the tindog coffeehouse

The BCS makes for strange bedfellows. Had the Texas Longhorns beaten Texas Tech on November 1st, they would still be the undisputed No. 1 team in the country, or possibly a very close 2nd. As it is, Burnt Orange Nation will spend the bye-week nervously watching what happens in Norman between No. 2 Tech and No. 5 OU.

Should OU win and then beat Oklahoma State on the 29th, there would be a three-way tie in the Big 12 South between OU, Tech, and Texas, with the winner decided by the BCS results. Consequently, there is a slight possibility Texas could come out on top (probably thanks to the BCS computers), and then a Big 12 victory over Missouri would then give them a very good shot at the National Championship.

On the other hand, in a three-way tie Texas could end up in third place in the Big 12 with an invitation to the Holiday Bowl. (Although apparently it is possible all three teams could end up in BCS bowls — if the rules are bent.)

It’s that latter scenario that has me rooting for the Red Raiders this week and for Alabama in the SEC Championship on December 6th. Bama and Tech are both undefeated and ranked first and second in the country, respectively. By beating OU, Tech not only locks in their spot in the Big 12 title game but also guarantees that a 2-loss OU team can’t leapfrog 1-loss Texas. Plus, the Horns’ single loss looks a lot less painful because it will have been to a top-rated undefeated team. Barring an embarrassing loss to Mizzou by Tech, the Horns are pretty much a lock for the Fiesta Bowl — a much better ending to the season than the Holiday Bowl.

So why root for the Crimson Tide? Because a lot of voters are anxious to move Florida up in the polls, and a stronger Florida (which is currently No. 4 in the BCS) is a direct threat to Texas (which is No. 3), regardless of how the Big 12 shakes out.

So, no, I won’t be rooting for OU tomorrow. Let Tech and Bama fight it out for the National Championship. It’s a lot safer for Texas than hoping for a mathematical miracle.