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I forgot to post them on Thursday, But i picked Baylor to beat Kansas State.
Texas Tech vs. West Virginia: I think Texas Tech will snap their 2-game losing streak in Morgantown. West Virginia just collapsed in October.
TCU vs. Oklahoma State: I pick Oklahoma State to upset TCU. I think because of TCU's defense problems (Except against West Virginia, But i think the Mountaineers suck this year), I don't think Boykin can save the day this time.
Iowa State vs. Oklahoma: I think Oklahoma will win, But it'd be glorious to see Iowa State come out of Norman with the win.
Kansas vs. Texas: Texas. Because Kansas is the worst P5 team in college football. I swear to god, if we lose to Kansas, I am done with this team...FOREVER. (Well not forever, but not watching the last 3 games if we lose.)
Here's a response to some Baylor Fans on one of their message boards. I thought you might find it interesting given Baylor's recent push to become conference top dog and OU's resurgence to regain it.
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After reading through the litany of responses, which range from outlandish, to depressed, to whimsical, to insightful & informative, I wanted to share my thoughts:
1) I thought overall it was a good game. Very physical. Chippy. OU just out-physicaled Baylor. Nothing more, nothing less. As is the case about 99% of the time, the game was won in the trenches. OU’s D-Line dominated your O-Line for the better part of the night. Romar, Walker, Wade, and Tapper did a superb job after the first series where Baylor marched down the field and then walked into the endzone. After that the D-Line settled down and dominated by stopping the run and then putting pressure on a QB without a lot of experience. Walker/Romar made Drango and Orr look pretty average. OU’s O-Line, likewise, had their way most of the night against Baylor’s talented Oakman and Billings (I know Billings was not a 100%). I do question Oakman’s playmaking ability. I understand he is a specimen, but he just doesn’t seem to be a major factor when the whistle blows. Big Orlando Brown held Oakman in check most of the game. Baylor not getting a great pass rush definitely allowed OU to do some things to hurt Baylor in the running/passing game. No question there.
2) This issue about the OU fans being classless is pretty rich. All fanbases, including the Fighting Baptists, have poor/idiot fans that ruin it for everyone. I was in Norman last year when Baylor came to town. Were there some idiot and mean-spirited Baylor fans? You better believe it; several, in fact. For example, see pic above of Baylor "fan" with a beer can that reads "OU sucks." Is that guy classy? Clearly not. However, I’m not dense enough to believe that the idiots such as aforementioned beer-clad bafoon represent the entire Baylor fanbase. Just not sensible. Most OU fans, and I’ve been one since the late 70’s, would look with contempt on any so-called fan who cheers when a player gets hurt, or uses foul language., etc. I’m guessin’ y’all feel the same way so stop with the generalization(s).
3) The comments that focus on OU being dirty and bucking the rules is again, rich. Both teams wanted to win the game. This game, more than any other was about conference dominance. Both teams wanted it and played their hearts out to achieve their goal of attaining it. OU played a bit harder and executed better on the big stage. It wasn’t about being dirty or doing something as ridiculous (as one of the posters on this forum implied) as a Sooner coach wanting to hurt Stidham et. al. Ridiculous. Anyone else on here an athlete? Gauging by the posts I’ll guess maybe one to two. I’m a former college athlete and, anyone that has every played big-time sports knows how competitive and emotional it is. These young men have emotion and adrenaline rushing through their veins in one of the most violent sports around. It’s hard to check/control that sometimes, especially in the MIDDLE OF A PLAY. Many of you pointed out Stidham getting slammed out of bounds by Romar (just after the whistle blew, btw) and Diamond’s ejection for kicking a Baylor player…we all know that’s weak; he shouldn’t have done it and deserved to be ejected. Baylor’s football team is not made of saints. Case in point: In last year’s game in Norman was Oakman’s late tackle and spear of Trevor Knight, in which Knight suffered broken vertebrae, was that intentional on Oakman’s part? I’m guessing not. Still some will think it was a dirty play; even some of the commentators seemed to think so. I think the young man was just doing what he is trained to do, play fast and tackle hard. No maliciousness, just an unfortunate result. Another instance from this year, was after Sterling Shepard made a 25 yd catch, he came back to the sideline (per one of OU’s news anchors/commentators) and said that "the defensive back just called me a mother f……… and I’m like what?" Clearly, both sides were chippy and wanted it. Hence, get a grip with OU playing dirty. More likely what you see as dirty is just OU playing HARD. And OU played harder on Saturday night. Also, Baylor’s lack of depth showed on Saturday night. Elite teams find a way to overcome it. OU had guys dinged up too (certainly in previous years), but to be elite it’s all about Next Man Up. Baylor is not quite there. To be elite, you have to have the ability to overcome injuries and that only comes with depth, which only comes with top-notch recruiting over several years. As far as Stoops stymieing Baylor’s pace by waiting to bring his substituted players out, that’s just pure brilliance/gamesmanship. Perfectly within the rules and legal. Briles could have and should have done the same to OU when the Sooners were on offense. Any edge, if it is legal, should be utilized. Stoops outcoached Briles in this way. You have YOUR coach to blame, not Stoops or OU’s scheme.
