Joey Johnston

LSU or Oregon?

Oregon or LSU?

The argument rages. Who should be No. 1 now? Who’s going to be No. 1 after the BCS championship game in New Orleans? It’s a terrific debate.

And it completely overlooks the hottest topic in college football — the Big 12 Conference’s sudden three-pronged approach to a national championship.

Kansas (10-0), Oklahoma (9-1) and Missouri (9-1).

In the BCS standings, they are running 3-4-5.

By Dec. 2, when the final standings are announced, a Big 12 team is going to be No. 1 or No. 2. Mark my words.

Ironic, isn’t it? Especially in a season where the SEC and Pac-10 have clashed over which league had the best superpower, which league played the mightier non-conference schedule, which league had the most depth.

Along came the Big 12, sneaking up on everyone.

Call it a confluence of timing, circumstances and a trio of Heisman Trophy-worthy players to emerge at quarterback.

Let’s take ‘em one at a time.

Quarterbacks
Oklahoma redshirt freshman Sam Bradford leads the nation in passing efficiency.

Kansas sophomore Todd Reesing is drawing comparisons to Doug Flutie.

Missouri junior Chase Daniel has become a ringleader in the spread-offense revolution.

At this moment, all three players could be invited to New York’s Heisman ceremony without a raised eyebrow from most of the experts. Remarkable. Especially when considering that only Daniel (maybe) was portrayed as a Heisman possibility in the preseason.

Timing
In the BCS system, early season losses won’t necessarily cripple national-championship aspirations. Late season victories — particularly those of the dramatic and eye-opening variety — can serve as a springboard.

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The Big 12 not only has a springboard, it has a slingshot (with the Dec. 1 Big 12 championship game). If Kansas gets to 13-0 (with victories against Missouri and Oklahoma), that’s a major statement and it will be noticed by voters. If Missouri gets to 12-1 (with victories against unbeaten Kansas and Oklahoma), ditto.

And if Oklahoma beats either unbeaten Kansas or once-beaten Missouri in the Big 12 title game, the Sooners will be 12-1 — with more than enough ammunition for a ticket to New Orleans.

Circumstances
In another season, maybe the Big 12 probably wouldn’t be enjoying this wave of success. Things have broken in the right way.

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Let’s remember the non-conference schedule of Kansas (Central Michigan, Southeastern Louisiana, Toledo and Florida International) with a Big 12 regular-season slate that dodged Texas and Oklahoma.

Let’s remember how Missouri weathered some early season bumps (avoiding a major collapse against Illinois, winning 40-34, then holding off Ole Miss 35-28). The Tigers were allowed to grow into the season, giving a good account of themselves at Oklahoma, losing 41-31, while mowing down most of the other Big 12 opponents. One more thing: Missouri also avoided Texas on the regular-season schedule.

Finally, let’s remember how Oklahoma’s reputation was bumped by a 51-13 win against Miami, when no one really knew about the Hurricanes, and how the record was boosted by a largely forgiving non-conference slate (North Texas and Utah State are a combined 1-18). The Sooners were embarrassed by a final-play 27-24 loss at Colorado, in a game they seemingly had under control, but a flurry of top 10 upsets deflected attention from that outcome.

Somewhere along the line, USC’s dynasty was halted. Somewhere along the line, Ohio State was defeated. Somewhere along the line, South Florida was exposed, California unraveled and the SEC’s best hopes (except for LSU) began to sink.

Meanwhile, while we weren’t paying attention, the Big 12 teams rose to the surface. And one of them is going to be New Orleans-bound, against all odds.

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