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Texas beats Northwestern in two games to advance to the NCAA Super Regionals.

With the news that the Big 12 and SEC have agreed to have its conference champions -- or it's No. 2 teams should the champions be in the mix for any revamped BCS system starting in the 2014 season -- in a bowl game, you can bet the Cotton Bowl will doing all it can to host that game. Maybe it becomes a fight between the Sugar and Cotton Bowls?

If that's the case, most in college football might argue the Cotton Bowl is the underdog. After all, the SEC is still the top conference in college football and has the tradition of going to the Sugar Bowl and living it up on Bourbon Street. But the Cotton Bowl has some things in its favor, too. And I know college football fans here would love to see that game every New Year's Day night in Dallas' own version of the Rose Bowl. A few things to consider:

* JerryWorld. It's a palace and a stadium that certainly attracts attention. Jerry Jones' football home gives the Cotton Bowl a first-class venue to host that game and a place where SEC and Big 12 teams already have met not only in the Cotton Bowl itself, but in the regular season. One other note: There's a thought out there that Jerry Jones won't let the Sugar Bowl outbid his stadium. But, of course, this is the Cotton Bowl's bid, not Jerry's bid. I'm sure Jones would want that game in his stadium and he'll do what he can to help the Cotton Bowl, but don't assume it's simply just Jerry vs. the Sugar Bowl.

* Location. The Cotton Bowl is in the middle of the country, making it an easy destination for fans of both conferences wanting to attend the game. And with the footprint now even closer to SEC country -- Texas A&M's arrival in the SEC makes that true -- it can say it's in the middle of both conferences.

* Tradition of SEC-Big 12. Since 1999, the Cotton Bowl has had an agreement to host both conferences in its game. So it wouldn't be a change from the Cotton Bowl's current setup. In fact, last year would have been an example of what could happen. The Cotton Bowl hosted Kansas State and Arkansas, neither of which won its conference title, but were both ranked in the top-10. Those types of matchups would be commonplace in this game.

* Better SEC team for Cotton. One benefit to the Cotton Bowl should it get the game is that it'd have a better chance to get a higher-ranked SEC team. Right now, the Cotton picks after the Capital One Bowl and then has first right on the next SEC West team. If the Cotton Bowl wants an SEC East team, they have to wait for the Outback Bowl to pick. That's why only two times has an SEC East team played in the Cotton Bowl since 1999 -- Tennessee twice.

* Money. A big sponsor like AT&T certainly won't hurt as the Cotton Bowl makes this bid. The Sugar Bowl has plenty of money, too, but don't think the Cotton Bowl won't come in ready to spend to get this game.

It should be really interesting to see how this all shakes out. There's still time to get that figured out. Remember, this game isn't played until 2015.

Trent Blank and the Baylor Bears shut down Texas, 4-0.

Longhorns co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Bryan Harsin breaks down spring football game tape.

The move to the Big 12 and a totally renovated Amon G. Carter Stadium have elevated TCU football to the big time, and Horned Frogs fans are ponying up to be a part of it this fall.

The school announced Wednesday that it has sold out of season tickets, having hit a school-record 30,000.

It's the third consecutive season that TCU has set a new season-ticket mark, with 22,500 sold in 2011 eclipsing the 19,143 in 2010.

"We are incredibly proud of the Horned Frog Nation," TCU athletic director Chris Del Conte said in statement. "With the momentum in our program under (head coach) Gary Patterson, the new Amon G. Carter Stadium set to open this fall and the excitement throughout TCU, Fort Worth and the entire Metroplex with our Big 12 membership, this is an incredible time to be a Horned Frog.

"We truly thank everyone for allowing us to achieve this milestone."

TCU has sold out its last eight home games and 10 of the last 14. The Frogs open the landmark 2012 season at home Sept. 8 against Grambling State and play their first home Big 12 game Oct. 6 against Iowa State.

TCU's 2012 football schedule
Sept. 8 vs. Grambling State
Sept. 15 at Kansas*
Sept. 22 vs. Virginia
Sept. 29 at SMU
Oct. 6 vs. Iowa State*
Oct. 13 at Baylor*
Oct. 20 vs. Texas Tech*
Oct. 27 at Oklahoma State*
Nov. 3 at West Virginia*
Nov. 10 vs. Kansas State*
Nov. 24 at Texas*
Dec. 1 vs. Oklahoma*
*Big 12 game

The departure of Jim Christian from the TCU basketball program to Ohio was well-timed for both the Horned Frogs and Christian. It gives Christian a chance to go back to a conference where he's had success (at Kent State) and it gives TCU a chance to hire a proven coach who can bring some excitement to the program just as it enters the Big 12.

