So how good is OSU, and W. Virginia? I wasn't at all concerned about these teams

[dennis580]

before the season started, but now I am worried about them.

[birddog]

They will be much more concerned about playing us than we will. But in Morgantown will be interesting. Our defense is much better than either of those teams and that'll be a big factor. I tend to think fsu was knocking off the rust a bit.

[Jason White's Third Knee]

Until there is more inter league play, it's not possible to tell how good other teams or conferences are. FSU won the championship last year by beating Auburn. Auburn was in that game on a fluke. More play outside of conferences and an eight team playoff is the only way to really know what's what. Of course Bama would have been in the eight team playoff... Probably the four team playoff too. So who from the Big XII ever makes it in with all of the amazing and unbeatable SEC teams?

[Eielson]

I think OSU and WVU will be about like they were last year. FSU looked overrated, and Alabama looked rusty.

[freshchris05]

I think OSU and WVU will be about like they were last year. FSU looked overrated, and Alabama looked rusty.

Thats funny I thought Alabama looked overrated and fsu looked rusty. Alabama didn't look to have the physicality they usually do.

[thecrimsoncrusader]

I learned to never knee-jerk to outcomes in the first game of the season. Just look at OU barely beating Utah St. and Air Force in Norman in 2010 and that shoddy performance against LA-Monroe last season or Kansas St. losing to North Dakota St. last season. Lots of factors in the first game of the season, that don't necessarily carry over for the rest of the season.

[BoulderSooner79]

It sure does make that early trip to WVU more interesting. Trickett looked pretty good and they would have been in the game longer had his receivers not had some critical drops. I think our front 7 will put more pressure on him than Bama did. Bama eventually wore them out on the ground and their mobile QB constantly broke containment. We should have both those elements.

[soonergirlNeugene]

We really won't know given the likely dramatic differences in the levels of competition that we played vs what they played. And given how much can change from week to week, we won't really know until the games are played. College football I have missed you! We really do need to come up w/ something suitable for the other half of the year.

[dennis580]

Thats funny I thought Alabama looked overrated and fsu looked rusty. Alabama didn't look to have the physicality they usually do.

I agree with fresh. I also thought Alabama looked overrated, and FSU looked rusty, but still both OSU, and West Virginia were extremely impressive especially OSU, and this gives me concern because i didn't consider these teams as possible loses for us before the season started.

I don't think Alabama will make the playoffs, but I fully expect FSU to make the playoffs. At this point I would pick FSU, Oregon, Georgia and Oklahoma to make the playoffs.

[SoonerorLater]

The trip to Morgantown will be interesting. We better bring our A-game. WV stumbled quite a bit and played Bama a pretty tough game on a neutral field.

[picasso]

Both good enough to lose.

[Okie35]

Thats funny I thought Alabama looked overrated and fsu looked rusty. Alabama didn't look to have the physicality they usually do.

It was this... A Bama fan told me the defense has been regressing for years. Ok state and West Virginia will still be who we thought they are. Bama didn't run on West Virginia until the 2nd half. I do dread going to West Virginia but it should be alright.

[SoonerorLater]

It was this... A Bama fan told me the defense has been regressing for years. Ok state and West Virginia will still be who we thought they are. Bama didn't run on West Virginia until the 2nd half. I do dread going to West Virginia but it should be alright.

After watching Bama I would say they still have the same type of physical talent. One thing I do notice about Bama that is getting exposed a bit is that while their secondary is still imposing physically, they aren't necessarily great in pass coverage.

[Okie35]

After watching Bama I would say they still have the same type of physical talent. One thing I do notice about Bama that is getting exposed a bit is that while their secondary is still imposing physically, they aren't necessarily great in pass coverage.

That and they don't get a pass rush like they used to. Both those aspects have been regressing for smart and saban.

It's easier to gameplay for a team opening day than the long grind of a conference season. We're used to playing teams like OSU and WV. FSU and Bama aren't.

[yermom]

our last visit to Morgantown wasn't exactly without drama

nice to have OSU in Norman again

[cherokeebrewer]

We're not going to lose...period!

[ashley]

WV was terrible last year. They looked much better last night.

