From USA Today...
FTW: Do you feel there needs to be a Big 12 championship game in the future to ensure the conference doesn’t get left out of the Playoff?
BS: We’re not. The bottom line is the Big 12 isn’t left out because I don’t think we will be and we’re representing the Big 12 and so it isn’t an issue. The bottom line I think too is we at Oklahoma protected ourselves by playing a difficult out of conference schedule. For instance, this year we went to Tennessee and won in front of 110,000 people, and next year we have Ohio State for two years. So when you have nine conference games and go out of state and play other ranked teams, at your place and on the road, you’re going to be rewarded for it, or it’s gonna be recognized by the committee.
I believe that’s the case with us. We also have Houston next year to go with Ohio State. So again, I think with our scheduling philosophy I don’t believe we’ll be hurt when we’re conference champions.
FTW: Does not playing this weekend give Oklahoma a recruiting edge?
BS: I think it has been a great advantage for us to be out on the road all week after being crowned Big 12 champions. We’ve had a lot of momentum and seen a lot of good players and all our coaches have throughout the week, so not playing on championship weekend has been positive.
FTW: How confident are you that Oklahoma will be in the four-team Playoff field when all is said and done, especially if it’s a wacky Saturday?
BS: Very, very confident. You don’t go to a Top 10 team in the country last week of the season and play at their place and win by 35 points for the Big 12 championship when you each have a chance at it and go down.
FTW: Do you have a preference which semifinal venue you play at, be it the Cotton Bowl in Dallas or the Orange Bowl in Miami?
BS: However they decide will be great for us. You’d love to be No. 1 and be in Dallas, if you’re us. But we’ll take whatever is given to us.
http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/12/how-bob-stoops-will-spend-his-conference-championship-saturday
FTW: Do you feel there needs to be a Big 12 championship game in the future to ensure the conference doesn’t get left out of the Playoff?
BS: We’re not. The bottom line is the Big 12 isn’t left out because I don’t think we will be and we’re representing the Big 12 and so it isn’t an issue. The bottom line I think too is we at Oklahoma protected ourselves by playing a difficult out of conference schedule. For instance, this year we went to Tennessee and won in front of 110,000 people, and next year we have Ohio State for two years. So when you have nine conference games and go out of state and play other ranked teams, at your place and on the road, you’re going to be rewarded for it, or it’s gonna be recognized by the committee.
I believe that’s the case with us. We also have Houston next year to go with Ohio State. So again, I think with our scheduling philosophy I don’t believe we’ll be hurt when we’re conference champions.
FTW: Does not playing this weekend give Oklahoma a recruiting edge?
BS: I think it has been a great advantage for us to be out on the road all week after being crowned Big 12 champions. We’ve had a lot of momentum and seen a lot of good players and all our coaches have throughout the week, so not playing on championship weekend has been positive.
FTW: How confident are you that Oklahoma will be in the four-team Playoff field when all is said and done, especially if it’s a wacky Saturday?
BS: Very, very confident. You don’t go to a Top 10 team in the country last week of the season and play at their place and win by 35 points for the Big 12 championship when you each have a chance at it and go down.
FTW: Do you have a preference which semifinal venue you play at, be it the Cotton Bowl in Dallas or the Orange Bowl in Miami?
BS: However they decide will be great for us. You’d love to be No. 1 and be in Dallas, if you’re us. But we’ll take whatever is given to us.
http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/12/how-bob-stoops-will-spend-his-conference-championship-saturday
