Big 12 football: Sorting out the bowls

Who are the Big 12 teams likely to face in bowl matchups? Here’s a look at the Big 12 bowls and the possible opponents:

Fiesta Bowl, Jan. 3, Glendale, Ariz.: Oregon, almost surely. The fifth-ranked Ducks seem shut out of the national title game and definitely are shut out of the Rose Bowl, since Oregon did not make the Pac-12 title game. The Fiesta figures to get second pick, just after the Sugar Bowl, and 11-1 Oregon will be the best team on the board. Big 12 team: Kansas State, if the Wildcats beat Texas. If KSU loses, OU goes, provided it beats TCU.

Sugar Bowl, Jan. 2, New Orleans: Florida, almost surely. The fourth-ranked Gators appear to be shut out of the Big Bowl, which will match Notre Dame and the Alabama-Georgia winner in the SEC title. The Sugar Bowl would get first pick under such a scenario, and 11-1 Florida would be the best team available. Likely Big 12 team: OU, if K-State wins the Big 12′s BCS berth and if Kent State doesn’t crash the party by making the top 16 of the BCS and earning an automatic bid, which would push the Big East champ to the Sugar Bowl.

Cotton Bowl, Jan. 4, Arlington, Texas: The Cotton traditionally gets the No. 4 team from the SEC – after two in the BCS and one in the Capital One Bowl. Six SEC teams are ranked in the top 10, so the quality will be there no matter what for the Cotton. The Cotton would love to have 10-2 Texas A&M, particularly against Texas. But LSU remains a good option for the Cotton, too. Alabama probably won’t be available; the Crimson Tide probably would go to the Capital One Bowl, if Bama loses the SEC title game. Likely Big 12 team: The 8-3 Longhorns could be playing their way out of this bowl. If they lose to K-State, the Cotton would take 10-2 OU over the ‘Horns. Plus, there are UT alums on the Cotton Bowl board, and the Longhorns can’t be fired up to play the Aggies. Texas might politick to stay out of the Cotton.

Alamo Bowl, Dec. 29, San Antonio: The Alamo gets the No. 2 Pac-12 team, but two Pac-12 squads figure to make the BCS this season. And the Pac-12 contract mandates that bowls must pick in the order of the conference standings, with an allowance to drop one slot. That means the Alamo is bound to take 8-3 Oregon State or the loser of the Pac-12 title game matching 9-3 UCLA and 10-2 Stanford. Likely Big 12 team: Oklahoma State. If the Big 12 gets only one team in the BCS, then Texas or OU would be headed to the Alamo, particularly since OSU was in San Antonio just two years ago.

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