Oklahoma got the benefit of the doubt from the College Football Playoff selection committee.
As a result, Texas found itself in a big-time bowl game for the first time this decade.
For those two schools and for five other Big 12 bowl representatives, that's a great start to the postseason. Now come the bowls, the one game (or potentially two for Oklahoma) that could define perception for the season and going forward. If you're looking for trends, Oklahoma and Texas opened as double-digit betting underdogs.
The Big 12 no longer has a playoff problem. It's power conferences like the Big Ten and Pac-12 that have been on the outside looking in for the last two seasons, one reason for the recent cry to consider expanding the playoff beyond four teams.