Game of the Year

Even our President-Elect disagrees with me on the college football playoff system. I'm not going to argue that a college football playoff system will lead to Armageddon.

I can't even stretch the truth and say I would be against watching it unfold. It's just that... the whining for a playoff system and against the BCS is mind numbing. ESPN signed an agreement to broadcast the BCS games until 2014. The BCS is here to stay folks.

You know what. You secretly enjoy it as much as I do. Subconsciously the Bowl Championship Series makes your college football season infinitely more enjoyable than life before the BCS. You can admit it here, I won't share your dirty little secret.

Columnists catapult themselves up on their high-horse while railing against the unholy BCS. Sports-talk radio blathers on for days, months and years debating the topic. Even coaches joined the fraternity of "Booo BCS."

It adds zest to an otherwise ho-hum parade of regular season games.

How many times have we heard this cliché tossed at us this season? "This is the Game of the Year." OU-Texas, LSU-Florida, OU-Texas Tech, Florida-Alabama, USC-inferior Pac-10 team. And now we get the new and improved "Game of the Year" courtesy of Bedlam.

Without further soap boxing, I present the official OU versus OSU breakdown.

In years past, I would save the coaching matchup for the coup de grace. Lay out how evenly matched these teams are, then build an ending with: Stoops versus Gundy = No Más.

It's safe to say Stoops is superior to Gundy in every coaching aspect. This is no knock on Gundy (well, maybe a little). Stoops reigns supreme over many of his overmatched brethren.

Let's focus on offense as mandated by the Big 12 South.

Oklahoma (10-1, 6-1) has been "held" to 35 points twice this season. Look how ridiculous that statement reads. They are ranked third in the nation in total offense (TU is still number one). They average 556 yards per game. They have scored five more touchdowns (81) than the closest FBS team (again, Tulsa).

The past three games have seen the offensive juggernaut drop 62, 66 and 65 points on their opponents. You know things are looking bright in Norman when I'm getting text messages from friends in Baton Rouge saying, "OU wow!"

Oklahoma State (9-2, 5-2) plays offense, too. The difference is balance. Zac Robinson leads the nation's seventh ranked offense. He's receives a huge assist from Kendall Hunter on the ground.

Hunter's ability has to be the story of the season for the Cowboys. Robinson's show signed off last year. Bryant looked the part in training camp, but Hunter, yikes. He's trying to leave his mark at running back U.

The two offenses are potent. I know, understatement of the year. OU, thanks to the rejuvenation of DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown, have more weapons than the Cowboys.

The gambling sites opened with OU as a 7.5 point favorite on the road in Stillwater. Rather than talk about how OU can win the game, let's focus on what OSU must do for the upset.

The Cowboys must create turnovers. Chances are the Cowboys defense will not force a litany of three-and-outs. Remember the second half of the Missouri game?

Can the Cowboys score enough? The Cowboys stat sheet looks like Salma Hayek--a little top heavy. Dez Bryant has 65 catches. Brandon Pettigrew has pulled down 35. What happens when the Sooners lock Bryant down? Witness the Texas Tech game when the Red Raiders limited Bryant to four catches for 86 yards.

Hunter supplemented the offense with a solid 112 yard outing in the loss at Lubbock. The Pokes scored only 20 points in the embarrassing setback. What ever happened to those orange bands on the player's wrist?

You will read and hear a ton of Texas Tech comparisons this week. I tried to avoid it. I failed.

Oklahoma held Tech's Michael Crabtree to six catches for 62 yards. Most importantly, he was held out of the end zone. His previous low was a five-catch effort against Nebraska. He scored twice in that tilt. The surefire first round draft pick was held scoreless for the first time all season against the suddenly stingy Sooners D. Can Dez Bryant break loose?

Did I mention Mike Gundy is 0-fer against Bob Stoops? Let the countdown commence. ESPN's College GameDay will be in Stillwater for the festivities.

Kickoff is set for 7pm on ABC. Will Gundy be up to the challenge? Can Stoops keep his troops on point and avoid the looming letdown? Will we see more Crimson and Cream in the stands than Orange?

Bring it Home

Tulsa maintains slim hopes of reaching the C-USA Championship game. The Golden Hurricane must first take care of business on the road against Marshall this Saturday.

Houston controls their destiny in the West. A victory this Saturday against Rice and they are in. A loss coupled with a TU win and the Hurricane play East Carolina at home for the C-USA title.

Finally, a sad day in my life and hopefully yours. The ladies of the LPGA have been ripped from our city and our hearts. A press release revealed what many of us already knew. The SemGroup collapse ended the tournament's eight-year run in T-Town.

No more Annika Sorenstam sitting outside the pro shop after a round petting a cat. No more Cristie Kerr firing a round of 61 to blow away the competition. No Paula Creamer making the media rounds while being gawked at by fans of all ages. No more Natilie Gulbis being Natilie Gulbis in Tulsa. Excuse me while I cry a bit.

In the mealtime, enjoy the turkey and fixins.