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
Clearing the Hurdles
Published: 11/11/2007 3:37 PM
Last Modified: 11/11/2007 3:37 PM

After Oklahoma lost at Colorado, the Sooners faced an immediate turning point in the season.
Beat Texas and Missouri and give yourself a chance to win the Big 12 and perhaps play for the national title. Win one of those games and be in for a battle to get ot the Big 12 title game. Or, lose both and be done.
Oklahoma won both and finds itself on the brink of another Big 12 Championship Game and in the hunt for the national title game.
Oklahoma State also reached one of those points this season. After beating Kansas State, two victories at home not only would have vaulted OSU high up into the rankings but would have set up a huge Bedlam game. One victory would keep OSU with an outside shot at the Big 12 South and a date with an attractive bowl.
But, OSU wasted its chance against
Texas and was just flat out beaten by a better team (Kansas).
The Cowboys have blown at least two chances to make this a season to remember. Still, getitng to a bowl would be accomplishment considering the difficulty of the schedule.
During the regular season, OSU will play three teams in the top 10 and four of the top 14. A victrory in a couple of those and the Cowboys would have found themselves perhaps in the top 14 instead of needing a victory at Baylor to get bowl eligible.



Reader Comments 10 Total
sj (5 years ago)
OSU has not made significant progress in their football program this year to deserve a bowl game bid.
Greg Stines (5 years ago)
Progress? Would you look at some of the teams we have played? Now granted we've lost some of the big games, but those kids have a lot of heart and they put their all out there.

A six and six record would merit a minor bowl.

Unfortutantely, the pokes are still the choking pokes that I am all to familiar with, but this program has potential. I find it humerous that the majority of people online expect these players to be national champions. Give em a break!
Mark V (5 years ago)
OSU will go to a bowl game this year, even with a 6 - 6 record. (And I'm not convinced that they'll lose in Norman.) OSU has played the toughest schedule in the nation and they are entertaining to watch, and bowls love teams that make good match-ups for television.
Blair (5 years ago)
Anyone that thinks OSU has played the toughest schedule in the country needs their head examined. Reminder: OSU has not beaten one quality opponent. Not one. Neither has Kansas for that matter. I expect Missouri to deflate the dream for the Jayhawks.

You just can't ignore the schedule Kansas has played. They are extremely lucky to be missing Oklahoma and Texas. Missouri wasn't so fortunate.

And, for those Big 12 lovers out there, I would get ready for another bad bowl showing.

And for reference, the toughest schedule in the country? Try anyone in the SEC.
T Bone (5 years ago)

Nice article John. I definately agree with you that OSU had a chance for a major bowl bid until Texas and Kansas. What disapoints me is that they attack Gundy and he is not on the field playing. Agree that he has made some coaching errors, but good players overcome some bad coaching. i.e. Mack Brown and V. Young.
Young helped him win a national championship.. OSU needs to instill a vever say die attitude in their players, and maybe this will happen after all the improvements in the facilities are complete. Hope TU and OU carry the Oklahoma Flag well in the bowl games.
Shrouded Llama (5 years ago)
Blair wrote

"Anyone that thinks OSU has played the toughest schedule in the country needs their head examined. Reminder: OSU has not beaten one quality opponent. Not one. "

I agree that OSU hasn't beaten one quality opponent, but that doesn't mean that haven't played any. Georgia? Kansas? Texas? Texas Tech gives people nightmares. Troy isn't exactely a push over. We have played quality teams just lost to all of them!

My thoughts on the BCS Top %5:

Kansas has benefited form an easy schedule. Missing UT and OU helped. They would have probably lost one of those games, if not both. Kansas actually reminds me of the last Sooner National Championship team. They are a bunch of unknown over achievers that aren't flashy but get it done. They may actually pull it out. They just keep finding ways to win.

Missouri played OU to the wire, but what other team have they beat to get to 5 in the polls? Illinois was the best team they have beaten. I know Illinois beat Ohio State, but who was really impressed with them anyway. The Big 10 is weak!

I think none of the Big 12 teams in the top 5 have proved themselves, not even OU. Who have they beat? North Texas, Utah State, Miami, TU, Texas, Missouri, Iowa State, Texas A&M, and Baylor. Texas is ranked in the top 15, but they have struggled in almost every game this year. They also lost to a not very good CU team. Missouri is ranked 5 but they have yet to prove themselves to be that good in my opinion.

