58 am
Go big or go home!! Big 12 goes undefeated and OU brings the Natl Championship back to Norman. Nebraska is a squeaker, OU by double digits and everyone else rolls....
Greg, Edmond - Dec 24, 2008 at 11:37 am
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The ducks don't stand a chance. They're about to find out the difference between having a good offense by PAC 10 standards and having a great offense, period. I highly doubt Tommy will be a man and graciously apologize come January 10th when all of his feeble predictions are laid to waste. Go pokes!!!
Mike, Tulsa - Dec 24, 2008 at 11:34 am
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The wins and losses are determined on the field by the players efforts and preparation. This applies whether okie u or state play teams of comparable talent. Good luck to the Big 12.
Travis, Sun City - Dec 24, 2008 at 11:10 am
The Sooners are 24-16-1 in bowl games, only one school has a better winning percentage in the conference. BTW I think OU and Okie State have the toughest bowl games, I think the rest of the Big XII will cruise, especially those games against the Blob Ten...
Ed Lova, Oklahoma City - Dec 24, 2008 at 9:38 am
Maybe, this year, OU can help the Big 12 to a winning bowl record.
They've been a goat for a long time. They lose this year and they
become the Buffalo Bills of college football. What a proud accomplishment for Bob and his staff
jo, edmond - Dec 24, 2008 at 9:23 am
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Texas absolutely mauled Arkansas. I don't remember the score but it was a rescheduled game because of hurrican weather and it was an absolute blowout.
Jerry, Pond Creek - Dec 24, 2008 at 9:12 am
I cant say I have ever gone to a Florda newspaper site, Filled out all the registration junk and commented on an article about the opposing team. Who has time! OH yeah, Loser gator fans, thats who. BOOMER SOONER!
cooter and joe SUX!, duncan - Dec 24, 2008 at 8:28 am
Tommy, Tommy, Tommy. You're mommy's calling you. Time to go to bed now. You can start pretending to be a big boy again tomorrow. While you're asleep, you can dream of beating a real football team....and that nasty nightmare of the big bad Mississippi Rebels will go away.

You ain's seen squat yet Tommy Boy!!! Come and get us!!!
randy, topeka - Dec 24, 2008 at 4:16 am
"Big 12’s true test comes in the next two weeks" Yep,you got that right...Okie state will get waxed by the Ducks.Tech will be crushed and Chokelahoma will play a REAL TEAM for once.
The little 12 will be exsposed for the frauds that they are in the bowl games...Go SEC!!! GO GATORS!!!!!
james, Oklahoma City - Dec 24, 2008 at 4:05 am

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