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
Turnovers didn't doom OU
Published: 10/7/2006 7:48 PM
Last Modified: 10/7/2006 7:48 PM

Five turnovers are never good. But Oklahoma's turnover woes did not hit until fourth quarter and simply sealed OU's fate in a 28-10 loss to Texas.
Sure, you are never going to win with five turnovers. However, OU had just two turnovers early in the fourth quarter when it trailed 21-10.
The game wasn't over at that point but time was quickly slipping away from Oklahoma.
Then, the backward pass to Adrian Peterson that Texas picked up and ran in for a touchdown clinched the game for the Longhorns.
OU had two more turnovers down the stretch as it desperately tried to generate any offense.
Nope, this game was lost long before the turnovers slammed Oklahoma.
It was over because Oklahoma, showing some cracks in its defense all year, gave up two long drives in the third quarter.
That made it 21-10 and OU's offense had not shown enough punch to make one think a big comeback was probable. It was possible but not probable.
Anything is possible when Peterson is in the game.
However, Oklahoma has been able to beat inferior opponents because it can pound Peterson at teams. They can't keep pounding him against equal of better athletes.
Peterson did not run wild against Southern Cal and he didn't run wild against Texas on Saturday.
He was effective but not overwhelming, like he was against Oregon, UAB or Tulsa a year ago.
This game was lost because OU couldn't stop the Longhorns when the game was still in doubt.
Then, once it dug the hole, the Sooners could not climb out of it because they have a tendency to make mistakes.
The loss essentially puts Oklahoma in a two-game hole in the Big 12 South race.
And, there are plenty of challenges ahead for OU.
The Sooners have to play better defense, the kind they played in the second quarter. The offense has to hang onto the ball and give Peterson a chance to work some of his magic.
Without those two things, Oklahoma will be vulnerable in other games this year.



Reader Comments


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.