This from a Dennis Dodd article in USA Today concerning the argument for a Big 12 CCG:

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball...-is-big-12

Weekend Watch List: Biggest loser in Baylor-Oklahoma State is Big 12
November 22, 2013 7:49 am ET

For the third consecutive year, the Big 12 is about to lose a championship contender in a hotly contested November conference game. That is all but assured as No. 3 Baylor heads to No. 11 Oklahoma State.

For Baylor, a loss in Saturday's game in Stillwater could end what are currently slim national championship hopes.

For the Cowboys, a defeat at home would put them at a further disadvantage in the Big 12 race.

The question going forward for the Big 12: Does it need to be such an all-or-nothing November? In 2014, the Big 12 will be the only BCS conference that doesn't stage a championship game. (The one-division American Athletic Conference of 2013 will be a non-contract conference beginning next season.)

Is the Big 12 at a disadvantage because it doesn't play such a game?

"It depends," Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby told CBSSports.com this week. "If your best team wins, it's helpful. If your best team loses, it isn't helpful."

Brandon Weeden and the Cowboys blew their BCS title hopes with a costly November loss in 2011. (USATSI)

The conference has looked into staging a conference championship with their two "best" teams while remaining in its current one-division, 10-team format. NCAA rules state a conference must have at least 12 members to play a league title game.

While there have been informal discussions about changing that requirement, nothing is imminent, Bowlsby said.

In the last two years the Big 12 champions Oklahoma State (2011) and Kansas State (2012) have been eliminated from national championship contention with November conference losses.

As they should -- some would say. November is winning time and if you don't, well, the old saw applies: It's better to lose early than to lose late. Alabama is the only exception having survived losses the past two Novembers.

Bama also plays in a league with a conference championship game -- as do seven of the other nine FBS leagues.

There's no question winning that extra game in 2011 would have allowed Oklahoma State to play for the national championship. An untimely loss to Iowa State, then 5-4, ultimately left the Cowboys .0086 of a point behind the No. 2 Tide in the BCS.

The Cowboys' would be in the championship discussion if not for its lone loss this season. The Sept. 28 defeat at West Virginia, now 4-7, almost defies description.

K-State's blowout loss at Baylor last Nov. 17 dropped them from No. 1 to No. 6 in the BCS. The Wildcats finished at No. 5.

As the final year of the BCS draws to a close, the Big 12 hasn't played in a national championship game since 2009. Extending the drought to four years would be the conference's longest of the BCS era.

Never mind a loss, Baylor -- No. 4 in the current BCS standings -- can't afford to even play shaky in the fourth week of this November. The unbeaten Bears need help in the form of losses by teams ahead of them.

But with the playoff era soon upon us, how hard will it be to compare apples (those leagues staging championship games) to the Big 12 orange?

The playoff selection committee is on record as valuing conference champs and strength of schedule. But conference titles have been devalued in the BCS era. (See: Oklahoma, 2003; Alabama, 2011.) Nonetheless, that conference championship game does add to that strength of schedule.

In the BCS, the measuring stick has been decimal points. In the playoff era, the subjective opinions of the selection committee will rule.

The Big 12 has attempted to compensate down the stretch by placing high-profile games on the last day of the season. This year Oklahoma-Oklahoma State and Texas-Baylor will be played Dec. 7, the same day as the league title games.

Still, one less game is one less game. The argument goes both ways, as Bowlsby noted. An undefeated Big 12 champion risks less than other leagues. But if all of those other leagues are risking the fortunes of their best team with an extra game...

At least the Big 12 is playing these high-profile conference games in late November. That's the message delivered this week by a Big 12 marketing partner.

Various media received an email recently from LDWWgroup, a firm that assists the Big 12 in branding. While the Bears and Cowboys are playing what amounts to an elimination match, LDWW pointed out these less-than-compelling matchups by contenders this week.
• Chattanooga at No. 1 Alabama
• Idaho at No. 2 Florida State
• The Citadel at No. 7 Clemson
• Coastal Carolina at No. 11 South Carolina

Can't blame LDWW for trying, but that comparison doesn't tell the whole story. Everyone plays non-conference slappies. The schools above just happen to have scheduled theirs now.

Alabama finishes the regular season at Auburn. Florida State still has to get by rival Florida. Clemson and South Carolina will meet.

It continues to be winning time in November. But for the Big 12 going forward, how is that going to position the conference in December?

What hurts the Big 12 the most is that they don't tell their refs to ensure that the "correct" teams wins all their games, especially in November.

Then again, that hurts every conference except the SEC.

Timely article given all the recent discussion on this board about the risk/reward argument for the B12 sitting @ ten teams. As stated earlier, I think they act: add two for 2014. Or react: sit tight for years until one of their teams misses the four team playoff in a statistical dead heat that could only have been broken by a 13th game.

In addition to the NCG, I think the B12 also hurts itself with a 10 team, round robin conference. Everybody plays one another which potentially results in more teams being not being bowl eligible (thus hitting members schools in the pocket book since the conference shares revenue). This year, for instance, only six B12 schools will be bowl eligible.

Good point. There appears to be incremental revenue to be had out there for the B12. There was no pressing need for them to pull the trigger on expansion in 2013 with their BCS tie-in and rich TV split. Let's hope 2014 is a different story.

The NCAA is not wavering or going to waiver on the 12 teams in a conference to stage a championship game. I truly believe after the bowl season something is going to happen. I believe this for a few reasons.

1. Tommy Tubberville took the coaching job leaving a BCS conference school.

2. Nippert Stadium expansion is going forward immediately. The original brochure I received from the school said when the funds were raised they would begin.

3. NCAA is going to require 12 for a championship game.

4. Just a hunch, but there is a lot of smoke saying that more realignment is in the future. I believe it is Cincinnati's turn.