crimson-row

All For Three, Three 4-0

2011-12-30T00:22:00.000-08:00

With 1.4 seconds left, and a perfect record at stake, Kevin Durant took matters into his own hands; taking the inbounds and nailing the 3-point buzzer beater to keep Thunder's record intact at 4-0, while condemning the defending champion Dallas Mavericks to a 0-3 start.

It was only seconds earlier that Vince Carter had scored what surely seemed to be the game winner for Dallas. His joy would only last 48 seconds however, before Durant snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Not bad at all, considering Durant's lapse on defense allowed Carter enough room to sink the 3-pointer.

The Mavericks roster may look a little different, but the same fighting spirit that propelled them their first ever league title seems to have stuck around. They fought till the very end and would have been deserved winners had they managed to pull through. Alas, it was not meant to be however.

Also returning to the floor after spending sometime on the side of a milk-carton was Russell Westbrook. He finished with 16 points, some of them at a very crucial time, helping lift the team when it seemed like Dallas was about to run away with the game.

Westbrook suffered through a 0-13 night from the field the previous night against Memphis, and it didn't help matters either when his sideline spat with Durant was blown out of proportion. All you could hear from all the armchair coaches and certain analysts were calls to trade the point-guard.

Forgotten in all the hoopla was the fact Westbrook went 4-4 from the charity stripe, with 2 of those points helping seal the game against a Grizzlies' team that is certain to give OKC fits for a few seasons to come.

To hear the crowd chanting Westbrook's name was a much welcome relief, making his recent struggles seem like a thing of the past.

As a parting shot, I'll leave you with the Durant's buzzer beater for your enjoyment; stuff of legend.

Longhorns put the boot to Aggies in series finale.

2011-11-21T23:39:00.001-08:00

The 118th meeting Texas and Texas A&M came down to the final seconds, as placekicker Justin Tucker connected on a 40 yard field goal to give the Longhorns a 27-25 victory in the series finale (at least for the foreseeable future).

The Aggies took a 13-0 lead early in the game, but it proved to be too much of a burden, as they imploded; blowing a double digit lead just as they had against Oklahoma State, Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas State. Their 4 turnovers helped a Longhorn team depleted by injuries to stay in the game.

There was enough of the injury bug to go around, as the Aggies themselves were without Cyrus Gray, but as long as QB Ryan Tannehill was playing, you liked their chances of winning a little more. Tannehill however, was responsible for 3 of those turnovers; one of his interceptions was returned for a touchdown by Carrington Byndom, while his other two interceptions were converted for scores on ensuing drives.

He was able to put together what appeared to be a game winning drive, when he found Jeff Fuller on a 16 yard touchdown pass to give the Aggies a 25-24 lead late in the game. Given that the Longhorns had been unable to sustain a long meaningful drive, all the Aggies needed to do was hold fort, and they would hold the bragging rights until the next time these two adversaries met.

Instead, a "roughing the passer" penalty on Aggies safety Trent Hunter gave Texas free yardage, then Case McCoy - channeling the spirit of his brother, Colt - scrambled for 25 yards, after 3 straight completions, to put the his team in field goal position.

Given the problems that a number of kickers have had this season, Justin Tucker ought to be considered a "national treasure". When the moment was at hand, he delivered; just as he did in the 2009 Big 12 title game, when his converted kick from 46 yards out as time expired gave Texas a 13-12 win, punching their tickets to Pasadena to play for the national championship. He should change his middle name to "Clutch".

Aggies had a case of the McCoys (pun intended)

Along with Tucker, McCoy also has to have his name etched in Longhorn folklore. Just his older and much more decorated sibling had done during his career, and on that night in Arlington, TX, Case found a way to get it done. If you're into the "weird coincidence" stuff, then here's something for you to mill about.

Both Case and Colt had their game winning drives aided by a key penalty; in Colt's situation, it was a 15 yard penalty for a "horse collar tackle" that was tacked on to a 19 yard completion to Jordan Shipley. Both QBs led their team into field goal range of 40 yards or more, and it was Justin Tucker who punctuated both story lines. So just like his brother, Case only needed to be great when it mattered most.

Along with their imminent move to the SEC, Texas A&M had hoped that the rivalry would continue on an annual basis, but Texas officials cited scheduling conflicts, leaving no room for the showdown in the immediate future. This rivalry means a lot to the State of Texas (that's an understatement, but you get the point), and officials on both sides should have kept their egos in check, and done the right thing; save the rivalry.

If Auburn and Alabama can find a way to "co-exist", then by George, these two schools could certainly do the same thing. Instead, it is the fans who are now left in the cold, forced to adapt with the ever-rapidly changing landscape of college football.

For so long the "little brother", Aggies officials had grown tired of the moniker and always getting "slighted" by Texas. This was their chance to "go out with a bang", and stick it to "big brother". Instead, they leave the scene with both eyes blackened.

To quote the words of "Texas Fight", "... and it's goodbye to A&M". And good luck too.

The Imperfect Storm

2011-11-18T09:41:00.001-08:00

Oklahoma State took to the field with heavy hearts Friday night after they, and the rest of the nation, woke up to news of a single-engine airplane crash that had claimed the lives women's basketball coach Kurt Budke and Miranda Serna, his assistant. The other two were victims were Olin and Paula Branstetter, a long-time married couple who were known as avid aviators.

A moment of silence was observed to honor both Kurt
Budke and Miranda Serna.

When all was said and done, the Cowboys - favored to win by 28 points - came out on the losing the end instead, falling 37-31 in double overtime to an Iowa State team that was 0-56-2 against teams ranked in the top six. Jeff Woody's touchdown to clinch an epic victory created a cyclone (pun intended) whose impact not only ruined Oklahoma State's shot at the national title and Brandon Weeden's Heisman campaign, but will have far greater effects when the new BCS standings are released on Sunday evening.

The defense, which has been somewhat maligned for its "bend, but don't break" approach, was the reason that the Cowboys even had a fighting chance. Shaun Lewis returned an interception 72 yards for a touchdown to get the ball rolling, while Alex Elkins recovered a fumble to stop a scoring drive in the 3rd quarter. Elkins also had an interception late in the game, leading to a field goal attempt by Quinn Sharp, which if successful, would have probably been the game winner.

Iowa State's offense followed a similar blueprint used by Cowboys' previous opponents. They played "keep away" by holding the ball for 35 minutes, which resulted in them running more plays (101 to OSU's 76). Even though they committed 3 turnovers, they still succeeded where others had failed, executing when it mattered most.

Quarterback Jared Barnett (pictured right), a redshirt freshman who was just making his third career start, played with the kind poise that is normally displayed by his counterpart on the opposite sideline. Despite being responsible for all of his team's turnovers, he remained unfazed; throwing for 376 yards and consistently keeping plays alive using his scrambling ability. He also gained 84 yards on 14 carries to lead the team in rushing.

If you had to judge by the way the Cyclones' defense, you would have never guessed that they statistically ranked among the worst units in the country. Not only did they throw caution to the wind by committing to stop the run, but they sure made it count, forcing two fumbles off the sure-handed Joseph Randle. That choice almost came back to bite them, as Weeden threw for 476 yards.

What the Cyclones lacked in a pass rush, they made up for by trying to deflect the ball every time Weeden was ready to throw it. The resulted in tipped passes that were intercepted 3 times, including the all-important one by Ter'Ran Benton in second overtime.

Even though Justin Blackmon broke free for a 2nd quarter touchdown, defensive back Leonard Johnson managed to keep the All-American receiver in check. Other receivers stepped up, but on a night when Weeden was misfiring, he would have preferred to have his his "go to" guy.

Oklahoma State have the next weekend off, as they join the rest of Cowboy Nation in grieving the loss of 4 family members. At the beginning of the season, they Cowboys had set out to win the conference title, so that goal still remains intact.

Dallas foots the Bills

2011-11-16T07:45:00.001-08:00

It was long overdue, but the Dallas Cowboys were finally able to play a complete game in a 44-7 rout of the Buffalo Bills. The offense scored on their first 4 possessions, and the defense had 4 turnovers, including a "pick 6" by Terence Newman to round up the scoring.