And there's one logical name: Jamie Dixon.

Before you roll your eyes and claim that TCU has no shot, know this: He's at the top of their wish list. And I wonder if the timing isn't right for him to leapfrog to Fort Worth.

There are some obstacles, obviously. He had a disappointing year in Pittsburgh (team didn't make NCAA or NIT, but won the CBI title), but has a contract worth, according to reports, between $1.6 and $2 million through 2018. TCU was paying Christian around $600,000. That's an awfully large gap.

But athletic director Chris Del Conte (with help from football coach Gary Patterson and others at TCU) helped get the financial backing for renovations to Amon G. Carter Stadium. Football, as it should, took priority. Now, the athletic department should focus on increasing resources for the basketball program. That has to start with renovations to Daniel-Meyer Coliseum and Del Conte has said that's a major priority.

With the sports programs going to the Big 12 starting with the 2012 football season, there's no better time than to try to get the basketball program up toward competitive status again (last NCAA tournament trip was 1998 under Billy Tubbs and that team, a No. 4 seed, lost to FSU in the first round). It can get there. But it will take a commitment by the university and a big-time coach -- in that order, or they won't get the big-time coach.

That coach should be Dixon. But why would he do it? Because he was a star at TCU as a player and seems to have at least kept track of things in Horned Frog land since he left.

He was a star with TCU in the late 1980s, hitting a memorable buzzer beater against Texas in 1987 and playing on two Southwest Conference title teams for the Horned Frogs (part of Jim Killingsworth's "Killer Frogs"). TCU was a No. 4 seed in the NCAA tournament in 1987 and beat Marshall in the first round before losing to Notre Dame in the second round by one point. The game ended with some controversy when Dixon was whistled for a foul on Irish guard David Rivers, who made a free throw with four seconds left to give Notre Dame the win. TCU fans felt Rivers stepped out of bounds and wasn't fouled.

That's history, of course. But it's a part of TCU history that many current fans know. Dixon, though, has kept up with the Frogs. He talked with Del Conte in 2010 at a football game and is credited with helping to push TCU into the Big East. Though the Frogs never played a game in the conference, the move certainly couldn't have hurt with Big 12 officials as they looked for another program to join the conference in 2012.

Dixon has put together an impressive resume at Pitt. Yes, he had a down year this past season, but took the Panthers to seven consecutive NCAA tournament appearances and two Sweet 16 trips and one to the Elite 8 (2009).

He's got a track record and ties to TCU. He's a big name that would attract attention, not only of fans but of prospective recruits. It's time for TCU to raise the money and go after him.

Sean Adams from HornsNation takes a look at the state of the Texas football program and what the Longhorns need to do to replace the departed heart of their defense.

Baylor's Brittney Griner set a Big 12 tournament record with a career-high 45 points, and had 10 rebounds and seven blocked shots in the Lady Bears' 86-65 rout of Kansas State in the semifinals Friday.

Griner finished 19 of 28 from the field to beat her career scoring mark of 41 points, set in the Lady Bears' regular-season finale against Iowa State, and got a standing ovation from fans of both teams when she checked out of the game with just over 2½ minutes remaining.

"I've watched Baylor play a lot this year, and I know in the recent contests I've watched, I've seen coach Kim Mulkey over on the sideline admonishing her team with this message: '42,' " Kansas State coach Deb Patterson said, referring to Griner's jersey number.

"She understands that's the best player in the country, and they get her the ball."

For more on Baylor's win, click here.

J’Covan Brown and the Longhorns went on a late 17-6 run to grab a 72-64 comeback win over Oklahoma at the Frank Erwin Center Wednesday night. Click here to read the story from HornsNation.com.

Texas goes for its sixth straight win against Oklahoma when it hosts the Sooners on Wednesday night.

Pam Ward and Stephanie White recap No. 1 Baylor's 69-62 win over No. 11 Texas A&M.

Texas, a team desperate to extends its NCAA Tournament streak to 14 years, needed a signature win.

Instead its fate may have been signed, sealed and delivered by No. 13 Baylor. The Bears, down by as many as 12, came back in the second half behind the inside play of Quincy Acy, and beat Texas 77-72 at the Frank Erwin Center Monday night.

