During the season, I revel in hating all the Big 12 football teams except my beloved Red Raiders. Strangely, even with all that hatred built up inside, my heart tends to soften a bit as bowl season arrives. Maybe it is the Christmas spirit or maybe even all the holiday cheer. Nevertheless, I find myself cheering for all the teams in the Big 12. I cheer because I want the Big 12 to show they are the best conference in the country.

Without a doubt there are several great football conferences across this great land. The question I want answered is whether the Big 12 is the best. Rather than trying to compare the strength of schedules, win/loss records, or some other annoying statistic, it will be decided on the field. What better metric is there than head to head results? This bowl season the Big 12 will play schools from the ACC, Pac 12, and SEC (and possibly the Big 10). I am sure they will all be great games, but the stakes are high. Our conference is under attack. Under attack because we don't have a championship game. Under attack because we supposedly rely too much on high tempo offense. Big 12 teams need to go take care of business and silence the critics. For some, not even winning all of the bowl games will change their thoughts on the Big 12. But Winning is the strongest statement that can be made in the argument over which conference is the best. Maybe it ends up only counting for off-season bragging rights, but that's OK too.

Then again, you may not be able to get past the disdain you have for your Big 12 foes and will get more gratification if they all lose. I will not blame you for that. I am sure all of us Red Raiders will have a hard time pulling for a certain guy on a certain team that could be playing for it all on January 11th.

Whichever way you lean I wish you all a happy bowl season.

Go Big 12!