Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game, not out of national chase

<br>DALLAS (AP) _ Even though Oklahoma has its spot in the Big 12 championship game, the Sooners still have to win one more game before that to maintain a chance to play for the national title. <br><br>Oklahoma

Sunday, November 24th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

DALLAS (AP) _ Even though Oklahoma has its spot in the Big 12 championship game, the Sooners still have to win one more game before that to maintain a chance to play for the national title.

Oklahoma State is in the way again.

While Oklahoma State can't keep its instate rival out of the Big 12 title game this time, the bowl-eligible Cowboys (6-5, 4-3 Big 12) can ruin the Sooners' chance of playing in the national championship game just like last year.

Going into their regular-season matchup last year, the Sooners needed a win to advance to the Big 12 title game, where another win would have gotten them into the national championship game. Oklahoma State instead pulled off a 16-13 shocker.

To keep its chance of playing for this year's national title, Oklahoma has to win Saturday in Stillwater, where the Sooners won just 12-7 two years ago on the way to their national championship.

Oklahoma (10-1, 6-1) moved up a spot to No. 3 in the new Associated Press poll on Sunday, advancing after Washington State's 29-26 three-overtime loss to Washington.

If the Sooners make the expected same move in the new Bowl Championship Series standings Monday, and they beat Oklahoma State, they would have a shot at playing Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl if Miami losses to Syracuse next Saturday.

The Sooners would also have to beat No. 13 Colorado (8-3, 6-1) in the Big 12 championship game on Dec. 7 in Houston.

None of the scenarios matter for Oklahoma without a win over Oklahoma State.

Oklahoma wrapped up the South division title with a 60-15 win over Texas Tech on Saturday night. The Sooners also effectively ended the Heisman Trophy chase of another Big 12 quarterback.

Texas Tech's Kliff Kingsbury, the nation's leading passer, was just 15-of-35 for a season-low 187 yards with three interceptions and was sacked five times. Kingsbury got the same treatment from the Sooners as did Chris Simms of Texas and Seneca Wallace of Iowa State.

``We've eliminated three Heisman Trophy contenders ... and I don't know if anybody else has done that,'' said Sooners defensive coordinator Mike Stoops. ``That says a lot about our defense. This guy (Kingsbury) threw for about 600 yards against Texas, and we shut him down to nothing.''

Simms was just 12-of-26 for 156 yards with three interceptions and four sacks in Texas' 35-24 loss to the Sooners. Wallace was even worse, 4-of-22 for 43 yards with three interceptions, in Oklahoma's 49-3 rout of Iowa State.

Colorado doesn't have to be told how tough Oklahoma's defense is.

The Buffaloes lost to Oklahoma 27-11 earlier this month, falling behind 20-3 by halftime after three turnovers, a muffed pooch kickoff and a blocked field goal. Colorado's Chris Brown, the nation's leading rusher, needed 25 carries to get his 103 yards.

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BIG 12 BOWL PICTURE: The Big 12 has nine bowl-eligible teams and only eight guaranteed bowl spots.

The Big 12 may still be able to get all nine teams into the postseason.

If Colorado beat Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game, the Buffaloes would get the league's guaranteed spot in the Bowl Championship Series, and the Sooners could still get one of the two at-large berths for the four BCS games.

There is also the possibility that the ninth Big 12 team could fill an open spot left by any other major conference unable to fill its bowl spots, if the Big 12 doesn't get two BCS teams like last year.

The league's bowl-eligible teams are Oklahoma (10-1), Kansas State (10-2), Texas (9-2), Colorado (8-3), Texas Tech (8-5), Nebraska (7-5), Iowa State (7-6), Texas A&M (6-5), and Oklahoma State (6-5).

In addition to the one guaranteed spot in one of the four BCS bowls, the Big 12 will have teams in the Cotton, Tangerine, Houston, Holiday, Alamo, Independence and Humanitarian Bowls.

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CYCLONES COLLAPSE: In early October, Iowa State was 6-1 and had its highest ranking ever, No. 9 in the AP poll.

The Cyclones (7-6) ended their regular season Saturday with their fifth loss in six games, 37-20 loss to third-year Division I-A program Connecticut. Iowa State blew a 20-10 lead against the Huskers.

``The last few weeks we've been playing unbelievable,'' UConn cornerback Roy Hopkins said. ``To put a stamp on it like this against a good Iowa State team just cements our place.''

Connecticut finished the season with four straight victories and outscored those opponents 199-55.

Iowa State just ended with a huge thump, even though it could still play in a bowl game.