EstablishedSooner1967
12/3/2006, 05:52 PM
Not sure if this got posted... I read this in KC and thought I would share how well put this was from a non Sooner writer.
BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP
Sooners lacking in BCS resume
JASON WHITLOCK
The Kansas City Star
The one-loss debate will rage today, and Bob Stoops’ Oklahoma Sooners will be left out of the discussion for the wrong reason.
The Sooners, 21-7 victors over Nebraska in Saturday night’s Big 12 title game at Arrowhead Stadium, lost one game this year. They lost the Red River Shootout when the Texas Longhorns were a very good team. No shame in that. It can be marked down as a high-quality loss.
Oklahoma’s second loss (34-33 to Oregon) should be considered a crime, perpetrated by a Pac-10 replay ref with a shady reputation. The Sooners did not lose at Oregon. They were mugged by inept/dishonest officiating. You know the story.
If not for that crime, the Sooners, 11-2, might very well be in the debate about which team should face Ohio State in the BCS title game. Oklahoma’s record would be as impressive as Florida’s, Michigan’s, Louisville’s and Wisconsin’s — BCS teams with just one loss.
But the truth is Oklahoma’s resume — and there’s a huge difference between record and resume — isn’t as impressive as Florida’s and Michigan’s. The Gators and the Wolverines are the only schools with a legitimate claim for the spot opposite Ohio State in college football’s biggest game.
I say the Gators deserve the spot. At 12-1, and with victories over Arkansas, LSU and Tennessee, no other one-loss team — including Michigan — can match Florida’s resume. Michigan beat Notre Dame and Wisconsin.
The Sooners can gripe that they should be No. 4 heading into the bowl season. And I’m inclined to agree.
Wisconsin is an absolute fraud. The Badgers are 11-1 thanks to a nonconference schedule — Bowling Green, Western Illinois, San Diego State and Buffalo — that would make Bill Snyder blush, and the fact that Ohio State didn’t appear on their conference schedule.
The debate for No. 4 is between the Sooners and Louisville. The Cardinals, 11-1, have one high-quality victory this season. They beat West Virginia in an offensive track meet. The rest of Louisville’s victories are over mediocre teams.
I contend Oklahoma’s victories over Missouri, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oregon and Nebraska trump Louisville’s victories over West Virginia, South Florida, Pittsburgh and Kansas State. Plus, Oklahoma’s lone legit loss (Texas) is better than Louisville’s loss to Rutgers.
This morning, when I file my AP top-25 ballot, the Sooners will be my fourth team, and Bob Stoops will be my coach of the year. Ohio State’s Jim Tressel is likely to sweep coach of the year awards this year. He’ll deserve the accolades that come his way.
But Stoops outcoached everyone this season. He lost his quarterback, Rhett Bomar, in August because of NCAA violations. Stoops then lost the game’s best player, running back Adrian Peterson, to a fluke injury midway through the season.
Stoops moved receiver Paul Thompson back to quarterback to replace Bomar. And the Sooners used a committee of backs to replace Peterson.
In Saturday night’s championship game, Thompson played brilliantly. He threw for 95 yards on Oklahoma’s 99-yard TD drive in the third quarter that put the Sooners ahead 21-7.
Oklahoma’s running game never materialized. Thompson carried the Sooners single-handedly, throwing for 265 yards and two TD passes. Thompson threw long and short with remarkable touch. In the first quarter, he floated a perfect strike to Malcolm Kelly that resulted in a 66-yard TD. He later connected with Kelly on a beautiful, goal-line fade route for six points.
Oklahoma’s defense was just as good as Thompson. Stoops’ defenders set up the game’s first score by recovering a fumble deep in Nebraska territory. Oklahoma’s defense produced five turnovers, including three interceptions of Nebraska’s Zac Taylor. The unit also stopped Nebraska on a critical fourth-and-1 play.
With Peterson probably back in the lineup for the Fiesta Bowl against undefeated and overrated Boise State, I fully expect the Sooners to rise above No. 4 in my final AP ballot after the bowl season.
