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Possibilities remain

(Top) OU quarterbackSam Bradford, (Center) Texas Tech quarterbackGraham Harrell, & (Bottom) Texas quarterbackColt McCoy.

 
By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer
Published: 11/12/2008  2:12 AM
Last Modified: 11/12/2008  4:43 PM

OU win could bring tiebreaker into play



NORMAN — Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops says he would like to hear any suggestions on how to best break a three-way tie to determine a division winner in the Big 12 South race.

The Southeastern Conference may have just that, although Stoops and the Sooners this season probably wouldn't like it.

In the Big 12, if three teams are tied at the end of the season — which could happen if Oklahoma defeats Texas Tech next week, casting those two in a three-way deadlock with Texas — then a complex tiebreaker process would ensue. And the fifth step of that process — the BCS standings — ultimately would determine the South's representative in the Big 12 championship game.

"That's a likely scenario, looking at the South right now," said Big 12 associate commissioner Bob Burda.

Oklahoma still has significant work ahead to forge a tie. The Sooners must first beat Tech and then win a road game against an Oklahoma State squad that has proved it, too, is among the top teams in the country.

But OU's only hope for a Big 12 title is to win both games, and if that happens, the greatest likelihood is that the Sooners would be tied with Texas and Texas Tech.

Stoops said Tuesday during his weekly press conference that he was — perhaps by default — comfortable with the tiebreaker process.

"You know, you have to be," he said. "What else — is there any good way to do it? I don't
know what it would be."

That would mean the BCS's three components — six computers that virtually no one can figure out, 114 Harris Poll voters from wildly diverse backgrounds, and 61 coaches who may or may not have personal or professional agendas (or, supposedly, sometimes let others cast a proxy vote) — could decide the championship fate of the Big 12's three best teams.

"You got another good idea to do it?" Stoops said to an audience of blank stares. "That's my point, no one else has any better way to do it."

Actually, the SEC might have it. Or, it might not.

In the SEC, the BCS standings similarly are used to extract a division representative from a three-way tie. But there is a major difference. Exhausting all other tiebreaker scenarios, the BCS standings are used. The highest-ranked team in the BCS standings is the winner ...

"Unless," the 2008 SEC media guide states, "the second of the tied teams is ranked within five-or-fewer places of the highest-ranked tied team. In this case, the head-to-head results of the top two ranked tied teams shall determine the representative in the SEC Championship Game."

In a possible three-way tie in the Big 12 South, that scenario would unfold. The question, though, is whether the highest-ranked team is Texas (which beat OU), Texas Tech (which beat Texas) or OU (which, in this case, would have beaten Texas Tech).

Currently, Texas Tech is second, Texas is third and OU is fifth in the BCS. But that lineup would shuffle considerably if the Sooners defeat the Red Raiders in Norman on Nov. 22. (Both teams are off this week.)

Under the SEC's scenario, if Oklahoma beats Tech, the Sooners and Red Raiders both likely would be eliminated, while Texas would go to Kansas City for the title game on Dec. 6, because the Longhorns beat the Sooners 45-35 back on Oct. 11 and the Raiders would slip to third in the BCS standings.

The head-to-head factor removes a significant randomness from the equation.

"When you have a three-team tiebreaker, what you want to do at any possibility is cut it to two so you can go head-to-head," said SEC associate commissioner Charles Bloom. "We use the BCS standings as a way to eliminate the third team, and then we reverted back to a head-to-head when it was applicable to the standings."

The SEC implemented the current system in November 2003. Less than a month later, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida finished tied for first in the SEC East. Georgia advanced to the SEC title game because it had earlier beaten Tennessee, although the Bulldogs also were ranked higher (seventh) than the Volunteers (ninth).

The tiebreaker went into effect during the season after a vote of the conference athletic directors, Bloom said.

"Of course, that's something to consider in the future. Maybe we would take that to our membership," Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe said. "I'm not sure I understand why it would be better, but we'd have to talk about all that."

The Big 12, the SEC and the Atlantic Coast Conference are the only BCS leagues with a conference title game. The ACC's divisional tiebreaker is the same as the Big 12.

Stoops said the idea of coaches politicking for votes late in the season is not a good part of college football.

"Everyone has their reasons for or against whatever you want," Stoops said. "Anyone that's lost a game, you've got your argument one way or the other. They're there, if you choose to present 'em. It just gets down to how you want to word it."

Big 12 South tiebreaker could decide champion



If Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech win the remainder of the games in which they will be favored, the Big 12 Conference’s South Division could be in for a three-way tiebreaker. If that happens, the Big 12’s tiebreaker process could come down to which of the three teams is ranked higher in the Nov. 30 Bowl Championship Series standings.

Texas



Remaining games: Nov. 15 at Kansas, Nov. 27 vs. Texas A&M

Tiebreaker results: Beat OU 45-35, lost at Texas Tech 39-33

Bottom line: If the Longhorns, ranked No. 3 in this week’s BCS standings, win out, they’ll be 7-1.