What makes this win even more satisfying is that it came against a credible Buffalo team that looked every bit of a playoff contender as the season began. Three times this season (Jets, Lions & Patriots) Dallas held a considerable lead against good teams, but still ended up on the losing end when all was said and done. The lack of a legit running game, the inability to stop the pass, and woe of woes, the turnovers, are the very reason why the Cowboys are sitting at 5-4, instead of a possible 9-0 or even 8-1.

Murray could be the key to a successful playoff run.

This time however, there would be none of that, as Dallas took the lead and wouldn't relinquish it. The emergence of DeMarco Murray has given life to a running game that was ineffective when it mattered most. Felix Jones, the starter prior to a shoulder injury, has previously excelled in the role of a "change of pace" back, using his speed to break big runs. The success of such plays, however, relies on the kind of run-blocking that can't always be executed on every down.

A team's ability to run the ball for those "tough yards" does not only close games, but it is critical especially late in the season when race for playoff spots starts to get heated. And while I'm not questioning Jones' ability as an "every-down" back, it is clear that Murray is more suited to this role.

The blueprint for Dallas' success in years past has always been a tough defense, and a reliable running game. There's been some really good running backs that have donned the "star" on their helmets: Duane Thomas, Calvin Hill, Walt Garrison, Tony Dorsett and Emmitt Smith, just to name a few. The onus falls on Murray - who already owns the team record for most rushing yards in a single game - to carry on the tradition.

Tony Romo, who has always come under fire for his play during crunch moments, had a lot to smile about. Other than a really good performance, it was the first time that he was fully healthy since the opening week. He suffered a rib injury against San Francisco in the following week, but managed to play through the pain to aid a comeback that saw Dallas hand the Niners their only loss to date.

Another revelation has been receiver Laurent Robinson, who has stepped up to fill the shoes of an injured Miles Austin. Robinson's reliability, and Murray's ability to catch out of the backfield, will only continue to open things up for Dez Bryant and Jason Witten.

Despite a considerable lack in depth, the Cowboys defense has played really well, and is the reason the team has even been able to compete in the tough games. With the offense finally coming alive, their life should get a lot easier as most of their schedule consists of teams that have struggling offenses.

While there are no "gimme" games in the NFL, Dallas is in a great position to run the table, provided they can follow up this big win with similar complete performances.

Oregon capitalizes on Cardinal's bad Luck

2011-11-14T23:18:00.001-08:00

Oregon beat Stanford 53-30 to take control of the Pac-12's North Division, while positioning themselves for a shot at a return trip to the national title game.

The Ducks, who had lost their season opener to LSU in Arlington, TX, stayed "under the radar" while Stanford and QB Andrew Luck - long anointed the #1 overall pick in the 2012 draft - climbed up the ladder. Given their entertaining matchup last season, and with conference realignment, who ever won this matchup would be highly favored to take Pac-12 crown.

In 2009, Stanford stunned a high-flying Oregon team 51-42 on the strength of performances by Heisman Trophy finalist Toby Gerhart and Andrew Luck, a red-shirt freshman at the time. The following year, the Cardinal jumped to a 21-3 first quarter lead, but scored only 10 points the rest of the way (none in the second half) as Oregon came out 52-31 winners, en route to the national championship game.

This time, it was Stanford who had more on the line, with a loss all but eliminating them from the national title discussion. They had been tested on the road against USC a fortnight earlier, winning in triple overtime when the defense recovered a Curtis McNeal fumble that rolled into the endzone.

And just as they had been tested then, the Cardinals defense really had no answer for Oregon's "unconventional" offense. Last year, LaMichael James burned them for 257 yards rushing and 3 TDs. This time around, he ran for 146 yards and 3 TDs - bum elbow and all - while QB Darron Thomas looked like a Heisman candidate himself, throwing for 3 TDs on 11-17 passing.

Brandon Hanna's fumble recovery helped Oregon break
the game open in the 3rd quarter.

Oregon's defense doesn't seem to mind taking a back seat while the offense gets all the love. Their fingerprints were all over this game, collecting 5 Cardinal turnovers, including an interception that Boseko Lokombo returned for a touchdown to seal the game; just in case Stanford was getting ideas of, y'know, a miracle comeback.

Stanford runs a "conventional" offense, that relies multiple tight-end sets to complement a strong running game. While the tight ends are reliable receivers, they can only present so much of a threat. Stanford's legitimate receiving threat, Chris Owusu, had to sit out this game as a result of having suffered multiple concussions, the most recent against Oregon State.

Rub-a-Duck for Luck?

The Cardinal's "ball control" offense could not afford any margin for error if they were to succeed in keeping their counterparts on the sidelines. And while they were able to stay within striking distance going into the interval, it was in the third quarter that things fell apart, as Oregon put their foot on the pedal and never looked back.

The next biggest casualty of Stanford's loss is QB Andrew Luck's race for the Heisman Trophy. Luck, who has been unflappable for the most of the season, committed three turnovers - 2 INTs and lost fumble -, each of them resulting in touchdowns for the opposition.

Every player will have that occasional "off day", but given that nowadays, the preferred recipient for the Heisman Trophy is a quarterback or running back who's team is playing for the national championship, it becomes rather interesting to see just how far Luck will drop.

Since a national title is out of discussion (barring a miracle, and even THAT might not be enough), Stanford still remain on course for an "at-large" invite to a BCS bowl which, considering the payout and perks, isn't exactly a bad way to end the season.

For what it's worth, Luck will still probably have the last laugh come next April.

Orange Squeeze

2011-11-14T08:14:00.001-08:00

Oklahoma State had gone 66 years before finally winning in Lubbock last year. So just how odd was it, that in their first visit back, the Cowboys put "66" on the scoreboard against a Texas Tech team that has nose-dived since a massive upset win over Oklahoma 3 weeks ago.

I'm sure there have been happier days before.

The Red Raiders scored more points in that game (41) than in their next three games combined (33), and have given up a total of 159 points in that same span. In fact, had it not been for Cornelius Douglas' fumble return for a score, Texas Tech would have wound up scoreless; which I'm pretty sure hasn't happened in Lubbock.

The Cowboys made light work of the Red Raiders, scoring just about every time they touched the ball in the first half. It also didn't hurt that Texas Tech was intent on shooting themselves in the foot; something that the Cowboys defense appreciated, considering that they didn't have to spend almost 40 minutes on the field. Still, the defense recorded 3 takeaways, each of which was converted for a touchdown.

Joseph Randle had 3 rushing scores to bring his season tally to 21 TD, trailing Wisconsin's Monte Ball (23 TDs), and Justin Blackmon got to pad his stats as well; but a person making a "Heisman statement" was Brandon Weeden who went 31-37 for 423 yards and 5 TDs.

Weeden became the school's all-time leader in touchdown passes, and is 3 scores short of matching his totals for last season. Throughout the season, he has slowly built his resume which will receive a massive boost should the Cowboys beat Oklahoma in their season finale.

Next up for the Cowboys is Iowa State on Friday night. The Cyclones are on a 2 game win streak, but I doubt they'll be able to match the Cowboys' firepower.

Cowboys prevail in a "Cat and Mouse" thriller.

2011-11-09T02:10:00.000-08:00

It may not have had the "Game of the Century" hype, but Oklahoma State vs Kansas State was where all the action was; delivering all the excitement that one could possibly ask for.

The Cowboys won 52-45, but it wasn't until K-State QB Collin Klein's pass to Tramaine Thompson in the end zone fell incomplete that they could truly get the celebration going. A game that looked like another rout for the Pokes early on, turned in a "cat and mouse" affair, especially in the last 5 minutes which saw a total of 29 points scored between both teams.

The Breakdown.

Offense:

Weeden bounced back from 2 early turnovers to register
a career passing day.

The Cowboys seemed to be on a roll, but it was their 4 turnovers that kept the Wildcats in the game. Justin Blackmon muffed a punt early, and lost a fumble near the goal-line later on, while Brandon Weeden threw 2 interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown, rounding off a 24 point run for K-State.

