What Would a Big 12 Championship Mean for Oklahoma State?
The Oklahoma State Cowboys have an opportunity to cap off a rollercoaster of a season with a win over the Texas Longhorns -- which would be yet another upset win on the season along with crowning them as the Big 12 champions.
A Cowboys win would be huge for quite a few reasons.
Obviously, winning a conference title is a huge feat for any team in any conference, let alone a Power Five conference. So, there's that.
Additionally, the Cowboys would have spent the season sending out Oklahoma and Texas -- the two teams ditching the Big 12 for the SEC, a much tougher conference, next season -- with losses and spoiling their chances at one final Big 12 title. Fanbases all around the league would appreciate the Cowboys for doing so.
No matter what, one of these two teams will be crowned champions for the first time since 2011 -- the year Oklahoma State won its lone championship. While Texas is tied for the third-most championships in conference history, they've yet to win a title since 2009. Either way, tomorrow will be big for one of the two programs.
For the Longhorns, this game goes a bit deeper than just a conference title. Of course, it'd be a huge win for them on their way out of the Big 12, but they're also playing for a potential bid in the Conference Football Playoffs.
One could argue that this game has a deeper meaning for Oklahoma State, too. The new Big 12 will have a fresh look and even more parity, as the top two programs heading into this season will be gone. If they can win and take momentum into next season, they'll be competing for a conference championship, which would likely find them in the 12-team playoff format.
It'll be interesting to watch Mike Gundy coach the Cowboys as 15-point underdogs with quite literally nothing to lose, whereas the Longhorns are trying to protect their playoff hopes.
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