After a month of calamity in the BCS, the computers shined OU's way and have landed the Sooners at No. 2 in the nation and in their third straight Big 12 Championship game.
"We're obviously excited to be representing the [Big 12] South and playing this weekend against an excellent Missouri team," head coach Bob Stoops said. "I think the way our guys played in the last couple of games, beating a No.2 team at home by 44 points and going on the road and beating a No. 11 ranked team where they've never been beaten before, by 20 points made the difference."
The three-way-tie between OU, Texas and Texas Tech provided a lot of discussion over the usefulness and fairness of the BCS formula during the past weeks. But now; there is a clear representative of southern half of the Big 12 for the title game.
"I'm sure Texas Tech and Texas are disappointed," Stoops said. "All three of us have Big 12 Champion, Tri-Champion, trophies, each of us have identical records in the conference, and one of us has to go [To the Championship game]."
However, there is only one spot for a team from the Big 12 South to play in the Big 12 Championship, there cannot be a four-way grudge match.
"None of us put the system together, that's how it is," Stoops said. "I've found the entire week that everyone wants to talk about head-to-head competition, in that case Texas Tech is just as disappointed as Texas is; Texas Tech beat Texas, and just a few weeks ago we beat [Tech]."
All three teams finished the regular season with 11 wins, and one loss. OU was the first to lose, as Texas beat the Sooners on a neutral field in mid-October, 45-35. The Longhorns fared well, until falling to Texas Tech in Lubbock 39-39. The Red Raiders rode the wave of success for just over a week before being bested in Norman by OU.
A plane flew over T. Boone Pickens Stadium throughout Saturday displaying a sign that read '45-35 settled on a neutral field.'; a message aimed at proving that Texas is the superior team due to their win against OU in Dallas. The message failed to included the fact that Texas did lose to Texas Tech, and the Red Raiders lost to OU as well.
Stoops said he did not see the plane flying around the stadium on Saturday, but he did hear about it.
"I thought about [flying a plane around their stadium]," Stoops said. "But I didn't feel it would be too classy of me to do that. I just feel there is some place that is appropriate and some place that isn't, I didn't want [our words and actions] to come back and bite us."
Stoops did not appreciate that the message did not include Texas Tech's victory over Texas. Stoops said he felt the Red Raiders deserved all the credit for beating Texas.
"If you're going to discount [Texas Tech] for how we beat them, then you've just said a lot by taking them out of the conversation; It's a three way tie, not head to head, you are making a huge statement by saying that." Stoops said. "[Tech] has the same record as the rest of us in the league ... you have to remember they beat Texas just a few weeks before, and then we beat them here."
Stoops said one reason he enjoys playing tough non-conference opponents is so that OU's strength of schedule is stronger.
"I knew that coming into this season that TCU and Cincinnati were going to be tough," Stoops said. "I think it's good for our fans, and for college football we have to play tough teams out of conference to show we're one of those teams."
Stoops also said that he is still in favor of a playoff system, rather than go through the drama of BCS rankings.
"I'm still in favor of a playoff system because I don't think anyone has been comfortable with this," Stoops said. "It's been aggravating more than anything, all the influences out there, all the different influencing, lobbying and trying to sway votes is out there."
Texas' head coach Mack Brown received an interview during the game on Saturday to plead his team's case to be ranked higher in the BCS. Stoops said he didn't feel the need to make the same gesture during Texas' game against Texas A&M on Thanksgiving.
"If that's what they have to do, then that's what they have to do, I didn't feel the need to do that," Stoops said. "I was asked to speak during Texas' game, on Thursday, but I said 'No, I don't want to do it,' I didn't feel it was right."
Despite all the drama and excitement of the BCS discussion, OU still has to play Missouri next week in Kansas City to keep the Sooner's conference and national championship goals alive.
"We are very focused on how good a team Missouri is, and we're going to have to play well to go up there and have a chance to win," Stoops said.