Other than that, there wasn't really much the Wildcats could do to stop Weeden from hitting them up for 502 yards (a school single-game record); this only a week after getting torched by Oklahoma's Landry Jones for 505 yards (a school single-game record for OU). With his offensive line giving him all the time in the world to execute, Weeden was literally playing armchair quarterback; picking off a secondary that not only played soft coverage, but hardly covered the middle of the field despite getting burned for big plays all game long.

Blackmon more than atoned for his costly fumbles with a 54 yard TD reception late in the game, but the rest of the receiving corp deserves some credit as well. Tracy Moore, Isaiah Anderson and Josh Stewart combined for 15 receptions, causing more problems for an already weak secondary.

There wasn't much production from the running game, as Joseph Randle only managed 73 yards on 16 carries. He still had three touchdowns, the last one giving his team the lead for good. With the kind of success the Cowboys had in the passing game, Randle only had to be at his best when needed to.

Defense:

Klein gave the Cowboys more than they could handle.

A recovered fumble on K-State's opening possession helped the Cowboys take a 7-0 lead, and a James Thomas interception resulted in another touchdown to bring the score even at 24. Unlike most teams however, the Wildcats would just not go away.

Collin Klein, who was held to 58 yards passing against Oklahoma the previous week, passed for a season-high 231 yards. His improved passing enabled the Wildcats to mix the pass and run effectively, and play "keep away" by holding the ball for a little over 40 minutes.

While they Cowboys weren't able to force as many turnovers, a few stops here and there helped them stay ahead of a pesky Wildcat team determined to bounce back after getting routed in their previous outing.

Overall:

The Cowboys haven't been 9-0 since 1945, when they won the Sugar Bowl under the guidance of Jim Lookabaugh. With only 3 games left in the season, they've positioned themselves for a BCS bowl invitation at the very least. Anything more than that is literally "in their own hands".

Next up:

Oklahoma State travels to face a Texas Tech that's been routed in its last 2 games, and has lost 4 of their last 5 overall. Lubbock hasn't always been kind to the Cowboys, but they were able to win there last year, and should probably do the same on this visit.

College Football Week 9: Hot, Not & Really?

2011-11-02T09:33:00.000-07:00

After week 9 of College Football, I'm working on introducing a new segment called "Hot, Not & Really"; which rather speaks for itself. Hopefully this can be a continuing theme as the season goes on. Without further ado, let's get to it.

WHO'S HOT:

Case Keenum: The Cougars signal caller threw for 534 yards and 9 touchdowns (NINE!!) against city rival Rice. Keenum is the NCAA's all time leader in TD passes, and should soon be the all time leader in passing yards as well. More importantly, Houston stayed undefeated.

Oklahoma State's Defense: This unit may have surrendered a lot of yards, but lead the nation in turnover margin. They've now forced 12 turnovers in their last 3 games; I'd have included the 4 against Kansas, but that wasn't much of a contest.

Oklahoma Sooners: It might seem too soon, but the turnaround is hard to overlook. After getting embarrassed in a loss to Texas Tech, the Sooners bounced back to crush the previously unbeaten Kansas State; completely dominating both sides of the ball. They've earned it.

Ohio State Buckeyes: After an off-season they would rather forget, the Buckeyes are making the most of this season. They blew a 21-point lead in a loss to Nebraska, but responded by handing Illinois their first loss, then soiled any BCS hopes that Wisconsin had, courtesy of QB Braxton Miller's late game heroics.

Nebraska Cornhuskers: The Big Red machine are currently riding a 3 game winning streak, after receiving a rude awakening in their Big Ten opener against Wisconsin. Their latest antics involved a dominant performance against Michigan State, leaving both teams tied for 1st place (along with Michigan) in their respective division.

Oregon Ducks: They've reeled off 7 straight wins in dominant fashion. Doesn't matter what they wear, or how they wear it, they just wear opponents out.

WHO'S NOT:

Wisconsin Badgers: Playing within the confines of Camp Randall Stadium, the Badgers carved out a 6-0 start, and were in the running for a national title. Then came the next 2 games out of state, and after a couple of "hail marys", they're all but out for not only the national title, but the conference title as well.

Texas A&M Aggies: A 38-31 loss to Mizzou marked the 3rd time that the Aggies held a double digit lead (they led 28-17), only to lose the game. This was a team that most people thought would factor in the national title discussion.

Clemson Tigers: They started off their season by defeating 3 ranked opponents - including defending champ Auburn - and seemed to control their own destiny as far as the national title was concerned. The Tigers were done in by their inability to stop Georgia Tech's "triple option" attack.

Kansas Jayhawks: They're riding a 6 game losing streak and easily boast the worst defense in all of college football. In their last outing against Texas, the Jayhawks could only manage 46 total yards (!!!). I could go on, but there's no fun in flogging a dead horse.

Colorado Buffaloes: They're 1-8 (0-5 in conference). Can someone please remind me why they moved to the Pac-12?

REALLY?

Tommy Tuberville followed up a signature win
with an embarrassing loss.

Texas Tech Red Raiders: Coming off consecutive losses, the Red Raiders put on a clinic in an upset win over Oklahoma. Just when you thought that they were finally on track, they lay an egg against Iowa State. Did I mention that this game was in Lubbock? In a weird twist of irony, they trailed 24-7 at the half, and conceded 41 total points; a complete reverse from the previous week when they led 24-7 at the interval, and scored 41 points.

Marquel Wade, Arkansas: The Razorback wide receiver delivered "The Cheap Shot Heard Around The World" while covering a punt that was about to be fielded by Vanderbilt's Jonathan Krause. Wade arrived early and put a hit on Krause before he could even field the ball. Wade was subsequently ejected from the game, and is suspended for the game against #9 South Carolina. He has since issued an apology, and you can expect him to have learnt from this episode.

Bear down!!

2011-11-01T19:39:00.000-07:00

In a match that had been billed as an offensive shootout, it was Oklahoma State who came out "pistols firing" in a 59-24 rout of the Baylor Bears; a performance that pretty much mirrored last year's "showdown" between these two teams.

Last November, both schools came into the game tied atop the Big 12 South standings. The Cowboys jumped to 34-0 lead en route to a comfortable 55-28 win. This time, the Cowboys ended the contest early, leading 35-0 lead at halftime, and were up 42-0 before Baylor got on the scoreboard.

Just like last year, it was the Cowboy's defense shutting down a potent Baylor offense, while the offense just kept rolling.

Let's proceed to The Breakdown, shall we?

Offense

In a match-up between an offense that scores a lot of points, and a defense that gives up a lot of points, the outcome will more than likely be in favor of said offense. Such was the case as the Bears defense struggled to keep up with the Cowboys.

Justin Blackmon was back to his dominant self, catching 13 passes for 172 yards and 2 TDs, while Joseph Randle followed up last week's performance against Mizzou with yet another 4 TD performance. Brandon Weeden's numbers may not have been "flashy", but the Pokes had only 2 scoring drives that required 10 or more plays; so it was a case of Weeden being at his efficient best.

Fans also got a preview into the future, when running back Herschel Sims took a hand-off and raced 81 yards for a score. Sims was a highly touted prospect out of high school, but is having to wait his turn behind Randle and Jeremy Smith; just a little thing called "paying your dues". From the looks of it, the tradition of good tailbacks in Stillwater will continue.

Defense

An 8-0 start is surely a cause for celebration for both
Markelle Martin and the Cowboy Nation.

Baylor's opening drive stalled at the 1 yard line when the Cowboys mounted a goal-line stand, setting the tone for the rest of the afternoon. By the time the Bears finally crossed the line, the game was no longer a contest.

The Bears controlled the clock, ran more offensive plays and even racked up more yardage than their opponents, but just couldn't score. Maybe it was me, but the Bears seemed to be allergic towards Oklahoma State's end zone; turning over the ball three times (on downs, an interception and a lost fumble).

The Cowboys defense has a little "Jekyll and Hyde" theme going on this season. They rank very low in terms of yards given up, yet they lead the nation in turnover margin; bend but don't break. They might bend, but they snap back with a vengeance.

