Big 12 Power Rankings: Oklahoma State Needs Win Over Oklahoma to Clinch Big 12 Championship

Nov 30, 2013; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Baylor Bears safety

(28) returns an interception for a touchdown against the TCU Horned Frogs during the first half at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

2. Baylor Bears

Record: 10-1 (7-1)

Previous Ranking: 2

Last Week: Baylor 41, TCU 38

This Week: vs #25 Texas

By 2:30 p.m. central time Baylor will have a really good idea of what they’ll need to earn a BCS game berth. If OSU loses then Baylor will only need to beat Texas to become Big 12 champs and receive an automatic bid to (likely) the Fiesta Bowl. An OSU win, and Baylor will need some help.

Since a conference can have only two teams in a BCS bowl, the top two teams go to the national title game, and there are six automatic bids, so this changes the way Baylor should be looking at the standings.

REVISED BCS STANDINGS (ASSUMES OKLAHOMA ST. WIN)

1. Alabama

2. Auburn

3. Missouri

4. Baylor

Because Auburn and Missouri play each other in the SEC title game, and one of them will receive an automatic bid, Baylor – with a win – will be the second highest ranked team in the BCS without an automatic qualifying bid. But that doesn’t mean they are guaranteed the second spot. Here’s what they need to happen.

First, Baylor needs Bowling Green to somehow knock off Northern Illinois. Northern Illinois gets an automatic bid to a BCS game if they finish in the top 12 or ranked in the top 16 and higher than at least one automatic qualifier champion. UNI is currently ranked 14th and Central Florida, who is the leader of the American Athletic Conference, is ranked behind them. So UNI needs to lose to keep both at-large bids open for Baylor.

Second, Ohio State needs to win. An Ohio State victory ensures one of the at-large bids is not taken by Ohio State, which is what would likely happen since they would have only one loss. Michigan State would have two losses if they fall in the Big Ten title game and would not go to a BCS game.

If those things all happen then a bowl scenario could potential look like this: Florida State vs. Ohio State in the BCS title game; Michigan State vs Stanford in Rose Bowl; Auburn/Missouri vs Central Florida; Oklahoma State vs Alabama; Clemson vs. Baylor.

At worst, Baylor loses to Texas and ends up in the Alamo bowl. The middle ground is a Cotton Bowl appearance.