I'm glad we'll be representing the South...

[TopDawg]

...but it sucks what happened to Texas. And if Texas would've wound up representing the the north, it would've sucked what happened to Texas Tech. And if Texas Tech would've wound up representing the north, it would've sucked what happened to us.

For me, the second biggest redeeming factor about this is that Texas' big campaign didn't work. Their "remember our head-to-head win and forget our head-to-head loss" crap got old really fast. But the fact of the matter is that under any other conference's tie-breaker system, we wouldn't have made it. (Of course, the fact of the matter is that under OUR conference's tie-breaker system, we did.) There's no doubt that we earned this ranking with our on-the-field play...both before and after the Texas game...but there's also no doubt that we are somewhat lucky that the circumstances fell to our favor.

I say all of that to say that if there's ever a year that we needed to win the conference championship game and win (or at least play tough in) the BCS title game, it's this year. We're already sort of the bad guy (although the system is FINALLY taking a lot of heat too) for being put in this situation and if we blow it again, it's not going to be a good mark on our record. And that's something...like it or not...that could affect things in the future.

Unless Texas loses in their bowl game. That'd be cool.

[boomersooner28]

Dude. If we lose this year. Oh man. Dude. Wow. We are gonna be negged into oblivion.

[TopDawg]

hahaha...negged into oblivion...

yep

[soonerboomer93]

...but it sucks what happened to Texas. And if Texas would've wound up representing the the north, it would've sucked what happened to Texas Tech. And if Texas Tech would've wound up representing the north, it would've sucked what happened to us.

For me, the second biggest redeeming factor about this is that Texas' big campaign didn't work. Their "remember our head-to-head win and forget our head-to-head loss" crap got old really fast. But the fact of the matter is that under any other conference's tie-breaker system, we wouldn't have made it. (Of course, the fact of the matter is that under OUR conference's tie-breaker system, we did.) There's no doubt that we earned this ranking with our on-the-field play...both before and after the Texas game...but there's also no doubt that we are somewhat lucky that the circumstances fell to our favor.

I say all of that to say that if there's ever a year that we needed to win the conference championship game and win (or at least play tough in) the BCS title game, it's this year. We're already sort of the bad guy (although the system is FINALLY taking a lot of heat too) for being put in this situation and if we blow it again, it's not going to be a good mark on our record. And that's something...like it or not...that could affect things in the future.

Unless Texas loses in their bowl game. That'd be cool.

I believe we would have won in the pac 10's tie breaker, or maybe it was tech which would have won, so it was immediately cited as a poor example by the person who brought it up

[boomersooner28]

I cannot believe I care so much about this damn sport and it's in such shambles. :O

[TopDawg]

I believe we would have won in the pac 10's tie breaker, or maybe it was tech which would have won, so it was immediately cited as a poor example by the person who brought it up

My bad...the conferences with a divisional structure like ours.

The Pac-10 one is weird. It looks like it could be determined by eliminating the team that has been to the Rose Bowl most recently. That may be old criteria I'm looking at, but it's weird/funny that they ever used that criteria.

[PDXsooner]

i will admit that the system is screwed, and texas has a great argument as to why they were screwed.

HOWEVER, i agree TD, that the way their argument was framed all week -- that they should get in because of head-to-head, with absolutely no explanation as to why that wouldn't apply to texas tech-- started to **** me off to the point that I'm SO HAPPY it backfired!!!

and it couldn't have happened to a bigger bunch of whiners...

[ouwasp]

my dad and I were driving to a hs football game the other night, worrying about our country and my kids futures...

Then we decided thats why we enjoyed football/sports so much, serves as an escape valve.

With that in mind, really sucks to be texas now...

[JLEW1818]

GUESS WHAT EVERYBODY?????????????? THE 3 WAY TIE IS OVER!!!!!!!!

If somebody would have told you this would happen at the beginning of the year, would you have laughed?

I love College Football!!!

[TopDawg]

If somebody would have told you this would happen at the beginning of the year, would you have laughed?

