Saturday’s Big 12 Championship between Oklahoma and Missouri might seem like a bit of a mismatch, but it’s still the most important game of the year outside of the Alabama-Florida SEC title tilt. If OU wins, they’ll play for the BCS title, while a Missouri upset would throw the BCS into chaos.
(Good seats still available, OU fans)
Despite all this, it’s not exactly the hottest ticket in Kansas City. Even with an in-state university playing in the game, there are nearly 8,000 seats unsold as of today. Guess the Tiger fans aren’t too confident of their team’s prospects in this one.
So you’re a Texas fan. You’re mad at the world because, despite beating your biggest rival by 10 points on a neutral field, they’re going to the Big 12 Championship and, in all likelihood, the BCS Championship instead of your Horns. You’re looking for a scapegoat. Well, we’ve got one for you: His name is Mack Brown.
(Mack Brown giveth, and he unintentionally taketh away.)
That’s right, the very coach who helped put Texas in this position is also partly responsible for keeping them from holding the No. 2 spot. Brown has a vote in the Coaches’ Poll, one of two polls balanced against the BCS computer rankings to determine the overall BCS Standings. Instead of voting for his Longhorns as the nation’s No. 1 team, Brown picked someone else (we’re betting undefeated Alabama). Two voters picked Oklahoma No. 1. The result? The Sooners end up with a one vote edge in the Coaches’ Poll … and with an edge of less than two-tenths of a poll in the BCS Standings.
Of course, that means Oklahoma is headed to the Big 12 Championship Game, with a serious inside track on the BCS Championship. Meanwhile the Longhorns will have to settle for a date in the Fiesta or Orange Bowl, barring a stunning upset by a Missouri team that looked more cooked than Thursday’s turkey throughout most of a loss to Kansas.
The ASSOCIATED PRESS reports that the Texas Tech coach was fined $10,000 for the remarks he made following the Red Raiders’ loss to the Longhorns.The fine was the highest ever handed down by the Big 12 Conference, doubling the previous record of penny- pinching punishment.
The HOUSTON CHRONICLE adds that Leach was also given a reprimand by the Big 12 (oooh, scary!). The conference also warned the Tech coach that any similar outbursts in the future could result in a suspension.
