:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/4593495/130772825.jpg)
Conference implosion? A completely uncertain future in the wake of interchangable members amongst the tyrannical reign of Texas? Whatever, y'all - the Big 12 is still a favorite to play the Alabama / LSU winner in New Orleans for the BCS Championship on January 10.
The continued ascenion of the Oklahoma State Cowboys gives the Big 12 a title candidate even with Oklahoma going down last week, and adds merit to the argument that the turbulent conference is nothing more than window dressing for the OU/Texas rivalry. SB Nation's college football team has assembled four sets of projections (two from ESPN, one from Scout.com and some guy named Phil Steele), and all four like the Cowboys to beat out Stanford and Boise State to play the SEC Champion in NOLA.
While likely deposed from the title hunt, the Sooners are still alive for a BCS berth - three pundits have them playing in the Fiesta Bowl as an at-large team, and Steele is forecasting a rematch with Boise. It's still a blurry picture for the conference's non-BCS bowl tie-ins, with three different teams (Texas, Kansas State, Texas A&M) forecasted for the Cotton and Insight Bowls. Texas Tech has three of four projections placing them in the Holiday Bowl in San Diego (likely against consensus pick Washington).
For more on all the bowl projections, check out SB Nation's college football news hub.