Will the IRS ever happen?

[badger]

A few years ago, in the 2001 season (actually 2002, it was Jan. 1), we played University of Arkansas. We both had late season disappointments, resulting in the Cotton Bowl trip.

NOW... what if we were to make this game a regular occurance? What if Oklahoma started a rivalry with our OTHER border state? We have a rivalry with an SEC school that competes with us for recruits and fans every year, neither of us travel very far so we have great attendance and great national interest every year and to top things off, we make their traitor coach our newest whipping boy?

We, Sooner Nation, would have the IRS, the Illinois River Shootout, and it would be awesome. :D

I can dream, can't I?

[BillyBall]

With the new series that they just signed with Texas A&M, I don't see it happening anytime in the near future.

[Flagstaffsooner]

Bad enough we play one state of inbred cousins.

[MrJimBeam]

Bad enough we play one state of inbred cousins.
Kansas?

[Fraggle145]

Kansas?

them too. :D

[badger]

Yes, we all know the state of Boise is inbred, but really, I want a longterm rivalry with an SEC team and Arkansas is close and they'd make sense, IRS joke aside.

Any of the SEC teams would be fun. Shall we count the ways?

Florida - Bob Stoops' old school.
South Carolina - Bob Stoops' old mentor.
Alabama - Because they were so much fun the last time we had a home-and-home... and because of Nick Satan.
Auburn - Because they think they were screwed in 2005 and everyone knows the only team screwed was us... for discussion, search SF.com for "Reggie" and "Bush."
Georgia - Because we were both left out of the title game this year and dang it, we want the chance to beat Ohio State to a pulp, too!
Tennessee - Because Fulmer keeps paying our in-state talent to leave for Rocky Top :mad:
LSU - Because Lester only beats us when nobody expects him to and nobody will ever expect us to beat LSU.
Mississippi State - Because every top team deserves the chance to prove they can't be "Croomed."
Ole Miss - Because yeow yeow yeow yeow... oh wait, Coach O is gone. Ummm... because Houston is a Nutt? (Admittedly Laaaaaaaame)
Arkansas - Because IRS isn't as admittedly laaaaaame.

Give me rivalry!

[RedstickSooner]

Scheduling a series with a team in the SEC (other than Vandy, maybe) is sorta like nitrogen triiodide. Sure, it sounds like a lot of fun. But it can easily blow up in your face.

Our series with Bama is the perfect example of why I don't want to play any SEC teams regularly. First year, at home, we got a nice win (although I remember that game as being a lot closer than the score suggests), and Bama went on to have a solid season, making us look good.

Next season, Bama sucked, it took a miracle to beat them, and it was a near loss that gave us no benefit whatsoever.

If we're gonna play good teams, we need to play good teams that are good pretty much *every* season. That rules out almost everyone in the SEC, Georgia being the only exception in my mind.

The SEC is a schizoid conference. Team A will beat the national champion one week, and lose to Vandy the next week. All the decent teams have solid squads as far as athletes go -- so really the only thing that determines whether they're amazing, or lame as hell, is how "up" for the game they are. A factor which you simply cannot predict.

Hence, I see no upside in playing the SEC. And plenty of downside. I know it makes me a bit of a jerk, but I'll be dead honest here: I'd like us to schedule games based on what's best for the season. Not what'd be most fun to see.

Kinda sucks, but I'd rather play Tulsa and win a national championship, then play Arkansas and not play for the crystal football.

Well, plus, Arkansas really is a bunch of inbred hicks. Their catcall/motto is "sooie, go pigs". That makes LSU fans with their obnoxious "tigerbait" crap seem like landed gentry.

[badger]

Benefit in playing Alabama in 2003: College Gameday exposure.

[snp]

I'd prefer to try and schedule more games with Houston and TCU - maybe SMU and Rice if they ever improve. Play games at Reliant and Jerryworld and watch Texas freak as we establish an even stronger presence in their backyard.

[AlbqSooner]

Benefit in playing Alabama in 2003: College Gameday exposure.

Although I was there, I did NOT expose myself. I was just adjusting my shirt tail.:eek:

[starclassic tama]

i'm not scared of the SEC. they are a good conference, but there are plenty of other good conferences out there. i think we should have one marquee out of conference opponent each year, and i'd be thrilled if they were from the SEC.

[Jacie]

Except for the prestige of beating them (or despair from losing to them) Oklahoma gains nothing from a series beyond the occassional home-and-home versus any SEC team. We don't usually go head-to-head for recruits so that is a non-issue. It was cool having an out of conference game versus the whorns all those years, putting OU on par with USC and Notre Dame. Now that it is a conference game the stakes are actually higher though I personally think some of the luster is lost in the process. That kind of magic is hard to come by and almost impossible to create from scratch the way arkie/aTm hope will happen with their series.

[12]

With the close proximity of the schools, it is odd that in our histories, we've only met 15 times. (OU, 10-5) And only THREE times in the "modern era" of college football.

I wouldn't have a problem with it, but I'll bet the A&M deal halts anything from happening for a while.

[Sooner-Magic]

At least for about 5 years and A&M is 0-5 with Arkansas. Then that week will be open from then on.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

longer i go without having to hear that noise their fans make in person the happier I am

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

I'd prefer to try and schedule more games with Houston and TCU - maybe SMU and Rice if they ever improve. Play games at Reliant and Jerryworld and watch Texas freak as we establish an even stronger presence in their backyard.This is a more strategic approach, Badger. Also, playing AR would elevate the Soopigs to equals and rivals of the Sooners, when we actually think of the pigs as aggy from the east. It could even help the Pigs in recruiting, and hurt us...