Big 12 Sports Blog by Big 12 Fans

2008 was a banner year for the Big 12 as three teams, all in the Big 12 South, finished the season with just one loss and four other teams from the conference will join them in postseason college football bowl games. Of course everyone knows that the Oklahoma Sooners will represent the Big 12 against Florida in the BCS Championship Bowl on January 8th on FOX. Now let’s take a look at the other 6 bowl teams from the Big 12 and which games they will play in as well as their opponents and the previews for each game which are linked below.

• Alamo Bowl - Dec. 29 - Missouri vs. Northwestern - 2008 Alamo Bowl preview
• Holiday Bowl - Dec. 30 - Oklahoma State vs. Oregon - 2008 Holiday Bowl preview
• Insight Bowl - Dec. 31 - Kansas vs. Minnesota - 2008 Insight Bowl preview
• Gator Bowl - Jan. 1 - Nebraska vs. Clemson - 2008 Gator Bowl preview
• Cotton Bowl - Jan. 2 - Texas Tech vs. Mississippi - 2008 Cotton Bowl preview
• Fiesta Bowl - Jan. 5 - Texas vs. Ohio State - 2008 Fiesta Bowl preview
• BCS National Championship Bowl - Jan. 8 - Oklahoma vs. Florida - 2008 BCS Championship preview

After Texas’ big victory over Arizona St. kicked off bowl season for the Big 12, the last couple of days have brought struggles for the conference.

Texas A&M jumped out to a 14-0 lead over Penn State in last night’s Alamo Bowl, but the Nittany Lions scored 17 in a row to go up 17-14 at halftime. The Aggies tied the game at 17 in the third quarter before PSU struck back to take a 24-17 lead, which would turn out to be the final margin, as a drive from A&M’s 1 to PSU’s 1 in the fourth quarter came up short of the end zone, without the ball being handed to bulldozer Jorvorskie Lane on third or fourth down.

Tonight, Colorado is taking on Alabama in the Independence Bowl, and it’s not been a good start for the Buffaloes, as Alabama already has a 20-0 lead early in the second quarter.

Will the Buffs be able to mount a comeback? There’s plenty of game left, so we’ll find out. But, the defense certainly needs to step up, as Alabama has been able to move the ball at ease thus far.

Well, the Tide just scored again, as John Parker Wilson threw his third touchdown pass in the first 17:40 to put ‘Bama up 27-0.

Quite a hill to climb for Colorado, but, like I said, there’s plenty of game left.

Texas beat Arizona State 52-34 in the Holiday Bowl on Thursday night to kick off the Big 12’s participation in the bowl season, with seven more teams yet to take the field.

The Longhorns jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter, which proved to be too much for the Sun Devils to overcome.

Jamaal Charles ran for 161 yards and two touchdowns, and Colt McCoy had a great game, despite losing the handle multiple times - including one that was recovered in the end zone for a touchdown by tight end Jermichael Finley - throwing for 174 yards and a score, and doing his Vince Young impression by rushing for 84 yards and a touchdown.

The Longhorns defense forced five turnovers, and could have had a sixth, but in a play that we all have seen and heard about by now, Longhorns staffer Chris Jessie (Mack Brown’s stepson) reached out and touched a loose ball that had been fumbled by Arizona St. in the second quarter, which instead of being a turnover for Texas, wound up being a personal foul penalty which led to ASU‘s first touchdown.

But, it didn’t cost them, as the Longhorns were just too strong on both sides of the ball, and had the game well in hand by the time ASU scored a couple of fourth-quarter consolation touchdowns.

Both teams finished their seasons at 10-3, with Texas getting to ten wins for the seventh straight season.

Tonight, Penn St. and Texas A&M tangle in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, and tomorrow, Colorado takes on Alabama in the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, LA, with Oklahoma State tangling with Indiana in the Insight Bowl on Monday, before we all hang up our 2008 calendars.