Below is sampling of today's Big 12 football chat (the full transcript is here):
Jacob Major (Yukon, Oklahoma): With everybody against Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl, does that put more pressure on Alabama to come out and preform? And if so, does Oklahoma come to play with a bad attitude and leave everything on the field to make it closer than people think or win the game?
Jake Trotter: The pressure only swings to Alabama if the game is close in the second half. I said the same thing before Bedlam, that if the game was tight in the fourth quarter, the pressure would be on OSU. That's what happened, and OU, the looser team, prevailed.
@raiderrantings (TX): Jake, how will the Big 12 finish the bowl season? Does Tech have a chance against the Sun Devils? Thanks!
Jake Trotter: It's not looking great for the Big 12. Three double digit underdogs. I think 4-2 would be an excellent bowl season. 5-1 might require a minor miracle. Tech has a chance. But the Red Raiders have got to protect the QB (Michael Brewer?) and they can't turn in over in droves like they have all season.
Chris (Lafayette, LA): I wanna hear some REAL options for Texas to replace Mack Brown...none of this pie-in-the-sky nonsense about Jimbo Fisher, Les Miles, etc...
Jake Trotter: Are we sure Jimbo Fisher is pie in the sky? I don't know. Here's one very realistic name: James Franklin.
RJ (OK): When did Oklahoma DE Geno "Juh-Nay-Oh" Grissom's name become "Gino"? Drives me nuts when the TV commentators call him that (unless somehow he corrected it at some point, used to be "juh-nay-oh").
Jake Trotter: Here's a funny story... Lee Roy Selmon -- the greatest player in OU football history -- had his name spelled LeRoy in the newspapers, programs, everything, all through college. Selmon was too nice to correct them. To this day, if you read anything archived about Selmon at OU, his first name is always spelled wrong.
Chris Fiegler (Latham, NY): Merry Christmas!! What bowl game will you be attending?
Jake Trotter: My bowl assignment is a good one -- the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Heading down to the Big Easy this weekend.
The Tarp (Wacko): What does it say about Baylor that they could not sell their allotment of tickets to the Fiesta Bowl? Will I get to make an appearance?
Jake Trotter: This is not all that uncommon. It's hard for most programs to sell 17,000 tickets to an offsite game. Ohio State is having a hard a time selling its allotment to the Orange Bowl. And for teams like Central Florida? Going to a BCS game actually results in a financial hit because of ticket sales. That's what happened to UConn in 2010. One of the many reasons why the BCS is/was a flawed system.
Mitch Connors (FW): Actually, TCU did have the No. 1 D in conference, even though you said they didn't in the mailbag the other day. It's called doing your due diligence as a journalist. Something I guess y'all don't know how to do.
Jake Trotter: It's called having an opinion, Mitch. In MY opinion, TCU did not have the best defense this year. Oklahoma State did. The Cowboys led the league in points per drive, yards per play, red zone defense, turnovers forced... I could go on. The only reason TCU ranked ahead of them in TOTAL defense is because the OSU D had to defend more possessions, because of Mike Gundy's offensive style. In OSU's two losses, the Cowboys gave up three offensive touchdowns combined. You can have your opinion, but no need to get insulting.
Howard (Houston): With TCU falling so far and their recruiting not keeping up to the rest of the Big 12, what's the answer to getting back to respectability? Bad move to this conference?
Jake Trotter: Is TCU's recruiting that bad? I know they don't have a lot of guys committed, but they do have some good ones. QB Foster Sawyer, for example, who had offers from Alabama, Oklahoma State. TCU also just hired one of the best recruiters in the Big 12 in Sonny Cumbie. They'll be fine.
Ed (Queens Village): What is best non-BCS game involving Big 12?
Jake Trotter: Oklahoma State-Missouri is a pretty good one.
Howard (Houston): FYI Jake, on the Fiesta, the allotment tickets to Baylor were terrible. I got really great tix from secondary market for half the price. That affects the allotment numbers significantly. Just shows Baylor alum (much smaller than most Big 12 schools) used their degree.
Jake Trotter: Fair enough. Although, several Baylor fans tweeted/emailed me the same thing after it was reported the school returned all but 700 of their tickets for the Oklahoma State game. I was in Stillwater for that game. And it didn't look like there were many more than 700 wearing gold and green in the stands.
Mitch Connors (FW): My apologies on the insult earlier. I was under the impression that you weren't stating an opinion and saying the stats showed OSU No. 1. Trying to find moral victories for the season, but it's getting better watching Baylor fail at attending a BCS bowl.
Jake Trotter: No worries. TCU actually could be in for a bounce-back season in 2014, if they can find the answer at QB. I like those 2 freshmen they have coming in, though.