Tulsa World: OU must excel in rare air at top of polls

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OU must excel in rare air at top of polls

By DAVE SITTLER World Sports Columnist
Published: 10/1/2008 2:05 AM
Last Modified: 10/1/2008 2:15 AM

NORMAN — THE WAY Manny Johnson figures it, Oklahoma's football uniforms should include pinstripes like a certain baseball team in New York City.

"We're kind of like the Yankees," Johnson said Tuesday. "Everyone wants to beat us."

The Sooners certainly hope to fare better in 2008 than the Yankees. The team that has trimmed its uniforms with pinstripes since 1912 finished eight games out of first in the American League's East Division and will miss the postseason for the first time since 1993.

Like the tradition-rich Yankees, the Sooners' record-setting success in college football means they always have an invisible bull's-eye on their jerseys. But starting this Saturday at Baylor, that bull's-eye will expand considerably to make room for a "No. 1" smack dab in the middle of it.

When OU (4-0) moved to the top spot after last week's win over then-No. 24 Texas Christian, it marked the 96th week the university has been No. 1 in the Associated Press poll, breaking a tie it held with Notre Dame.

"Us being the University of Oklahoma, there's already a target on our back," Johnson said. "But with the No. 1 on our back, we're going to have to step it up."

The Sooners moved up from No. 2 after top-ranked USC was upset by Oregon State when Johnson did his Babe Ruth impression with a home-run performance against TCU. The slot receiver set an OU single-game receiving record with 206 yards while scoring on out-of-the-park pass plays covering 76, 55 and 63 yards.

Johnson said the Sooners are keenly aware that the 118 other Division I-A teams believe OU will soon join the party of No. 1 teams losing. Especially those eight Big 12 teams remaining on OU's regular-season schedule as the Sooners open conference play against the Bears (2-2.).

"They saw (unranked) Ole Miss beat (No. 4) Florida and Oregon State beat USC," said Johnson about last week's upsets, which also included No. 3 Georgia losing to No. 8 Alabama. "So I'm sure they're thinking: 'Why can't we do it?' So we've got to come ready to play."

Not only are the Sooners in the cross hairs of every team with national championship aspirations, but critics also have zeroed in on them. Some have questioned if OU deserves its first No. 1 ranking since December 2003, while others have attempted to pinpoint why they will fall faster than coach Bob Stoops' 401(k) plan.

Several media members got their knickers in a knot when poll voters didn't vault Alabama past OU after the Tide rolled over Georgia in the Bulldogs' own (dog) house. The Sooners received 43 first-place votes to Alabama's 21 in the Associated Press media poll, while the count was 57 to 2 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and 102-7 in the Harris Poll, which is used for the BCS rankings.

A sportswriter in Tucson (Ariz.), perhaps upset that Mike Stoops hasn't done for Arizona what his big brother has accomplished at OU, asked voters in his column, "what the heck were you thinking?"

Other pundits pointed out that OU rushed for a net 25 yards against TCU. Never mind that quarterback Sam Bradford threw for a career-high 411 yards against a Horned Frogs' defense that picked its poison and concentrated on the running game and dared Bradford to beat it with his arm. He did, 35-10.

There also is that leaky special teams play; TCU piled up 181 yards in kickoff returns. And don't forget OU plays in a conference that has six teams in the Top 25, four in the Top 8 and three in the Top 5.

So, has Stoops done his coaching duty and warned his team about its growing target?

"To some degree," Stoops said. "But how much bigger can it get?"

Well, big enough to include a "No. 1." And some pinstripes might be a nice touch.To read Dave Sittler's blog, see tulsaworld.com/sportsextra

By DAVE SITTLER World Sports Columnist

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rufnek, (10/1/2008 10:01:10 AM)

OU's not going to go around like a coward, afraid to be # 1. Never have, never will! Boomer Sooner!

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