While the Big 12 title has already been claimed by No. 3 Oklahoma, there are still bowl implications in the two league games that will be played on the final Saturday of the regular season.
Kansas State (5-6, 2-6 Big 12) can get its sixth win for bowl eligibility in the regular-season finale at home against West Virginia (7-4, 4-4). The Wildcats could also be a potential bowl team with a losing record, as could Texas (4-7, 3-5) if the Longhorns win their finale at No. 12 Baylor (9-2, 6-2).
”Would we accept a 5-7 (bowl invitation), I don’t even want to think about it,” veteran K-State coach Bill Snyder said Monday. ”That’s not the direction we’re trying to move right now, and I certainly don’t want a way out.”
Longhorns coach Charlie Strong said he won’t even address his players about the possibility of going to a bowl game if they win to get to 5-7.
”I just really haven’t thought about that, because with this Baylor game coming up, the preparation and focus is there,” Strong said. ”We need to go play well against Baylor before we can ever get in that conversation.”
The Big 12’s final teleconference of the season included only the four coaches who haven’t finished the regular season.
The Sooners (11-1, 8-1) clinched their ninth Big 12 title with a 58-23 win Saturday night over No. 14 Oklahoma State (10-2, 7-2). Oklahoma has won seven games in a row since its 24-17 loss against the Longhorns on Oct. 10.
Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU and Texas Tech, who have all finished their regular seasons, are bowl bound.
With the likelihood of Oklahoma making it into the four-team College Football Playoff, No. 12 Baylor could become the Big 12 representative against an SEC team in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day with a win Saturday.
”Our bowl future is Saturday at 11 a.m., that’s kind of where we’re focused on right now,” Baylor coach Art Briles said. ”All that other stuff will take care of itself after our game.”
The Bears’ bid for a third consecutive Big 12 title ended with a 28-21 double-overtime loss at No. 11 TCU on Friday night. But even a win against the Horned Frogs wouldn’t have been enough since Oklahoma won Saturday.
West Virginia has won its last four games since starting Big 12 play with four consecutive losses – to Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Baylor and TCU. Kansas State has two games in a row since being 0-6 in the Big 12 for the first time ever.
”Two very similar teams, there’s no question,” West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen said. ”The scheduling, both 3-0 to start the season and playing pretty good, then having to play some of those teams in the Big 12, stacked a couple of losses up on it. Both teams hung in there.”
Snyder said if the Wildcats are in position for a bowl bid, whether 6-6 or 5-7, they would take the same approach as always, with the players getting an opportunity to help decide what to do.
At least they have turned things around after that six-game losing streak.
”The winning streak is not nearly as long as the losing streak was. That was very, very difficult time for all of us,” Snyder said. ”I’m so proud of the young people in our program, how they’ve fought back, and never ever given in.”
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