They forced 5 turnovers (2 INTS and 3 fumble recoveries) along with 2 "4th down" stops, resulting in change of possession; that might as well bring up the tally to 7 turnovers. They also sacked Bears QB Robert Griffith III twice, severely limiting his ability to impact the game with his feet (RG3 could only muster 27 yards on 16 carries).

Overall

Once again, Oklahoma State managed to turn a "potential shootout" into a blowout thanks to yet another solid defensive effort. Not that Baylor is a bad team; in fact the Bears are in the midst of some of the best seasons in years, but the Cowboys were just too much to handle.

Next up

Oklahoma State will be at home at against Kansas State in a prime time match up. The Wildcats unbeaten run came to a cruel halt against Oklahoma, who exposed their inability to defend the pass; something that should bode well for the Cowboys.

Too hot to Randle.

2011-10-24T12:09:00.000-07:00

Oklahoma State beat Missouri 45-24 on the strength of a superb defensive performance as well as 4 touchdowns from running back Joseph Randle.

With the game slated for an early kickoff, some experts penciled this game as an "upset alert" given that Faurot Field can be a tough place to play. Others speculated that it would be hard for the Cowboys to get on track having to play that early; leading me to question how many of these guys were still up when a rain delay pushed the Oklahoma State vs Tulsa kickoff to 12:15 am.

Without further ado, let's get to the breakdown of this game.

Offense

No Blackmon? No Problem; at least for the most part. Justin Blackmon caught a touchdown pass to give the Pokes a 14-3 lead in the 1st quarter, but left the game after sustaining a shoulder injury. Brandon Weeden was able to distribute the ball well, completing passes to 8 other receivers. Tracy Moore and Michael Harrison (1 TD & a team high 71 yards receiving) were just among those who stepped up to pick up the tab.

Honors go to Joseph Randle, though. With the game still in contention, he broke a 59 yard TD run to give the Cowboys a 21 point lead. His third touchdown was just the icing on the cake of a game that was pretty much over. Much like his counterpart Jeremy Smith did last week, it was Randle's turn to answer the bell, and did he ever, helping to spark an offense that was somewhat flat.

Defense

The Cowboys D rustled Franklin

The Cowboys defensive unit didn't have to spend about 40 minutes on the field this time, but they still put in a great effort. Despite giving up 248 yards on the ground, they weren't challenged as much through the air thanks to the relentless pressure they put on Tigers QB James Franklin.

Franklin, one of the best dual threat QBs in the country, was limited to 184 yards passing, and 55 yards rushing but committed 4 turnovers; including one (a fumble) at the Cowboys goal line when Mizzou had a chance to pull within 7 points. The Cowboys converted that turnover for a touchdown; just one of three turnovers that provided the 21 points that they scored in the second half.

Overall

Oklahoma State found a way to win, just like it seemed the momentum was getting away from them. Someone has stepped on either side of the ball, and this has been the recurring them in their last 3 road games (this one included). It's a testament to the team's resolve, which will continue to be tested, as 3 of their last 4 opponents will be ranked teams.

Special mention: "The Shout Outs"

The Cowboys defense have now forced 7 turnovers in their last 2 games. Jamie Blatnick had a forced fumble as well as 2 tipped passes that resulted in interceptions by Shaun Lewis and Richetti Jones. Lewis also recovered a red zone fumble (forced by Wilson Youman) closing the door on a scoring opportunity for Mizzou.

Joseph Randle ran to rescue - literally -, scoring the Cowboys' last 4 touchdowns (he had a TD reception in the first half). His final total was 138 yards rushing on 14 carries, and 13 yards on 1 reception.

Next up:

The Cowboys head back home and prepare for an afternoon kickoff against Baylor; a team they routed 55-28 last year, despite all the pre-game hype. Despite the phenom that is Robert Griffith III (RG3), Oklahoma State should be able to come away with the win, on the strength of having a better defense than the Bears.

Smith paces Cowboys win over Texas.

2011-10-20T13:26:00.000-07:00

Oklahoma State had yet to win consecutive games against Texas since the formation of the Big 12. Mack Brown had yet to lose a game the weekend after the Red River Rivalry. On Saturday, something had to give, and it was Oklahoma State who came out on top, with a 38-26 win to extend its winning streak in the series to 2 games.

Last year, the Cowboys halted a 12 game skid against Texas with a 33-16 in win Austin, marking the first time since 1944 that they had left town with a win. At the time, the Cowboys were on the rise, while the Longhorns were in free-fall; only a season removed from playing for a national championship.

After getting torched by Oklahoma QB Landry Jones the previous week, the Longhorns secondary had their work cut out for them; having to face a high-octane offense led by 1st team All-Conference QB (Brandon Weeden) and Biletnikoff Award Winner (Justin Blackmon). The outlook did not seem very good.

Texas opted to play "keep away" by running the football, knowing that it would be impossible to match the Cowboys' firepower. On paper, the strategy seemed to work rather well, with the Longhorns holding the ball for close to 40 minutes. However, the lack of a legit passing game, 3 turnovers and the offense getting turned back at crucial times, proved too much to overcome.

With the Texas offense struggling earlier in the season, seemingly a carryover from last year, Mack Brown pulled starting QB Garrett Gilbert in favor of a rotation between Case McCoy and David Ash at the position. The move rejuvenated the Longhorns offense, but it all came undone at the hands of Oklahoma, with both QBs struggling against a much superior defense.

The Cowboys defense harassed Ash all afternoon

There was a lot of speculation as to whether Brown would keep the rotation, or just stick to one player. Ash got the nod ahead of his counterpart, who many a Longhorn faithful see as a carbon-copy of his more famous sibling, Colt. There's no denying that Ash is talented, and while he played like that at times, he was clearly overwhelmed by the Cowboy defense.

The Cowboys' offense spent quite some time on the sidelines, and it wasn't hard to see why they were out of rhythm whenever they got back on. Brandon Weeden had a rather off day, but still managed to connect with Justin Blackmon for the Pokes only passing TD; breaking a 7-7 tie.

They were able to stay ahead of the Longhorns thanks to 2 big TD runs by Jeremy Smith (30 & 74 yards, respectively), when the game seemed rather too close for comfort. Smith's first score came only a few minutes before half-time with the Cowboys only ahead by 4; while his second one gave his team an insurmountable 14 point lead.

Normally brought in for short yardage duty as well as goal line situations, Smith was able to showcase not just strength but speed as well, leaving the Longhorn defenders in his wake on both scores. A highly rated prospect out of powerhouse Tulsa Union, he may be behind Joseph Randle on the depth chart, but is still very valuable when it comes to helping moving the chains. Smith tallied 140 yards on only 7 carries, to earn game MVP honors (in my book at least).

Defensively, you'd have to commend the Cowboys for their effort; given that they were on the field for what seemed like an eternity. Despite a few close calls, they kept the Longhorns at bay getting stops when it mattered. All that being said, they still get a pie in the face after falling victim the infamous Statue of Liberty play that propelled Boise State to an unlikely Fiesta Bowl win over Oklahoma. Cowboy fans can no longer "poke" fun at OU fans (it's the best I could come up with) regarding that play.

The performance might have been below par - I'm sure the Cowboys were expecting to play a lot better - but there's a lot of good things to take away from this win. The offense was effective in generating points given their limited possession, while the defense held their end of the bargain.

Jeremy Smith and Justin Gilbert (kickoff return for a TD) provided 3 pivotal plays that ensured the Cowboys stay undefeated ahead of their showdown against Mizzou.

Red River Rout.

2011-10-11T23:19:00.000-07:00

Prior to the season kickoff, many people speculated that this year's version of the Red River Rivalry would be a mismatch in favor of Oklahoma, who at the time were ranked #1.

Despite the fact that Texas managed to generate some positive buzz going into the game, casting some doubt on earlier predictions, Oklahoma ran riot in a 55-17 win. A few things still held true; the game was a mismatch after all, and the Longhorns aren't really that much improved from last season's 5-7 debacle.

