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November 24, 2009

Sooners spoilers?

By John Shinn

Typically, when Oklahoma enters Bedlam, there's a BCS bowl angle to the game. There will be again when the Sooners face No. 11 Oklahoma State at 11:30 a.m., Saturday.

But it's the Cowboys who are trying to bolster their status for an at-large BCS berth. The Sooners have no shot. If that scenario seems like it's out of a bizarro world, OU players understand why.

"People are usually looking to spoil our season," Sooner tackle Trent Williams said Monday night.

OU (6-5, 4-3 Big 12) however, will be placed in the role of the spoiler for the first time in many, many seasons.

For the last three years, the Bedlam game has been a must-win for the Sooners to reach the Big 12 championship game. That's all the Sooners seniors have known. OU has played in and won the conference title game three years running.

Oklahoma State (9-2, 6-1) has no shot at the conference title game, but at No. 12 in the BCS standings, it has a shot at reaching a BCS bowl game for the first time in program history.

The Cowboys see significance in the role reversal.

"That's something that some of the guys were talking about the other day," OSU offensive linemen Noah Franklin said. "Everything comes around full circle."

The Sooners, however, find the idea they've been reduced to the role of spoilers misleading and, in some ways, insulting.

Others might be motivated by the idea of dashing another team's dreams. The Sooners say that means little to them.

"We go out and prepare every week to go win," wide receiver Ryan Broyles said. "It doesn't matter what their record is. We're looking to produce."

Keeping OSU out of a BCS bowl game would simply be a byproduct of that success. Many Sooner fans would relish the idea of derailing the Cowboys' best made plans. After all, Bedlam is a bitter in-state rivalry that often takes a nasty tone.

Sooner fans have picked up on the thought keeping OSU out of the BCS mix would put a little shine on an otherwise lackluster season.

If OU can't go to BCS bowl game, might as well prevent one of its biggest rivals from getting there.

"I've heard a lot people on campus -- students --talking about that today," OU guard Brian Simmons said. "Me personally, it's not about OSU; this is about us. If they were 0-11, we'd still be eager to play them. They've had a successful season. But I'm not going to sit here and say I want to be a spoiler. I just want to win the game."

In the end, Bedlam's stakes have changed for the Sooners. For once, winning may have to be its own (and only) reward. But OU's approach and expectation hasn't. The Sooners expect to win.

John Shinn 366-3536 jshinn@normantranscript.com

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