ESPN Big 12 Blog

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Here's a few links to keep you going as we prepare for a dark week without Big 12 football. No Big 12 bowl games begin next Monday when Missouri faces Northwestern.

Until then, read and savor.

• Legendary former Oklahoma coach Barry Switzer tells the Denver Post's John Henderson that the Sooners' current offense might be the best in the history of the school. 
• Nebraska coach Bo Pelini has given his players several days off before they return for Gator Bowl practice on Friday night as they get ready for the Jan. 1 Gator Bowl against Clemson, according to Brian Christopherson of the Lincoln Journal-Star. The Cornhuskers also plan a coaching clinic in Jacksonville, Fla., after they arrive for the bowl game to build recruiting connections in the North Florida area.
• Chuck Woodling of the Lawrence Journal-World finds out that teams played cupcakes back in the day even more than today. The 1904 Minnesota team that scored 700 points -- the last team to score 700 points before Oklahoma this season -- beat Grinnell, 146-0, and Twin Cities Central High, 107-0.
• Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman lists two Texas football memories among the top 10 highlights he remembers about Texas Stadium -- Major Applewhite's near-comeback in the 2001 Big 12 title game loss to Colorado and Texas' tight 9-7 victory over SMU in 1981 where the Longhorns won despite producing only six first downs.
• John Hillman of Realfootball365.com writes that Jamie Pollard's fate as Iowa State's football coach will rest on the success of untested new coach Paul Rhoads.
• Kansas coach Mark Mangino is juggling various options during bowl practice as he prepares for the loss of three starting linebackers and two starting defensive ends from this season's team, the Topeka Capital-Journal's Tully Corcoran writes.