If someone would've told me that Longhorn fans across the nation would be tuning in to Fox Sports to see if they were in the Top 2 of the BCS, only to be told...BY BARRY SWITZER...that they had been passed by OU...yes, I would've laughed.

The point is that it's not over. The 3-way tie is...but it's quite possible that they'll still have the last laugh. We've got some work to do and if we don't get it done this year...like we've failed to do in the past...it could be ugly.

The other point is that even though I would've laughed...it still sucks for them. I wouldn't want to be in that situation. And by "in that situation" I mean two things:

1) losing the 3-way tie to a team we beat
2) a longhorn fan

[StoopTroup]

n81vCVFRm94&feature=related

[Stoop Dawg]

But the fact of the matter is that under any other conference's tie-breaker system, we wouldn't have made it.

That's all well and good, but why didn't anyone address that issue BEFORE the season started?

Nobody got "screwed". The rules were followed and the winner was determined. The winner is OU.

If Mack wants to change the rules for next year, that's fine. Although, I highly suspect it will bit him in the *** at some point (his team being left out under the new rule).

[TopDawg]

Yeah, no doubt. I bet it (the BCS tie-breaker) was thrown in their mostly as a safety net...with little thought that it would ever play out like this.

Nobody griped about it earlier and while it's fine to gripe about its inherent shortcomings now...it's absolutely FOOLISH to suggest that we go to another system mid-season.

[boomersooner28]

Another great thought I had today was the fact that everyone is ripping the BCS to shreds, including us, BUT it has worked in OUr favor A LOT! We have benefited more than anyone since the BCS's inception. I thought this was OUr year to get left out. Guess I was wrong . :D

[PDXsooner]

We've got some work to do and if we don't get it done this year...like we've failed to do in the past...it could be ugly.



I totally agree with this statement. We've lost our last two title games, and been beaten by inferior opponents in 2 consecutive Fiesta Bowls. Our recent reputation is that of chokers and the team that can't win the big one.

If we beat Mizzou, and go on to beat a team like Florida that reputation will be immediately erased. If we lose another one, it just gets worse.

But this is the opportunity every team/coach/fan wants -- the chance to get it done on a national stage. I feel really, really good about this team.

[Stoop Dawg]

Also...

While opposing teams find it entertaining to point out our terrible BCS bowl record, we absolutely KICK *** at winning the Big 12!

Woot!

[TopDawg]

Heh...yep.

I thought our 2-year streak would come to an end this year without us getting a chance to defend it in the title game. I'm glad we've got a chance to extend it. Nobody else (except us from 2002-2004) has even appeared in the championship game 3 times in a row. We've got a chance to win it 3 times in a row.

[BoulderSooner79]

That's all well and good, but why didn't anyone address that issue BEFORE the season started?

Nobody got "screwed". The rules were followed and the winner was determined. The winner is OU.

If Mack wants to change the rules for next year, that's fine. Although, I highly suspect it will bit him in the *** at some point (his team being left out under the new rule).

You hit the nail on the head. The BCS rules have been tweaked regularly because there is always someone that the media or the voters think got jobbed. Then they tweak the formula so that that teamed would have gotten in under the new rules and someone else gets jobbed by the new rules. With a 2 team playoff, there will always be someone who finishes #3. This year was weird because the BCS system leaked over into a conference championship determination, so the fuss started early.

[TopDawg]

While we're on the subject, here's the breakdown of Big 12 title game appearances:

Colorado: 4 (1-1 against Texas, 0-2 against OU)
Kansas State: 3 (0-1 against A&M, 1-1 against OU)
Missouri: 2 (currently 0-1 against OU)
Nebraska: 4 (1-1 against Texas, 1-0 against A&M, 0-1 against OU)

Oklahoma: 7 (1-1 against KSU, 2-0 against CU, 1-0 against NU, currently 1-0 against MU)
Texas: 4 (1-1 against NU, 1-1 against CU)
Texas A&M: 2 (0-1 against NU, 1-0 against KSU)

[SoonerDood]

Dude. If we lose this year. Oh man. Dude. Wow. We are gonna be negged into Bolivia.

Fixed ;)

[TopDawg]

Didn't he actually say "bolivian"?