This UCONN team is worst bowl opponent since Arkansaw '01?

[SoonerShay]

Yeah, I'm already tired of seeing people compare this UCONN team to Boise State ( an undefeated team that was ranked higher than us) and WVU ( a team that was an injury away from the national title game).

WVU had the 3rd ranked rushing offense in the country, and the 7th ranked defense. They had a dynamic running quarterback and a huge chip on their shoulders from Rich Rod leaving them for Michigan. We were also missing some key personnel. Granger, Smith, Holmes, Harris, Murray, Kelly all missed that bowl game. Also Bradford was good, but he was still just a freshman.

Boise State had 2 close games that entire year. The team definitely did not take them serious though. Still they came in with a top 10 defense, top 10 offense. Had a senior laden team with a veteran quarterback leading them. We once again were missing key players and got back a rusty AD. That 2006 team was not as good as this one too. Still took a miracle for Boise to beat us that night.

This bowl game, this might be the healthiest team in postseason since... 2004? We should actually get some hurt players healed up, like Noble, Broyles, Murray etc. Stanford last year was probably a better team than this UCONN team. Except we don't have to send an injury riddled team led by a freshman quarterback to face them.

The last time we faced an offense as anemic as what UCONN is bringing was Ar-kansas in 2001. They are easily the 2nd worst bowl opponent we have faced this decade.

Obviously that does not guarantee us a win, but it sure as hell makes it much more likely.

[agoo758]

To be fair to Standford, they were without their starting QB.

[batonrougesooner]

I'm really hesitant to assume anything about OU and their chances in a BCS bowl. Logically we should blow them out. But still...

[jumperstop]

I mentioned this in another thread. Boise and WVU >>>> uconn

[SoonerShay]

I'm really hesitant to assume anything about OU and their chances in a BCS bowl. Logically we should blow them out. But still...

Yeah, see that is the thing. Being in a BCS bowl usually means you are facing a very good opponent. The worst BCS opponent we have faced was probably Washington State? And they won the PAC10 bid (over USC) and were 10 - 2 that year.

All BCS games are not created equal, the only thing that matters is the opponent faced. Just because this is a BCS game doesn't automatically elevate UCONN to really good team. At best UCONN is coming in mediocre. If they can not ram it down OUr throats with the run, they have 0% chance of winning.

[soonerlaw]

Dont' underestimate UCONN. They have an 86 game win-streak after all ;)

[anglachel]

To be fair to Stanford, they were without their starting QB.

So were we.

[badger]

Touche

[Leroy Lizard]

WVU had the 3rd ranked rushing offense in the country, and the 7th ranked defense. They had a dynamic running quarterback and a huge chip on their shoulders from Rich Rod leaving them for Michigan. We were also missing some key personnel. Granger, Smith, Holmes, Harris, Murray, Kelly all missed that bowl game. Also Bradford was good, but he was still just a freshman.


We weren't saying that before the game. In fact, we had all but mailed in the victory. It wasn't until after the stomping that we decided to find answers and excuses.

For once, why not evaluate the opponent objectively before the game? If we can struggle against Cincy, we can struggle against UConn.

[85sooners]

:gary:

[BoulderSooner79]

We weren't saying that before the game. In fact, we had all but mailed in the victory. It wasn't until after the stomping that we decided to find answers and excuses.

For once, why not evaluate the opponent objectively before the game? If we can struggle against Cincy, we can struggle against UConn.

Who's this *we* you keep referring to? As I said before, I had WVU favored on my ticket in that game and I'm sure I'm not the only one. You could make an all star team out of our players missing from that contest. I was baffled by the bravado on this board and it all seemed to center around Rich Rod leaving. Turned out the Rich Rod didn't take Pat White or Noel Devine with him.

But I have to agree this game is different. Uconn is a team with limited talent that hung on to win a weak conference and the numbers tell the tale. But they are on a winning streak and playing their best ball of the season. Their game plan is obvious. Run the ball, move the chains, shorten the game to minimal plays and minimal possessions. Keep the score low and hope something good happens at the end. In short, make the game as boring as possible. Our goal should be the opposite and it will be interesting to see how our game plan unfolds. The Cincy game is a valid comparison and that was *by far* the worst performance of the season by our defense. I can't see that happening again.

