Seven Big 12 Conference football teams are in bowl games, and five — including Kansas — are favored. Does that mean the Big 12 will go 5-2 in the postseason? Of course not.

Missouri owns the biggest advantage. The Tigers are a 121/2-point favorite over Northwestern in the Alamo Bowl. Next comes Kansas, favored by nine over Minnesota in the Insight Bowl. Then there’s Texas at 81/2 points over Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl.

Shows you what the bookmakers think of the Big 10 Conference, doesn’t it?

The other two Big 12 favorites are Texas Tech — five points over Ole Miss in the Cotton Bowl — and Oklahoma State — three over Oregon in the Holiday Bowl. The non-favorites are Nebraska — a 21/2-point underdog against Clemson in the Gator Bowl — and Oklahoma — a three-point ‘dog to Florida in the BCS Championship.

Here’s a capsule look at the bowls involving Big 12 teams:

Monday’s Alamo Bowl

They’re billing Missouri-Northwestern as the Battle of the Journalism Schools and, if the pen is indeed mightier than the sword, then perhaps the loser will be accused of failing to bring enough Bics to the Riverwalk.

Question: How do the Tigers feel about playing in the same arena where Kansas won the NCAA basketball title?

Tuesday’s Holiday Bowl

Oregon dons the ugliest football uniforms in America, while Oklahoma State boasts the nation’s No. 1 college sugar daddy in T. Boone Pickens. Those distinctions are, of course, mutually exclusive, but what the heck?

Question: Is the souvenir annex at Eskimo Joe’s in Stillwater, Okla., larger than the souvenir store at the Alamo?

Wednesday’s Insight Bowl

Glen Mason coached 10 years at Minnesota and nine years at Kansas so maybe they should present the winner with a trophy shaped like a Mason jar.

Question: Could a statuette of a Golden Gopher be confused with an Oscar?

Thursday’s Gator Bowl

Clemson is 7-5 and NU is 8-4, and the Tigers are favored? I’m sorry. I don’t understand.

Question: Why have Kansas and Clemson never met in either football or men’s hoops?

Friday’s Cotton Bowl

When Texas Tech is on, the Red Raiders are unstoppable. Just ask Kansas.

Question: Will the Chiefs make eccentric Tech coach Mike Leach an offer he can’t refuse?

Fiesta Bowl, Jan. 5

Maybe Ohio State has an answer for Texas quarterback Colt McCoy. No one in the Big 12 did. The Longhorns can play the no-respect card, too.

Question: Will Kansas have to travel next season to Austin, Texas, to meet the ‘Horns or will UT agree to play the game at a neutral site — like Anchorage or Moscow or Ulan Bator?

BCS Championship, Jan. 8

Oklahoma has scored 60 or more points in five straight games. Florida has Tim Tebow, who is sort of a left-handed Colt McCoy. Sounds like a TV ratings winner to me.

Question: Is Sam Bradford really that good, or is he merely a product of the OU system like Jason White and Josh Heupel?