Sorting out the possible Big 12 tiebreakers involving Oklahoma State

For Tuesday’s newspaper, I wrote about how reaching a BCS game is still a possibility for Oklahoma State — if it wins out.

That has led to several questions about the various tiebreakers in the instances that two, three or even four teams finish with a 7-2 record in conference play. Let’s try to break down the ones down that involve OSU.

Again, these scenarios all first depend on OSU winning out, which certainly isn’t a given with road games against Oklahoma and Baylor remaining. Additionally, Texas must beat K-State to create any tie involving OSU, because a Wildcat victory would put them at 8-1 and clinch the Big 12′s automatic BCS bid.

Scenario 1: OSU wins out, Texas beats TCU and Kansas State, Oklahoma loses Bedlam but beats TCU.

Four-way tie
1. Texas (gets Big 12′s automatic bid to Fiesta Bowl)
2. Kansas State
3. OSU
4. OU
Why: OSU and OU finish 1-2 against the other co-champs, with OSU winning the head-to-head Bedlam battle. Texas and K-State finish 2-1 against the other co-champs, with Texas winning the head-to-head battle with K-State.

Scenario 2: OSU wins out, Texas loses to TCU but beats K-State, OU loses Bedlam but beats TCU

Three-way tie
1. Kansas State (gets Big 12′s automatic bid to Fiesta Bowl)
2. OSU
3. OU
Why: Kansas State beat both OSU and OU. OSU beat OU head-to-head.