With only about three weeks left until the Big 12 Championship, the Oklahoma Sooners baseball team (34-12, 11-5 Big 12 play) are looking to finish out the rest of the regular season with sweeps.

The Sooners, who are currently in West Virginia, took game one in their last series against the Mountaineers on Friday night, 4-3. In took 10 innings to get it done. The Mountaineers are 27-20 and 9-7 in Big 12 play on the season. Due to their pitching, they have come on strong in the later part of the season.

After the series in West Virginia, the Sooners move on to play Bedlam against Oklahoma State (32-12, 7-8 Big 12 play) in a three-game series that kicks-off in Tulsa and will finish the last two games in Oklahoma City.

They will close out the season with Kansas State (33-14, 10-6 Big 12 play) in Manhattan, KS. The Wildcats have slowly been threatening to take the No. 1 spot in the conference from the Sooners over the last couple of weeks.

Oklahoma will most likely go into the tournament sitting in the No. 1 spot but need to finish the season strong going in.

The conference championship is scheduled for may 22nd-26th in Oklahoma City.

Well, it’s that time of year again and Phil Steele has made his bowl selections. I normally ignore any type of pre-season projections but I kinda chuckled when I read some of these so I thought I’d share.

Phil’s picks:

New Era Pinstripe Bowl –  Baylor vs Rutgers

I get it, Baylor won’t be as good with RGIII heading up the offense, but Baylor still has a chance to be decent. Their replacement QB Nick Florence isn’t someone I’d sleep on though. He has a great arm and even though he doesn’t have the speed or foot work that RGIII has, he can still pack a punch. Granted the only game we got to really see him in action was the Baylor/Texas Tech no-defense scoring spree. He had 151 yards and 2 touchdowns on the books for last year.

Car Care Bowl of Texas –  Texas Tech vs. Illinois

The Car Care Bowl would be Texas Tech valiant return back into the bowl season. Even with their huge win over Oklahoma early on, Texas Tech had a pitiful 2011 season. It’s Tuberville’s third year in Lubbock so the “getting into the groove” is over. It’s time for the Red Raiders to put the pieces together and prove to everyone it was worth it firing Leach over nonsense. P.S. the answer will still be it wasn’t worth it. 

Holiday Bowl – Kansas State vs. UCLA

Are the Sooners going to Miami? Phil Steele says yes

I don’t know about this match-up. Kansas State came off a great 2011 season and is one of the best coached teams in all of college football. UCLA did get to go to the PAC-12 championship game last season (by default). But with the new additions to the Big XII, you never know what could happen.

Insight Bowl – TCU vs Penn State

I’m all for TCU going to Arizona this year if it means Oklahoma wouldn’t have to make ANOTHER trip there. TCU has a lot to prove entering into a much more competitive conference but this may be a little high for the Horned Frogs. I’m hoping the prove me wrong, but we will see. As for the Penn State pick, I can see this happening.

Alamo Bowl – West Virginia vs. Stanford

Two 2011  BCS bowl teams battling it out in San Antonio? I’d watch this and enjoy it. But with West Virginia being my Big XII sleeper team, I have them picked to go to a higher ranked bowl.

Cotton Bowl – Oklahoma State vs. Arkansas

The Big XII has not had recent success in the Cotton Bowl for the last couple years, but this would be a good match-up. I’m not 100 percent sold on the Pokes true freshman QB yet for obvious reasons, but Mike Gundy has had success at the QB position the last couple years. Arkansas is also entering 2012 with a new coach with a lot to prove. Both teams seasons should be fun to watch.

Fiesta Bowl – Texas vs. Alabama

An 8-win 2011 Longhorns bouncing all the back to the Fiesta Bowl for 2012? That is what Mr. Steele is predicting. Alabama is an easy choice, but the Longhorns? The Longhorns virtually have the exact same team coming back with the same two inconsistent QB’s. Mack is going to have to drastically change it up if he wants a repeat of the 2009 National Championship to work in his favor.

