STILLWATER, OK (ICE PLANET AGGY) - Stillwater is a weird place. Always has been. Weirder still when the Arctic comes to visit. Before this game, we figured that the best thing about the extreme cold would be that the stench from the swine barns wouldn’t carry nearly as far. But the freezing temperatures brought with them something else – Sooner Magic.
As predicted, for two weeks after OSU's rout of Baylor, we were subjected to the pundits pontificating about how this game wouldn't be close, and how Oklahoma State had surpassed the Sooners to become the dominant team in the state. To them we say only this – 1-10. That’s OSU’s record in this series over the last 11 years. If you do the math, which we have, you will find that those numbers are even lower than Aggy’s overall abysmal success rate against us. There is some dominance going on here, just not the kind that fits what is apparently the media’s preferred narrative.
To be sure, OSU has built themselves a fine program and a fine team, and for that they are to be commended, just like every little brother who has success should be. Their improvement required the Sooners to win this one with some sleight of hand, some special teams, and a little magic at the end.
About the only way either team dominated this particular game was on special teams, where the Sooners owned the field, and where the game was really won. A punt return TD and a score on an audacious fake field goal, plus an icing on the cake defensive score on the final play of the game meant that the Sooner offense needed to score only one touchdown to win. And that one came under the guidance of one Blake Bell, lately reduced to third string QB, with only 19 seconds to play.
Bell was in the game because the injury avalanche that has plagued the Sooners all year continued when starting quarterback Trevor Knight went out with a separated shoulder on the final play of the first half. That left the task of winning this game to Kendall Thompson, who was mildly successful before coming out in favor of Bell, who proceeded to look as good as he has all season, including against Notre Dame.
But while Bell and Jalen Saunders were perhaps the most visible heroes, there were others. Michael Hunnicutt was perfect kicking on the day, and caught the pass on the fake field goal. Perhaps the most credit should go to the Sooner defense. Much-maligned all season, paper-thin and devastated by injuries, they turned in nothing less than their best performance of the season against a quality opponent, including a scintillating first-half goal-line stand that denied Aggy points. It was the defense’s work in holding the vaunted Oklahoma State offense in check most of the day that kept the Sooners in the game. Eric Striker’s short TD return of a misguided lateral on the final play of the game only added to the sweetness for the Sooner defense.
Now, after a glorious victory, we must once again give some perspective to Sooner fans. To listen to anyone, OU fans included, especially the media, before this game, you would've thought that we were limping into this contest at 6-5, just hoping to be bowl eligible. Yes, we uncorked a couple of stinkers this season – there's no doubt about that. However, regardless of what anyone might want to think, this is an elite program and this team is an elite team. It's kind of like Gabe Ikard said after the game, with a smile on his face - “Another disappointing 10-win season." Frankly, with all the injuries this team has had, for them to go 10-2 in a tough league may be Bob Stoops’ best coaching job ever.
Now, in what apparently comes as a shock to everyone except your intrepid reporter, who has been talking about it on the boards for two weeks, it appears almost certain that the Sooners are not only headed to a better bowl than the Alamo Bowl, but are headed to the Sugar Bowl, likely to face Alabama. Cue the whining from Sooner fans, likely the same ones who thought Aggy would roll us, who are sure that they want no part of Alabama and that we will get curb-stomped by the Tide. And maybe they're right. But that doesn’t matter.
Mike Ehrmantraut (RIP, Mike) famously said "Just because you shot Jesse James don't make you Jesse James." It works a little differently in college football. If you want to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best. To beat the best, you’ve got to play the best. This team has huge opportunities in front of them. 2014 looks like it could be a special, special season. What better way to get it started? Bring on the Tide.
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