The loss, which was Texas's second in as many games, may just push Longhorns (17-11, 7-8) off the bubble and into the NIT. The Longhorns have still only beaten one ranked team, No. 22 Temple, and lost eight of nine games decided by two possessions or less.

For the Bears (23-5, 10-5) the win allowed them to find themselves again after an upset loss against Kansas State at the Ferrell Center. The win also puts the Bears into solo third place headed into the last three games of the Big 12 season.

With the loss Texas fell to sixth in the Big 12 just ahead of Oklahoma State.

Like most of their games against ranked opponents, the Longhorns were in the game until the final minutes. In fact, in this one Texas had the ball in the hands of its best scorer, J'Covan Brown down just three with less than :15 left. But Brown, who had a team-high 18 points that all came from behind the arc, threw the ball away. It is the second time Brown has passed the ball rather than shoot the potential game-winning or tying shot. He also did it in a loss to Missouri.

Star of the game: This was a game when the big-time players are supposed to rise to the occasion. Perry Jones III never did. Instead it was the much less heralded Acy who took over down the stretch. The post player scored eight straight during a crucial stretch, including a free throw after an attempted outback to seal the game with 1:00 to go. Acy finished with 22 points and a career high 16 rebounds.

What the win means for Baylor: The Bears had been reeling, after losing three of their last four. The first two were excusable as the games were against top 10 teams, Kansas and Missouri. But a home loss to Kansas State had some questioning Baylor's ability to win physical games.

While Texas is not exactly stout across the front line, the Longhorns do mix it up on the inside. That affected Jones, but it did not affect Acy or point guard Pierre Jackson. Jackson got to the line nine times and made every one. He finished with a career high 22 points.

What the loss means for Texas: The Longhorns are now going to have to pull off an upset in the Big 12 Tournament to get into the NCAA tournament. In all likelihood, Texas will win at Texas Tech and at home against Oklahoma. The Longhorns will be heavy underdogs not he road at Kansas. That means Texas should finish the regular season with a 19-12 overall record and a 9-9 conference record. Given that Texas has just one win over a ranked team it probably won't have the resume to impress the tournament committee unless it pulls off a win at the Big 12 Tournament.

Up next: Baylor will play host to Oklahoma on Saturday. Texas travels to Texas Tech for a game Saturday.

Big 12 spokesman Bob Burda said the 2012 football schedule isn't completely set until television decides which times and special dates it's looking at for games -- including Thanksgiving.

PODCAST
TCU AD Chris Del Conte comments on the Big 12 schedule, the possibility of a plus-one system for the BCS and more. Listen

The league is expecting the TCU-Texas game in Austin will be played on Thanksgiving night, which is one reason why both the Horned Frogs and Longhorns were given a bye week the previous Saturday.

"Judging by Texas' history of playing that day, we anticipate that game would be selected by TV to be played on Thanksgiving," Burda said.

(All dates subject to change)

Sept. 1: at UTEP
Sept. 8: vs. Florida A&M
Sept. 22: vs. Kansas State
Oct. 6: at Texas Tech
Oct. 13: vs. Texas at Cotton Bowl (Red River Rivalry)
Oct. 20: vs. Kansas
Oct. 27: vs. Notre Dame
Nov. 3: at Iowa State
Nov. 10: vs. Baylor
Nov. 17: at West Virginia
Nov. 24: vs. Oklahoma State
Dec. 1: at TCU

We'd ask you how you think Oklahoma was going to fare in 2012, but the Sooners haven't released their full nonconference schedule -- other than a home game vs. Notre Dame.

So, give us your projected Big 12 records.

UPDATE: The remainder of OU's nonconference schedule was released Wednesday. The Sooners open the season Sept. 1 at UTEP and have their home opener a week later against Florida A&M. Their home date against Notre Dame is Oct. 27.

(All dates subject to change)

Sept. 1: vs. Wyoming
Sept. 8: vs. New Mexico
Sept. 15: at Mississippi
Sept. 29: at Oklahoma State
Oct. 6: vs. West Virginia
Oct. 13: vs. Oklahoma at Cotton Bowl (Red River Rivalry)
Oct. 20: vs. Baylor
Oct. 27: at Kansas
Nov. 3: at Texas Tech
Nov. 10: vs. Iowa State
Nov. 24: vs. TCU
Dec. 1: at Kansas State

So, how do you think the Longhorns will fare in 2012? Give us your projected records.