They told Dennis Dodd that it was important last year. It won't be necessarily important every year. It was the many in which OSU beat a ranked team that mattered more than the fact that they played a 13th game (CCG). This more than anything, persuaded the Big 12 to stand pat.
SOS is another story. If it comes down to who you played and how they fared against their opponents, then the team with the better SOS will get in.