Big 12 Football: Predicting Bowl Appearances for Big 12 Teams
We're already past the quarter pole of the 2014 college football season. But is it ever too early for bowl projections?
We don't think so.
The Big 12 has already had some major shake-ups this season. From the dismissals at Texas to the emergence of West Virginia as a dark-horse contender, this conference is up for grabs.
The two teams in the league that aren't projected to make a bowl game are Iowa State and Kansas—both failed to earn bowl eligibility last season.
With that, let's check out the bowl projections for the rest of the eight teams in the Big 12.
Texas: AdvoCare Texas Bowl
1 of 8
The Texas Longhorns have limped their way to a 1-2 start, and with a brutal Big 12 schedule ahead of them, they'll need to go 5-4 in conference just to get bowl-eligible.
While they'll likely accomplish that with road games against Kansas State, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State and a league schedule that starts off with Kansas, then Baylor and Oklahoma, it could be a long season for fans in Austin.
Charlie Strong is cleansing the Longhorns, which is evident by the nine dismissals he's given out since taking over. But the cost of that is settling for the Texas Bowl in 2014.
Texas Tech: Armed Forces Bowl
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Texas Tech should have no trouble earning bowl eligibility in Kliff Kingsbury's second year at the helm.
But the loss to Arkansas and the struggles against UTEP aren't exactly promising when it comes to the Red Raiders earning themselves a prime-time bowl appearance.
With Davis Webb and the high-octane offense, the Red Raiders are capable of upsetting almost anybody in the Big 12. They're also capable of catching fire at any time, so don't count these guys out of contender status.
However, with teams like TCU and West Virginia exceeding early expectations, it's Texas Tech that's taking the back seat in the Armed Forces Bowl for now.
TCU: Cactus Bowl
3 of 8
While the expectations in Fort Worth are always lofty, the fact of the matter is that TCU will have to battle for every win in the Big 12, one of the country's deepest leagues.
That makes the team's 2-0 start, which should surely advance to 3-0 when they face SMU on Saturday, so crucial.
In fact, the Horned Frogs have looked impressive over their first two wins, as though they're finally ready to compete in the Big 12.
But with so much talent above them in the standings, the Cactus Bowl is a good consolation prize.
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West Virginia: Liberty Bowl
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Before the season started, West Virginia was supposed to duke it out with Kansas and Iowa State to stay out of the basement of the Big 12.
After battling with Alabama in Week 1 and Oklahoma last week, the tables have turned and West Virginia is suddenly one of the dark horses in the country.
Quarterback Clint Trickett has been marvelous, Dana Holgorsen is well on his way off the hot seat, and the Mountaineers have nearly an entire Big 12 season ahead of them to continue making noise.
Nevertheless, the Sooners exposed holes that teams like Baylor, Kansas State and Oklahoma State should capitalize on. That'll relegate WVU to the Liberty Bowl.
Oklahoma State: Russell Athletic Bowl
5 of 8
There's no doubt that Oklahoma State is one of the more impressive teams in the Big 12.
But with question marks at quarterback surrounding Daxx Garman and the status of the Cowboys offense with J.W. Walsh's injury, it's hard to place them in the top three of the league.
Road trips to TCU, Kansas State, Baylor and Oklahoma aren't exactly what the doctor ordered either for Oklahoma State.
Still, you have to trust that Mike Gundy and Co. will have the Cowboys poised for another quality season in Stillwater that'll likely end with a berth in the Russell Athletic Bowl.
Kansas State: Alamo Bowl
6 of 8
Auburn didn't beat Kansas State last Thursday. The Wildcats beat themselves with three turnovers and three missed field goals in a 20-14 loss.
But yet, they still had a decent shot at upending the defending SEC champs and proved to the country that, if they play mistake-free ball—which, under Bill Snyder, they will undoubtedly start doing sooner rather than later—the Wildcats can hang with anybody.
Baylor and Oklahoma are both road trips that Kansas State has to make this year, and it's tough to see the Wildcats winning both of those. Plus, with eight teams being projected as bowl-eligible out of a 10-team conference, it's tough to imagine those will be the only losses K-State will take.
Expect an Alamo Bowl appearance for Snyder's squad this season.
Baylor: Cotton Bowl
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With Oklahoma projected to go to the College Football Playoff, the Baylor Bears should finish with only one or two losses on the year—good enough for an at-large bid to one of the big bowl games.
For Baylor, that'll likely be the Cotton Bowl, played in its home state of Texas.
The Bears have continued their high-flying, offensive juggernaut antics this season after winning the Big 12 a year ago.
However, all signs seem to point to the fact that Oklahoma is the team to beat in the league, and Baylor will likely fall short in the department as the season continues to progress.
Still, Baylor is one of the country's best teams and will more than earn its spot in the Cotton Bowl.
Oklahoma: Sugar Bowl—CFB Playoff
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After last Saturday's win over the red-hot West Virginia Mountaineers, the Oklahoma Sooners are now firmly in the driver's seat for the Big 12 title and therefore what should be a berth in the College Football Playoff.
The Sooners are hitting on all cylinders, particularly with quarterback Trevor Knight, who came into the season with plenty of question marks but is proving all of the doubters wrong.
The Sugar Bowl is host to the No. 1 and No. 4 seeds. Oklahoma will likely take a loss down the road at some point with the Big 12 being so deep, so the Sooners will likely grab that fourth seed.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