[freshchris05]

I expect whatever product Alabama puts out on the field later in the season will be a lot better but those kids just looked like they were surprised wvu even played football. They have too much talent to lose to wvu but man they didn't look ready.

[bluedogok]

The entitlement mentality, the top players in the country that think they win by just showing up in crimson with number on their helmets. It happens at every top program if you stay on top for awhile, it happened to OU, USC, Florida, Miami, tOSU, etc.

[freshchris05]

The university doesn't win it for you. You gotta go out and get hungry. I like where we stand after this weekend. We got some athletic kids that look ready to shine. I want to drink the koolaid so bad. .

[Eielson]

Thats funny I thought Alabama looked overrated and fsu looked rusty. Alabama didn't look to have the physicality they usually do.

Just to correct myself, by rusty, I meant they needed more reps.

FSU brought back their Heisman trophy winning quarterback, 4 of its starting OL, a RB who ran for over 700 yards and 11 TDs, and their leading WR. They should have been able to hit the ground running with that, but they didn't. Perhaps it was rust, but the way OSU dominated their offense at the line of scrimmage concerns me.

Alabama, on the other hand, thoroughly dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Yeldon and Henry took turns running over WVU all day. They're breaking in a new QB, so it's expected that they'll look a little sloppy at times in the non-conference. To say Alabama's defense struggled is quite an overstatement. They didn't look as good as they have in previous years, but let's be honest, we're comparing them to some historically good defenses. They only gave up 16 points, and almost all of WVU's offense came in the first 20 minutes. Alabama adjusted, and the only real concern is that they couldn't guard Kevin White. Time will tell on this, but White looks like he's headed for an All-Conference 1st team kind of year. I don't see Sanchez shutting him down.

[8timechamps]

Alabama has come back to the pack. WVU played a much better game than I was expecting, but I thought Bama just looked sluggish. For as much crap as McCarron got about just being a "game manager", his absence is definitely noticeable. Bama will be fine (and their new QB looked pretty good), but Saban's refusal to adopt any part of the quicker paced offense along with losing some excellent talent certainly has brought Bama back down to earth. They're still pretty damn good though.

OSU just played good. I can't help but think FSU (players) didn't take OSU very seriously. Can't really blame them, considering how much OSU was replacing, but they gave the defending national champs all they could handle. FSU won't go undefeated this year. OSU played a good game, but they aren't going to maintain that week in and week out. They're too young, and Walsh played over his head. Speaking of Walsh, I doubt the kid will make it to the end of the season to even see OU. He takes a lot of risks (which really helped keep OSU in the game, but also probably cost them), but he's not going to be able to take a beating every week and make it to November.

The bottom line is you can't tell much about how OU will match up with these teams based on one game. But, both teams looked better than expected.

[Curly Bill]

I wonder if Bama doesn't have too much talent. If they aren't in a position where they think it's just supposed to happen for them because they're all all-americans, can't miss pros, etc...

[Okie35]

I wonder if Bama doesn't have too much talent. If they aren't in a position where they think it's just supposed to happen for them because they're all all-americans, can't miss pros, etc...

Yes they have busts... Sylve is one that Bama fans pointed out a lot yesterday.

[Curly Bill]

More what I'm talking about is when all those guys are supposed to be so damn good coming out of HS, they may not have enough of the guys that are all heart and working hard - the kind of stuff that even teams with lots of talent need to achieve that something extra. in other words: does Bama have too much talent for its own good?

[Eielson]

Alabama has come back to the pack. WVU played a much better game than I was expecting, but I thought Bama just looked sluggish. For as much crap as McCarron got about just being a "game manager", his absence is definitely noticeable. Bama will be fine (and their new QB looked pretty good), but Saban's refusal to adopt any part of the quicker paced offense along with losing some excellent talent certainly has brought Bama back down to earth. They're still pretty damn good though.

Honestly, I don't mind the idea of sticking to their guns offensively. Their ability to line up and run people over is becoming rarer and rarer, and I think that's only going to make it more valuable. They're already bullying these SEC defenses consistently for 6 YPC as it is. As these defenses adjust for pass-happy attacks like A&M's, they're only going to get worse against the run, so I could see Alabama gashing teams for 7 or 8 yards a carry in the near future.

He's definitely going to have to adjust his defense, though.

