Is our TITLE hopes really gone?

[SoonerKnight]

No, stranger things have happened. If we beat an unbeaten Kstate and an unbeaten OSU and a little magic is thrown our way we will recover and could play in the National Title game!!! Clearly Alabama and LSU have to lose. Stanford will lose just like OU and Wisconsin did tonight. We can recover from this. 2008 OU and 2008 Florida did!!!

This team had players that never had lost at home. Players that probably played like they were dare I say "entitled!" This team will hopefully play much better come next week and from here on out. As someone else said this team is still young. Hopefully we'll get this worked out and Sooner magic is more than what happens on the field. Remember how we went to the MNC game in 2003 after being embarrassed by Kstate? Remember how we were able to go there in 2004 and never mind. We also made it there in 2008 with a loss. It happens. This should not be a shock to anyone if you had been watching this team and remember 2000 that was a magical year because of the lack of injuries which is amazing. This team had heart to come back from and embarrassing 31-7 and came very close. That is something we didn't even come close to doing last year!!

[jumperstop]

I could happen but would we be able to win?

[BoulderSooner79]

Title hopes not gone, but they are coughing up a lot of blood.

[SoonerKnight]

Well we have come back from this before. Remember how they said our D was soft in 2008 but we ended up having a pretty good D against Florida?

[SoonerKnight]

I could happen but would we be able to win?

Yes!! Remember 2 loss LSU?

[TrophyCollector]

Big XII or MNC?
I think best we could do now is a Big 12 *.

[soonercastor]

Let's focus on the Big 12 for now :). Of course there's always that hope n the back of the head; heck Fla won after losing at home to......Ole Miss. But for now let's just focus on the Big 12

[Tulsa_Fireman]

I'd bet a kidney we'd see a Bama/Lester rematch before our Sooners get a nod.

Think about it. Either way, should either team NOT drop another game, the team that loses the first match-up will have only lost to the #1 or #2 team in the nation. While this may not reflect in the coaches poll, it's my opinion that the Harris completely blows their wad in an effort to make some grand statement about the greatness of the SEC. Got a feeling the computers will love it, too. Considering an OSU loss to us, the only oddball left is Stanford. Boise doesn't have a prayer and Clemson, in my opinion, will continue to be second fiddle to the pre-appointed Heisman winner, Andrew Luck.

[mightysooner]

Title hopes are gone period. We'll win the Big XII.....again.....and go on to a BCS bowl we'll probably lose because it's not Connecticut. Mark this post for truth.

[OU_Sooners75]

Title hopes are not completely gone.

Undefeated teams we must worry about?

LSU, Bama, OSU, Clemson, Stanford, and KSU.

We play both OSU and KSU. So we can take them from the ranks of the unbeatens.
LSU and bama play each other.


So we need Stanford and Clemson to lose...which they most likely will lose at least one each.

With OU being the first top 5 to lose, it may actually come back to help OU if they win out.

It has happened more than once in the past.

We still have 3 to 4 ranked teams left on our schedule. LSU has 2 maybe three. They also have a team that is going to ruin their SOS no matter what in Western Kentucky.

Bama has 1 or 2 ranked teams left. This favors OU greatly against these teams (depending on which one loses in 2 weeks).

Boise may end up undefeated, but I think a one loss team in OU can go before they do. Especially if OSU stays undefeated until bedlam.

[BoulderSooner79]

Title hopes are not completely gone.

Undefeated teams we must worry about?

LSU, Bama, OSU, Clemson, Stanford, and KSU.
...


You forgot about the ducks. Not undefeated, but if they win out, they will have beaten Stanford on the road and their only loss would have been early to #1 LSU.

[OU_Sooners75]

You forgot about the ducks. Not undefeated, but if they win out, they will have beaten Stanford on the road and their only loss would have been early to #1 LSU.

I don't think the Ducks gets through the rest of the season with just one loss.

They have been fortunate that all their tough games have been at home (sans LSU).

