Dave Caldwell

Q: How do you feel about the victory?

A: I'm real proud of our players, and we, as a coaching staff, feel great about the type of team we have. They showed character all season. It certainly hasn't been easy. The Texas game the first time was a great game, and Texas came out on top. I think our team turned a corner in the second half of the Kansas game, after Texas. From that point on, we've played the way we can play. Our defense played great the whole game. They have had a great year. The offense did well, and the special teams were good. There was great kickoff and punt coverage, and that played a part in the game.

Q: How do you feel about the Bowl Championship Series computer formula now?

A: I think we have a great team. There are probably four or five teams in the nation, and if you lined them up against each other, it would be a great game. We will go with the system that is in place. We understand that it works, and why. Really, I'm pleased to finish the season like this, and I'm happy with a Big 12 championship.

Q: Do you think you should be playing in the Sugar Bowl?

A: You look at it right now, and there are probably four or five teams that are deserving of a chance. Florida State is a great football team, and Virginia Tech is also. But we've played a tough schedule. I know this: No one from the Big 12 came through undefeated. No one from the Big Ten came through undefeated, either. You're talking about tremendous conferences to come through. When you look at it, we've played four Top 25 teams, and you look at the other schedules . . . and you look at that and say, 'Well, maybe you do belong in there.' I guess one of the things you've got to understand is that Tennessee is one of the teams that could play in a national championship game as well. We will live with the system, regardless of how the thing turns out.

Q: Do you feel vindicated to have won the Big 12 championship after a four-loss season last year?

A: I've said several times I've felt good about last year's team. They had some unfortunate things happen to them, with injuries and such. They lose four close games, but I felt OK about that year. Certainly, with this year, with this team accomplishing what it has, it's been very gratifying. But I feel like I've been moving along. There may be people who might not feel that way, or don't feel that way, or never will feel that way.

Q: How did you change your game plan today?

A: We started the game trying to operate a little bit of a power offense. What we did not want to do was to put our defense in a bind. We did not get real exotic today with the offense, and it paid dividends for us. But it wouldn't have looked too good if we didn't get the power running game started early.

- Dave Caldwell