GLENDALE, Ariz. — Keep your head up Sooner Nation.
All it took was the greatest finish in the history of the BCS and maybe bowl games in general (though Texas Tech, just the other night and just a few miles away, may have a claim of its own) to derail this dream season just before Jan. 1 became Jan. 2 Monday night at University of Phoenix Stadium.
Perhaps Boise State never should have been in position to steal the Fiesta Bowl away in overtime, or any other time, because it would take an extra section of this newspaper to describe in detail all the little and big things Oklahoma did or did not do that added up to the Sooners needing a miracle of their own just to tie the game in the first place before stealing it away, or so it seemed, from the Broncos.
On the other hand, no coach has ever made a better decision than the one Chris Petersen made, going for two points and the win, as Ian Johnson capped the Broncos’ 43-42 Fiesta Bowl victory with a run that left all but the Sooner faithful shaking their head and smiling.
And that’s to say nothing of the play that preceded it, a halfback pass from Vinny Perretta to Derek Schouman that turned fourth-and-5 and a Sooner victory into apparent double overtime until Petersen chose to roll the dice.
And that doesn’t even touch the surface of what might be the most clutch and best executed trick play in recent college football history, a perfectly timed and performed hook-and-lateral that ended with Jerard Rabb outrunning the Sooner defense 35 yards into the end zone after facing fourth-and-18 from midfield.
You get all that thrown your way and you’re not supposed to win.
You make all those plays and you’re not supposed to lose.
You have all that happen in the last few minutes, not to mention Paul Thompson expertly leading the Sooners downfield for a two-minute drill touchdown …
Jermaine Gresham making the catch of the season, one that will never appear in a stat book, but that was nonetheless necessary to give OU another chance at a tying two-point conversion after OU was flagged for an illegal shift …
Thompson going to what looked like his third option, Juaquin Iglesias, to finally get the two points and tie the game …
And Marcus Walker, on the very next play from scrimmage, stepping in front of a Jared Zabransky pass and returning it 33 yards for what looked like, for a while, anyway, certain Sooner victory …
You get all that from the team that lost and all that from the team that won and what you’ve got is a simply unbelievable game that will be felt and remembered much longer than the sting of defeat or thrill of victory.
The mystery is in everything that preceded the rollercoaster.
Just how did Boise State control the Sooners in the trenches?
Just what was Thompson thinking, underthrowing one interception, throwing the ball up for grabs on another and throwing it right to Marty Tadman, who was able to stroll into the end zone with another?
Just how did Zach Latimer allow himself to be schooled by Drisan James, whose just-before-the-half touchdown was monumental in turning momentum and giving the Broncos new confidence after OU had controlled the first half after quickly falling behind 14-0?
How do the Sooners always let these inexplicable things happen under the BCS spotlight, at the Sugar Bowl against LSU, at the Orange Bowl against USC, at the Fiesta Bowl against Boise State?
In fact, when you think about it, here’s what it took for the Broncos to win.
A turnover that led to a quick and easy touchdown, the Sooners falling asleep before the half, an interception returned for a touchdown and two trick plays, one in the fourth quarter and one in overtime, both turned on fourth down.
None of it may ever happen again.
But it doesn’t have to. It happened this time.
The Broncos earned it and made history.
But the Sooners did too, playing their part in a night that may never be forgotten. Just not the winning part.
Clay Horning366-3526cfhorning@normantranscript.com
OU Sports
A great game for two great teams
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