READ TODAY'S STORIES AND E-EDITION SUBSCRIBE |  CONTACT US |  SIGN IN
Sports Extra!



SPORTS EXTRA BLOGS

FOR THE RECORD
LOCAL PROS

ALL SPORTS

PHOTOS & VIDEOS

OUTDOORS

FIND A STORY

EMAIL ALERTS

SOCIAL MEDIA

RSS FEEDS

CONTACT US
BUY PHOTOS & PAGES

ADVERTISE ON SPORTS EXTRA


Print story only Print story with comments Email Twitter Facebook Pinterest
Can OU Keep It Close?
Published: 11/22/2010 12:42 PM
Last Modified: 11/22/2010 12:49 PM

Why does somebody win?

Ninety four percent of the time, it's the team with the best players and best coaches. On rare occasions, the underdog can win as a result of bad luck, bad officiating, bad turnovers, bad vibes.

History, tradition, can play a role in big games. The sky-will-probably-fall-again attitude carried by some OSU fans can create tension. At the first sign of adversity against OU, you can almost hear 55,000 fans say: Here we go again!

But bad things have happened to OSU versus OU when the Sooners had the best players, when, in reality, the Cowboys were fortunate to be close.

Down through the years, OSU has benefitted from nothing-to-lose scenarios, games when heavy underdog status numbs nerves.

The highlight of the Stoops program has been its ability to pound upper middle class programs, your Florida States, your northern Big 12 reps. But one recurring low-light has been defensive flops in big games. For some reason, defensive players have seldom seemed to be in position to make a big-game winning play in, well, a decade.

The OU-OSU game is big. Nebraska is coming apart at the seams. The Bedlam winner has at least a 50-50 chance at a BCS bowl, possibly against a Big East bum; to the losers go the peanuts.

Both offenses look great.

Can OU make some big defensive plays more than once every ten years?

History does not support such a premise.










Reader Comments 70 Total
Dr. Strangelove (2 years ago)
What's you're opinion of the spread Pick? Looks like low hanging fruit to me.
Danny.Williams (2 years ago)
You're saying you can't say?????? LOL
The Picker (2 years ago)
D-Love.....I guessed it would be 4. It's early. A key football handicapping element is waiting to see who the losers pick. It looks like a good-sized splash could hit early on the Cowboys, and the number could kick up to 3. Then the anti mentality will click in some. It's all on Venables. He's gotten a free pass forever. Saturday he's in the spotlight.
Dr. Strangelove (2 years ago)
It opened at the Wynn yesterday OU +1.5, I found that interesting.
LaffALot (2 years ago)
Historically, OU does well in covering the spread as a “Dawg” How, often has OSU gone into this game as a favorite?

The key is for OU “D” line to pressure QB Weeden. OSU counters w/ a formable & very solid offensive line (Coach Joe Wickline is one of the best offensive line coaches in the country)

Can any OU D-back cover Blackman? Can OSU limit touches for Broyals?

OSU could win by double digits. How many TD’s does OU need to win?

Can OSU contain OU’s formable run game?

A tight Defensive game favors OU?

Which team will have the “jitters?”

IF OSU looses this game, will T Bone pop a blood vessel?

Big 12 winner does play Big East chump in Fiesta Bowl, that would be an embarrassing game for the Big 12 champ to lose.
Dr. Strangelove (2 years ago)
Sorry Pick I meant OU -1.5
BOOMER! SOONER! (2 years ago)
In recent memory, OU plays very well defensively in games where most people wonder if they can do anything to stop the opposing offense. Tech in '08 anyone? This game feels like the same kind of vibe. That game was, obviously, at home, which can't be ignored. I just have a feeling that for all this confidence OSU has that this will be the year they are setting themselves up for a humbling experience.
C SQUARED (2 years ago)
Holgerson has this team in right direction! And hes beaten Texas and OU before.....IM kinda thinkin he does it again! OSU by at least a touchdown!
C SQUARED (2 years ago)
Holgerson has this team in right direction! And hes beaten Texas and OU before.....IM kinda thinkin he does it again! OSU by at least a touchdown!
bmf (2 years ago)
Dont mean to poke fun at the pokes, But the cowboys are still just the cowboys and i know the sun shines on a dogs butt every once in awhile but, I think OU still wins..
SLOTH is the real Goonie (2 years ago)
Sorry, I may be a life-long Sooner fan, but I also have a brain.

I was surprised that the line was as low as it was.

I love Oklahoma football, but I'm pretty sure that Oklahoma State will be winning this game.

Dont get me wrong, I'll be decked out in my Crimson and Cream, but I just dont think the Oklahoma defense has an answer to that offense.

It'll be a high scoring game, and I think it'll be quite entertaining.

Good luck to both teams.
Tulsan in Exile (2 years ago)
Right now, OSU is playing with the kind of confident swagger that characterized the best of Jimmy Johnson's Dallas teams, not the Wade Phillips teams. In other words, the kind of confidence that you can back up, and that unnerves the opponents. I think it is Landry-Jones who will lose composure in this game, with disastrous results for OU. You can never be sure about college football (which is why I never bet on it) but I anticipate a close first half, followed by a blowout for OSU in the 2nd half. Pokes win this one going away.
The Picker (2 years ago)
How about this: If Venables can't stop OSU, and OU loses another big one, he and the other coaches who just got uncalled for raises should give some of their money back. And hire a fresh coach for a new opinion.
Hal Jordan (2 years ago)
OU is inconsistent this year, but usually gets hyped for the big games.