Jones had a school record 17th career 300yd passing game

Landry Jones passed for over 300 yards and 3 touchdowns; all before halftime. With the Sooner offense matched up against a young and inexperienced Longhorn secondary, there could really only be one outcome.

Jones has come a long way since that October day when he had to replace (yet again) Sam Bradford, who re-injured his throwing shoulder following a hit on a blitz by Texas corner Aaron Williams; it was to be Bradford's last ever play for Oklahoma.

Playing behind a patchwork offensive line and no running game (the Sooners racked up negative yardage), the weight of delivering a victory were placed upon Jones' shoulder. Even though he had seen some significant playing time, the Longhorns were a whole different monster. Jones showed occasional flashes of brilliance, but threw 2 costly interceptions late when the game was still within reach for the Sooners.

Flemming returning one of the Sooners 3 defensive TDs

And while the offense will get the credit that's due them, it was the Sooners' defense that had their fingerprints all over this one. Turning in yet another fine performance - and probably their best in the season yet - the Sooners raked in 8 QB sacks, 15 tackles for lost yardage and 5 turnovers (3 INTs and 2 fumble recoveries); 3 of which were returned for touchdowns.

Besides putting constant pressure on Longhorn QBs Case McCoy and David Ash, the Sooners showed a lot of discipline by staying on their defensive assignments. Texas tried to run a couple of gadget plays that seemed worked wonders against teams like BYU and Iowa State, but the Sooners weren't taking any mess.

Texas seemed to get a little momentum going when Foswhitt Whittaker returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown to cut the margin 27-10. Oklahoma snatched it right back though, marching 83 yards in 7 plays ending with a Kenny Stills 14 yard touchdown reception.

Ryan Broyles and Kenny Stills played brilliantly, but a worthy mention goes to Jazz Reynolds who finished with 92 yards on 6 receptions. Reynolds came through making a big catch for a 1st down when it was "3rd & 25". Jones found Broyles in the end zone a few plays later.

For those of you who may not remember, Reynolds was dismissed from the team days leading up to this very fixture last year for improper conduct (I'm only putting it lightly). Given another opportunity, he's definitely making the most it.

Whaley had 117 total yards & 1 TD

The next item up for discussion: what more does Dominique Whaley have to do in order to get a scholarship? The man appeared from nowhere and has taken the Sooner nation by storm. He had a game-high 83 yards rushing, most of it coming on a 64 yard sprint. FOX announcer Gus Johnson has been campaigning hard for Whaley to get a scholarship, and I'm sure he echoes the sentiments of many fans. I think Whaley has surely paid his dues.

Up next for Oklahoma is a trip to Lawrence to face a Kansas team that is fresh off a 70-28 mauling at the hands of Oklahoma State. The Jayhawks defense is ranked next to last nationally, and you can understand why most people will be predicting another blowout win for the Sooners.

An open letter to Mr. Corso

2011-10-08T07:53:00.000-07:00

Dear Lee Corso,
I know you tend to get carried away sometimes, seeing that you're an old man and all, and when it comes to "head gear" time, you sometimes like to get a certain section of the crowd all hyped up, only to pick their opponent.

I'm sure you'll like certain things about both Texas and OU, and you may be tempted to pick OU; but NOT SO FAST, MY FRIEND!! If you have a heart and decent bone in your body, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, DO NOT PICK OU!!

You picked OU to win 2008 and they lost. Last year against Mizzou, you picked OU to win, and they lost; AGAIN!! Then later in the year in Bedlam, you picked Oklahoma State, and OU won.

In previous Red River Games, you picked Texas to win, only for OU to walk away victorious. On behalf of Oklahoma fans, I'm sure that we would love it no other way.

So you see Mr. Corso, something wicked this way comes whenever you pick the Sooners. So I'm beggin' you, DO NOT PICK OU to win. Hope that you'll comply.

sincerely,
Karma.

Wales through to World Cup Semis.

2011-10-08T07:44:00.000-07:00

Wales became the first team to book a place in the semi-finals of the 2011 Rugby World Cup, courtesy of a 22-10 win over Ireland in the quarters.

The Welsh got off to a flying start, with Shane Williams diving in at the right corner to open their scoring account. They took advantage of some well timed breaks to extend the lead, with Mike Philips diving in at the left corner only 5 minutes after the restart to break a 10-10 tie, and Jonathan Davies touching down at the 63rd minute to help put the game beyond reach.

Ireland had their chances to reduce the margin early in the game, but opted to play for field position despite having a reliable kicker in Ronan O'Gara. They did however make the game a little competitive when Keith Earls scored on the left corner, and O'Gara duly converted to bring the honors even minutes before halftime.

The going got tough for Stephen Ferris and Ireland.

However, the Irish continued to self destruct in the second half, conceding wave after wave of penalties, and turning over the ball did not help either. Twice, Ireland were given a lifeline when Welsh goal attempts bounced off the uprights. The Welsh defense held firm, sealing the win and their first semi-final appearance since the inaugural tournament in 1987 (ironically co-hosted by New Zealand).

Ireland is the only country from the "home nations" that has yet to qualify for the semis. They came very close in 1991 when they lead Australia (eventual tournament champions) 18-15 after a Gordon Hamilton try with minutes remaining, only to see Wallaby Fly-half Michael Lynagh score a last gasp try to steal the win.

They suffered further embarrassment in 1999 and 2007 - failing to make the quarterfinals - losing to Argentina on both occasions. In another cruel twist of irony, both games were played in France.

A tournament that held so much promise, especially following their stunning 15-6 upset over Australia, leaves yet another empty feeling for the Irish. Even at their best, their effort was just simply not enough.

Wales will now await France in the next stage. It will be interesting to see if they'll have enough defense left in them to counter the French flair.

Wisconsin "Ball" over Nebraska in Big Ten opener.

2011-10-03T12:12:00.000-07:00

Nebraska finally got a taste of some Big Ten action, but it will be one that they would rather forget after getting whipped 48-17 by Wisconsin. Hard to believe that Nebraska actually led at one point in this game (14-7), but had nothing in the bag as they were out scored 41-3 the rest of the way.

With Wilson leading the way, the Badgers could very
well find themselves contending for a national title.

Also making his Big Ten debut was Badger QB Russell Wilson, who threw for 255 yards and 2 TDs while running for another. Coming into the season, Wisconsin's ability to contend for the conference title received a major boost when Wilson came aboard after a record setting career at NC State.

There were some questions regarding Wisconsin's defense, but they went a long way toward answering some of them, picking off Huskers' QB Taylor Martinez 3 times, all of which resulted in touchdowns. 2 of those touchdowns were just part of a 20 point effort in the 2nd quarter, as the Badgers put their foot on the pedal and never looked back.

Not to be left behind, RB Montee Ball had himself quite the evening, rushing for 151 yards and 4TDs on 30 carries; moving this tally to 13 TDs this season. At Wisconsin, the running back position has never lacked any depth. Ball is just the latest to star in a position that has featured names like John Clay, PJ Hill, Anthony Davis, Michael Bennett and Ron Dayne, the NCAA's all-time rushing leader (in Division 1, at least).

Madison, WI is a long ways from Lawrence or Ames.

Bo Pellini's reign at Nebraska started in 2008 and over that time, he has used his reputation as a defensive guru to restore some pride to a tradition that was famously hailed as the black shirts. Over the last two years, Nebraska had one of the nation's best pass defenses, which played a big part in their consecutive Big 12 title appearances. If they had an offense to match, they might have been playing for bigger things.

When Nebraska switched to the Big Ten, the revival of the black shirts was a key reason why most pundits felt the Cornhuskers would be able to contend for the conference title right away. However, given Saturday's performance, they clearly have ways to go.

Looking at the remainder of Wisconsin's schedule, their biggest game will probably be the matchup against Illinois, who are off to a surprising 5-0 start. Other than that, there's some decent teams, but none that could seriously challenge them for the division crown.

At this point, it wouldn't be a bad bet to pencil in Wisconsin as participants in the inaugural Big Ten title game.

Tigers on the prowl.

2011-10-02T20:00:00.000-07:00

If anybody hasn't been paying attention to the Clemson Tigers, their body of work over the last 3 weeks should be enough to merit a look.

First, they started by knocking off defending national champions Auburn 38-24 (in impressive fashion too), ending Auburn's 17 game win streak. Then, they continued their recent home dominance against Florida State, winning 35-30. And for their final act, they traveled to Blacksburg, VA, (a very tough place to play) and basically just dominated Virginia Tech, winning 23-3; becoming the first ACC team to beat ranked opponents 3 weeks in a row.

Hokies QB Logan Thomas could not escape the eye
of the Tiger.

Their wins against Auburn and Florida State came within the confines of their vaunted "Death Valley" stadium, and most pundits didn't give them much of a chance against Virginia Tech; being that this was Clemson's first outing away from home. Like I mentioned earlier, not too many teams come out looking good after a visit to Blacksburg. However, the Tigers had other plans.

While their offense took most of the most of the plaudits over the last few weeks (and rightfully so), it was Clemson's defensive performance that stole show, holding the Hokies to only a field goal, while forcing 2 turnovers (an interception and fumble recovery), and 4-16 on 3rd downs. Also of note, Clemson snapped Virginia Tech's 12 game win streak in league play.

With Miami facing NCAA sanctions, and Florida State not quite where they were hoping to be at this point in the season, Clemson has not wasted any time to stake their claim as possibly the best team in the conference. Of course, they still have that showdown against Georgia Tech on October 29, in what will likely be a preview of the ACC title game.

Tajh Boyd's performances has opened
eyes across the landscape.

Outside of Georgia Tech's "triple option" attack, Clemson has a very potent offense led by sophomore QB Tajh Boyd. A native of Hampton, VA, Boyd has been nothing short of exciting, passing for over 1400 yards and 14 TDs against 2 INTs. Should he keep up at this rate, he will most likely be the first Tiger QB to get serious Heisman hype since the days of the recording setting Woody Dantzler.

Also another player worth mentioning is freshman receiver, Sammy Watkins. Over the last couple of weeks, he emerged as Boyd's favorite target, making big plays in the wins against Auburn and Florida State. While he had an off day against Virginia Tech, junior Tight End Dwayne Allen picked up the slack. Also chipping in were running backs Andre Ellington and Mike Bellamy (whose 31 yd TD run sealed Clemson's win over the Hokies).

The ACC has proven to be a very unpredictable "dog eat dog" kind of league. Today you're hot, tomorrow you're not; you can never really know who's going to win on any given weekend. While Clemson are sitting pretty at the moment, even they know there's still some work to do if they are to win the league.

Dabo Sweeney has had a lot laugh about over
the last three weeks.

After going through a tricky conference schedule, Clemson close their regular season on the road against the rival South Carolina Gamecocks. While a loss to the Gamecocks wouldn't ruin the Tigers' shot at a BCS bowl, it would wipe out any shot at a national title should Clemson find themselves in that position.

Whether Clemson emerges as the top team out of the ACC remains to be seen, but what we know is they'll definitely put on quite the show.

Asphyxiation & Meltdown (A&M)

2011-10-02T17:55:00.000-07:00

It's been almost 10 years since Texas A&M kicked off with a preseason Top 10 ranking. All it took was a fortnight for them to drop out of the Top 20, after yet another second half meltdown; this time at the hands of the Arkansas Razorbacks, a one time South West Conference rival.

One week after watching a 17 point half-time lead disappear against Oklahoma State, the Aggies seemed determined to put that performance behind them with 5 first half touchdowns (all rushing), racing to a 35-17 lead before the interval against their future SEC division foe. Once again, they came out flat in the second period, getting outscored 25-3.

For a while, the Aggies seemed to be in control of the game, running the ball at will against an Arkansas defense that couldn't stop the run even if they tried. As a team, A&M totaled 381 yards on the ground; Christine Michael ran for 230 yards and 3 TDs on 32 carries, Cyrus Gray had 95 yards and 2 TDs on 17 carries, while QB Ryan Tannehill pitched in with 56 yards on 5 carries. On any day, if you passed those stats onto someone, they'd probably tell you that the Aggies won. However, despite getting gushed for all those yards, Arkansas came up big when it mattered the most, stopping Michael for no gain on a rush attempt on 4th & 2 late in the game.

A&M had been faced with "4th & short" situations during the 3rd quarter. With the Razorbacks still reeling, A&M opted to punt rather than go for the kill. The decision to punt on both occasions gave Arkansas some confidence that they could stop the Aggies, which is what they eventually did. The momentum started to swing in their favor and next thing you know, Arkansas comes out on top.

Weeden (l) and Wilson both combined to torch the
Aggies for 948 yards through the air.

The running theme during these two losses has been the porosity of the Aggies pass defense. Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden passed for 438 yards, while Arkansas' Tyler Wilson went bananas, passing for 510 yards. Along with the 900+ yards, both QBs combined for 5 touchdowns and no interceptions. You'd figure that maybe the Aggies would make the necessary adjustments, seeing that there was nothing unpredictable about what Arkansas or Oklahoma State was doing, but whatever they did probably didn't work. With a lot of "pass happy" schools on the Aggies remaining schedule, you can be sure that those teams will be taking notes and studying some film.

It has been 16 years since Texas A&M beat a team from the SEC, but with them moving on to that conference, they may not have to wait any longer.

Cowboys pick up tempo after a sluggish start.

2011-09-27T07:10:00.000-07:00

Oklahoma State's encounter against Texas A&M was pretty much a tale of two halves. And while it was the Aggies who got off to a quick start, the Cowboys were the ones laughing last after dominating the second half at every turn, winning 30-29.

The Cowboys extended their winning streak over A&M to 4 wins, after having suffered a 4 game losing streak of their own in the series (2004-2007). Anyone who paid for a ticket to this game surely got their money's worth; this one lived up to all the pre-game hype. Also another point to note: at least this game kicked off at a very considerable time of the day; I'll take a 2:30pm kickoff over a 12:15am kickoff any day.

Broderick Brown had himself quite the afternoon.

The most surprising stat of course is that Oklahoma State's potent offense was only held to THREE (!!!) first half points. You'd think that a team averaging at least somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 points per game would do better, but that was not the case. A lot of credit will of course go to A&M's defense, that had a good enough pass rush, making things harder for the abnormally poised Brandon Weeden.

However, rather than kick their opponent while down, A&M seemed to take the foot off the pedal. They had their chances to extend the lead in the first half, and potentially put the game out of reach. Or maybe they planned on coming back to close the deal in the second half. I had a feeling that the tide was about to turn for the worse.

Blackmon!! Oh no, you didn't!!

True enough, that is exactly what happened. Oklahoma State state came back and played probably what was their most complete game in a while. With his offensive line blocking well, Weeden went to work, finding his receivers, while the running game picked up steam of its own.

Hats off to the defense for nearly pitching a shutout against A&M's offense. The defensive line made a point of getting to the quarterback often, and the defensive backs contested any pass that they could. End result was 4 forced turnovers; a fumble recovery and 3 interceptions including one by James Thomas to clinch the win. Defensive back Broderick Brown made yet another highlight reel play (why lie, he's making it look real easy), to pick off Aggies QB Ryan Tannehill, giving the Cowboys a short field.

On the ensuing drive, Justin Blackmon had a moment that he would have loved to take back if possible. He found himself in single coverage (why again would you single cover this guy?), and after making a catch and running for what was a sure touchdown, he fumbled the ball which went through the end zone for a touchback. Had he not fumbled (or at least if he'd been able to recover it in the end zone for a score), that touchdown would surely clinched the game for his team. However, it only served to make things a little more interesting. Luckily, the defense stepped up again with Justin Gilbert (who returned a kickoff for a score, only to have it erased due to a holding call), making the most of a poorly thrown pass by Tannehill.

It's been almost 30 years (maybe more) since Kyle Field hosted a game in which both A&M and its opponent were ranked in the Top 10. So for Oklahoma State to win a game of such magnitude and in a very tough environment, the momentum will probably snowball all the way to (and maybe through) Bedlam (I don't know that December 3 could get here fast enough). You really want to measure the negatives against the positives, but judging how the team bounced back, it's all positive.

