Texas began the Big 12 Conference bowl run Thursday night in the Holiday Bowl. That’s one down and seven to go, starting with the Alamo Bowl on Saturday.
Alamo Bowl: Texas A&M vs. Penn State. Lone Star Ampersands, under interim coach Gary Darnell, tangle with Nittany Mountain men under ageless Joe Paterno. Kickoff conflicts with Giants-Patriots game as well as Kansas-Yale men’s basketball game, meaning ESPN faces a ratings bath, particularly in Sunflower State.
Little-known fact: Paterno left the Alamo before Santa Anna attacked.
Sunday
Independence Bowl: Colorado vs. Alabama. Buffs had lost four of five before becoming bowl-eligible with a 65-51 victory over a Nebraska team that couldn’t stop the dance of the sugar-plum fairies. Shreveport may not be sun-kissed in December, but it’s a better bowl site than, say, Syracuse, N.Y.
Little-known fact: This was once known as the Poulan Weed Eater Bowl.
Monday
Insight Bowl: Oklahoma State vs. Indiana. Oklahoma State, like Buffs, finished 6-6, but Cowboys were shuttled off to toasty Tempe, Ariz., where coach Mike (“Pick on me, I’m a man”) Gundy will showcase the Big 12’s most balanced offense against an Indiana team making its first bowl appearance since Bob Knight wore knickers.
Little-known fact: NFL Network owns TV rights (but there won’t be any simulcast on CBS and NBC).
Tuesday
Cotton Bowl: Missouri vs. Arkansas. Brunch with the Bengals and Bristlebacks. Many New Year’s Eve revelers still will be in the sack when this one kicks off at 10:30 a.m. It’s homecoming for Mizzou quarterback Chase Daniel, who hails from suburban Dallas, but will he be able to outshine Darren McFadden, Arkansas’ do-everything dandy? Tigers 0-2 against Oklahoma and 11-0 against the rest of the world.
Little-known fact: Long-time Arkansas athletic director Frank Broyles was Missouri’s head football coach in 1957.
Gator Bowl: Texas Tech vs. Virginia. Yes, Virginia, the Red Raiders throw the ball. Tech QB Graham Harrell and wideout Michael Crabtree lead the nation in total offense and receiving, respectively. Raiders don’t care if you score. They just hope you do it quickly, so they can take possession again.
Little-known fact: Virginia has lost nine of its last 10 meetings with rival Virginia Tech.
Wednesday
Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma vs. West Virginia. OU boasts Big 12’s most underrated QB in Sam Bradford and league’s best defense down the stretch. Sooners’ only losses were at Texas Tech and Colorado. Yes, Colorado. Go figure.
Little-known fact: Kansas and Oklahoma have met 99 times; Kansas and West Virginia just once (in 1941).
Thursday
Orange Bowl: Kansas vs. Virginia Tech. Win or lose, Jayhawks have already compiled most victories in school’s 118 years of football. Kansas ranks No. 2 nationally in scoring offense, and Virginia Tech ranks No. 2 in scoring defense. X factor could be turnover margin. KU leads nation in that category, thanks mainly to QB Todd Reesing’s remarkable TD-to-INT ratio of 32 to 6.
Little-known fact: Only five of the 119 NCAA big-football teams surrendered more sacks than the Hokies.
