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Gridiron Preview
Published: 5/18/2009 4:15 PM
Last Modified: 5/18/2009 4:15 PM

USA Today published the official college football schedule today, which makes it official, football season has started.

All the schedules are very revealing.

Here are the questions facing the three in-state programs this year:

OU: Has Stoops peaked near the top?

OSU: Is it all talk again?

TU: Was it ex-coach Gus, or was it the program?

OU's schedule is tough. Beyond semi-neutral site games versus BYU and Texas, road games loom at Miami, Kansas, Nebraska and Tech. BYU can score 45 against what is supposed to be a "great" OU defense. Of course, OU can score 63 against a "pitiful" BYU defense. The key game is, of course, Texas. The winner has a national championship chance, Texas far more so than OU.

OSU's schedule is heaven-sent. Georgia lost everbody but its coaches. OSU will come favored versus the Bulldogs. The Cowboys have eight home games! Suddenly it doesn't look like AD Holder was such a rascal. The Texas game in Stillwater is one of the biggest in the country, all year.

Good as OU and OSU appear to be on paper, the odds against both going into the season-ender in Norman undefeated are thousands to one, maybe more. OU's Bradford is undergoing a year-long NFL tryout without an offensive line. OSU's defense is at this point all verbiage.

TU has four of its first five on the road. As the chief meteorologist at Channel 6 might say with basketball-size hail falling: Oooooh, that's bad.

TU plays New Mexico, OU, Rice, Boise State, UTEP, Houston, East Carolina and Southern Miss.

A .500 season almost seems more possible than 9-2.

So what was responsible for the great TU improvement recently, ex-coach Gus or the overall improvement of the entire staff?

No pre-season has prompted a greater set of questions for the in-state teams.

On the national level, Texas is the disgrace of the nation.

It plays the following non-conference schedule: Louisiana Monroe, Wyoming, UTEP, Central Florida.

It will 100 percent deserve to lose any tiebreaker based on this collection of weakings. Any voter with with a sense of fairness would penalize Texas for punk scheduling, right off, and throughout.



Reader Comments 10 Total

Ignatz (4 years ago)
Agree about tough schedules for in State schools, but think any TU team from last five years would have trouble going 7-4 with this schedule. Even with weak schedule I'll bet Texas is ranked No. 1 when OU game rolls around. This could be year OU whips them as -10 underdogs.
MexiMike (4 years ago)
Didn't a couple of teams back out on Texas leading to their horrific OOC schedule this year?

Also, good take on OSU, Pick. I think the Georgia game will determine a lot about the defense this year. Until then, I'll remain cautiously optimistic.

If there is ever a game that has a chance of selling out Boone Pickens, it would be the Texas game...especially if both teams are undefeated going into it.
wilson (4 years ago)
Wow. Did you ever think you'd be saying someone has a tough road game at Kansas?
madhatter (4 years ago)
One other question about OU this year - could this be the last year those of us who have to work on Saturdays will have to suffer through Bob '3 of 6 on his last 10 pass attempts' Barry not telling us what's happening on the field? How embarrassing!!
LaffALot (4 years ago)
Holder has “given” Gundy the perfect schedule, now can them ‘boys take advantage? OSU goes as far as Robinson stays healthy! OSU could finish with a better won/loss record than OU this year.

This years' road schedule will ‘test Stooppie & da‘ OU faithful. Miami & Nebraska a’int back yet, but OU has a history of producing a fumble-flubber or 2 on da’ road. KU is ’tuff & fundamentally sound & “cold & windy” Lubbock in November with Captn‘ Leach leading them Scallie-Wags, will be no cupcake.

Snicker is right, TU could “easily” go 6-6 or 9-3, all depends on how well they ‘hold serve @ home! I wonder IF Graham would take a 3-3 road record right now?
dcood (4 years ago)
Hey Pick, did you ever think maybe, just maybe that TU has been better because of better players? Just a thought.
The Picker (4 years ago)
Wilson: Yeah, that qb is something else again.

Hatter: Somebody said Land Run Bob is looking to extend his contract so that his final year of announcing will be when he reaches age 103. Year after next, right?

Dcood: It seems obvious that TU's offensive scheme the last few years was brilliant. Better players? Are any headed to the NFL? Hopefully they're better. It's not so much the better angle, though, it's depth. If you play it straight on offense, you had better have lots of better players. Here's hoping.
'50s Man (4 years ago)
After watching the TU spring game, it seems that the offense has a long way to go before the team can compete at the level of last year. It wasn't just the execution of plays, but the unimaginative play calling.

Or is this just the way that spring games usually go?
MexiMike (4 years ago)
Tattoo...it's pretty high.

Playing OOC games against Georgia and two other teams that had 10 win seasons last year will give you a good amount of credibility.

Face.
madhatter (4 years ago)
Well, if Bob "down and distance? who cares?" Barry is going to be back next year, maybe he'll get a chance to explain "doesn't make it back to the line of scrimmage but appears to have the first down".
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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.

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