[OU-HSV]

Hell let's just focus on K-State and quit worrying about titles. Let's follow the standard coach talk, one game at a time. The way the team played tonight I'm not so sure I like our chances at anyone in the national championship. I want to see some stuff proven on the field one game at a time for now. And by that I mean one game at a time for a full four quarters, not the sluggish first half, explosive second half stuff.
But again I want to say if a team has to rely on their offense to put up 42 points to beat a mediocre team, then there's some obvious defensive problems. I'm already tired of all the offensive bashing threads.
Did the offense play a bad first half? yes. But they pulled their heads out of their butts for the most part in the second half and put up some points, almost enough to overcome the hole the defense got us in. We just shouldn't have to rely on the offense to put up 40+ points to beat mediocre teams..to me that's ridiculous.

[SoonerKnight]

Well sometime teams lay an egg!! We did in 2008 and still won the Big XII and we palyed for the MNC!!

[SoonerKnight]

08/30/08 W (4) Oklahoma 57, Chattanooga 2 Norman 84,715
09/06/08 W (4) Oklahoma 52, Cincinnati 26 Norman 84,476
09/13/08 W (3) Oklahoma 55, Washington 14 Seattle, Wash. 67,716
09/27/08 W (2) Oklahoma 35, (24) TCU 10 Norman 85,158
10/04/08 W (1) Oklahoma 49, Baylor 17 Waco, Texas 37,145
10/11/08 L (5) Texas 45, (1) Oklahoma 35 Dallas, Texas 92,182
10/18/08 W (4) Oklahoma 45, (16) Kansas 31 Norman 85,241
10/25/08 W (4) Oklahoma 58, Kansas State 35 Manhattan, Kan. 47,054
11/01/08 W (4) Oklahoma 62, Nebraska 28 Norman 85,212
11/08/08 W (6) Oklahoma 66, Texas A&M 28 College Station, Texas 85,603
11/22/08 W (5) Oklahoma 65, (2) Texas Tech 21 Norman 85,646
11/29/08 W (3) Oklahoma 61, (11) Okla. State 41 Stillwater, Okla. 49,031
12/06/08 W (4) Oklahoma 62, (19) Missouri 21

[LASooner]

We will never get the benefit of the doubt from the pollsters and consider who we lost to, the computers as well. Do yourself a favor and just forget about the national championship game because OU is not going to be in it. Fiesta Bowl is a possibility though

[BoulderSooner79]

I don't think the Ducks gets through the rest of the season with just one loss.

They have been fortunate that all their tough games have been at home (sans LSU).

I think the odds the ducks win out are at least as good as ours. Read into that what you will.

[sooner KB]

So after watching tonight's game, the first thought that comes to some people's minds is "hey guys, we still might he one of the best two teams in the country"? How stupid do you have to be?

Did it ever occur to any of you that even if there was a chance we could back-door in, that we shouldn't? Is there anyone else on this board that would rather we not back in and get demolished by an LSU or Alabama? Let's hope that a more deserving team goes.

And who in their right mind thinks that we can beat ksu, baylor, a&m, and osu? All four? Really? Did you watch the game tonight? Please, don't sink down to 10 year-old level stupid just so you can be all "optimistic." You're f*cking annoying, and need to realize there's nothing wrong with admitting that maybe, maybe, OU just doesn't have a championship caliber team.

[TulsaSooners]

Bama beat Arkansas by a million points in Arky, Arky beat A&M, A&M beat Tech in Lubbock, Tech beat us in Norman. That is at least how the computers will see it.

In answer to the question I think that it would be very difficult even if we win out, which I think is a tremendous "if" at this point anyway. Furthermore, a team like LSU or Alabama would kill us anyway if you look at it even remotely objectively (hard to win when a team is bigger than you, faster than you, better coached than you, and plays better offense, defense, and special teams than you). JMHO

[pappy]

Title hopes are not completely gone.

Undefeated teams we must worry about?

LSU, Bama, OSU, Clemson, Stanford, and KSU.

We play both OSU and KSU. So we can take them from the ranks of the unbeatens.
LSU and bama play each other.


So we need Stanford and Clemson to lose...which they most likely will lose at least one each.

With OU being the first top 5 to lose, it may actually come back to help OU if they win out.

It has happened more than once in the past.