Also the days leading up to the game had been very trying as the team was in mourning following the death of Angela Spencer, wife of Linbebackers' coach Glenn Spencer. Coach Spencer had to be hurried home during the Tulsa game, and was able to spend few moments by his wife's side before she passed away. So it was only fitting that the team send her off in style. RIP Angela Spencer.

Oklahoma State will be off this weekend, before they return to action against Kansas. Hopefully their momentum won't take the weekend off either.

Oklahoma wards off Tiger upset bid.

2011-09-27T04:29:00.000-07:00

The last time Oklahoma faced off against Missouri, they were ranked #1 in the newly released BCS rankings, but were left picking themselves off the mat after the Tigers sprung an upset in Columbia, MO. It was the third successive week in which the top ranked team fell on the road; Alabama lost to South Carolina a fortnight earlier, and Ohio State followed up with a loss to Wisconsin the week after.

This time around, Oklahoma made sure not to stumble, despite a slow start in which they trailed 14-3, ending the 1st quarter at 14-10 after a Ryan Broyles touchdown catch. In the absence of Kenny Stills and Trey Franks, Jazz Reynolds and DeJuan Miller had to step up and fill the void. Both receivers were starters at some point earlier in their careers, but due to various issues (Miller suffered a season ending knee injury, while Reynolds was suspended due to violation of team rules), they had been firmly supplanted by the aforementioned duo. Reynolds came up with a huge 39 yard reception in the 2nd quarter that possibly shifted the game's momentum in favor of the hosts.

Oklahoma was eventually able to wear down their opponents with a short passing game, and running the ball taking time off the clock. Also defensively, they made enough plays to hold off the Tigers until the game was beyond reach. It may not have been the most satisfying performance, but a win's a win, right?

Landry Jones to Ryan Broyles seems to be the key to get this offense going. In their previous match against Florida State, they hardly connected much after the opening drive. Jones went over 400 yards passing (AGAIN!!) and Broyles had yet another 10+ reception, 100yd receiving game; numbers that seem to be pedestrian to these two guys.

Despite giving up a lot of yards, OU's defense clamped
down when it mattered the most.

It was nice to see coaches try to get Roy Finch involved, including him in the kickoff return unit. With Brennan Clay and Dominique Whaley getting the lion's share of the carries in the running game, the only time Finch gets to see the field is while on the sideline. It would be nice to get him more touches, but that's really up to the coaches.

This was clearly not Oklahoma's best defensive showing. They gave up 532 yards and two big scoring plays; L'Damian Washington's catch and run for 45 yards & score, as well as Henry Josey who ran 48 yards for a touchdown off an option pitch. They didn't force any turnovers either, but you can credit Mizzou for protecting the ball. The defensive unit played really well in between the 1st and 4th quarters, so that's a positive.

At the end of the day, Oklahoma got the result that it wanted, and it's a lot easier to fix any errors - be they mental or tactical - after a win than a loss.

Crimson Tide stain Happy Valley "white-out"

2011-09-12T00:27:00.000-07:00

Last season, in just his second start the collegiate level, Robert Bolden was overwhelmed by the defending national champion Alabama during Penn State's visit to Tuscaloosa. It was just one of many early season showdown of football heavyweights across the nation. Alabama won that contest by a score of 24-3, as they set on to try and defend their crown.

This time around was no different, as Alabama came away 27-10 winners in a rare visit into Big Ten country. The Crimson Tide were returning a lot of starters on a defense that frustrated Penn State's offense for much of the afternoon; silencing a usually rabid Nittany Lion crowd.

Just like Penn State, Alabama have yet to "settle" their own quarterback situation. AJ McCarron had to split time Phillip Sims in their opener against Kent State. This time around, he played well enough and only left the game when the outcome was no longer in doubt.

Alabama ran the ball well with Trent Richardson and Eddie Lacy, and McCarron made some good throws such as his lone touchdown pass to Tight End Michael Williams; a pass that was rifled through defensive traffic to open the scoring for 'Bama. It's still early in the season, but I get the feeling that Alabama vs LSU might just be the game that decides how the West will be won; SEC West, that is.

Bolden found the going tough against 'Bama

The Nittany Lions seem to have their work cut out for them. Over the last few seasons, they have enjoyed stability at the quarterback position. From Zack Mills, Michael Robinson, Anthony Morelli and Daryll Clark. With that stability came some success as the Lions were able to win some games and even successfully contend for conference titles.

However, things seem a little different this time around. Robert Bolden came onto campus as a highly regarded QB prospect, and beat out veterans Matt McGloin and Kevin Newsome for the starting job. Bolden became just the first freshman QB to start a season opener under Joe Paterno; that's got to be a big deal. Despite some good performances early in the season, Bolden struggled, and finished the season behind McGloin. Bolden stayed with the program after plans of transferring out failed to materialize.

Against Alabama, he made some really good plays, but was found guilty of trying to go for the "big play" one time too many. McGloin wasn't that much of an upgrade either, completing only 1 pass out of 10 attempts. The Lions running game struggled against a stout 'Bama defense as well.

If Penn State are to really contend for the Big Ten title, they need to decide on who will be their signal caller, then settle on it. Bolden is a scrambling QB with a strong arm, and if he is "the guy", the coaches should then call plays that are suited to his strengths. McGloin can make plays with his feet as well, but lacks the "cannon" arm like that of his counterpart; still, he's capable of making things happen. What we know is that a "QB by committee" isn't working for this team.

Until they can get that fixed, Penn State may just get by beating the weaker teams, but will most likely struggle against the conference heavyweights.

Different venue, same script.

2011-09-11T00:05:00.000-07:00

So it may not have been the Alamo Bowl, but not much seems to have changed between Oklahoma State and Arizona since their last encounter in December.

The Cowboys got off to a fast start, scoring on their first three possessions. Brandon Weeden looked he was going to complete every pass he attempted, Joseph Randle and Jeremy Smith looked like they were going to run over, around or through any defender in sight, and Justin Blackmon looked like he was going to catch everything thrown in his direction. Oklahoma State operated with surgeon-like precision, and machine-like efficiency jumping to a quick 21-0 lead.

Then either Arizona got a little better, or the Cowboys got bored; but somewhere along the way, someone took their foot off the pedal. Arizona finally got on the scoreboard in the second half, and had enough chances to actually turn a potential blowout into a contest, but credit to the Cowboys defense for hanging tough and making plays when they needed to.

Arizona really had no answer for Justin Blackmon

The Wildcats suffered from the same problems that plagued them in their last encounter against the Cowboys. They could move the chains, make some plays, but just could not score. The running game was held in check, and while they gained momentum with their passing game, they faltered at crucial moments; such as turning over the ball on downs despite reaching their opponents goal line.

What left me scratching my head for a few moments was the Wildcats execution on defense. For some reason they opted for a "man-to-man" approach leaving Justin Blackmon free to take their lunch money. The end result; 12 catches for 128 yards and 2 touchdowns. They probably forgot that he's the current Biletnikoff Award winner.

If this is any indication, it looks like the sun will be setting on Arizona a little faster than they are planning. Their next two games will be against Oregon and Stanford; two teams that will feature heavily not only in the conference title race, but also the in the national picture as well. Luckily, Arizona plays in the Pac-12 South Division, and with USC on probation, might actually get to make something out of whatever's left.

Oklahoma State's next plays Tulsa next; a game that serves as a great warm-up ahead of their showdown against Texas A&M the week after. I wonder what uniforms they'll break out next.

OU vs Tulsa: The review

2011-09-06T10:17:00.000-07:00

In their first season opener at #1 since 2003, Oklahoma did what they had to do against an overmatched opponent, they dominated. Not that Tulsa is a "run of the mill" kind of team, but the last time the Golden Hurricane visited Norman in 2009, they were on the receiving end of a 45-0 mauling. Landry Jones was making his 2nd start in an unexpected, yet speedy acceleration to the reins after Sam Bradford's injury in the season opener a fortnight earlier.

