OSU bowl hopes improving

Oklahoma State’s bowl hopes don’t ride quite as much as we thought on beating either Texas or Kansas. The Cowboys now look like they can go bowling at 6-6. The Big 12 has eight bowl slots, and the only way a 6-6 team is eligible for a bowl is if it is needed to fill out those slots. A few weeks ago, it appeared the Big 12 might have at least eight teams with at least seven wins. Not so anymore.

Iowa State and Baylor have been mathematically eliminated from seven victories. And Nebraska has fallen to 4-5 and might not win again; it goes to Kansas and Colorado and hosts Kansas State. The Huskers will have to win all three to get to 7-5 and would have to win two of three to reach 6-6.

Kansas, Missouri, OU and Texas already have reached seven wins. Texas Tech is  6-3 but still has Baylor so should get there. That’s five berths.

Kansas State is 5-3 but still has Iowa State, Nebraska, Missouri and Fresno State. All but Mizzou is on the road, but KSU should be able to go 2-2 and reach seven. Colorado is 5-4 and still hosts Missouri, but it also hosts Nebraska and goes to Iowa State. Win those two, and the Buffs are in. That’s seven.

So if OSU flirts with 6-6, its bowl hopes could come down to Texas A&M. The Aggies are 6-3 but will be underdogs the rest of the way; at OU, at Missouri and home against Texas. If A&M goes 6-6, coach Dennis Franchione is likely to lose his job. (Same with Nebraska and coach Bill Callahan.) If a bowl gets a pick between 6-6 OSU and 6-6 A&M, the Cowboys seem the obvious choice. The Aggies would be in turmoil, without a coach, and the season would not be considered successful.

A 6-6 season wouldn’t be reason to throw a parade in Stillwater, but at least no one is after Mike Gundy’s job. Put it together, and it looks like OSU does not have to beat Kansas or Texas to make a bowl.