Bedlam close call unlikely to go OU's way this year
Published: 11/21/2010 11:35 PM
Last Modified: 11/21/2010 11:35 PM
The most damaging numbers to Oklahoma's chances at Oklahoma State Saturday are 95, 32 and 4. Meaning, the Sooners have been outscored 95-32 in the 4th quarter this year.
Not a good sign for OU, whose most realistic hope in Stillwater is to try to keep pace with the Cowboys' offense and squeeze out a tight win. The Sooners have used that recipe for success their last three trips to Lewis Field.
2008: OSU pulls within 37-34 less than a minute into the fourth quarter, OU answers with a long DeMarco Murray kickoff return and a Brody Eldridge touchdown. OSU pulls within 44-41 on Perrish Cox's KOR for a touchdown, OU answers with a 65-yard TD drive before finally wearing the Pokes down over the final seven minutes and winning 61-41.
2006: Allen Patrick rips off 65 of his 163 yards on a touchdown sprint, and the Sooners survive Zac Robinson's last-gasp toss toward D'Juan Woods in the end zone to win 27-21.
2004: The Sooners ride Adrian Peterson's 80-yard touchdown gallop, Mark Bradley's 72-yard scoring catch and Mark Clayton's 50-yard punt return for 6 more to a 38-35 victory… but only after Jason Ricks hooks a 49-yard field goal try wide left at the horn.
We've been over this recently, but it's worth rehashing now that we're down to biggest game of the year. OU has been among college football's least dependable closers the past two seasons. Even in winning close games (see: Cincinnati, Texas and Air Force), the Sooners make things very difficult on themselves down the stretch.
Fourth quarters killed them at Texas A&M and Missouri earlier this year, and against Texas, Miami, BYU and Nebraska last.
If Bedlam is up for grabs late Saturday night, the Sooners can go one of two ways – the positive direction of the '04, '06 and '08 teams who did enough in the fourth quarter to leave Stillwater winners…
Or backward, the direction OU has been stuck going in fourth quarters of hotly-contested games ever since Bedlam '08.
-- Guerin Emig
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