1. Alabama;1;2815;0.9965;1;1521;0.9974;3;0.920;0.9713;1
2. Oklahoma;4;2569;0.9094;2;1397;0.9161;1;0.980;0.9351;3
3. Texas;3;2575;0.9115;3;1396;0.9154;2;0.940;0.9223;2
4. Florida;2;2619;0.9271;4;1385;0.9082;6;0.820;0.8851;4
5. Southern Cal;5;2378;0.8418;5;1298;0.8511;8;0.730;0.8076;5
6. Utah;7;2111;0.7473;7;1153;0.7561;5;0.850;0.7844;6
7. Texas Tech;8;2090;0.7398;8;1116;0.7318;4;0.870;0.7805;7
8. Penn St.;6;2177;0.7706;6;1176;0.7711;9;0.670;0.7373;8
9. Boise St.;9;1937;0.6857;9;1044;0.6846;7;0.740;0.7034;9
10. Ohio St.;10;1856;0.6570;10;999;0.6551;11;0.590;0.6340;10
11. TCU;12;1502;0.5317;11;836;0.5482;10;0.610;0.5633;14
12. Ball St.;11;1526;0.5402;13;765;0.5016;12;0.550;0.5306;15
13. Cincinnati;13;1425;0.5044;12;770;0.5049;15;0.440;0.4831;16
14. Oklahoma St.;14;1217;0.4308;15;613;0.4020;t13;0.450;0.4276;12
15. Georgia Tech;16;1065;0.3770;16;590;0.3869;t13;0.450;0.4046;22
16. Georgia;20;833;0.2949;19;440;0.2885;16;0.410;0.3311;11
17. Boston College;19;834;0.2952;20;435;0.2852;17;0.380;0.3202;21
18. BYU;17;990;0.3504;18;461;0.3023;18;0.290;0.3142;18
19. Oregon;15;1076;0.3809;14;658;0.4315;23;0.100;0.3041;23
20. Missouri;18;896;0.3172;17;470;0.3082;20;0.220;0.2818;13
21. Michigan St.;21;688;0.2435;21;414;0.2715;19;0.250;0.2550;19
22. Northwestern;22;414;0.1465;22;333;0.2184;NR;0.000;0.1216;24
23. Pittsburgh;23;346;0.1225;23;154;0.1010;t24;0.080;0.1012;25
24. Florida St.;29;30;0.0106;29;15;0.0098;21;0.210;0.0768;20
25. Virginia Tech;27;71;0.0251;26;41;0.0269;22;0.120;0.0573;NR
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kujhac 3 years, 5 months ago
"Don't you just love how texas fans come to our school's newspaper's website to trash talk? How pathetic. That's almost as bad as paying an airplane to fly with a marquee over someone else's stadium.
Here's the deal texas... We're going to the Big 12 Championship. That's it. Done deal. Nothing else to say. Now, shut up and stay the hell out of Oklahoma."
Now that's just ludicrous to say ACSOONER. Should the Texas boys on your team go back to Texas and leave you high and dry?
I didn't think so.
dbh 3 years, 5 months ago
OU is the class of the Big 12 South. Also since they are the big 12 champs the last two years they should defend the trophy.
Texas needs to schedule tougher non conference teams. It is there misfortune that they play against conferencde USA so much. Better luck next year Texas.
Boomer Sooner beat Mizzou...
djw75 3 years, 5 months ago
I hope Missouri defeats OU big time. OU doesn't deserve to go to the Big 12 Champion Game. Bob Stoops said he wasn't going to get into "style" points and the politics of the BCS. Bull. Why did he leave his first string team for the last minute of the game with OSU? They already won the game, but no, OU had to run up the score as usual. Stoops and OU have no style.
CantonHorn 3 years, 5 months ago
What a country! Horn's beat you. Horn's beat Missouri More efficient offense less penalties Same or better point differential on common opponents Played higher ranked opponents in conference and overall Play better defense You dont deserve it.
smaro 3 years, 5 months ago
It could have gone either way. When it came down to it, OU was more solid throughout the season, and the computers picked up on it. And to the person who commented who is complaining about Stoops and style points.. whether or not they were style points, that would not have mattered. And if they had mattered, then Stoops should have absolutely never let up. It would be dumb not to take advantage. As for the Tech game, if Stoops's hadn't have led up then, points would have been in the 70s, maybe even the 80s. Texas and their fans need to remember that BOTH teams had good arguments: 35-45 was just as easily argued as was the 39-33 Texas loss to Tech. Funny thing, not once have I heard TX claim that they could beat OU now (only that they beat them previously). It's not about one game, it's about the ENTIRE season. I would very much LOVE to see an OU - TX rematch in the big game ... how about you TX fans?
kujhac 3 years, 5 months ago
Good luck OU. Considering that 50% of your team is comprised of Texas HS football recruits year in and year out, we welcome your representing Texas against Missouri and perhaps in the national championship. I fully support the University of Texas at Norman in their quest.
It's interesting though that if you relied on primarily recruiting in-state players like Missouri has, your state and team would not hold a candle to Missouri's team much less UT.
So....UT Norman....Go, Fight, Win!
cmoney 3 years, 5 months ago
djw75, OSU took a timeout and OU ran the ball up the middle to run out the clock...ended up scoring because OSU couldnt make the tackle...I guess that's running up the score...(or not)
CantonHorn, you're right, UTEP (5-7) and Arkansas (5-7) are better opponents than #11 TCU and #13 Cincinnati. You were right about some other things too: Horns points/game: 43.9 OU points/game: 53.3 Horns yards/game: 487.6 OU yards/game: 563.1 Horns total points scored: 527 OU total points scored: 640 Not to mention OU has more rushing yds/game and passing yds/game than your horns and Bradford's passer rating (190.97) is better than McCoy's (179.2)
The Fact is that OU has the best offense in the nation and your horns have the 6th best, behind tulsa, florida, missouri, and tech.