[Eielson]

More what I'm talking about is when all those guys are supposed to be so damn good coming out of HS, they may not have enough of the guys that are all heart and working hard - the kind of stuff that even teams with lots of talent need to achieve that something extra. in other words: does Bama have too much talent for its own good?

To some extent, the SEC is "cracking down" on that whole scam about offering more scholarships than you have and then running off the guys who don't work hard enough to earn a spot. I think Alabama is getting stuck with a couple guys they normally would've run off, but they still oversign pretty strongly.

[BoulderSooner79]

OSU and WVU held up much better against pre-seaon #1&2 teams than expected (especially OSU!). Baylor and KSU held serve. The horns D held SMU to less than 100 yards offense. And the Vols, who are supposed to be weak in the trenches put a whuppin' on Utah State.

I don't think SOS perception is going to be a problem for us at all this year - it will come down to winning our games. One more warm-up and then bring on the Vols!

[bluedogok]

The Whorns played North Texas.....

[olevetonahill]

The Whorns played North Texas.....

Hes a Lib bro, Ya got to make allowances fer em some times .:drunk:

[Curly Bill]

Hes a Lib bro, Ya got to make allowances fer em some times .:drunk:

Only thing libs know about football is that they like tight ends.

[BoulderSooner79]

Love me some tight ends - so where was Blake Bell?

I know it was just North Texas (and just Louisiana Tech, BTW). I just know that a good defense can win games by themselves. We almost took out the horns in '09 without any offense to speak of and they played for the title. If UT ends up wining 8 games, we get a quality win unless we do a repeat on last year. Add the fact FSU, Bama and UCLA looking very vulnerable, the big12 ain't looking bad. I didn't have to ask my lib friends to come up with that. But just week 1, and OUr guys still have lots to work out to get better.

[Bourbon St Sooner]

Just to correct myself, by rusty, I meant they needed more reps.

FSU brought back their Heisman trophy winning quarterback, 4 of its starting OL, a RB who ran for over 700 yards and 11 TDs, and their leading WR. They should have been able to hit the ground running with that, but they didn't. Perhaps it was rust, but the way OSU dominated their offense at the line of scrimmage concerns me.

Alabama, on the other hand, thoroughly dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Yeldon and Henry took turns running over WVU all day. They're breaking in a new QB, so it's expected that they'll look a little sloppy at times in the non-conference. To say Alabama's defense struggled is quite an overstatement. They didn't look as good as they have in previous years, but let's be honest, we're comparing them to some historically good defenses. They only gave up 16 points, and almost all of WVU's offense came in the first 20 minutes. Alabama adjusted, and the only real concern is that they couldn't guard Kevin White. Time will tell on this, but White looks like he's headed for an All-Conference 1st team kind of year. I don't see Sanchez shutting him down.

I think we watched different games. Alabama won the game by making plays on third down and because they had better receivers. West Virginia had several crucial drops. In the trenches, it was a stalemate for the first 3 quarters. Bama finally imposed their will when they wore down WVU. I was surprised bama wasn't able to physically dominate up front before that time. I'm sure Bama will improve but wouldn't be surprised to see them lose 2 or 3 games this year.

[Pride1Mom]

OU gave West Virginia a blue print on how to play Alabama. But OU has more talent now than Alabama does, and we know how to play West Virginia. It will be interesting, but let's play one game at a time. Can't wait! I LOVE THIS GAME!

[EatLeadCommie]

not related to OSU or WVU, but to Tennessee...

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/eye-on-college-football/24691593/tennessee-starting-ot-jacob-gilliam-tears-acl-out-for-year

[Statalyzer]

Funny, if it weren't for them being different races, I might not have noticed that the Alabama QB wasn't Wilson I mean McElroy I mean McCarron.

[Eielson]

I think we watched different games...In the trenches, it was a stalemate for the first 3 quarters. Bama finally imposed their will when they wore down WVU. I was surprised bama wasn't able to physically dominate up front before that time.

Yeah, I think we did watch different games. In the game I watched, Alabama had 14 carries for 75 yards in the 4th quarter (5.36 YPC). In the first 3 quarters, Alabama had 35 carries for 213 yards (6.09 ypc). This is the first time the two schools have ever played, so I'm not sure which game you watched.