Silent assassins: Remember these little-known names in time for bowls

Oklahoma running back Mossis Madu (17) breaks away from Missouri defensive back Kenji Jackson as he runs for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of the Big 12 Championship football game Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008 in Kansas City, Mo. Oklahoma won the game 62-21.

Florida's Jeffery Demps leaps into the end zone to score a touchdown during the fourth quarter of the Southeastern Conference Championship NCAA college football game against Alabama at the Georgia Dome Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008 in Atlanta. Florida won 31-20. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

The Big 12 Conference and college football bowl games: not historically an unstoppable combination.

The conference carries a mediocre 41-44 bowl record in 12 years. The Big 12’s best bowl record for an individual season is 5-3 (2007-2008, 2005-2006, 2002-2003).

If there’s any season to beat that mark, it’s this one. Four Big 12 teams are ranked in the top 13 of the BCS rankings, and five are ranked in the top 25. Only seven Big 12 teams earned bowl berths this season, and five of them are favored to win their games.

Here’s a breakdown of each Big 12 bowl matchup. The sleeper picks that follow are players flying slightly under the radar that could have major impacts on the outcome of their bowls.

Oklahoma vs. Florida

Bowl: BCS Championship

When: 7 p.m. on Jan. 8

Line: Florida by 3.5

Sleepers: Oklahoma’s Mossis Madu, Florida’s Jeffery Demps.

Should DeMarco Murray’s knee injury be serious, Madu showed he could be relied upon in the backfield. He has a quick initial burst, as displayed in his touchdown run down the left sideline against Missouri in the Big 12 Championship. Murray is expected to play on Jan. 8, but keep an eye on the sophomore Madu.

Percy Harvin, who missed the SEC Championship game against Alabama, is expected to play in the BCS Championship. Florida has an array of offensive weapons, primarily featuring Harvin and quarterback Tim Tebow. Florida runs a variety of shotgun zone-reads and defenses key on Tebow and his 12 rushing touchdowns much of the time. Don’t sleep on the freshman Demps, who has seen more time lately with injuries to Harvin and Chris Rainey. Demps has scored three touchdowns in his last four games.

Texas vs. Ohio State

Bowl: BCS Fiesta

When: 7 p.m. on Jan. 5

Line: Texas by 9.5

Sleepers: Texas’ Brandon Collins, Ohio State’s Daniel Herron.

Most defenses know about UT receivers Jordan Shipley and Quan Cosby, but what happens when you key on the two of them? Collins usually finds open space. The sophomore has three touchdown receptions this season. Collins has caught one in each of the last three games of the season, proving he’s quickly growing as a trusted option for quarterback Colt McCoy.

Chris Wells and Terrelle Pryor run Ohio State’s offense. Look out for Herron, though. He didn’t record a carry in a three-game stretch from Oct 11-25, but the freshman has seen major time for the Buckeyes lately. In Ohio State’s last three games, he’s rushed for 147 yards and four scores.

Texas Tech vs. Mississippi

Bowl: Cotton

When: 2 p.m. on Jan 2

Line: Texas Tech by 5.5

Sleepers: Texas Tech’s Eric Morris, Mississippi’s Shay Hodge.

So there’s that Michael Crabtree guy. He’s pretty good (93 catches, 1,135 yards, 18 TDs). In focusing on Crabtree, it’s easy to overlook Eric Morris — literally. The guy’s only 5-foot-8 and 177 pounds. Heck, his nickname is “The Elf.” But he’s quietly caught six touchdown passes in Tech’s last five games.

Mississippi and Texas Tech are on different planets offensively, but Hodge has been Mr. Consistent. In the Rebels’ biggest game of the regular season (31-30 victory over Florida), Hodge caught three passes for 133 yards and a touchdown, proving he could produce on a big stage. He has eight TD catches on the year.

Oklahoma State vs. Oregon

Bowl: Holiday

When: 7 p.m. on Dec. 30

Line: Oklahoma State by 3.5

Sleepers: Oklahoma State’s Kendall Hunter, Oregon’s Jeremiah Johnson.

Dez Bryant’s 74 catches for 1,313 yards and 18 touchdowns are nice. It could be argued Bryant is still underrated on the national level. But Hunter sets the tone for the Cowboys offense. In an era where running the football is as outdated as pogs and slammers, the sophomore running back has quietly totaled 1,518 rushing yards and 15 total scores.

Johnson may not be Oregon’s leading touchdown maker on the ground, but in the Ducks’ most impressive victory of the season — a 65-38 thrashing of then-No. 17 Oregon State on Nov. 29 — Johnson ran for 219 yards and a score, while averaging 12.9 yards per carry.

Missouri vs. Northwestern

Bowl: Alamo

When: 7 p.m. on Dec. 29

Line: Missouri by 13.5

Sleepers: Missouri’s Tommy Saunders, Northwestern’s Rasheed Ward.

Saunders, who started as a walk-on at Missouri, caught two touchdown passes the first week of 2008, then went six games without a score. He’s officially back on Chase Daniel’s radar, registering a touchdown catch in five of Missouri’s last six games. It’s not just about Jeremy Maclin in the Tigers’ passing game.

In arguably Northwestern’s signature win in 2008 — a 22-17 victory at Iowa — Ward caught 10 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown.

Nebraska vs. Clemson

Bowl: Gator

When: Noon on Jan. 1

Line: Clemson by 2.5

Sleepers: Nebraska’s Roy Helu, Clemson’s C.J. Spiller.

Helu slowly took carries away from Marlon Lucky and is now the Huskers’ primary back. He’s still lower profile than the versatile Lucky, but Helu has averaged 17.5 carries, 127.5 yards and 1.25 touchdowns since taking over full-time at running back four games ago.

In Clemson’s signature win this season — a 27-21 victory over Boston College on Nov. 1 — Spiller had eight carries for 55 yards and also contributed six catches for 105 yards.

Kansas vs. Minnesota

Bowl: Insight

When: 5 p.m. on Dec. 31

Line: Kansas by 10.5

Sleepers: Kansas’ Dexton Fields, Minnesota’s Eric Decker.

After being injured for most of the beginning of 2008, Fields has ended his KU career nicely, with touchdown catches in his last three games, including a seven-catch, 72-yard performance against Missouri on Nov. 29 in Kansas City, Mo.’s Arrowhead Stadium.

Minnesota is in the midst of a horrific four-game stretch, and Decker’s been a forgotten man. He caught a touchdown in Minnesota’s first four games, but only has six on the year. If Minnesota wants any chance of beating Kansas, Decker must expose the KU secondary.