It could be so good that Missouri's Chase Daniel, a Heisman finalist this season, might not be the best quarterback in the Big 12 by next December. Or even the second best.

That, of course, is assuming Daniel returns next season. The Big 12 is loaded with young talent, and Daniel is one of many indicating an interest in departing early for the NFL.

But I'm getting eight games ahead of myself.

The perfect way for the Big 12 to set the 2008 stage would be would be to write the closing chapter on 2007 with a strong postseason showing in eight bowl games.

Or, as Oklahoma linebacker Curtis Lofton said about the successful approach the Sooners took on Dec. 1 in defeating Missouri in the Big 12 title game: "We told ourselves that we were going to come out here and show the world how good we are."

The Big 12 teams need to take that show-them attitude into this postseason. Strong team and individual performances would send a message to the rest of the college football world that the Big 12 will be a big-time player in 2008.

In addition to Daniel and Lofton, some other league players who could be in Heisman contention next season include OU quarterback Sam Bradford, Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing, Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell, Texas quarterback Colt McCoy and Missouri receiv er / runner / returner Jeremy Maclin.

OU, KU, Mizzou, Texas and Texas Tech could all be ranked next August when the preseason Top 25 polls are released, with OU a contender to be No. 1.

The eight Big 12 teams going bowling could also help the conference make up for some past postseason failures. In its first 11 years of existence, the Big 12 has gone a mediocre 36-41 overall in bowl games and finished above .500 only four times.

Last season's 3-5 record was all the more woeful when you consider the Big 12 went 0-5 against ranked teams. It gets worse: The three wins were over opponents that went 6-6 during the regular season.

The Sooners' shocking loss in the Fiesta Bowl to a non-BCS school, Boise State, capped off perhaps the worst overall bowl performance in Big 12 history.

And now the potential for embarrassment is there again. Five of the eight Big 12 teams are favorites, which means the conference's image will take another negative shot if it loses more than it wins.

But opportunity also awaits. Five Big 12 teams will face opponents ranked in the Top 25, with Texas and Kansas playing teams ranked higher in the BCS standings.

Texas (9-3) needs to get the Big 12 off to a roaring start Thursday night in the Holiday Bowl. The Longhorns face Arizona State (10-2), which was in the national championship race until late in the season.

But OU and Kansas have the chance to make the most noise because they are in BCS bowls. Wins by the Sooners (Fiesta) and Jayhawks (Orange) could help create some in teresting repercussions after the bowl season ends Jan. 7 with Ohio State and LSU playing for the BCS national title.

The BCS folks took two shots at OU. While the Sooners thought their convincing win over Mizzou was enough to put them in the title game, they finished fourth in the BCS standings and were matched up with No. 11 West Virginia.

It was then revealed last week that BCS officials shot down OU's effort to play No. 5 Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl. The most obvious explanation for the rejection was that the BCS didn't want an OU-Virginia Tech matchup to take any attention or luster away from the LSU-Ohio State contest.

The BCS would have preferred to keep the OU-Virginia Tech story quiet. Now that the petty BCS has been exposed once again, it could benefit OU if there is a split national champi onship.

If the BCS' self-serving actions ticked off Associated Press poll voters -- which is not part of the BCS formula -- they could opt to go for either OU or Virginia Tech if the LSU-Ohio State game is lackluster.

That, of course, would require both OU and Virginia Tech to produce convincing wins. KU could help OU's cause if the Jayhawks can upset the Hokies in the Orange Bowl.

"I would love a split national championship," Lofton said. "I think we should be considered as one of the top teams in the country."

Lofton was talking about this bowl season. But there's no time like the present for the Sooners to prove they are ready to be the country's top team in 2008.

Read Dave Sittler's blog at www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra.