Oklahoma football: Notre Dame, OU could meet again — this time in the Fiesta Bowl

Here is a look at what would have to happen for the Sooners to end their season in the Fiesta Bowl, the Rose Bowl or out of the BCS altogether.

FIESTA BOWL

Some conference's champions are contractually obligated to play in certain bowl games — the Big 10 and Pac-12 champions are tied to the Rose Bowl, as the Big 12 is to the Fiesta Bowl, the ACC to the Orange and the SEC to the Sugar — provided those schools aren't playing in the national title game.

If any of those conference champions finish ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in the final BCS standings, the corresponding bowls get the first and second selections among other automatic qualifiers and at-large candidates.

Should Kansas State clinch a title-game berth, Oklahoma would likely be Arizona-bound, snatched up by the Fiesta Bowl as a solid Big 12 replacement for the Wildcats.

If, in that scenario, Kansas State's BCS title game opponent is anyone other than Notre Dame, a Sooners vs. Irish rematch in Glendale, Ariz., is entirely possible.

The Fiesta Bowl would get two picks in a row — the first from losing the Big 12 champion, and the second because the Fiesta Bowl was already slated to select first this year among the remaining automatic qualifiers and at-large candidates.

ROSE BOWL

If Oregon rises into the BCS standings' top 2 by the end of the regular season, the strict traditionalists in Pasadena, Calif., might get a matchup of historic powers instead of its preferred Big 10 vs. Pac-12 tilt.

With Ohio State and Penn State ineligible for postseason play, Nebraska is the odds-on favorite to win the Big 10 and, as such, be the conference's BCS representative.

It's plausible that another Pac-12 team would meet the necessary requirements as a BCS at-large team — at least nine wins and a BCS ranking of No. 14 or higher. Oregon State is currently ranked No. 11, Stanford No. 14 and USC No. 17, but any of those teams winning out seems unlikely.