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Gameday: Instant analysis
Published: 11/20/2011 2:10 AM
Last Modified: 11/20/2011 2:13 AM

We say it every week, but every week it must be repeated: It's been a really strange football season.

Unfortunately, as happened last week, real life interrupted the games we follow.

Oklahoma State was hit hard again by tragedy, as two popular coaches were taken away in a plane crash Thursday.

Young people are resilient, as are college campuses. People rally around those in need and healing happens, even if those most impacted -- the families of the fallen -- never forget.

The loss of OSU women's basketball coach Kurt Budke and assistant Miranda Serna will be a drum beat that dominates the rest of the basketball season.

But at some point the games will go on, as they did this weekend.

Off the field, we were again reminded about the fragile nature of being. As for what happened on the field, here are a few things we learned:

1. All is still possible for the Oklahoma State football team.
Friday's loss to Iowa State was disappointing, but the Cowboys still have possibilities. With upsets of OU and Oregon on Saturday, OSU is projected to fall only two spots to fourth in the BCS rankings -- behind LSU, Alabama and Arkansas. If LSU beats Arkansas this week, OSU could still play for a national title by winning Bedlam on a national stage and hoping poll voters get swept up in an anti-rematch sentiment. If that doesn't happen, winning Bedlam, a Big 12 title and playing in a BCS game would be a success -- even if it would elicit wishes of what might have been.

2. Under the circumstances, OSU's loss isn't shocking.
I've been a little surprised at the amount of criticism leveled at the OSU football team over Friday's loss at Iowa State. With a superior team and a 24-7 lead, you would expect the Cowboys to win. But OSU's uneven effort and late-game struggles spoke to a team trying to carry the weight of a heartbroken university on its shoulders.

3. Over and OUt.
When you label a season "national title or bust," the letdown can be intense when the ultimate goal is out of reach. Such is the case for Oklahoma, which played its way out of title contention with its loss at Baylor on Saturday. As I've said for a few weeks now, this Sooners team is just too star-crossed to win a title. Another starter -- defender Ronnell Lewis -- didn't play the last two-plus quarters after suffering a knee injury that could keep him out of Bedlam. And in its first game without receiver Ryan Broyles, the OU offense lacked the explosiveness it enjoyed the rest of the season. With two more wins, the Sooners can still earn a Big 12 title and go to a BCS game. But that's likely little consolation to this team or its fans.

4. Say it with me, RG3 is the truth.
He probably won't win the Heisman Trophy. He likely won't be the first-team all-Big 12 quarterback. But when he's on his game, there's no more exciting player in the country than Robert Griffin III of Baylor. The throws he made Saturday, the punishment he endured... it was one special performance.

5. I can't wait until Friday.
I'm making plans to be at Chapman Stadium on Friday for the Tulsa-Houston Conference USA West Division showdown, and I hope I'm not alone. The Cougars could come to town in the top 10 and have a Heisman candidate quarterback (Case Keenum). Tulsa, however, is more battle tested. The Golden Hurricane showed a lot by easily beating UTEP on Saturday in a game that didn't impact the conference standings. Friday should be fun.

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Danomite Dandy Dan (last year)

"RG3 is the truth"

What is the truth?

Was it not Weeden? Jones? The list goes on and on of all the players who've received accolades and then proven mortal.

Griffin is good, but this year it's implausible to declare anyone the 'best' and deserving of owning the Heisman.

RG3 was a very good player 'last night'.

mgpeters (last year)

RG3 has been a very good player on a lot of nights. Like I say, he's not going to win the Heisman (probably Luck) and he may not be first-team All-Big 12 (maybe Weeden). But he's definitely electric and very fun to watch.

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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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