I think LSU and Oregon have played brutal schedules and deserve to be 1 and 2. I's like to see a Big 12 team win the Crown, but i don't think i bet on any of them against either of those two teams.

I think the SEC Champion should get an automatic bid to the title game. That is how good that conference is.
Blair (5 years ago)
Texas Tech is not a quality opponent this year. They are a mediocre football team, like 3/4 of the Big 12, simply average. I like Missouri, I have seen them a few times and I believe they are capable of beating Oklahoma.

I am not impressed with Kansas. Wake me up when they beat someone. If they beat Missouri, I will gladly admit to being wrong. Until then....

I don't see how OSU fan can be happy with this season. The schedule's difficulty is no excuse. OSU is very close to not seeing a bowl, suppose that game with KSU went the other way? If I were an OSU fan I would be upset, I would be tired of beating average to below average foes. And I would be tired of terrible coaching decisions that turn games around.

I believe the entire media missed the big play in the Texas game. My first question at the post game presser? Why did you go for it at mid-field ahead 21 points? Four plays later Texas is in the endzone and the collapse was under way. Not an OSU fan, but watching the game, I said "and here it starts." How many times must you burn your hand?

On OU, not an OU fan either, but I think they are really good. They are strong up front, and if not for a fluke loss (the stars aligned against the Sooners that day) they would be No. 1 in the country with a terribly weak Big 12 coasting to an appearance in the national title game. I give OSU next to no chance to beat them in Norman.

I think the polls have it right, if not by pure luck. But you cannot convince me that 25-30 teams couldn't win the thing this year. You can't. After the year we have seen? Not having a playoff is a travesty, a disservice to the fans and to the players. You don't control your destiny in college football...Look at OU, one loss like the other two teams, but wishing someone would lose. They have no control. With a automatic bid based playoff, OU finishes off the Big 12, and takes aim at the title. The BCS sucks, the title is irrelevant too me. I just like watching the players, the coaches, and the innovation that makes college football special.
Shrouded Llama (5 years ago)
Texas Tech isn't quality, but they can be dangerous. We did beat them by pure luck. Crabtree dropped that pass in the endzone or we were done.

I am disappointed in OSU's season. I thought before the year that we could hit 7 or 8 wins. I guess that isn't COMPLETELY out of the question, but unless Jesus comes back and starts coaching our defense we will end up 6-6 and crossing our fingers hoping for a bowl. I didn't have a problem with OSU going for it on 4 fourth down, up 21. But i did have a problem with the call. A reverse to Bowman? Every defensive player was watching him. He's our best player. The point of a reverse is to fool the defensive. That was a horrible call!

I like Missouri and i think they will beat Oklahoma if the get a chance to play again, but name one person they've beat?

I think OU will beat OSU by 17, 24 at the most, with the last touchdown coming at the end to put it away. OSU always plays OU well when the season isn't going well. I guess playing spoiler gets them fired up. I think it'll be a close game until the fourth and then OUs offense will come alive against our horrible defense.

I also agree that 3/4 of the Big 12 is average, but i'm not so sure the other 1/4 is that great. Yet. The post seasons bowls may prove me wrong seeing as OU KU MU and UT will all probably get good bowls against quality teams.

I also think you shouldn't be able to mention the Heismen with out mentioning Chase Daniel. He and Dennis Dixson should be the top two candidates in my opinion. I hope he leaves for the NFL so we don't have to face him next year!
Mike Jones (5 years ago)
Should ANY team with a .500 record be given a bowl game? Aren't bowl games for teams that have actually had a winning season? I guess not....
Shrouded Llama (5 years ago)
I think teams should have to have winning records for bowl games. No .500 crap.

But unfortunately money drives college football, so the powers that be allow .500 teams to participate so they can fill up the 30+ bowls they have these days.

Shameful....
10 comments displayed


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


Klein's Korner

Tulsa World senior sports columnist John Klein is in his fourth decade of covering sports. He started his newspaper career at The Daily Ardmoreite in 1977 and moved to the Tulsa World in 1978. He served 10 years as sports editor for the Tulsa World before being named to his current position in 2005. He also spent five years as the Southwest Conference beat writer for the Houston Post. He has won many writing awards and is a former Oklahoma Sports Writer of the Year.

Follow John Klein on Twitter

Subscribe to this blog



Archive

 
John Klein'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.