THE CRIMSON PIGSKIN e-LETTER
WIN 'EM ALL
Hey, Texas,…Texas Tech,…and all the resta yas! If controversy is to be eliminated from picking BCmeSs champions each year, someone (Alabama) needs to win ALL the games on the schedule, even in the grueling Big 12 South. Easier said than done right? What were those naughty BCmeSs computers thinking? Well, lets take a look at the non-conference opponents for Oklahoma and Texas, the two teams in question for supremacy in the Big 12 South with a chance to go to the Big 12 Championship game to play some 9-3 team from the Northern division.
Texas' non-conference schedule consisted of 6-6 Florida Atlantic, 5-7 Texas El-Paso, 5-7 Arkansas and 9-3 Rice. The Owls were the only team of the lot which even got a faint whiff of a conference championship, tying Tulsa for first place in the Western division of Conference USA. UT defeated three of the four non-conference teams by the same score of 52-10.
The Sooners put shellackings on Chattanooga 57-2, 10-2 Big East Conference champion Cincinnati, 0-11 Washington and 10-2 Mountain West runner-up Texas Christian. Oklahoma faced conference champions while UT played a list of also rans. It would appear BCmeSs computers are incapable of distinguishing the fact Oklahoma's loss was to the Longhorns or that Texas lost to Texas Tech or Florida lost to Ole Miss for that matter. Maybe the decision made objectively as opposed to drawing names relieved fickle voters from picking whichever team feels good at the end of the season or perhaps not picking a team because they've been to the championship a few times in recent years and came up empty?
In the end, it's a difficult proposition sending any team up to the big dance but why not the Sooners? Does strength of schedule actually account for something in the computer rankings? Does margin of victory? Does being one of the two hottest one-loss teams in the nation account for anything? Does having the best quarterback to don a Sooners' uniform, ever, mean anything?
Heisman voters may feel for Colt McCoy at Texas or Graham Harrell at Texas Tech and they are great football players at this level. The Big 12 wouldn't have been nearly as strong without these guys. With all that accounted for, no one is more deserving of the Heisman than Sam Bradford but go ahead and give one of the Texans the Heisman so voters can feel good about themselves. As long as the other crimson team sportscasters all over America have been saying "no one wants to play against" is on the tele (British for television) January 8th, "they" got it right. Otherwise, win ALL the games on the schedule or at least play somebody.
TULSA
It looked like the emerald city on the tele (British for television). Those shiny green Marshall helmets and uniforms were glowing like the Great and Terrible Oz himself. The team behind the curtain turned out to feel like humbugs after trailing Tulsa 21-7, then tying the game at 21, 28 and 35 only to let it get away in the fourth stanza by a field goal 38-35.
The win clinched the Conference USA western division title over Rice and sends the Hurricane to Saturday's Conference USA championship game which kicks off at 11am. The game will be played at Skelly Field in Tulsa, TU's home field. East Carolina, coached by Lou Holtz' son, Skip Holtz, is a formidable opponent. Tulsa and the Pirates have not met this season but ECU defeated Virginia Tech and West Virginia back in September before losing to Conference USA opponents Houston and Southern Mississippi. TU's only conference loss was to Houston. The Hurricane finished the regular season with a 10-2 record.
Both of these teams are very good and the championship game will not disappoint. Winner gets a trip to the Liberty Bowl. Tulsa wins a classic on a cool Oklahoma afternoon 48-35.
(There was an itsy bitsy typo in last week's CPEL stating the Marshall football team was decimated in 1960 but the accident occurred in 1970, 38 and not 48 years ago. Sorry for the inconvenience.)
ARKANSAS
The unwinnable game in Little Rock versus Louisiana State became a lot more winnable as the afternoon wore on Friday after Thanksgiving. LSU's inexperienced quarterback and Casey Dick's third quarter replacement of younger brother Nathan Dick was another key in Arkansas' upset of the Bayou Bengals in the closing seconds of the game 31-30. The Tigers became the Hog's fifth victim in what must have been the longest twelve games known to man for Razorback faithful.