We still have 3 to 4 ranked teams left on our schedule. LSU has 2 maybe three. They also have a team that is going to ruin their SOS no matter what in Western Kentucky.

Bama has 1 or 2 ranked teams left. This favors OU greatly against these teams (depending on which one loses in 2 weeks).

Boise may end up undefeated, but I think a one loss team in OU can go before they do. Especially if OSU stays undefeated until bedlam.

I really think this year Boise state gets a shot at the national title if they go undefeated and everyone else has 1 loss. I also think Oregon gets in if they only have 1 loss over us. Odds are very against us to win #8 this year.

[soonergirlNeugene]

I'm not sure we're out of the title picture just yet, we just don't control our own destiny anymore. But as has been mentioned before, unless we start playing better then this shouldn't be something we invest much hope in.

[TulsaSooners]

I really think this year Boise state gets a shot at the national title if they go undefeated and everyone else has 1 loss. I also think Oregon gets in if they only have 1 loss over us. Odds are very against us to win #8 this year.

Oregon already got slaughtered by LSU earlier in the year, so maybe that would aid our cause. I do tend to think that voters would like to see a team outside of the SEC win a MNC, so maybe they'd be more willing to shut Bama/LSU out if both of them somehow took a loss.

Honestly though KB hit the nail right on the head. With the way that this team is playing such talk at this point is borderline absurd.

[pappy]

I will be very shocked if we win out (not that we win out) and make it to the title game.

[EatLeadCommie]

yes, they are gone. Secondary problems were exposed tonight. What a time to get a case of the dropsies. Jesus Christ. And the offensive line was just awful. Perfect storm, but it should open Bob's eyes. Our OL has been horrible at run blocking for how long now? I appreciate the effort to put in a power running game, but that crap ain't flying. It is time to recognize that our offense is too predictable in that respect.

[TahoeSOONER]

Wisconsin, Oregon and Boise have a better shot...sadly.

[SoonerKnight]

So after watching tonight's game, the first thought that comes to some people's minds is "hey guys, we still might he one of the best two teams in the country"? How stupid do you have to be?

Did it ever occur to any of you that even if there was a chance we could back-door in, that we shouldn't? Is there anyone else on this board that would rather we not back in and get demolished by an LSU or Alabama? Let's hope that a more deserving team goes.

And who in their right mind thinks that we can beat ksu, baylor, a&m, and osu? All four? Really? Did you watch the game tonight? Please, don't sink down to 10 year-old level stupid just so you can be all "optimistic." You're f*cking annoying, and need to realize there's nothing wrong with admitting that maybe, maybe, OU just doesn't have a championship caliber team.



OU may have lost a game to TT. We are also still a good team and Florida 2 years ago lost to a unranked Ole Miss and got in. LSU lost 2 times and still won the MNC! This is not about the best team in the country because we do not have a playoff. No sir! This is about the best team at the time the MNC is played. Auburn on paper should have lost to Oregon!!! This is about getting to the big game andd playing to win. If we were to "backdoor" into this game and played like we did at FSU then we win. That's what it is about. Hell if it was about the best team in the nation then TT would never have had a chance to win tonight. They played better tonight injuries affected us and if we are able to pull it together then we win out and could play in the MNC!! So to say that is stupid is well just stupid!!

[SoonerKnight]

Wisconsin, Oregon and Boise have a better shot...sadly.

BuLL SH*T

[SoonerKnight]

So after watching tonight's game, the first thought that comes to some people's minds is "hey guys, we still might he one of the best two teams in the country"? How stupid do you have to be?

Did it ever occur to any of you that even if there was a chance we could back-door in, that we shouldn't? Is there anyone else on this board that would rather we not back in and get demolished by an LSU or Alabama? Let's hope that a more deserving team goes.

And who in their right mind thinks that we can beat ksu, baylor, a&m, and osu? All four? Really? Did you watch the game tonight? Please, don't sink down to 10 year-old level stupid just so you can be all "optimistic." You're f*cking annoying, and need to realize there's nothing wrong with admitting that maybe, maybe, OU just doesn't have a championship caliber team.


Really! You are no fan of the Sooners!! Probably an aggie!!