4) Along with the D-Line in particular, and our ability to run at key times, Baker Mayfield was the difference in the game. The kid is just a gamer; and it’s pretty clear he has some pretty awesome physical tools as well. His ability to scramble really hurt the Baylor D throughout the game. Having a guy that can throw with great accuracy and run the ball is what all teams are wanting in their QB. I know y’all had that guy in Seth Russell and it was a bummer that he is hurt with a pretty severe neck injury. (All Sooner fans I know wanted your best shot.) Hopefully he’ll heal up and be ready to go next year. As for Stidham, the young man has a big-league arm. No doubt about that. I think by this time next year, assuming he beats out Russell for QB1 on the depth chart, he’s gonna be really good by this time next year. Having said that, Baker Mayfield may just be the best QB in the Big12, if not one of the tops in the nation. The kid just seems to know how to play, elevate his team. A couple of things you might want to begin praying for: that the NCAA doesn’t grant Baker an extra year of eligibility that he lost by that coward Kingsbury (How can you take away a year of eligibility from a walk-on player? Insane.) at Tech. If Baker remains healthy and gets the extra year of eligibility he deserves, then you’re going to be dealing with Baker not just next year, but the next few years. As long as this kid remains healthy, he gives us a good chance of winning against anyone we play.
5) My last thought has to do with the Baylor fanbase’s mindset after the game (according to this message board). First, don’t take yourselves too seriously. It was a great game and it is not the end of the world. Good teams lose. Great teams lose. Get used to it. I understand you are are reveling in the success you’ve had recently, but just know that all success comes to an end at some point. You might find my words cutting. Do not. I’m speaking as a lifelong Sooner fan…the most storied football program in the Modern Era. It used to really get me that OU would lose once a year, twice a year…..sometimes more than 3x! (Calm down!) And then I lived through the 90’s. Wow. That was not anything that we as Sooner fans were used to. When you reach the level of success that we have as a program you expect to win every game. I think that might be how many Baylor fans are feeling at this point. Slow that thought. It’s just not realistic and it will let you down. It’s cyclical. Take it from a fan whose team has been at the top/Big Dog more and longer than just about anybody (looking at you Bama & Notre Dame, ha!). Baylor is good, close to elite status, at least in the current iteration. I find it extremely impressive that your program is a program that challenges as it does, especially given the former years. However, get ready and settle in for the next several years because OU is going to be slugging it out with you for Top Dog. We’ve been doing it a long time, since about 85 years before the Big12 and since the inception of the Big12….as 8x Big12 Champs en route to a possible 9th. And OU, as I think you learned on Saturday night, will not be intimidated by anyone. OU, in general, has played the role of intimidator. We regained that status last Saturday night. Get ready for the next couple of years, this should be fun. Here’s to more slug-fests.
OU earned it's 9th Big XII Championship. Truly phenomenal in comparison to the other members of the conference. This one was (is) extra sweet. Hopefully, they ain't finished yet.
Just start scheduling better. Briles & Co. will have to start telling the Lamar's and Incarnate Word's of the world they won't play 'em.
All Baylor has to do is schedule a Power 5 opponent. There are many many teams that Baylor could still whoop up on and it would look good for Baylor and the conference. Think Wake Forest, Rutgers, Vandy, et al.
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Response to Baylor Fans:
