• Sooners find themselves back in national-title hunt
Bob Stoops clearly wasn’t happy upon entering the Big Red Room Saturday night. Oklahoma had just beaten Missouri 41-31 but he wasn’t taking solace in much beyond victory.
No. 1 LSU had lost earlier in the day and that much he knew. But a lot of good that would do OU if it keeps turning the ball over, can’t execute a simple PAT from the place to the kick to standing still until the snap.
He did not, however, know that Oregon State had topped No. 2 Cal.
“Holy cow,” Stoops said.
He said it was nothing he’ll even speak to his team about. The Sooners have their own problems. But still … “Holy cow.”
Apparently, that giant sucking sound is all the conventional wisdom heading into the 2007 college football season.
USC has lost. LSU has lost. All but one in the Big 10 has lost. Everybody in the Big 12 South has lost. Boston College, South Florida, Kansas and Hawaii have not lost.
Two weeks ago, the Sooners watched their national-title dreams fly away. A week ago, they remained on the outside, yet looking in. Now, they’re back in the middle of the debate, even if it’s a crowded place.
Take a look.
Start with the one-loss teams like OU that might still have a shot.
• LSU has to be at the top of the heap. Losing to a Kentucky team in Lexington that has spent time in the top 10 can’t be unforgivable. Still to play, the Tigers host Auburn, visit Alabama, host Louisiana Tech, travel to Mississippi and host Arkansas. They could well make it to the SEC championship game, perhaps against Florida.
• USC might have a chance to come back, but after struggling to beat Arizona, the Trojans will be likely underdogs at Oregon and Cal.
• Missouri remains in position to make its own destiny. What would a rematch victory at the Big 12 title game do for the Tigers?
Still, should OU win out, LSU looks to be the only team that remains in front.
Now, take a look at the unbeatens.
• OU winning out means Kansas doesn’t.
• Who’s going to beat Ohio State? Michigan State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan still can.
• Boston College’s road is not impossible. If the Eagles can get past Virginia Tech next, only Florida State, Clemson and Miami remain.
• South Florida will have to earn its way, with one-loss Connecticut, two-loss Rutgers, one-loss Cincinnati, Syracuse, Louisville (Cincinnati’s one loss) and Pitt still to play.
• Hawaii can remain perfect and still not be in the way.
The Sooners have their own issues.
“If things work out, they work out, but we’ve just got to …” began quarterback Sam Bradford, turning the question back on the Sooners themselves.
“We’ve got to focus on us,” running back Chris Brown said.
Still, the light at the end of the tunnel is only getting brighter.
“The way the season’s been going, everybody’s getting beat,” Sooner receiver Juaquin Iglesias said. “But coach just told us, everything’s still in front of us.”
It would seem so.
OU Sports
Weird, wild stuff
- OU Sports
-
-
It’s a recipe for success
Oklahoma softball coach Patty Gasso was answering questions Saturday after her Sooners clinched another return to the Women’s College World Series when, without really meaning to, she began to make it clear her job has, sort of, become ...
-
Tigers deny Sooners’ Big 12 title hopes
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma wanted to win its first Big 12 tournament in 16 years on Sunday. Missouri needed to win it to get in the NCAA Tournament. Need topped desire at Bricktown Ballpark....
-
Sooners make winning look easy
As Oklahoma’s players locked arms around the pitching circle, coming together for what passed as a celebration following Saturday’s 7-1 NCAA Super Regional-clinching victory over Arizona, three gloves remained near second base....
-
There are no easy outs in the lineup
Looking for a gameplan to stop Oklahoma? Well, one may or may not be available, but walking two of the first three Sooners you face certainly isn’t part of it. Just ask Arizona’s Kenzie Fowler....
-
Sooners will play for Big 12 championship
OKLAHOMA CITY, — It’s been 16 years since Oklahoma won the Big 12 tournament. It’s closer now than its ever been to ending the streak. The Sooners rolled through Baylor, 7-2, on Saturday at Bricktown Ballpark to advance to the tournament’s ...
-
Sooners send five more to nationals
AUSTIN, Texas — Oklahoma track and field teams had five more individuals qualify for the NCAA Championship on Saturday evening at the NCAA West Preliminary. The men’s 4x100-meter relay team also advanced to the national semifinals....
-
OU sophomore Jao-Javanil wins NCAA golf title
FRANKLIN, Tenn. — Oklahoma’s Chirapat Jao-Javanil made Oklahoma golf history Friday, becoming the first Sooner, man or woman, to win an individual NCAA national championship....
-
Pitching staff is exactly where Golloway wants it to be
When the Big 12 tournament began, Oklahoma felt like it had the pitching staff to make a deep run. Dillon Overton, Jordan John, Jonathan Gray and Damien Magnifico gave them four quality starters and a closer — Steven Okert — capable of ...
-
Sooners shut out Wildcats, need one more win for WCWS entry
Oklahoma might have scored more runs, not committed an error and starting pitcher Keilani Ricketts could have been just a little more efficient along the way....
-
Sooners send 4 more to NCAAs
AUSTIN, Texas – Oklahoma’s track and field teams added four individuals to the list of Sooners advancing to the NCAA championship Friday at the NCAA West Preliminary. In addition to the four new qualifiers, Brittany Borman advanced to the ...
- More OU Sports Headlines
-
It’s a recipe for success



