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OU: Daily Log
 
By GUERIN EMIG, World sports writer
Published: 1/7/2009  2:26 AM
Last Modified: 1/7/2009  2:59 AM

What they're writing



The following is an open letter to the 72 members of the media who are entitled to cast votes in the Associated Press college football poll.

Dear Colleagues:

I am writing to urge you — no, implore you — to cast your final ballot of the season for ... the University of Utah. I say this not to demean the performance of Southern California, Texas or the winner of Thursday's Oklahoma-Florida game. All are fine teams that have had outstanding seasons. They have, however, one thing that Utah does not have. A loss.

All of us know that in competition, anyone — whether an individual or a team — who does not lose is the champion. It's really pretty simple: If no one beats you, then you are the winner. You are No. 1. You go home with the first-place trophy. There is only one sport on earth where this is not always the case: Division I-A college football ...

Sadly, the preening, hypocritical presidents who run the so-called Bowl Championship Series have turned college football into figure skating. Maybe next year at season's end, coaches who believe their teams have a case to be national champion can sit in a "kiss and cry" area, hold hands and wait for the judges' scores to be posted. Wouldn't you just love to see Mack Brown and Bob Stoops holding hands while they wait?

— By John Feinstein, Washington Post

Editor's Note: The Associated Press football poll has 65 voters.



OU senior moment



Manuel Johnson, wide receiver: With 1:38 left in the third quarter of the Nov. 22 Texas Tech game, Johnson blew by Red Raiders cornerback Trent Nickerson on a post pattern and hauled in Sam Bradford's rainbow to complete a 66-yard touchdown — with one hand. It was the same hand attached to an arm attached to a brace to protect an elbow Johnson had dislocated three weeks earlier.

It looked like it might be hard to top the 206 yards and three TDs Johnson put up against TCU Sept. 27, but that did it.



Matchup to watch



OU tight end Jermaine Gresham vs. Florida's safeties/linebackers: Gresham made a killing his last three games against Texas Tech (five catches for 95 yards), Oklahoma State (nine for 158) and Missouri (eight for 82). It's a good bet Sam Bradford will want to keep feeding him Thursday night.

The Gators will counter by playing some zone defense, with an occasional double-team mixed in. Although, as defensive coordinator Charlie Strong said, "There's times when we're going to have to play some man coverage ... He's a matchup problem for us."



Quoteworthy



"You want to redeem yourself. You see the little (ESPN) ticker thing saying we're 0-4 or whatever in BCS games. As a team, guys want to fix that. And what a big way to do it, in the national championship."

— Oklahoma running back Chris Brown



Looking back



Orange Bowl, Jan. 1, 1976

Oklahoma 14, Michigan 6

UCLA did OU a gigantic favor earlier that day with a Rose Bowl upset of top-ranked Ohio State. That set up the second-ranked Sooners to win coach Barry Switzer's first national championship. Though Switzer would win future Orange Bowls on the wings of his Wishbone offense, this one was secured by the clutches of his defense. Brothers Dewey and Lee Roy Selmon, with a combined 23 tackles, were unblockable as Michigan was held to 202 total yards and 12 first downs.



Day in review



The Sooners put on pads for the last time until game night. "The guys were great," coach Bob Stoops said after practice. "They've done a really good job."



Looking ahead



Stoops and Florida coach Urban Meyer address the media one last time this morning. Then it's one last practice this afternoon — OU's will be more like a walk-through — and early to bed for Thursday's showdown.
By GUERIN EMIG, World sports writer

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Soonerkat, Broken Arrow (1/7/2009 5:08:17 PM)
So if a team doesn't have a loss, regardless of WHO they play, they should be considered the "champion" of college football. This way college football isn't confused for figure skating?! Someone needs to tell all of the ADs to get on the phone and schedule all the cupcakes they can so we can all win and all be "champions"...Yea!!!
Oh and why would Bob Stoops be sitting in a "crybaby" room with Mack Brown. He'll be busy giving interviews after winning another BCS championship. Maybe John Feinstein could find solace with good ol' Mack as they both shed tears for the sad outcome of their teams.
 

 
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