[Okie35]

We'll beat KState and OK State but yea they're gone. Wisconsin has a better chance than us. Fiesta Bowl it is.

[TahoeSOONER]

BuLL SH*T

It's tough to say but I think it's true. Wisconsin gets beat on a hailmary, on the road, agains't a top 25 team. Boise is undefeated and just not gonna lose against cupcakes. Oregon lost on a nuetral to a top rank team and even if they beat Stanford they would get the nod over OU.

It would take a old priest and a young priest to get to Nawlins' and losing at home to tortilla tossers will way heavy even if everyone starts droping games.

Teams that spread us out are giving us fits but losing a starting RB, corner and MLB hurts.

Didn't play smart on defense and they made plays.

[ouflak]

Yes, they is.

[Sooner in Tampa]

I agree...they are gone. Number 8 is DONE!!! BOTH LSU and Bama have better shots than we do...as well as, Stanford, Oregon, Wisconsin, Boise St, Clemson, and Michigan State.

We freaking lost to the sand aggies AT HOME!!! We deserve what is handed to us!

[CBUS_SOONER]

They should be... we aint the 1 or 2 team in the country

[marfacowboy]

So after watching tonight's game, the first thought that comes to some people's minds is "hey guys, we still might he one of the best two teams in the country"? How stupid do you have to be?

Did it ever occur to any of you that even if there was a chance we could back-door in, that we shouldn't? Is there anyone else on this board that would rather we not back in and get demolished by an LSU or Alabama? Let's hope that a more deserving team goes.

And who in their right mind thinks that we can beat ksu, baylor, a&m, and osu? All four? Really? Did you watch the game tonight? Please, don't sink down to 10 year-old level stupid just so you can be all "optimistic." You're f*cking annoying, and need to realize there's nothing wrong with admitting that maybe, maybe, OU just doesn't have a championship caliber team.

I've been concerned about the defense all year. It should have been readily apparent to anyone that's watched Bama, for example, that we don't have a defense of their caliber. I never thought we were better than Alabama. I thought we were top ten, but would perhaps lose two games. At this point, it's likely we'll lose three. I'm sensing a real lack of effort and emotion from this team. KState and OSU won't have any problems in that department.

[GrapevineSooner]

Of course we have a shot.

I know we played horrible on both sides, but it's a 7 game series...

Wait, wrong sport.

And honestly, I'm not too high on my other team that got bombed last night being able to come back and win the World Series.

[cleller]

As a matter of probability, it would require too many good teams to get upset, just won't happen.

After watching the team last night, who would think they had a chance of winning if they got there?

[soonercoop1]

Yes they are long gone and have zero chance at the MNC after that turd they just laid...do you really want to see LJ play against an LSU or Bama D....would be worse than the USC humiliation...

[lexred]

I absolutely detest Lester Miles and LSU, but they completely destroyed a decent Auburn team. They have a juggernaught team. Alabama is not as impressive overall, but has a better coaching staff. As much as I would like to believe it, OU could not play with those teams and it could even get ugly. Why is it that way, I honestly don't know. The spread offenses in the Big 12 can lite em up, but can also stink em up. Nobody in the Big 12 has a killer D like LSU or Bama. Why, again I don't know.

Bob Stoops is a great college football coach and will always have a good to very good football team. He also can be counted on to lay at least one egg every season. It is tough to go undefeated, but if you lose, and losing is always tough, it is somewhat better to lose to a quality team. Last night was bad, really bad. Why, again I don't know.

[CBUS_SOONER]

Yes they are long gone and have zero chance at the MNC after that turd they just laid...do you really want to see LJ play against an LSU or Bama D....would be worse than the USC humiliation...

^^^^ this. Landry needs to come back another yr. he is not a first rd pick imho. I like Landry but if someone wnats him in the first round they are in trouble.

[tulsaoilerfan]

After last nights game we don't deserve to play for a title; its one thing to lose to a good team but at home to Tech? This was a.horrible loss

[OhU1]

No shot. We don't have the team and that was abundantly clear last night.