You might want to get your facts straight before you start ranting. The bottom line is OU #2 in BCS and TX #3, you can complain all you want, but you're not going to KC.
CantonHorn 3 years, 5 months ago
Texas would Beat OU now
CantonHorn 3 years, 5 months ago
djw75 ,
You obviously dont know what the words conference and efficiency means.
You left out Washington and Chattanooga But they dont play in our conference BTW neither do UTEP, Arkansas, TCU and Cincinnati But Missouri does Neither of us is playing for #1 yet But we are playing for conference championship, or should be
We lost on the last play of the game with 2 seconds left on the road We pretty much shut you down the fourth quarter on a neutral site
You werent right about some other things too: OU points allowed /game: 24.8 Horns points allowed/game: 18.6 OU yards/game: 359.5 Horns yards/game: 339.9 OU total points scored against : 342 Horns total points scored against: 232
Bradford's completion percentage (68.2) is better than McCoy's (77.6) Also thrown for more yards on fewer attempts BTW I would expect Bradfords QB rating to be higher He HAS to throw more . Do the math And Coach Stoops gives him every last second to build those kinds of numbers
Anyone can give the allusion of having the best offense in the country when you run up numbers
Are you saying the name of the game is running up numbers Not sportsmanship?
cmoney 3 years, 5 months ago
You're right kujhac, OU has a lot of players from the state of Texas. Bob Stoops dominates your state in recruiting and gets those players to come play for him at OU, a team that is more prestigious and has a richer tradition than UT.
How can you call OU "UT Norman." If you're going to take that angle, why not "TAMU Norman" or "TTU Norman" or "TCU Norman" or "Rice Norman" or "North Texas Norman" or "SMU Norman?" What gives the university of texas the right to claim the players from the state of texas? Oh yea, nothing does. Your logic is senseless.
acsooner 3 years, 5 months ago
Don't you just love how texas fans come to our school's newspaper's website to trash talk? How pathetic. That's almost as bad as paying an airplane to fly with a marquee over someone else's stadium.
Here's the deal texas... We're going to the Big 12 Championship. That's it. Done deal. Nothing else to say. Now, shut up and stay the hell out of Oklahoma.
DrFuego 3 years, 5 months ago
You mean "illusion," Mr. Horn. Also, the plural form of "horns" does not need an apostrophe. Also, the computers and not the humans gave the Sooners the definitive edge over Texas (unless you consider one vote definitive), so it's strange that you would try and fault "the country" for this result.
Now it seems to me that you're implying that you deserve this win because by the chance of the Big XII schedule, you play Missouri and we haven't (yet). Fortunately, with the Big XII Championship, that little issue will be resolved--and better yet, if we do happen to lose, your Horns will more than likely go to the national title game. It's in all honesty the closest to fair that we could get without playing each other for the Big XII title, since both OU and Texas will have played against the best-ranked teams in the Big XII by the end of the championship game and we have no other means of settling our three-way conference tie.
By the way, you'll be hard-pressed to find a Sooner that wouldn't enjoy seeing our team face the Longhorns for a high-stakes game like the Big XII title--or even the national championship. The fact is, the rules aren't going to be changed and the cards have fallen this way. We'll not get the chance for a high-stakes rematch unless something extremely bizarre happens.
daveinflorida 3 years, 5 months ago
Thanks BCS, you just gave the national championship to my FLORIDA GATORS. The only team in the Big 12 that could keep up with us was TEXAS. ou will get its butt waxed by the 2nd quarter, Tebow will be eating hotdogs and watching the game before halftime. Go BCS
daveinflorida 3 years, 5 months ago
After the GATORS destroy ou , TEXAS will finish higher in the final polls, probably 2nd after their win. There will be no way for ou to remain in the top 5 after a 40+ point loss to FLORIDA. Way to go BCS
cmoney 3 years, 5 months ago
CantonHorn,
How could I not be right about those defensive stats when I never said anything about defense in the first place.
You said "played higher ranked opponents in conference AND OVERALL" I know who plays in the big 12 and who doesn't, thank you.
Yes, you lost on the last play to tech, but were lucky to be leading in the final minute because texas tech dominated you all game....(oh yea, we beat them by 44)
I never said that better numbers means a better team, but you implied that texas had better offensive stats than OU and I was simply showing you that you were wrong.
Sam Bradford has only played two full 4th quaters (against texas and osu)... so i guess that's running up numbers