Dominique Whaley was the toast of the town.

It took a while for Oklahoma to kind of settle into the groove, but I guess that's just the result of running a "no-huddle" offense. It might be just me, but sometimes it seems like the players are on the same field, just not on the same page. Everything settled down once the points started rolling in.

A major improvement of course was in the run-blocking. Last season, Oklahoma started off well trying to establish the ground game, but kind of went away from it, favoring the aerial attack more. That really hurt them in during their 2 losses to Missouri and Texas A&M. Granted, Faurot Field and Kyle Field aren't exactly easy venues to play in, but Oklahoma's offense became a tad predictable. That will need to change this season. They'll need to run the ball a lot more efficiently especially on the road. Translation? Let's hope it doesn't come down to Landry Jones having to throw 62 passes just to give the team a chance to win.

I know Bob ain't looking forward to seeing
li'l brother Mark so soon.

The redzone issues are still prevalent, but not as much as last season, when Oklahoma settled for field goals when it seemed easier to score touchdowns. The Sooners won some close games - that should have never been that close to begin with -, and lost games because they were unable to impose themselves in the redzone. Considering how many offensive plays the team runs, you can understand why the redzone dominance is a big deal.

When it comes to defense, there's a few loose ends that will need to get tied. It was great to see them shut down Tulsa's offense for majority of the game, but Hurricane QB GJ Kinney was still able to complete some deep passes. Some of those went for long gains and one of those resulted in a touchdown. Tulsa receivers were also able to get open and make catches without a crimson jersey in sight. Seminoles' QB EJ Manuel is just as athletic if not more than his Tulsa counterpart, and that could pose problems for the secondary.

All in all, it was great start to the season. The team being able to run 100+ snaps on offense without a single penalty is a huge plus and they'll need to carry that momentum with them against Florida State. The team will put in some more work and you can expect them to be ready in a couple of weeks.

Off to the races

2011-09-06T02:52:00.000-07:00

Coming off the best year in the school history, Oklahoma State showed that they haven't slowed down, and won't be doing so anytime soon; and they have the uniforms to prove it.

Even after Dana Holgorsen's move to West Virginia (eventually ascending to the head coaching job), new offensive coordinator Todd Monken has fit in well as the Cowboys will be looking to settle for nothing less than the 11 wins from last season. Of course being ranked in the Pre-Season Top 10 - due in part to the return of QB Brandon Weeden and WR Justin Blackmon - helped raise expectations in Stillwater. After coming oh so close to earning a berth in BCS games the last 3 seasons, not too many people are surprised by the "BCS or Bust" mode.

The Cowboys opened up with a 61-34 win over the Ragin' Cajuns of Louisiana-Lafayette, and will have a very tricky set of fixtures in their next 3 games. They play Arizona at home, before taking to the road to face Texas A&M and Tulsa. None of these games are "gimmes"; they are capable of losing them just as they are of winning them. That being said, they'll more than likely be favored in all 3.

Outside of Weeden and Blackmon, running back Joseph Randle stepped in to fill the shoes of the departed Kendall Hunter. During spot appearances last season, Randle showcased his ability as an all-purpose back; he's a very good receiver out of the backfield and can run between the tackles as well as around the corners. He may not have that "make the first man miss" ability like Hunter, but it's not like there's been a downgrade at the position.

Also making an impact were receivers Tracy Moore, Isaiah Anderson and Michael Harrison. Since Blackmon will more than likely receive a lot of double teams from defenses (not like it'll matter), and Josh Cooper doing a lot of damage underneath, Weeden will need vertical options down the field who are also physical enough to battle for jump balls should the need arise. Anderson and Harrison did well on the road against Kansas State - a game in which Blackmon was suspended - when they received extended playing time.

There was a some discontent among "Poke Nation" after the Cowboys gave up 34 points to the Ragin' Cajuns. That would be a concern to anyone, but for what it's worth, this game wasn't much of contest by the time the 4th Quarter came around. What would the Cajun faithful say about their team which gave up 61? Just wondering.

Arizona will be the Cowboy's first major test of the season, but they should be fine if they just keep doing what they're doing. The team has yet to lose a Thursday night game under Mike Gundy, and I doubt that this will change in this fixture.

A Whale of a time.

2011-09-06T01:31:00.000-07:00

After the departure of DeMarco Murray to the NFL, many among the Sooner faithful wondered who was going to fill the shoes of the multi-purpose, record setting running back. Not that there is lack of talent or depth at the position, but we're talking about someone who scored more touchdowns than Steve Owens and Billy Sims (two Heisman trophy winners, I might add). You just don't replace that kind of production overnight.

All Murray did during his 4 year career was rack up 65 total touchdowns, a number that is made impressive when considering a couple of things:

He suffered season ending injuries during his freshman and sophomore years, and was severely limited by a high ankle sprain during his junior year.
In the Bob Stoops era, Oklahoma has been more committed to passing; a completely different mindset from the famed "wishbone" offense that was a staple for the Sooners for almost two decades (from the 1970s and 80's).

The names familiar to fans were the "usual suspects"; Brennan Clay, Jermie Calhoun, Roy Finch (who wowed the crowds during spot appearances last fall), and Brandon Williams (a highly touted freshman). However, word got out that there was guy named Dominique Whaley who was making waves during spring and summer drills.

Whaley, a walk-on and Lawton, OK native, wasn't even a starter during a stint at Langston University. At night's end, his numbers were: 18 carries for 131 yards and 4 touchdowns. Here's just a few of the things he accomplished.

1st walk-on running back to rush for 100 yards in 36 years (Jim Culbreath in 1974)
Most rushing touchdowns by a walk-on in a single game
2nd Sooner to score 4 touchdowns in their debut (DeMarco Murray in 2007)
His 100+ rushing effort on his debut saw him join a list that includes names such as Adrian Peterson.

Simply put, Whaley walked on to campus, onto the football field, and right into school history books. Given that Oklahoma's running game wasn't exactly a strength last season, it will be interesting to see how other running backs get in the mix, now that we know Oklahoma will employ a "running-back by committee" format.

Oklahoma have the weekend off as they await their September 17th showdown against Florida State. Until then, take a bow Dominique Whaley, you've earned your spot in the limelight.

New Zealand retain the Bledisloe Cup.

2011-08-08T02:06:00.000-07:00

Captain Richie McCaw hoists the Bledisloe Cup

For the 9th year running, New Zealand retained the Bledisloe Cup after a gritty 30-14 win over Australia in their Tri-Nations encounter last Saturday.

New Zealand didn't look as impressive on offense like they did during their 40-7 thrashing of an under-strength South Africa team, but they more than made up on the defensive end; thwarting the Wallabies on several occasions where they seemed certain to score. Australia may have had the advantage in time of possession and territory, but couldn't turn that pressure into points.

Not only could they not cross the line, but wing James O'Connor fired wide on each of his 3 penalty attempts at goal; turning a potentially close game into a blowout win for their rivals. Australia still showed how dangerous they could be, with their two tries (scored by Digby Ioane and team captain Rocky Elsom) coming from quick counter attacks after turnovers in possession.

The All Blacks' biggest enemy though proved to be themselves, turning the ball over when they could have probably put the game out of contention very early. Their turnovers also gifted Australia their points in the match. With a rock solid defense however, they played smart, taking whatever the Wallabies could give them.

My "man of the match" award certainly goes to flyhalf Daniel Carter. It's amazing to think that he holds the record for most points scored in test rugby, yet he's only converted 3 drop goals during this feat. After an odd "off night" against South Africa, he seemed to have regained his kicking touch, converting on the 3 tries and 2 more penalties. His best work though was on defense, covering end to end, and helping keeping his opponents off the scoreboard.

New Zealand coach Graham Henry made 7 changes to the starting lineup prior to this game, but it was still a very competitive squad. With the World Cup looming (New Zealand are the hosts), it's important for every player available to make a case for the final roster spots before the tournament.

The All Blacks will have the weekend off as South Africa and Australia battle it out, and will resume play against South Africa in fortnight.