[Keller Sooner]

Yes, yes they are. We better circle the wagons and play better or we could lose a couple more. I'm usually an optomist, but it's gone. The d-line can't get pressue when needed, our linebackers can't cover over the middle, and our sharks are more like minnows. I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO TALK OFFENSE AND KICKING GAME. :upset:

[mainline13]

OU may have lost a game to TT. We are also still a good team and Florida 2 years ago lost to a unranked Ole Miss and got in. LSU lost 2 times and still won the MNC! This is not about the best team in the country because we do not have a playoff. No sir! This is about the best team at the time the MNC is played. Auburn on paper should have lost to Oregon!!! This is about getting to the big game andd playing to win. If we were to "backdoor" into this game and played like we did at FSU then we win. That's what it is about. Hell if it was about the best team in the nation then TT would never have had a chance to win tonight. They played better tonight injuries affected us and if we are able to pull it together then we win out and could play in the MNC!! So to say that is stupid is well just stupid!!

The implication of the bolded sentence is that, if we did have a playoff, the "best team in the nation" would invariably win it. Not only do I believe that to be folly, I believe that the larger the playoff field - and what we currently have is a 2-team playoff - the less likely that the "best" team will win.

Just my opinion, however. YMMV.

[BetterSoonerThanLater]

sad really. i think we all had such high hopes at the beginning of the season. for those of you who think we'll still make the MNC, just let it go. focus on winning the big 12, and a bowl game. you'll feel better once you accept it. no backdoor this year, and personally, it would feel wierd if we did. this team isn't championship caliber. stanford won't lose, even a 1 loss bama or LSU is better than we are. and boise...i realize someting about them......i realize that my hatered for boise is actually bitterness. because after they beat us, they have managed to capitalize on every opportunity that they have been given. regardless of how good or bad the compitition, they absolutely play each game as if it was a championship game, they play hard for 4 qrts, and are excited about everyplay. granted their oponents aren't always great, but therein lies my point...they never play down to the other teams level. kudos to them. i wish our teams had the same mantality. i'm very disappointed, but mostly in our coaches. they have allowed for this attitude of entitlement to now become systemic without actually earning anything, and now every facet of our game has been exposed. i was ashamed last night. for the first time in my life i purposly avoided people (i was watching while at work) bcause i didn't want to hear any **** from anybody. honestly, because, i knew i couldn't defend our team, or that i didn't want to. i know we can salvage the rest of the season if we win out, and i will always cheer as loudly as i can every game, but until we fix whatever has been ailing us for the better part of a decade, i will always have that feeling that we might lose, rather than the confidence to say we're gonna win. thanks for reading this, it's actually been quite cathartic. if you disagree, i understand.

[Lott's Bandana]

I've been thinking that if Whaley, Fleming and Wort started, we would have likely won the game but still would have been exposed to a point where it would appear we might not be the team to get #8...certainly on this night we were not.

All it takes is one game with a misfiring QB and receivers with more drops than receptions and you find yourself looking ahead to next year.

Here is something:

We beat Texas.
We can still win the conference by pulling it together and rolling the rest of our schedule, including sucking the life blood, hopes and dreams out of orange aggy. I'd call that a good year.

I don't want to meet a bunch of kids over the next 20 years with no teeth and hitch testicles whose first names are Weeden.

[JiminyChristmas]

IF we take care of our business, improve every week, and win out, it's not impossible. That's a big if though.

When you go back and look at the seasons where we were highly ranked and stubbed our toe midseason, we had a good shot to work our way back to the top if we took care of our business. When we weren't good enough anyway, we usually drop another game later in the season.

Crazy things happen. You can bet that last night won't be the last upset of the season. There will be more craziness around the country.

[AlboSooner]

Yes. Boise needs a shot at the title if it goes undefeated, or Stanford.

[soonercastor]

Regardless of whether we can make it or not, we're going to have to improve a lot to be able to compete with the top teams in there. And no this isn't an overreaction, because what happened last night has been happening all year except the Tulsa and Texas games but we got away with it each time; just couldn't get away with it this time and I realize there were key injuries but still. For now we should focus on improving and winning the Big 12, if we do that and improve a lot over the few games then we can start entertaining the idea of the MNC again with a lot happening all over college football.

[PalmettoSooner]

I think if Oklahoma can get back in the mix if we win out the rest of the season. LSU and Alabama plays in two weeks, so that means one of them will drop (how much is the question). LSU still has Bama and Arkansas. Bama has LSU and Auburn (which is likely that Bama will blow out Auburn). Ok State still has us, which we have a chance to spoil their chances. Stanford has Oregon and USC. Clemson has GT and South Carolina (I hope South Carolina whips the hell out of them). With our schedule, if we win out I think we have a chance of jumping a good amount of teams.

[8timechamps]

We will never get the benefit of the doubt from the pollsters and consider who we lost to, the computers as well. Do yourself a favor and just forget about the national championship game because OU is not going to be in it. Fiesta Bowl is a possibility though

This is our biggest hurdle. We can win out, and some of the unbeaten teams lose, and will still be facing an uphill climb. We all know how biased the pollsters are, and that plays just enough into the BCS to prevent us getting the "benefit of the doubt".

Technically, we still have a chance. But, unless several teams ahead of us fall completely apart, the conference title is our best bet. And a BCS bowl.

[Okie35]

We still have a chance but it'll be a heavy outside chance.

[BoulderSooner79]

This is our biggest hurdle. We can win out, and some of the unbeaten teams lose, and will still be facing an uphill climb. We all know how biased the pollsters are, and that plays just enough into the BCS to prevent us getting the "benefit of the doubt".

Technically, we still have a chance. But, unless several teams ahead of us fall completely apart, the conference title is our best bet. And a BCS bowl.

Realistically, what would you do if you were voting? Let's say the expected happens and the LSU/Bama winner gets the first slot. If we win out and say, the Ducks win out and there are no other unbeatens who would you have to go with? The Ducks would have only lost to LSU on a neutral field in game 1 while we went down to an unranked team at home mid-season? I wouldn't see any choice and I couldn't call it bias.

[missann]

^^^^ this. Landry needs to come back another yr. he is not a first rd pick imho. I like Landry but if someone wnats him in the first round they are in trouble.

So he should stay so we can be in trouble another year?? No thanks.

[Okie35]

So he should stay so we can be in trouble another year?? No thanks.

You don't think a new QB w/ hardly any experiene would put us in more trouble? Log off.

[marfacowboy]

At this point, the focus and hope should just be on winning the next game.

[Okie35]

At this point, the focus and hope should just be on winning the next game.

Yea I agree but the title hopes aren't not over by a long shot being 9th.

[Always_Sooner]

All anyone can do is take things one game at a time. Anyone remember the craziness of the 2007 season? A two loss LSU team literally got a home game for the BCS national title. Anything can happen, but you would need a ton of upsets that probably won't happen. At least win out and see what happens.

[EatLeadCommie]

yes, they is

[kevpks]

All anyone can do is take things one game at a time. Anyone remember the craziness of the 2007 season? A two loss LSU team literally got a home game for the BCS national title. Anything can happen, but you would need a ton of upsets that probably won't happen. At least win out and see what happens.

I'm still mad that we beat Mizzou, the #1 team in the nation and didn't get in over LSU. Of course, we won, so it wasn't a "big game." I would have loved a shot at Ohio State in New Orleans.

[LASooner]

You don't think a new QB w/ hardly any experiene would put us in more trouble? Log off.

Yeah, this is really killing Alabama right now.

[missann]

You don't think a new QB w/ hardly any experiene would put us in more trouble? Log off.

Not really - if he's a gamer. And you don't have to be rude; no one has to log off for not sharing your opinion.

[TUSooner]

Face it: They is.

[TUSooner]

Yes!! Remember 2 loss LSU?

So all we have to do is win the SEC?

[TUSooner]

No shot. We don't have the team and that was abundantly clear last night.

And we don't deserve to be there if we play like that. I do not want to "back in" with this shaky and unreliable team, because we'll just get squished again. If we had played strong all year and barely lost to a great team on Saturday, I'd be hoping for evry break to get us un the big game, but this team is unworthy IN MHO and the dreams of going to the Big Game would tur out to be a nightmare.
Love,
Mr Sunshine.