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Gameday: Instant analysis
Published: 10/30/2011 12:23 AM
Last Modified: 10/30/2011 12:32 AM

Here's what we learned from another weird night of college football.

1. OSU clearly controls its own destiny
It's one thing for it to be mathematically true, but in the case of Oklahoma State, it's true from a skill level as well.

The Cowboys may lose before the BCS title game, but if they do, it will be their own fault.

Kansas State, Texas Tech and Iowa State clearly shouldn't challenge the Cowboys. Oklahoma is good, but the Sooners have flaws and must travel to Stillwater.

Holding Baylor scoreless through three quarters was impressive, and I firmly believe OSU's offense can only beat itself.

Now you'll never convince me a defense can live all season on a steady diet of turnovers, but that shouldn't even matter until Oklahoma.

No, this bunch of Cowboys has a clear path to the BCS title game. Now it's just a matter of walking tall in that direction.

2. OU: Overrated or aberration? I think we have our answer
This year's Oklahoma team seems to be all about motivation, preparation and an opponent's offensive preference.

When OU is locked in against teams that can't throw it very well -- Texas and Kansas State -- it might be the best team in the country. When the Sooners don't bring it against teams that can chunk it -- Missouri and Texas Tech -- bad things happen.

Unless the Sooners have another hiccup, they won't lose again before Bedlam. OU figures to be plenty motivated for that game, but OSU has plenty of firepower.

So what gives? It will be fun to find out.

3. Please welcome Tulsa to the C-USA championship race
Sure, the Golden Hurricane was 3-0 in Conference USA play entering Saturday's game. But its three opponents were a combined 3-12 in league play.

With Saturday's convincing win over SMU, it looks like Tulsa and Houston could play a Friday-after-Thanksgiving showdown for the West Division crown.

Tulsa's defense was something special Saturday, forcing the pass-happy Mustangs into 20 incompletions and allowing less than 270 yards.

As the schedule toughens a little -- a Thursday trip to Central Florida, followed by Marshall and UTEP before UH -- the Golden Hurricane must stay sharp.

4. Anything can still happen. It does every year.
Can Oklahoma make its way back into the national title hunt? It seems a little unrealistic.

But as Saturday displayed once again, anything can happen in college football and usually does.

The Sooners should climb two spots in the BCS rankings with their win over Kansas State and Clemson's loss to Georgia Tech. It was almost three spots, but Stanford survived overtime against USC.

After next week's LSU-Alabama showdown, the Tigers still have Arkansas on their schedule. The Tide must travel to Auburn.

Boise State faces three teams with winning records, including TCU.

Stanford has Oregon and Notre Dame left. Oregon faces Stanford and USC.

There's a lot of football to be played and likely a lot of crazy days like Saturday.

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The Editor's Desk

Tulsa World Sports Editor Michael Peters has nearly 20 years of daily newspaper experience. A 1993 graduate of Texas A&M, he worked at papers in Bryan-College Station, Texas, Beaumont, Texas, and Galveston, Texas, before joining the Houston Chronicle as High School Sports Editor in 2008. While in Houston, he coordinated coverage of the 2008 Texas Class 5A state football championships and the 2011 NCAA Men's Final Four.

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