Oklahoma to face Texas A&M in 2013 Cotton Bowl

Dec 01, 2012; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners running back Damien Williams (26) celebrates scoring a touchdown with wide receiver Justin Brown (19) during the first half against the TCU Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-US PRESSWIRE

While the fans of Northern Illinois celebrate a BCS bowl berth, Sooner fans are not as ecstatic for bowl season. OU is not going to the Heart of Dallas Bowl by any means, however, OU’s late push for a BCS bowl was all for nothing.

Rather than getting a crack at an SEC or Pac-12 opponent on one of the biggest stages of college football, Oklahoma will face SEC newcomer Texas A&M in the AT&T Cotton Bowl.

Oklahoma and Texas A&M will get the chance to see each other once more in a bowl that is practically treated as a BCS bowl. And this match-up should spark the interest of the nation, unlike a few actual BCS bowl match-ups.

The Sooners were snubbed of an at-large bid due to a weird rule allowing teams from non-AQ conferences to get a chance at a BCS bowl.

NIU may play in the MAC and claim one loss to the Big Ten power Iowa Hawkeyes, but because they finished in the Top 16 of the BCS standings and were ranked better than a automatic-qualifying conference champion (in this case Louisville and Wisconsin), the BCS for some reason is forced to take the Huskies.

Initially, Sooner fans were cheering NIU in the MAC title game. Kent State was on the verge of taking advantage of this rule, but NIU knocked off the Golden Flashes in the MAC Championship Game. One Nebraska collapse and UCLA loss later and NIU leap-frogged to the 15-spot.

Is it fair? Well, to the “little guy,” it is the fairest thing in the world. They didn’t choose the system, the system chose them. And let’s be honest, OU is notorious for working the BCS computers.

So while Oklahoma is on the outside looking in, just remember, the BCS has been kind to the Sooners. And Oklahoma-Texas A&M is still a fantastic match-up. It is not the authentic SEC opponent fans would have probably preferred, but Landry Jones has a shot at finishing his career in the same stadium he started it. The Sooners have a chance at knocking off Heisman hopeful Johnny Manziel and an Aggie team that beat the second-ranked team in the country.

It should be a fun one, Jan. 4, 2013. Kickoff is schedule for 7 p.m. CT inside Jerry World. Tickets are already sold out, so expect an electric atmosphere for the quick renewal of these former conference foes.