Things are looking good for Arkansas next season. The team will make a vast improvement in the off-season under coach Bobby Petrino and as he and the youngsters get settled in the fun will begin next fall,…if Ole Miss and Alabama don't make it miserable to be a Hog.
TENNESSEE
Lane Kiffin cleaned out the defensive coaching staff and reportedly plans to hire two more Kiffins onto his coaching staff. Three Kiffins beats two pair. At least that's what Tennessee fans are hoping for. The aces in Gainesville, Florida will probably have a couple of jokers popping out of their sleeves but it will be fall before the Vols find out again.
At least the smell of victory permeated the nostrils of Rocky Top on Saturday as the Volunteers pulled out one more victory over Southeastern Conference eastern division rival Kentucky, 28-10. Astoundingly, as reported by FoxSportsNet.com the UT defense was ranked fourth nationally and finished the season with a non-bowl reaching 5-7 record. We bid them a fond farewell for the season, along with the Hogs.
OKLAHOMA STATE
Several thousand fans short of a capacity of 60,000 saw Oklahoma State hang around with a kick-off return for a TD (no, not Tom Dirato) and the subsequent outclassing of the Cowboys, particularly on two fourth and goal TD's (no, not Tom Dirato) along with stellar performances by Bradford and OU tight end Jermaine Gresham. Oklahoma State's superstars looked average except for a couple of nice catches by OSU receiver Dez Bryant and the now you see him now you don't running of the 1580-yard season leading rusher Kendall Hunter. NFL quality tight end Brandon Pettigrew was a virtual no-show during the 61-41 scorefest at T. Boone Pickens Stadium.
It was there for the taking but the Pokes gave up too many yards to the juggernaut the Sooner offense has been all season. In previous meetings at Stillwater, Stoops' teams have become stale in the bedlam contest. This time, OU didn't let up or go into an offensive cocoon. They took the 11th ranked 9-3 Cowboys behind the woodshed to earn a trip to the Big 12 Conference championship.
OSU had a great year and will end up in a nice bowl game. The Holiday Bowl is reportedly a possibility. One would think the Cotton Bowl would not be entirely out of the question. The familiar confines of the Alamo Bowl would be a bitter pill to swallow after this particular campaign in light of the fact OSU finished 4th in its division due to being stacked with Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech. A trip to the Texas Bowl or Independence Bowl would be a slap in the face. If those are the only bowls available, Mike Gundy should boycott them at all cost. They are a step in a negative direction.
Oklahoma State proved to be better than any team in the northern division of the Big 12 by defeating Missouri easily earlier this year. If any of the big three miss a step next season, Pistol Pete and T. Boone will be there to take up the slack. Will they bring a ball coach? Time will tell,…
OKLAHOMA
They're Baaaaack! Much to the chagrin of members of the sports media who view OU in a BCS game as a recurring nightmare, Oklahoma has a chance to play for another national title this winter. Thanks to the aforementioned objective computer rankings and a few well placed poll votes, OU has one more hurdle before a dream game against Alabama, Florida or Texas for all the marbles.
Bob Stoops and the Sooners are familiar with the Missouri Tigers after defeating them soundly a number of times the past couple of seasons. Mizzou quarterback Chase Daniel started the season as a Heisman candidate and is wrapping up the season as quarterback of a 9-3 team which lost to rival Kansas last Saturday in a heartbreaker. Tiger athlete Jeremy Maclin is Obi Wan Kenobi this weekend because if anyone helps MU, he is the only one who can.
While this is the second week in a row MU has played at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri and it is practically a home game for them, Oklahoma is on a mission. ABC could just replay video of one of the last three times OU faced Missouri and it would show the same outcome. OU rolls into Miami 55-17.
THE PERCENTAGES
Thanksgiving weekend ended with the CPEL at 2-2 on the holiday. This brings the season total to 41-12. That's 77% for all those scarecrows, tin men, lions and Tigers and bears out there. Oh my!
Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!
Carlos
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