Baylor ended up being a very frustrating game to watch.
The offense was not its usual self after having only scored 10 points in the first half and 27 overall, breaking a 60 game streak of scoring at least 28 points.
The bright spot of course was that the defense shut the Bears out in the first half and, after a garbage touchdown with less than a minute left, gave up only 14 points total.
The defense actually only gave up one or two big plays. And they held the Bears to 25 yards rushing.
So it was the defense that kept the game in control while the offense sputtered. How often have we been able to say that in the past several years?
Riley gave credit to Baylor and also said that they had a really bad week of practice. He threw himself and the rest of the offensive staff under the bus stating they didn’t coach “worth a damn”.
I will say that Baylor was very scrappy and gave the offense fits. Probably didn’t hurt that Baylor’s new coach, Dave Aranda, was LSU’s defensive coordinator when OU played them in the Peach Bowl last year.
I’m sure he was very familiar with what Riley likes to do. Not sure I’m sold on him as a head coach yet. He took over an 11-3 team and they are now sitting at 2-6.
I know players graduated and opted out, but he has the same quarterback and a lot of talent. We will see if he can live up to what Matt Rhule left him.
So after losing 2 conference games early in the season, OU has fought back and is once again in the Big 12 Championship Game for a shot at a sixth straight conference title.
That makes this week’s game against West Virginia kind of meaningless.
The real issue is the possibility that the Big 12 Championship Game gets cancelled.
And COVID has now deemed it meaningless as the game has official been cancelled due to West Virginia shutting down their football operations because of pandemic related issues.
I know the team wants to compete and wants to get better every week and all that. But there was really nothing on the line but one more win or loss on the record.
The Sooners would still have played the Big 12 Championship no matter what happened against the Mountaineers.
And for people who are still pushing a CFP possibility, who are lamenting the fact the Sooners are being denied the opportunity to add one more win to the resume…stop it.
OK, yes, I suppose the CFP is still theoretically POSSIBLE….but it’s also POSSIBLE that I’m going to start training for a marathon tomorrow. It’s not going to happen.
The real issue is the possibility that the Big 12 Championship Game gets cancelled.
It would be a shame if that happened after everything everyone has gone through to even play a season this year.
But if people’s health and safety are at stake, cancel it.
That’s a decision that will have to be made by the Big 12. Surely they won’t let money be any type of factor.
Hey, I almost wrote that sentence without laughing. With all that being said…..BOOMER!!!
-Dave
Next: Oklahoma vs Iowa State – Big 12 Championship, December 19.
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