The need/urge to run up the score in the playoff era...

[ouwasp]

We all remember the last few weeks of the 2008 regular season & Big XII ccg. The Sooners were scoring at a blitzkrieg pace, some would say even late in already decided games. Of course, it was to impress the pollsters (and infuriate Mack).

So what will the mindset be during a season when the Big dogs of cfb are all trying to jockey for a playoff slot? Will the hapless teams be ground into the turf at an even more demoralizing rate? Will game plans be skewed toward winning in a shootout fashion vs a 17-14 dogfight? At what point in the season will teams put "the pedal to the metal"? Will sportswriters decry about the "gracelessness" of certain teams that obliterate their foes like that one knucklehead did after 77-0? Will the selection committee perhaps penalize teams for rolling the points up on an overmatched opponent? Hmmm...

[Alum81]

Then this graph's top line will increase dramatically:

http://news.jrn.msu.edu/williamston/files/2012/02/Where-Bullying-Occurs.png

[badger]

As much as we seem to run up the score if you just look at final score afterward... I don't think that we do.

Stoops is very good about giving the backups a chance when it's clear that we're impossibly ahead. In the infamous 77-0 game, we were taking knees at the beginning of the fourth quarter, players were instructed to stay out of the endzone, and Dennis Franchione and Stoops agreed to a running clock to finish it off (one that would only stop for timeouts).

When we end up scoring 60, it's because the other team is still being aggressive and playing hard... we just out-talent them when we get the ball back (whether via turnover or punt). Even our backups out-talent a lot of opponents.

To Stoops' and OU's further credit, we avoid the Savannah States of the college football world whenever possible and schedule at least one name opponent every year for our non-conference schedule.

[Eielson]

I think running up the score will decrease. It's all about winning now.

[BoulderSooner79]

I think running up the score will decrease. It's all about winning now.

I tend to agree, but a team running up the score has never bothered me when it's a rival that should be able to fight back. In OU's case, Stoops has been consistent in keeping his starting QB in the game until at least mid-3rd qtr regardless of score. He obviously thinks a certain number of snaps is needed to keep a guy fresh and developing going forward. He does rotate in some reserves, but you don't want a 2nd string line protecting your #1 QB.

[Temujin]

We all remember the last few weeks of the 2008 regular season & Big XII ccg. The Sooners were scoring at a blitzkrieg pace, some would say even late in already decided games. Of course, it was to impress the pollsters (and infuriate Mack).

One of the most annoying misconceptions about 2008 is that we were running up the score to try and get into that CCG.

OU points in the 4th quarter: 69
OU opponent points in the 4th quarter: 82

Almost all of OU's games were over by the 3rd quarter, several before the half (including a KSU game where we scored 55 of our 58 points in the first half...and a Nebraska game that was 35-0 after the first quarter). Stoops frequently took out players in the 3rd quarter and had backups in place. Oh, and of those 69 4th quarter points, 24 were scored in one game...against OSU...because with 10 minutes left the game was still close at 44-41.

Contrast that with the Longhorns - who were oh so benevolent to their teams throughout the season:

UT points in the 4th quarter: 115
UT opponent points in the 4th quarter: 61

Against UT's first three opponents - Florida Atlantic, Rice, and UTEP - those compassionate Whorns lovingly tacked on an extra 2 TDs at the end of each of those games. Then, against Texas A&M, whilst simultaneously bemoaning the Sooners "running up the score" all season long, and with UT ahead 28-3 at the end of the 3rd quarter, UT piled a little extra love on their opponents to the tune of 3 more TDs in the 4th quarter.

Truth.

[jkjsooner]

I think Stoops is sometimes a little slow to put in the backup QB. I know his rationale is less about running up the score than about giving the starter more game experience. I don't blame him for it but on the other hand I worry that our backups just don't get enough experience. (This is where I say that Stoops is 100% more qualified to make such decisions than I am just in case someone doesn't think I understand that.)

As far as running up the score, if it's blatant it will be obvious to the selection committee. They'll be following the teams a lot closer than Mike Lupica.