Texas Tech



Remaining games: Nov. 22 at Oklahoma, Nov. 29 vs. Baylor

Tiebreaker results: Beat Texas 39-33, at OU next week

Bottom line: If the Red Raiders, ranked No. 2 in this week’s BCS standings, lose at OU and beat Baylor, they’ll be 7-1.

Oklahoma



Remaining games: Nov. 22 vs. Texas Tech, Nov. 29 at Oklahoma State

Tiebreaker results: Lost to Texas 45-35, Texas Tech next week

Bottom line: If the Sooners, ranked No. 5 in this week’s BCS standings, win out, they’ll be 7-1.

Big 12 tiebreaker



If three or more teams are tied, steps 1 through 7 will be followed until a determination is made. If only two teams remain tied after any step, the winner of the game between the two tied teams shall be the representative.

1. The records of the three teams will be compared against each other.

2. The records of the three teams will be compared within their division.

3. The records of the three teams will be compared against the next highest placed teams in their division in order of finish (4, 5 and 6).

4. The records of the teams will be compared against common conference opponents.

5. The highest ranked team in the first Bowl Championship Series Poll following the completion of Big 12 regular season conference play shall be the representative.

6. The team with the best overall winning percentage [excluding exempted games] shall be the representative.

7. The representative will be chosen by draw.



John E. Hoover 581-8384
john.hoover@tulsaworld.com
By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer

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COMMENTS 
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8 comments have been made for this team so far. Tell us what you think below!
Report Comment Reporting Comments

If you see a comment that violates our terms and conditions, please help us by clicking the "Report this Comment" link next to a comment. That will alert the web staff to review the comment. Thank you.  -- Web Editor Jason Collington
 

 
Report Comment
War_Priest, Bristow (11/12/2008 8:54:23 AM)
And if Texas Tech beats OU this article was a complete waste of time.
Report Comment
Turk 182, (11/12/2008 10:02:37 AM)
sounds obvious who is doing the thumb-sucking "learn2speakenglish"

OSU gets absolutely routed by Tech. OU still has a very viable shot to go to the big 12 championship and OSU has no chance. Rejoice in the fact that OSU had a terrific season that far exceeded anyone's expectations. While OSU was in the hunt for the big 12 championship, this same paper wrote extensive scenarios for both them and OU to make it to the championship. Just because OSU is statistically eliminated doesnt call for your sour grapes routine.

perhaps you are the one that should move on.
Report Comment
soonerguy, Tulsa (11/12/2008 11:14:45 AM)
Same thing could be said to you learn2. OSU had their chance and got destroyed, so give it up and let someone else enjoy their opportunties. That someone else would be OU.
This article was written by "sooner ntion" didn't you see that up at the top? What in the world are you idiots talking about? Is it OU's fault that the media loves to write stories to get people talking, to move papers, and to get clicks on their site? THAT is why articles are written about OU. It got you two here, didn't it?
Report Comment
Arbythree, (11/12/2008 11:25:25 AM)
SOONERS will come through. We learned last year in our loss to Tech. Not too worried about cowboys, Gundy does not even watch the game!
Report Comment
afithen, (11/12/2008 11:30:42 AM)
Gee English a little bitter are we...

Yes OU plans to win and expects and yes the Sooner Nation is devastated when a loss occurs...Why shouldn't OU expect to win vs Tech considering they have only lost 2 games in norman in the past 8 yrs or so...

OSU loses a game to Texas and its an epic game and fans are pleased OU wins a game and plays bad and everyone is in a panic

This is the difference between cowboy and Sooner mentality
Report Comment
Arbythree, (11/12/2008 11:43:44 AM)
BTW, excellent article to John Hoover!! As always, when things get really confusing in the rankings, John's articles clear up a great deal of the confusion.........even if it makes aggies upset.

Keep up the good work Mr. Hoover.
Report Comment
Swarm, (11/12/2008 12:54:40 PM)
LET ME HELP U COACH STOOPS:
DEMAND A PLAYOFF SYSTEM AND NOTHING LESS AND GO TALK TO OBAMA ABOUT IT, SEEMS LIKE HE COULD BE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WITH THIS WHY DONT U JUMP ON HIS BAND WAGON AND MAKE ALL OF US AMERICANS WHO LOVE SOONER FOOTBALL AND COLLEGE FOOTBALL SOMETHING FRESH AND EXCITING FOR THE NEW YEAR. WHO WOULD NOT WANT TO SEE A TEXAS VS. OKLAHOMA IN WELCOME TO MIAMI ORANGE BOWL AND NC GAME.

UNION IN DA HOUSE
Report Comment
DanDDiver, Smyrna (11/12/2008 9:44:04 PM)
The proper solution is for OU to lose another game to Tech then OSU.
Problem solved.
 

 
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