Sooners, Buffaloes brace for a Big 12 showdown

HOUSTON -- The Big 12 Championship game between Colorado and Oklahoma could feature a battle of running backs. Chris Brown just won't be a part of it.

Brown, Colorado's All-Big 12 running back, will miss today's game with a bruised sternum that kept him out of the Buffaloes' 28-13 victory over Nebraska in the regular-season finale.

Still, the No. 12 Buffaloes (9-3, 7-1) have standouts such as Marcus Houston and Brian Calhoun to balance Oklahoma's Quentin Griffin, also an All-Big 12 selection. Calhoun had a surprising 137 yards in the victory over Nebraska.

Colorado coach Gary Barnett doesn't seem worried.

"We are not going to change who we are, and I am not going to lose any sleep," Barnett said.

Houston was Colorado's top recruit in 2000 but he missed the first four games last season recovering from a partially torn adductor muscle in his upper thigh. He also had a sprained ankle.

"I normally don't look back," Houston said. "I usually look forward and take it from there. Right now, Oklahoma is ahead of me. So, I'm ready for that game and ready to go out and perform if I'm called upon to do that."

Calhoun also will get plenty of playing time.

"I knew I had it in me, but I didn't know when I was going to do it," Calhoun said. "I'm just happy that I came out playing like that and had a total team win."

Griffin ran for at least 100 yards in every conference game for No. 8 Oklahoma (10-2, 6-2). Billy Sims and Steve Owens are the only other members of the team to do that.

Georgia has one eye on title, another on UM

ATLANTA -- The Georgia Bulldogs know they can win one championship today. If things go really well, they could wind up with a chance to play for the biggest title of all.

The scenario presents an interesting dilemma for coach Mark Richt.

Richt knows the players, assistants and even he will spend at least part of the afternoon glued to the television, watching the Miami-Virginia Tech game.

If the No. 1 Hurricanes lose, the fourth-ranked Bulldogs (11-1) will go into the Southeastern Conference championship game knowing that a victory over No. 22 Arkansas may give them a spot in the national title game.

-- From wire reports