From the Dallas Morning News...

Big 12 South rises again as Oklahoma takes title

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Any lingering hopes Mack Brown may have had about sneaking in the back door of Dolphin Stadium probably evaporated a couple of hours before the Big 12 title game, when Florida stretched a four-point lead over Alabama to a comfy 11-point win.

And if that didn't end Texas' chances, Oklahoma settled it by halftime against Missouri.

Did I ever tell you these conference title games are a bad idea?

Case in point: If not for the Alabama-Florida game on national TV, the SEC could have kept its little secret that neither team can throw downfield.

And if not for the Big 12 title game, Missouri could have gone to a nice bowl without getting embarrassed first.

All Oklahoma's 62-21 victory over the Tigers told us was what we already knew: The Sooners are very good, "one of the best offenses I've ever seen," Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said.

And the Big 12 North should have no say in matters of national importance until further notice.

Against Oklahoma and Texas this season, Missouri, the best the North can offer, was outscored, 73-14, in the first half.

Missouri has now lost 19 of its last 20 games against OU and its second consecutive Big 12 title game, where Bob Stoops is now 6-1, and Saturday's most compelling revelation was this:

Did you know that the Big 12 had a theme song?

If you were in Arrowhead Stadium, you're forgiven if you thought it was Boomer Sooner.

Missouri couldn't take advantage of DeMarco Murray's absence or much of anything else. Chase Daniel once again struggled in a big game, committing two crucial turnovers in the first half and failing to find receivers downfield. But it was hardly all his fault. Other than Jeremy Maclin, Missouri's receivers wore Oklahoma's defensive backs like capes.

Sam Bradford had no such problem locating open teammates. When he completed a long first-half pass to Ryan Broyles, the PA announcer mistakenly referred to the Sooner receiver as "Frank Broyles," the Arkansas octogenarian.

Chirped one press box smart aleck, "They couldn't cover Frank, either."

True, the Tigers' 91st-ranked defense provided scant resistance to OU's advances. But let's not read too much into those poor rankings.

No league in recent memory – which is all the memory I have left these days – can boast quarterbacks like the Big 12's.

Daniel may be only the fourth- or fifth-best QB in the league, and it's no disgrace.

Bottom line: If you're going to beat OU, your quarterback must match up with Bradford, and few are up to it.

Only Colt McCoy on this side of the Mississippi. Tim Tebow, better bring your Heisman.

Of course, not everyone is likewise convinced. Gary Danielson of CBS, official flack of the SEC, noted last week that "stats in the Big 12 are like pesos to me. Everybody's got stats there."

The former quarterback also cited a "distortion" as to how good the Big 12 really is because he didn't consider it possible for one league to have three top-10 teams. Apparently, Danielson has no problem with two from the SEC in the top four.

Look, the SEC remains a tough league that plays great defense. But don't dismiss the Big 12 because its quarterbacks make defenses look bad.

Stoops made sure it would happen again Saturday. Angry over talk that OU didn't deserve its Big 12 title game berth, he left Bradford in the game to roll up 60 points for an unprecedented fifth straight game. He wanted no doubts as to the Sooners' qualifications for Miami, no matter what anyone thinks of the flawed system that enabled it.

"I don't see how we could not be No. 1," Bradford said.

OU surely will get Pinkel's vote. Come Jan. 8, here's betting Florida will believe, too.