Let's take a look at how the Big XII will fulfill it's monster amount of bowl tie-ins (8 same as the ACC).
Four teams are already eligible for bowls: Texas, A&M, Missouri, and Nebraska. That still leaves us with 4 spots that need filling. What are the possibilities?
Oklahoma (5-2, 2-1) - The Sooners need just one win in their final 5 games to make a bowl. Surely even without Peterson they should be able to beat Texas Tech, Baylor, or Oklahoma State.
Texas Tech (5-3, 2-2) - The Raiders similarly need only one win, but the road is a little tougher with one less game, playing Texas, Baylor, OU, and OSU. They should be in as well.
For those counting at home that's 6
Oklahoma State (4-3, 1-2) - The Cowboys started their stretch run this past weekend with an overtime loss to A&M. In their last 5 games the 'Boys most play Nebraska, Texas, and Oklahoma as well as Baylor and Tech. If they beat both of the latter games or squeeze out a win in one of the former, they'll go bowling.
Baylor (4-4, 3-1) - Baylor has to split their last four games for their first bowl game since 1994. That sounds doable, but two of those games are against A&M and Oklahoma. Baylor needs help.
Kansas State (4-4, 1-3) - The Wildcats are not as good as Baylor by any stretch, but they certainly enjoy an easier road to bowl eligibility. Texas is probably beyond their reach, but their other three games are winnable. Struggling Iowa State comes to Manhattan this weekend, and if they pull off what I would still consider an upset, the cats would only have to beat Colorado or Kansas to punch their ticket to the Independence or Texas Bowl.
Iowa State and Kansas are still technically within reach, needing to win 3 of their last 4 games to become eligible. Each play only one ranked team, Missouri, and each other along with Kansas State and Colorado. Don't count them out yet, but they'll need a major turnaround.
My Tentative Bowl Predictions
BCS Bowl: Texas
Cotton/Holiday/Alamo: A&M, Mizzou, Nebraska (we'll see how it shakes out)
Sun Bowl: Oklahoma
Insight Bowl: Texas Tech
Independence Bowl: Oklahoma State
Texas Bowl: Kansas State
The Gator Bowl has the option to pick the 4th team out of the Big XII or the 2nd team out of the Big East. If the Gator Bowl opts to take a Big East team, the Sun Bowl gets the 5th pick of Big XII teams. I'm predicting that the Gator Bowl will jump on a one loss WVA or Louisville and pass on a Big XII team with at least two losses.
As always feel free to call me an idiot. You won't be the first.
--AR--