BCS National Championship Game – Oklahoma vs. Florida State

Oh. Here we are again. Same two team predictions from 2011. Both of these teams had upset 2011 seasons. I am not buying into any hype this early on like I did last year. Florida State has been a constant on the over-rated bubble since Jimbo Fisher took over from Bobby Bowden. The Sooners are returning a veteran QB and brought back Mike Stoops to run the defense. I admit, it would be fun watching the three Stoops brothers coach against each other in the BCSNCG, but I’m not counting my chickens before they hatch yet. Major adjustments need to be made on the defense in order for the Sooners to have a legit chance this season, and from what I hear it’s been improving. It’s time for the waiting game.

Kansas and Iowa State were not picked for a bowl by Steele.

Like I said, I am not a fan of listening to preseason hype. I know it’s just a prediction and this is not set in stone but Sooner fans know what happens when we are predicted to go somewhere this early on. At least they aren’t picked No. 1; that’s always a death sentence.

Sorry Trojans.

It’s the off-season, what else do you expect? We have been seeing this rumor for a long time now, but it seems to have reached a fever pitch. The Big XII has done everything in it’s power to stay alive over the last couple years and by adding schools like Florida State and Clemson to the mix would be a key to longevity.

Though the Big XII made it back to 10 teams, the conference really needs to make it back to 12 in order to stay competitive and make money. By getting back to 12, and bringing back the conference championship will bring in more money and more TV viewers, again resulting in more money.

Besides Clemson and FSU, several other schools have been thrown around as potential members, mainly Louisville, which I think would be a terrific addition. It logistically makes sense. There has been a lot of it is “what-if” guesses from people lately, though. But with these two schools (Clemson and Florida State), I’ve heard from more reliable sources than people just throwing names out there.

It would be nice for the Big XII to move that far East, making larger recruiting footprints in the Florida and South Carolina area. Again, this would put Big XII games in television markets on the East coast, resulting in money. I realize that I keep bringing up the money factor, but considering money is what keeps the conference alive, it factors in quite a bit. Just ask the SEC.

If this rumor does have any legs to it, you can believe that the ACC will do everything in their power to keep this from happening. Clemson and Florida State are basically the glue that keeps ACC football together. Basketball fans of either school probably wouldn’t mind the change.

Right now, it’s just rumors and everyone’s favorite person, sources, reporting on the story. But this time around it seems to be gaining more steam than it’s had in the past coming from more reliable people. So we will wait it out with everyone else and enjoy the drama of the off-season.

I’m sure new Big XII member West Virginia would LOVE to add Clemson, and their fan base would look forward to another Orange Bowl -type beat down.

It’s finally here! We have all been waiting, and now that West Virginia is officially in the Big XII, we got us a 2012 football schedule. Keep in mind this only a CONFERENCE schedule, they have not released the OCC schedule yet.

Oklahoma has some road-bumps to overcome it seems for the 2012 season; the road schedule is a little rough.

Sept. 15 – OPEN

Sept. 22 – Kansas State

Sept. 29 – OPEN

Oct. 6 – at Texas Tech

Oct. 13 – Texas (in Dallas)

Oct. 20 – Kansas

Oct. 27 – OPEN

Nov. 3 – at Iowa State

Nov. 10 – Baylor

Nov. 17 – at West Virginia

Nov. 24 – Oklahoma State

Dec. 1 – at TCU

To view the entire Big XII, schedule click here.

Oklahoma has a rough stretch this season, most notably the last 3 games. I have had many people comment to me that there is no reason to worry about TCU and that the Horned Frogs are going to have issues in the Big XII. I don’t necessarily disagree with that, I do think they are in for a rude awakening, but I also wouldn’t take them for granted. Does anyone else remember the last time Oklahoma played TCU and took them for granted? We lost. In Norman.

West Virginia in Morgantown is also going to be a challenge. Dana Hologorsen and Co. are not a team I’d take lightly. And you never know what will happen in Lubbock, Texas.

One of the OOC days will be filled with Notre Dame in Norman, so right now, the rest is up in the air. I’m sure we will wait another 3 months till that is released.

This going to be an interesting year in Big XII football.