Lm Otero / AP

Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree hauled in the game-winner against Texas, and continued a wild ride in the Big 12 South.

Excluding their head-to-head matchups, Texas has beaten its eight opponents by an average of 34 points; Oklahoma’s victims have gone down by an average of 31; Oklahoma State’s, by 28; and Texas Tech’s by 27.

Maybe these gunslingers should head farther out on the trail to frontiers such as State College and Tuscaloosa. On the other hand, Butch and Sundance had a better chance against the Bolivian Army than Penn State or Alabama does of going 4-0 against this gauntlet.

Right now, fans in Happy Valley are upset that Penn State has been "leap-frogged" in the polls by Texas Tech, even though both are unbeaten. Just as fans in Lubbock have a burr in their chaps about Penn State being No. 2 in the USA Today/Coaches poll, ahead of them. It should be apparent to both sides that  voters in both polls are, to paraphrase the newspaperman in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, "printing the legend."

That debate will grow less slack than a hangman’s noose as we continue. If Texas Tech beats Oklahoma State and Oklahoma, even the staunchest Joe Pa supporter will be forced to concede that three wins over top-ten schools trumps the Nittany Lions’ hand.

Of course, there is the chance that when the dust settles and the smell of gunpowder is still fresh late in the evening on Nov. 29, that three of these four schools could be 11-1. We won’t exhaust all the variables; just know that it’s still possible for any three of these four to finish 11-1.

If that happens, who advances to the Big 12 championship game? The answer to that lies here. As you can see, the fifth tiebreaker would determine the outcome. That is, whichever Big 12 team is ranked highest in the BCS standings will be the one that advances to Kansas City, Mo. to likely face the winner of the Kansas-Missouri game.

And while it is somewhat difficult to ride off into the sunset from within Arrowhead Stadium, the bet here is that the Big 12 South champion will win that game. And should that champion be 12-1 and remain uninvited to play for the national championship? We’ll form a posse and tar-and-feather the scoundrels responsible.

More news

AP

Slain UConn CB's family wants $5M

CFT: Stabbed to death following an altercation at a school-sponsored dance in October 2009, Jasper Howard‘s parents are seeking significant financial compensation for the parties they believe are at least partly responsible.

CFT: SEC's Slive no fan of plus-one playoff model

Headlines

• Label

Sandusky charity to shut down, transfer programs

CFT: Tennessee TE booted following felony arrest

CFT: Potential Cal starter kicked off team

Friends, fans mourn loss of Stewart

CFT: Ohio St. 'not facing any major ... violations'

CFT: Pitt FB suffers stroke, career likely over

CFT: Notre Dame AD expects to be at playoff table

Judge refuses to delay Sandusky's trial