Greg McElroy stresses importance of Big 12 teams beating Oklahoma, Texas in 2023

Any Big 12 team that can take down Oklahoma or Texas (or both) in 2023 is going to have bragging rights over the two major football brands for a long time.

The Sooners and Longhorns are shipping out to the SEC in 2024 and will not return to the conference they have dominated over the past two decades. College football analyst Greg McElroy explained the importance of what wins over the two storied programs can do for the Big 12 as they look to move on from the two most successful programs in the conference’s history.

Of course, if Oklahoma or Texas can end up making the Big 12 Championship game, it will be no secret who some of the suits inside the conference will be rooting for.

“Do you think Brett Yormark will be real fired up about handing the Big 12 Championship trophy to a team that is going to be leaving the league here in 2024?” McElroy asked. “No, sir. No chance whatsoever. … Anyone that is playing against Texas or Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game, you better carry the torch for the conference.”

Admittedly, Texas is more likely primed for a conference title run than the Sooners based off of last season alone. McElroy said the Longhorns have the best roster in the Big 12 pound-for-pound, though the former Alabama QB believes Oklahoma will be in a better position than they were in year one under head coach Brent Venables. The Big 12 title isn’t expected to be in the Sooners’ sights this season — and if they are, McElroy wants Venables to be in the conversation for coach of the year.

Only four times since the Big 12 began playing conference championship games back in 1996 have neither Texas nor Oklahoma appeared in the game. Curiously, it has only happened in consecutive seasons, 1997 and 1998, and the past two seasons — 2021 and 2022. Keeping that streak alive for one more year will ensure neither program snags one final Big 12 title on their way out of the door.

Obviously, that’s easier said than done. But with the Big 12 becoming more competitive, especially after Houston, Cincinnati and UCF join the league on July 1 this year, along with breakout seasons from teams like TCU, the national runner-ups, and Kansas State, the reigning conference champions, in 2022 — Oklahoma and Texas will have some tough sledding to do as they trudge through the new-look Big 12.