The Sooners’ last two games are against Texas Tech and Oklahoma State, but OU’s hardest part of the season is over.
They say good things come to those who wait. But the Sooners have done more than just wait. They’ve waited in style.
Since the loss to Texas, OU has scored just less than 58 points a game. The Sooners have forced 13 total turnovers, scored 55 points in the first half against Kansas State and 28 points in the first six minutes against Nebraska.
But none of that matters.
What’s important is that during these past four games — all of which had OU heavily favored — OU won. Easily.
It may sound simple, but teams continue to prove that winning games they’re supposed to can be difficult.
Look at last year’s squad. After crushing non-conference opponents, OU went to Boulder and lost a game to hapless Colorado.
Luckily, the Sooners got another chance late in the season to control their own destiny, but then came the debacle in Lubbock.
This year, the Sooners have handled the teams they were supposed to. They were favored against Texas, but the Longhorns are good, and no one considered that loss a choke job by the Sooners.
So now, OU finds itself in control of its own destiny ... sort of.
Despite those people who have tried repeatedly to say OU’s chances at a Big 12 title and national championship went out the window long ago, OU now finds itself two big wins away from a likely trip to Kansas City.
OU waited while a lot of other teams didn’t. After the game against Ohio State, USC just had to wait its way to Miami, but then came Oregon State. Penn State had the same problem coming off a win against the Buckeyes, letting Iowa sneak up on them.
And most likely, the major upsets aren’t done. There are still several weeks left of football, and other powerhouses will go down.
But OU won’t be one of them. I’m not saying the next two games will be easy, because they won’t. But even if OU loses to both Tech and OSU, while everyone will be disappointed, at least the losses will come against formidable opponents.
Players on this OU team have said all year that this is a mature team, and they’ve proved it over the past four weeks. They avoided dropping a game they shouldn’t, and they’ve been rewarded by their current position.
And now comes the easy part: beating the No. 2 team in the country, and then beating a highly-ranked rival on the road. Sooner fans will be anxious, waiting for OU’s biggest game of the season.
But be patient Sooner fans, because good things do come to those who wait.
— Steven Jones is a language arts education junior.
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dbh 3 years, 6 months ago
SOONERS HAVE GOT TO STAY Focused this game with tech will be the hardest so far. Tech is tougher than those Texas Longhorns. Who will be the leader on the sooner defense that steps up big time for the team?? Lendy Holmes,Austin Box, Travis Lewis!!
jw190m 3 years, 6 months ago
You have to remember that the 1/3 computer part is what will be the difference between the three teams in the BCS rankings. I would say that OU had the hardest non-conference schedule out of the three, beating 2 possible conference champions in TCU and Cincy. If OU and texas win out, and tech's only loss is to us, then we go to the Big 12 game.
saxman 3 years, 6 months ago
"Look at last year’s squad. After crushing non-conference opponents, OU went to Boulder and lost a game to hapless Colorado."
2004 seems to come to mind...remember Snyder and that whole K-state game?
According to the thesis in this article, our hardest game once we beat Tech and OSU...is Missouri in Kansas City.
However...
BCS = 2/3 human; 1/3 computer
After we beat Tech and OSU...I have a hard time believing the humans will put OU above texas when texas beat OU. The computers will have OU ahead because of cincinnati and TCU being ranked.
But will it be enough to propel OU to KC? Only time will tell...
OUSooners 3 years, 6 months ago
"After we beat Tech and OSU...I have a hard time believing the humans will put OU above texas when texas beat OU."
I keep seeing this comment and thinking...uh...what?
You can make the same argument for any of the three teams.
"I have a hard time believing the humans will put Texas above Tech when Tech beat Texas."
or
"I have a hard time believing the humans will put Tech above OU when OU beat Tech."
So, in my opinion, it's a moot point.
As far as I'm concerned, if we beat #2 Tech and then #10(ish) OSU to finish the season, Tech walks away from Norman with a loss, and Texas wins against very easy Baylor and A&M, I can't imagine us not being up on top. I would imagine that us and Tech would switch.
Finishing the season with two top ten victories would win the voters hearts.
Go Sooners!