To reach Jason Whitlock and thank [email protected]
Nice work Jason!
BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP
Sooners lacking in BCS resume
JASON WHITLOCK
The Kansas City Star
The one-loss debate will rage today, and Bob Stoops’ Oklahoma Sooners will be left out of the discussion for the wrong reason.
The Sooners, 21-7 victors over Nebraska in Saturday night’s Big 12 title game at Arrowhead Stadium, lost one game this year. They lost the Red River Shootout when the Texas Longhorns were a very good team. No shame in that. It can be marked down as a high-quality loss.
Oklahoma’s second loss (34-33 to Oregon) should be considered a crime, perpetrated by a Pac-10 replay ref with a shady reputation. The Sooners did not lose at Oregon. They were mugged by inept/dishonest officiating. You know the story.
If not for that crime, the Sooners, 11-2, might very well be in the debate about which team should face Ohio State in the BCS title game. Oklahoma’s record would be as impressive as Florida’s, Michigan’s, Louisville’s and Wisconsin’s — BCS teams with just one loss.
But the truth is Oklahoma’s resume — and there’s a huge difference between record and resume — isn’t as impressive as Florida’s and Michigan’s. The Gators and the Wolverines are the only schools with a legitimate claim for the spot opposite Ohio State in college football’s biggest game.
I say the Gators deserve the spot. At 12-1, and with victories over Arkansas, LSU and Tennessee, no other one-loss team — including Michigan — can match Florida’s resume. Michigan beat Notre Dame and Wisconsin.
The Sooners can gripe that they should be No. 4 heading into the bowl season. And I’m inclined to agree.
Wisconsin is an absolute fraud. The Badgers are 11-1 thanks to a nonconference schedule — Bowling Green, Western Illinois, San Diego State and Buffalo — that would make Bill Snyder blush, and the fact that Ohio State didn’t appear on their conference schedule.
The debate for No. 4 is between the Sooners and Louisville. The Cardinals, 11-1, have one high-quality victory this season. They beat West Virginia in an offensive track meet. The rest of Louisville’s victories are over mediocre teams.
I contend Oklahoma’s victories over Missouri, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oregon and Nebraska trump Louisville’s victories over West Virginia, South Florida, Pittsburgh and Kansas State. Plus, Oklahoma’s lone legit loss (Texas) is better than Louisville’s loss to Rutgers.
This morning, when I file my AP top-25 ballot, the Sooners will be my fourth team, and Bob Stoops will be my coach of the year. Ohio State’s Jim Tressel is likely to sweep coach of the year awards this year. He’ll deserve the accolades that come his way.
But Stoops outcoached everyone this season. He lost his quarterback, Rhett Bomar, in August because of NCAA violations. Stoops then lost the game’s best player, running back Adrian Peterson, to a fluke injury midway through the season.
Stoops moved receiver Paul Thompson back to quarterback to replace Bomar. And the Sooners used a committee of backs to replace Peterson.
In Saturday night’s championship game, Thompson played brilliantly. He threw for 95 yards on Oklahoma’s 99-yard TD drive in the third quarter that put the Sooners ahead 21-7.
Oklahoma’s running game never materialized. Thompson carried the Sooners single-handedly, throwing for 265 yards and two TD passes. Thompson threw long and short with remarkable touch. In the first quarter, he floated a perfect strike to Malcolm Kelly that resulted in a 66-yard TD. He later connected with Kelly on a beautiful, goal-line fade route for six points.
Oklahoma’s defense was just as good as Thompson. Stoops’ defenders set up the game’s first score by recovering a fumble deep in Nebraska territory. Oklahoma’s defense produced five turnovers, including three interceptions of Nebraska’s Zac Taylor. The unit also stopped Nebraska on a critical fourth-and-1 play.
With Peterson probably back in the lineup for the Fiesta Bowl against undefeated and overrated Boise State, I fully expect the Sooners to rise above No. 4 in my final AP ballot after the bowl season.
To reach Jason Whitlock and thank [email protected]
Nice work Jason!