By MICHAEL PETERS Sports Editor on Oct 21, 2012, at 12:52 AM Updated on 10/21 at 12:52 AM
THE EDITOR'S DESK
Sports figures and teams from near and far are pitching in to help those impacted by the tornadoes in Oklahoma on Sunday ...
Sports teams throughout the Tulsa area are finding ways big and small to help the Moore tornado relief effort.
John ...
Oklahoma City made its last stand Monday night.
But as is often the case with last stands, this one proved futile.
What ...
It was a busy Saturday for Oklahoma college football fans, as all three state Division I teams played in three different time slots.
Here's a little of what we learned from a marathon day of homecoming games:
1. It's finally time to hype OU-Notre Dame
Both teams did what they needed to Saturday (although just barely by the Irish), setting up a fantastic game next week between Oklahoma and Notre Dame.
Two historic programs, two top 10 teams, ESPN College Gameday on hand.
It has all the makings of a great game. The buzz on Twitter is that OU will open as an eight-point favorite.
That seems about right. Notre Dame hasn't played anyone as good as Oklahoma, but the Irish have the kind of defense that could make the game "Kansas State Part II."
The Sooners, for their part, have taken some pretty dramatic steps forward the last three weeks.
I heard John Hoover on the radio Friday afternoon (you should listen too. It makes you smarter) say the seriousness with which OU took Saturday's game against Kansas would say a lot about this team.
The Sooners were certainly all business against the Jayhawks.
Because of it, this week could be something special.
2. Congratulations go out to Mike Gundy and Oklahoma State
OSU coach Mike Gundy deserves a hardy congratulations for becoming the Cowboys' winningest coach with his team's victory against Iowa State on Saturday.
He also gets high marks for having his team ready in what could have been a tough spot.
Obviously, Wes Lunt's injury against Louisiana-Lafayette is a lot more of a concern than OSU has wanted to admit.
With J.W. Walsh still feeling his way at quarterback, and OSU missing weapons in receivers Tracy Moore and Isaiah Anderson and running back Jeremy Smith, Saturday could have been a struggle.
Instead, the Cowboys looked like the superior team from the second quarter on.
I'm still not sure where OSU fits in the Big 12 title picture. With potential on offense, an improving defense and some beatable league foes on the horizon, the Cowboys could be in good shape. But at the same time, OSU still has the best teams in the league left on the schedule.
Are those games opportunities or obstacles? That still remains to be seen.
3. I guess this is how Tulsa's season is going to be
In the NCAA men's basketball tournament, the phrase is, "survive and advance."
So it goes for the Tulsa football team, which rarely wins pretty and doesn't feel like apologizing for it.
Playing without starting quarterback Cody Green and dynamic running back Trey Watts, the Golden Hurricane struggled to get anything going against Rice.
Throw in a blocked punt for a touchdown, an interception and 3-of-14 on third down conversions and you get a game Rice could have, should have won.
Instead, Ja'Terian Douglas broke off a cross country, 75-yard run in the final minutes to set up Alex Singleton's winning touchdown.
Tulsa, no doubt, is resilient. But you have to wonder how many close calls one team can have in a season before it stumbles.
Until then, fans should enjoy the ride. Remember, though, the degree a difficulty increases beginning in two weeks in Fayetteville.
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