They already let Mizzu get a rare win this year, I don't thing lightning is going to strike twice. Both teams are talented, but OU has better coaching and more depth.

OU by 10 is my call.
SLOTH is the real Goonie (2 years ago)
Hey Picker,

You hit the nail on the head. There is a reason why schools all across the county seem to hire away all the OU coordinators, EXCEPT Venables.

Even the "Co-defensive Coordinators" (Mike Stoops and Pelini) got hired away, and yet we are still stuck with Venables.
MexiMike (2 years ago)
BMF, the cowboys are still just the cowboys? What does that even mean? That might be the worst line of reasoning ever created.

Perhaps you are trying to use history as a means for predicting this outcome? If that's the case, I hope you didn't put money going against the Pokes in games versus Texas, Texas Tech, or K-State.

How about you look at the matchups, instead? Try to tell me that Broyles is better than Blackmon. Try to tell me that Murray is better than Hunter. Try to tell me that Jones is better than Weeden. Try to tell me that they play just as well in a hostile environment as they do at home.

You can't.

If you want to make an intelligent case for OU, I'm all for a spirited debate. But please leave the senseless hyperbole out of it.
MexiMike (2 years ago)
Hal Jordan, what have the OU coordinators shown you this year to make you believe they are better than the OSU coordinators?

Also, lightning already struck twice when they lost to A&M.
Someone New (2 years ago)
I just filled out my weekly pick 'em... I gave 15 confidence points to OSU... Yep... That assures an OU win... BOOMER SOONER!
tulsandn (2 years ago)
OU does have talent, they have too, I mean, every year top 10 recruiting classes, blue-chip walk-ons, the best of the best of the best....

Okie St - gunslinger QB, NFL-ready WR, extremely talented RB & RB-backup, coaches, players & fans that are ready to be somebody....

Better QB, RB, WR, & assistant head coaches tip the scale to Okie St. side.... Road issues for the Sooners won't be solved in Stillwater on Saturday night....

Okie St. 38 OU 28
MJ17 (2 years ago)
@Hal Jordan: Surely you're kidding. "OU is inconsistent this year, but usually gets hyped for the big games." There's a reason Stoops has been called Medium Game Bob the last few years -- his Sooners *haven't* been able to win the big games. Boise State, LSU, USC, West Virginia and Florida all beat OU when it mattered most -- in BCS bowls.

Realistically, I think Oklahoma State has the better team and is better at most positions than the Sooners. Still, the margin isn't that much and I wouldn't be too surprised if OU wins in Stillwater. While I'm a big Cowboy fan, I'd love to see every Big 12 championship come down to Bedlam so that either Oklahoma State or Oklahoma wins it.
THANK GOD FOR HOLGORSEN (2 years ago)
Frankly, I have to agree with Tulsan in Exile. I think it will all come down to pass defense and OSU isn't really as bad there as the stats indicate. OU will need to stop the #1 offense in the country and I don't see that happening anytime soon.
miguel (2 years ago)
I realize this is a blog, but good lord, try to say something if you're going to write something. This is awful.
Ignatz (2 years ago)
Ok, Gumby is 1-10 against OU and Texas. OU came out swinging against a better than average Baylor team and appears to be playing better. I thought spread would be 2.5, so I'm taking the Sooners, with the spread and straight up 34-28.Too bad winner (who should beat Nebraska) won't be playing an SEC West team.
The Picker (2 years ago)
Has OU ever stopped an offense as good as OSU's?

Never.
Someone New (2 years ago)
Pick - Ever is a big word (figuratively, of course, as opposed to literally)... If you mean ever as in THIS year, then I say no... If you mean ever as in Stoops tenure, then I say probably... If you mean ever as in since OU began playing foot ball, then I say yes...
25 of 70 comments displayed  |  View All


To post comments on tulsaworld.com, you must be an active Tulsa World print or digital subscriber and signed into your account.


Out Pick The Picker

The Picker began entertaining – and infuriating – sports fans in 1993. Each week during football season, he writes about his picks of college and NFL games in his Thursday Sports column. He's never afraid of sharing his opinions about the game and the personalities who play it. Readers have a chance to go against him each season in the Outpick the Picker contest. He welcomes the competition.

Follow The Picker on Twitter

Subscribe to this blog


Archive

Past Articles By The Picker

1/31/2013
      The Picker: Super Bowl merely a distraction from OU woes
 
The Picker's Blog Archive:

2/2013  1/2013  12/2012  11/2012  10/2012  9/2012  
8/2012  7/2012  6/2012  5/2012  4/2012  3/2012  
2/2012  1/2012  12/2011  11/2011  10/2011  9/2011  
8/2011  7/2011  6/2011  5/2011  4/2011  3/2011  
2/2011  1/2011  12/2010  11/2010  10/2010  9/2010  
8/2010  7/2010  6/2010  5/2010  4/2010  3/2010  
2/2010  1/2010  12/2009  11/2009  10/2009  9/2009  
8/2009  7/2009  6/2009  5/2009  4/2009  3/2009  
2/2009  1/2009  12/2008  11/2008  10/2008  9/2008  
8/2008  7/2008  6/2008  5/2008  4/2008  3/2008  
2/2008  1/2008  12/2007  11/2007  10/2007  9/2007  
8/2007  7/2007  6/2007  5/2007  4/2007  3/2007  
2/2007  1/2007  12/2006  11/2006  10/2006  9/2006  
8/2006  





Home | Contact Us | Search | Subscribe | Customer Service | About | Advertise
Copyright © 2013, World Publishing Co. All rights reserved.