Tulsa World: Sooners could be on run in Bedlam

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Sooners could be on run in Bedlam

By JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
Published: 11/28/2008 2:22 AM
Last Modified: 11/28/2008 3:51 AM

ONCE A year, fresh stats are fed into the Bedlam computer (half crimson and half orange, of course) and, hey, here comes a print-out of three pre-game keys.

Sam Bradford is a Heisman contender, but OSU's focus should be on stopping the run. Why? The Sooners have a five-game Bedlam winning streak since the "Rashaun Woods is still open" game in 2002.

Care to guess the average for OU's leading rusher in those five games? You guessed too low. The average is 190.8 yards and it's hard to lose when your leading rusher flirts with 200.

OSU and OU are close in many statistical categories. The most glaring difference is the Sooner defense creates negative yardage plays and the Cowboy defense doesn't.

OU ranks second nationally in sacks and OSU is 102nd. OU ranks third nationally in tackles for losses and OSU is 93rd. To create a level playing field, the Cowboy defense either needs to play out of character or the Cowboy offense must establish a running game to keep the Sooner defense honest.

OSU lost a six-point game in Stillwater two seasons ago and a 32-point game in Norman last season. The thing that could have made both games more interesting was improved red zone offense by the Cowboys.

In 2006, Zac Robinson lost a fumble on the goal line and, on the last play of the game, fired an incomplete pass in the end zone. In 2007, the Cowboys reached OU's 1, 10 and 23 on consecutive drives and settled for three points.

Breaking news: Rhett Bomar and Bobby Reid will not be leading the Sooners and Cowboys into battle.

Bomar, who transferred to Sam Houston State after his freshman season at OU, ranks second among FCS players in total offense, but his team lost back-to-back overtime games to finish 4-6.

Reid, who transferred to Texas Southern for his senior season, played nine games before undergoing knee surgery. He hopes to recover and give pro football a shot.

Sour note: Hank Williams Jr., who is synonymous with "Monday Night Football," has a rooting interest. Hint? Consider that the singer was born in the same Louisiana hospital as Terry Bradshaw.

Birthplace isn't the only thing they have in common. Bradshaw once fancied himself a singer and there are probably albums floating around on eBay to prove it. Williams said he and Bradshaw both recorded "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry."

"We are lucky he stuck to football," Williams told Steelers.com.

Train wreck?: John Daly is playing in Australia the next two weeks on sponsors' exemption and Stuart Appleby indicated Daly, 692 in the world rankings, got invited for the wrong reasons.

"As players, we only wish that he put a little bit more time into his game and less time into ruining his personal life," Appleby said. "He would be a draw card, not just a freak card, because he's so gifted it's a joke."

Daly remains a huge draw despite demons in his personal life. His galleries during the 2007 PGA Championship at Southern Hills rivaled Tiger Woods' galleries.

Appleby called Daly a "walking train wreck" and said "unfortunately, people turn their heads to watch a train wreck."

Countered Daly, "Everybody has problems and I'm a fighter. I'm a survivor and I'll get through anything people can throw at me. I've done a lot of stupid things I take responsibility for, but a lot of it came upon me. It's just life. We've got to live it and get through it."

Skid mark: Iowa State will take college football's second-longest losing streak (10 games) into next season. The streak should end Sept. 3, 2009. The Cyclones open next season at home against lower-division opponent North Dakota State.

Whatever happened to: Mark Brus held the TU single-game rushing record until Tarrion Adams broke it Saturday. Brus ran 43 times for 312 yards in a 1990 victory at New Mexico State.

Brus ran for 1,022 career yards and 407 came at New Mexico State's expense. He gained 95 yards against the Aggies in 1989.

The Tulsa World tried to track down a bunch of folks for a where-are-they-now project last summer. Brus, who is from Canada, was on the list, but couldn't be located. Paging Mark Brus.

No holds barred: Charles Barkley, a recent inductee in the College Basketball Hall of Fame, told the Kansas City Star today's players aren't better, but they are dumber.

"I think we took the time to go to college and learn how to play," Barkley said. "I think that's what a lot of these guys are missing."

Also, from the time heals all wounds department, the Star reported that the University of Arkansas sponsored a table at the Hall of Fame ceremony for inductee Nolan Richardson. Former Razorback athletic director Frank Broyles attended the event and praised Richardson's contributions.

Making nice: Broyles, perhaps because Arkansas refuses to play a football game in Tulsa, was chosen the sports figure Oklahomans love to hate in a Tulsa World Internet poll this year.

Maybe it's time for a peace offering.

In the Sporting News' latest Legends (the legends are 16 ex-coaches) Poll, Broyles is one of only two voters who has TU in the top 25. By JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer

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5055567475852000, Euless (11/28/2008 7:08:16 AM)

I hope they work more on stopping the run, especially considering that OU is 3rd in the nation in passing, Sam is 2nd in passing efficiency, 3rd in total passing yards, and 3rd in passing yards/game.

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