College Football 2011: The 10 Games That Will Decide the Big 12 Championship

The Big 12 looks to be a somewhat wide open conference next season. With Nebraska leaving the Big 12 North, teams like Missouri and Kansas State will look to step in and be the team to beat for years to come. 

In the South, do not expect Texas to have another down year. Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M will find themselves in the hunt for the Big 12 crown and probably have their moments in the top five of the entire nation. 

After the SEC, the Big 12 is arguably the next best conference. Next year will be just another exciting chapter. 

Schedule

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

TEMPE, AZ - DECEMBER 28: (L-R) Ricky Stanzi #12, Marvin McNutt #7 and Adrian Clayborn #94 of the Iowa Hawkeyes walk out onto the field for the Insight Bowl against the Missouri Tigers at Sun Devil Stadium on December 28, 2010 in Tempe, Arizona. The Hawke

Now that the Big 12 is down to 10 teams (and the Big 10 is up to 12), they have decided to switch to a nine-game conference schedule. 

Here's a good look at all the match ups for the 2011 season:

http://big12football.net/2011schedule.html

10. Baylor vs. Missouri

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WACO, TX - OCTOBER 04: Quarterback Robert Griffin #10 of the Baylor Bears drops back to pass against the Oklahoma Sooners at Floyd Casey Stadium on October 4, 2008 in Waco, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Robert Griffin will have plenty of big stages to showcase why he should win the Heisman, and why the Baylor Bears are legitimate threats in the Big 12.

With wide receivers Kendall Wright and Josh Gordon, Missouri will wish they still had corners Kevin Rutland and Carl Gettis, along with safety Jarrell Harrison. 

Baylor has tough road games at Texas A&M and at Oklahoma State before playing Missouri. If they beat Mizzou, they will be set to square off against Oklahoma in Waco for the Big 12 title. 

9. Texas A&M vs. Baylor

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ARLINGTON, TX - JANUARY 07: Quarterback Ryan Tannehill #17 of the Texas A&M Aggies looks to throw a pass against the Louisiana State University Tigers during the AT&T Cotton Bowl at Cowboys Stadium on January 7, 2011 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Chris

Before losing in the Cotton Bowl to a very good LSU team, Ryan Tannehill led the Aggies to six straight victories to close out the season. 

Texas A&M needs to take care of business in their home stadium, but if Baylor could come into College Station and beat the 12th man, they would really be making a statement. 

8. Oklahoma State vs. Baylor

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STILLWATER, OK - NOVEMBER 27: Quarterback Brandon Weeden #3 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys walks off the field after failing to make a first down against the Oklahoma Sooners at Boone Pickens Stadium on November 27, 2010 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. (Photo b

There is a very good chance Oklahoma State will be undefeated when Baylor rolls into Stillwater. If Baylor is still undefeated at this point, this game will be featuring two top ten teams. 

7. Baylor vs. Oklahoma

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WACO, TX - NOVEMBER 14: Sgt. Mark Todd of the Fort Hood Police Department walks onto the field with center J.D. Walton #55 and nose tackle Trey Bryant #97 of the Baylor Bears to conduct the coin toss prior to the Texas Longhorns taking on the Baylor Bear

Oklahoma may look over Baylor in Week 12 anticipating their epic clash with Oklahoma State in Week 13. Baylor is the home team and will probably be sitting around with two losses in Big 12 play. Look for Baylor to put up their best performance together for this one. 

6. Texas A&M vs. Texas

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AUSTIN, TX - NOVEMBER 25: University of Texas quarterback Garrett Gilbert #7 scores a touchdown during the second half against Texas A&M at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on November 25, 2010 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Darren Carroll/Getty Imag

This game is always a battle and the result is always unpredictable. 

Even if the Longhorns are not back to a normal high level Texas team, they would love to play the spoiler in this season finale. 

5. Texas vs. Oklahoma

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 04: Quarterback Landry Jones #12 of the Oklahoma Sooners drops back to pass against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the Big 12 Championship at Cowboys Stadium on December 4, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Ge

First game of the Big 12 season. Texas will make this one interesting and could ruin Oklahoma's chance at a National Title. 

4. Texas A&M vs. Missouri

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

ARLINGTON, TX - JANUARY 07: Wide receiver Jeff Fuller #8 and Uzoma Nwachukwu #7 of the Texas A&M Aggies celebrate a touchdown against the LSU Tigers during the AT&T Cotton Bowl at Cowboys Stadium on January 7, 2011 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald

Highly doubt that Texas A&M would lose this one in their home stadium, but Missouri is going to be better than people think. New quarterbacks seem to thrive right away at Missouri, and Texas A&M may be caught looking ahead to their showdown the next week with Oklahoma.

3. Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma State

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LAWRENCE, KS - NOVEMBER 20: Jeremy Smith #31 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys is congratulated by Jonathan Rush #70 after a touchdown during the game against the Kansas Jayhawks on November 20, 2010 at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie S

We will know very soon which one of these two teams will have the inside track in the Big 12. 

They meet up in Week 4 of the season at College Station. 

2. Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma

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BOULDER, CO - NOVEMBER 07: The 12th Man supporters of the Texas A&M Aggies support their team against the Colorado Buffaloes during NCAA college football action at Folsom Field on November 7, 2009 in Boulder, Colorado. Colorado defeated Texas A&M 35-34.

Baylor, Oklahoma State, Missouri and Texas all at home. 

Oklahoma on the road. 

The schedule works out nicely for Texas A&M, except for the fact that they will probably have to win in Norman to grab the Big 12 title. 

1. Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State

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STILLWATER, OK - NOVEMBER 27: Wide receiver Cameron Kenney #6 of the Oklahoma Sooners carries the ball against linebacker Shaun Lewis #11 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Boone Pickens Stadium on November 27, 2010 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The Sooners be

All signs point to this game being the one that decides the Big 12. 

These two teams will either come into this season finale game both undefeated; one undefeated, the other with one conference loss; or both teams with one conference loss. In any of these scenarios, this game will decide it all. 

Oklahoma may have to go on the road to play Baylor, but they have their big games against Texas A&M and their in-state rival in the comforts of Norman.