Tuesday, December 9, 2008
While college football’s regular season allows conferences to build reputations, bowl season offers the opportunity to leave a lasting impression — good or bad. Just ask the Big Ten. The epic title-game failures of Ohio State the past two seasons made the conference frequent fodder for punch lines and reinforced its rep as an impostor.
Coming off of one of its best all-around showings this year, the Big 12 is faced with a make-or-break bowl season. If Oklahoma and Texas flop in BCS games and Big Ten opponents pulverize Kansas and Missouri in lesser games, the Big 12’s 2008 success could be dismissed as a flash in the pan. But there isn’t much reason to worry: Given the matchups, the Big 12 could sweep its seven bowl games this season.
Sooners
Oklahoma drew Florida in the BCS National Championship game. The Sooners boast perhaps the strongest offense in the history of college football. Florida is an SEC team with decidedly Big 12-ish offensive firepower, but Oklahoma is just too talented.
Longhorns
Texas should handle Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. The Buckeyes are much improved since their early-season pasting at the hands of USC, but Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo might be the only player in the nation capable of single-handedly shutting down Ohio State’s super-frosh quarterback Terrell Pryor.
Red Raiders
Texas Tech will score a lot of points on Mississippi in the Cotton Bowl. True, the Rebels bring SEC pedigree into play, but the Red Raiders are capable of outscoring any squad.
Cowboys
Similar teams in Oklahoma State and Oregon meet in the Holiday Bowl. Each runs a spread offense, and each runs frequently from its spread offense. Anchored by all-everything back Kendall Hunter, the Cowboys are basically a better version of the Ducks.
Cornhuskers
By the end of the regular season, Nebraska was the best team in the Big 12 North. The Cornhuskers will keep rolling in their Gator Bowl matchup against the Tigers. Clemson’s defense is staunch, but its offense is shaky.
Tigers
Missouri and Northwestern should turn the Alamo Bowl into an offensive exhibition. Missouri will do what it normally does: Spread the ball around the field with ease, allow 35 points, and win by 30.
Jayhawks
Last and least, Kansas meets Minnesota in the Insight Bowl. The Jayhawks will drub the Golden Gophers by 45 points or more in what will amount to an excruciating 5-hour bastardization of the game of football. Thank God it’ll be hidden somewhere deep in the recesses of cable on the NFL Network.
recommended reading
Grab a copy of the most recent Sports Illustrated (Michael Phelps is on the cover) and flip to the feature story about Paul Pierce. Writer S.L. Price documents the former Jayhawk’s image rehabilitation and follows Pierce’s transformation from supposed whiner to unquestioned winner after the Celtics’ 2008 NBA title run. Price does an outstanding job telling a story that hadn’t been told very well previously: Paul Pierce from Paul Pierce’s point of view. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in KU basketball.
— — Edited by Andy Greenhaw
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