The Associated Press

NORMAN, Okla. - Bob Stoops gets annoyed with scenarios that put his top-ranked Sooners in the Sugar Bowl even if they lose the Big 12 title game.

The coach wants his players to think only about winning.

"We don't care about any of that," Stoops said, quickly dismissing the notion. "Our first and primary goal is to win the Big 12 championship."

Oklahoma (12-0, 8-0 Big 12) will go for its third league title in four years Saturday against No. 13 Kansas State in Kansas City, Mo. A win guarantees that the Sooners will be one of the two teams to play for the national championship Jan. 4.

A loss, however, and Oklahoma still could land in New Orleans.

Oklahoma is a unanimous No. 1 in The Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN coaches' polls and the top team in all seven Bowl Championship Series computers. The Sooners have a nearly five-point lead over No. 2 USC.

That kind of computer power might offer Oklahoma the chance for a mulligan, but the Sooners insist they're playing to win.

"This is our season right here," quarterback Jason White said. "If we lose this game, it'll be like the other 12 games didn't mean anything."

The Sooners, however, might be as vulnerable as they've ever been this season.

Co-defensive coordinator Mike Stoops was named head coach at Arizona last week and will coach through the title game. Bob Stoops was named Big 12 Coach of the Year Tuesday, and more Sooners probably will receive similar honors this week.

Meanwhile, resurgent Kansas State (10-3, 6-2) will play a de facto home game at Arrowhead Stadium - just a two-hour drive from its Manhattan, Kan., campus. Not to mention that weather forecasts say temperatures could dip into the lower 30s by kickoff Saturday.

With all the distractions leading to the Big 12 title game, it's tough to imagine it won't have some effect on the Sooners.

"That could be," defensive end Jonathan Jackson acknowledged. "But we didn't come this far to lose. We want to win out and be remembered as one of the greatest teams ever."

VIRGINIA TECH: Tailback Kevin Jones announced Wednesday that he was skipping his senior season to enter the NFL draft.

Jones, a 6-foot, 221-pound junior, leaves Virginia Tech with 3,322 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns while starting for the Hokies only one of his three seasons.

FLORIDA: The Gators accepted a bid to the Outback Bowl. The 16th-ranked Gators (8-4) will play a team from the Big Ten, with No. 11 Purdue (9-3) and No. 12 Iowa (9-3) the likely choices.

MISSISSIPPI: Ole Miss accepted an invitation Wednesday night to play in the Cotton Bowl for the first time in 42 years. The 17th-ranked Rebels (9-3), the SEC's representative for the Jan. 2 game in Dallas, will play a Big 12 team that will be determined Sunday.

No. 22 Oklahoma State (9-3) is the likely Big 12 opponent.

NEVADA: Nevada athletic director Chris Ault, the winningest football coach in school history, will return to the head coaching job for a third time to try to snap a five-year stretch without a winning record.

Ault, 57, won seven conference championships and posted a 163-63-1 record during 19 seasons.

UC HONORS: Six Bearcat athletes garnered conference honors Wednesday. First-team C-USA honors went to offensive lineman Kyle Takavitz and defensive lineman Trent Cole.

Defensive lineman Andre Frazier, defensive backs Daven Holly and Zach Norton were named to the second team.

Junior linebacker Jamar Enzor was a third-team selection.