Strong finish · Sooners wait until the regular season's final game to play their bes

By John Shinn

It may have taken 12 games, but Oklahoma finally got the marquee victory it had sought all season.

Saturday's 27-0 victory Oklahoma State felt like something that should be savored after a difficult regular season.

"It's a good way to go out. We still have one more game, but to win this Bedlam game, definitely ends us on a high note," wide receiver Ryan Broyles said.

The game that remains is the bowl game. The Sooners' streak of three consecutive BCS bowl appearances is over. The Alamo Bowl or the Sun Bowl are the two most likely postseason destinations for the Sooners.

Both games had executives at Owen Field Saturday, and both expressed a desire to see OU at either El Paso, Texas Dec. 31 or San Antonio Jan. 2.

"The last time Oklahoma was even in our picture was 1999," Alamo Bowl president Derrick Fox said Saturday. It's a very prestigious program that has a great administration with (OU athletic director) Joe and coach (Bob) Stoops."

"We've had the Sooners twice in our bowl and they're great people, friendly people, great tradition -- you couldn't have anybody any better," Sun Bowl chairman emeritus Jimmy Rogers said.

Those decisions won't be made until after this Saturday's conference championship games and the release of the final BCS standings.

OU hasn't been ranked in those in several weeks, but a couple more performances like the one against Oklahoma State would have kept it in there.

Every question that sprouted up after the 41-13 loss to Texas Tech the previous week was answered in the regular-season finale.

OU's defense was in peak form and OU's offense managed to run the ball even with a patched-together offensive line that didn't include left tackle Trent Williams, who missed the game with a concussion.

"The offensive line just got an attitude about running the ball. They did a great job. Every single guy stepped up for us," quarterback Landry Jones said.

The defensive performance was the capstone for what has, statistically at least, been one of the best units of the Stoops era.

Saturday's shutout was the Sooners' third of the season and 10th time they held a team to 21 points or less.

"I think from a timing stand point, I am so happy that our guys can enjoy a good quality win," defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. "It was a good performance and our guys deserve it because it has been a really emotional year."

The emotion of it even caught up to Stoops following the game. There were no tears, but it was the last home game for a senior class that had won three straight Big 12 championships and suffered the brunt of the season-ending injuries that plagued OU this season.

Defensive end Auston English, offensive linemen Brody Eldridge and Williams and tight end Jermaine Gresham weren't in uniform Saturday. Middle linebacker Ryan Reynolds suited up but didn't play due to a hamstring injury.

"Not being able to play some of them is what has really bothered me the most. That has been so unusual and different," Stoops said. "They have a really strong legacy here. I told them on Thursday and Friday that regardless, though we have fought through a tough year, they still are a part of teams that won three straight Big 12 championships over the last four years. In the league no one else has won but two, that is pretty special. They were a big part of that and I wanted them to know how much we still appreciate that and know what they have done here for a long period of time."

For the next 13 days, the Sooners sit in limbo. Coaches hit the road recruiting and players will be focused on upcoming finals and healing up for the bowl game.

Despite everything that's occurred with injuries and nail-biting losses, OU heads into the postseason with a positive frame of mind.

John Shinn

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jshinn@normantranscript.com