[Leroy Lizard]

Who's this *we* you keep referring to?

The posters in here.

Go back and read the threads at the time.

[jkjsooner]

We weren't saying that before the game. In fact, we had all but mailed in the victory. It wasn't until after the stomping that we decided to find answers and excuses.

For once, why not evaluate the opponent objectively before the game? If we can struggle against Cincy, we can struggle against UConn.

I think we're a much better team than we were when we played Cincy.

Then again, I said the same thing the last few times we won the Big 12 after having early season struggles yet we seemed to regress back to the struggling team by the time the bowl game came around - either that or the Big 12 isn't nearly as good as we thought they were.

[BoulderSooner79]

The posters in here.

Go back and read the threads at the time.

I agree, but it couldn't have been all posters. Although, I admit I don't post much when the bravado gets thick and heavy and no one is looking at the actual match-ups. Some folks seem to think the word "Sooners" on the jersey will turn a back-up RB into AD.

So looking at the match-ups here, I see Uconn as similar to Air Force and the approach will be similar. They are not as run biased as AFA and will pass a little more, but that threat should not be as large as the option aspect that AFA brought. As a back-seat, Monday morning coach, I would start with a high-risk defense to take away the run and force them to do things they are not comfortable doing. I like our secondary in coverage and the way they tackle. It could mean giving up a big play or 2, but I think that is more important than letting them bleed 5-6 minutes of game clock in a grind it out drive. On offense, do what we normally do. Start with the short passing game and running game and stay with it as long as we move the chains. Hope we break a few long plays by getting Broyles and DM the ball in space. After a couple of high tempo drives and we detect any fatigue in their defense, start stretching the field and go for some big plays. If we can get them into a shootout, we should win handily.

[SoonerShay]

We weren't saying that before the game. In fact, we had all but mailed in the victory. It wasn't until after the stomping that we decided to find answers and excuses.

For once, why not evaluate the opponent objectively before the game? If we can struggle against Cincy, we can struggle against UConn.

Big deal people weren't saying it before the game, that doesn't make it false information because of that fact. That also doesn't change the fact that this will be the 2nd worst bowl opponent we have faced this decade. I would put Arkansas in 2001 as the worst.

This is far and away the worst BCS opponent we will have faced. Every single other opponent was ranked in the top 10.

I'm having a hard time seeing how just because I rank them the 2nd worst opponent we will face in a bowl this decade, that I am not being objectionable.

What am I not seeing exactly? That I should be seeing? I never said we have no chance of losing, that would be absurd. There is always a chance of losing. But in this particular case, the chances will be very, very low.

Later on when I have the time, I would look closer at how they performed against their opponents, relative to their averages.

[Okie35]

1998 Syracuse (8-3) - Syracuse got crushed in the Orange Bowl by Florida. To be fair, one of those losses was to eventual-champion Tennessee and they defeated Michigan in the Big House.

1999Stanford (8-3) - Ty Willingham's squad opened the season with a 69-17 shellacking by Texas and also go on to lose to San Jose State. Wisconsin bested them in the Rose Bowl 17-9.

2000 Purdue (8-3) - Nothing too glaring about Purdue's season. All the losses seem respectable and they lucked out with a bad Big Ten season. They lost to Washington in the Rose Bowl.

2002 Florida State (9-4) - The Seminoles began the year 4-0 but ended it 5-5, including a 26-13 loss in the Sugar Bowl. Their losses were mostly from OOC and the ACC was terrible, hence their auto-bid. This one could give UConn a run...

2004 Pitt (8-3) - In the Big East's first full season without Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College, it was supposed to showcase it's next generation of star teams. It instead sent a Pitt team that only beat Furman by three points to the Fiesta Bowl to get decimated by Utah.

And the winner is...probably UConn. We'll know more once the Huskies play, and likely lose, their bowl game. Then we can put them in the proper context amongst the lamest of the best.

http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2010/12/4/1855798/uconn-bcs-big-east-champions-worst-ever-fiesta-bowl

[cvsooner]

For the record, I publicly noted in this forum at the time that I didn't understand why we were favored over Boise State nor over WVU. Both looked pretty stout to me. I will admit WVU was much better than I had anticipated, and we gave Boise State a better game than I expected. I really thought we'd have a tough time with Bozo State...and the first half sure looked like it. The most remarkable thing...well, other than the @$#@%$#% ending...was our comeback. Nearly one for the ages.

We were toast from the get go against WVU...missing what, eight starters? And a shaky defense against the run? Ouch.

[cvsooner]

While I'm on the record, IF we come out and we're not rusty...big if...I think we can just destroy UConn.

[Oldnslo]

As long as we handle them better than Arkansas '78.

[Leroy Lizard]

Big deal people weren't saying it before the game, that doesn't make it false information because of that fact. That also doesn't change the fact that this will be the 2nd worst bowl opponent we have faced this decade. I would put Arkansas in 2001 as the worst.

This is far and away the worst BCS opponent we will have faced. Every single other opponent was ranked in the top 10.

I'm having a hard time seeing how just because I rank them the 2nd worst opponent we will face in a bowl this decade, that I am not being objectionable.

What am I not seeing exactly? That I should be seeing? I never said we have no chance of losing, that would be absurd. There is always a chance of losing. But in this particular case, the chances will be very, very low.

Later on when I have the time, I would look closer at how they performed against their opponents, relative to their averages.

I can go along with this.

As for UConn's chances, I cannot say until someone tells me how we're going to play. Which OU will show up?

[Okie35]

I can go along with this.

As for UConn's chances, I cannot say until someone tells me how we're going to play. Which OU will show up?

Hopefully a hungry one. Last time we had a long layoff we barely beat Utah State.

[BoulderSooner79]

As long as we handle them better than Arkansas '78.

Arkansas '77 ('78 Orange Bowl) was a 1 loss team that led #1 Texas into the 4th quarter. A screen pass to Heisman winner Earl Campbell did them in. Not a comparable situation.

[Big D Sooner]

Why don't you all stop bitching about who we are playing in a BCS bowl. Be thankful that OU is in a BCS bowl and not heading down to San Antonio for the Alamo Bowl or, even worse, not in a bowl at all.

[SoonerPride93]

Id be more scared of playing against Maya Moore...by herself.

[BoulderSooner79]

Why don't you all stop bitching about who we are playing in a BCS bowl. Be thankful that OU is in a BCS bowl and not heading down to San Antonio for the Alamo Bowl or, even worse, not in a bowl at all.

There has been plenty of bitching about the matchup we got in the Fiesta, but I haven't detected it in this thread. Maybe pointing out the Uconn appears to be an average team is implying it, and it's just going over my head. But I don't see anyone saying "I wish we were playing so-in-so" or "we got jobbed".

[Joe]

While I'm on the record, IF we come out and we're not rusty...big if...I think we can just destroy UConn.

Lerrhoid Hemorrhoid wishes you would reconsider your stance before you cost us the game against UCONN. Thanks, you ****ers; why can't y'all see how important it is that we, the fans, don't take a team too lightly.

[BoulderSooner79]

I agree with LL that it is nice to see discussions about the teams and match-ups and stats instead of a bunch of chest pounding. Chest pounding is pretty much content free and tedious to wade through. If we do get a visitor from Uconn, then a some smack would be entertaining.

[Laelaface]

Look, I agree with everyone here, and there are some really smart people that know a lot about OU football. With that said, I hope UConn does us a favor and we break the curse/hex on us and walk out of Arizona with a win this time, and stay humble about it. We need to stop dropping BCS games period.

[SoonerShay]

Uconn was definitely the 2nd worst opponent we have faced in a bowl this decade. Amazing when you think about it, we have probably faced the hardest bowl opponent schedule of any team this last 10 years.

Also I'll add that what other BIG12 teams do in their bowls has no bearing on how OU will play. That Uconn running game was pretty tame.

[Sooner47]

To be fair to Standford, they were without their starting QB.

So were we.....and our All-American Tight End.