Archives for Bowl Games category
In a move that will likely keep the Notre Dame Fighting Irish an Independent football program for at least the next decade, the school extended their current deal with NBC Sports to broadcast Irish home games through the 2015 season. The AP also reports that the new deal, which takes effect for the 2011 season, will give the Peacock Network seven home games and neutral site game with Notre Dame being the home team.
With a new round of television negations due, specifically the current Bowl Championship Series deal with Fox that expires after the 2010 title game, any chance to pull the storied Irish program into another conference, such as the Big Ten or Big East, becomes much more difficult as any conference looking to make that deal would have to deal with NBC as well. Chances are if the Big Ten expands to twelve, it would not be the Irish as the conference has a large deal in place with ABC/ESPN. Conferences with twelve teams are allowed to host conference title games, bringing in millions of dollars to the SEC, Big 12, and the ACC.
NBC and Notre Dame have been partners for all Irish home games since 1991, currently paying the school $9 million a year for the seven game package.
Posted on 2008 under ACC, Analysis, BCS Conferences, Big East, Bowl Games, College Football News, Commentary, Conference USA, Division 1-AA, Independent, Non-BCS Conference, Pac 10, SEC, Scandals |
16
May
Former LSU and oft-troubled quarterback Ryan “Hunk Fiji” Perrilloux has officially transferred to FCS middleweight Jacksonville State.
What This Means: While I can’t say I’ve had much sympathy for Perrilloux, I think this is a mutually beneficial situation that he’s stepping into. Considering Jacksonville State didn’t have any scholarship quarterbacks on the roster he’s clearly doing them a favor by stepping into a tough situation, while Head Coach Jack Crowe is doing him a favor by virtually guaranteeing him a starting spot. But don’t just assume Perrilloux will dominate at a lower level and play his way back into NFL prospectdom. He’s bound to be on a short leash considering he’s taking over for a quarterback who was kicked off the team, and has shown a propensity for finding trouble in the past even when he knows he’s run out of fifth chances. If nothing else, this gives us another reason to tune into the Jacksonville State-Georgia Tech matchup on August 28. Something tells me Bristol is scrambling to get involved in this one.
BYU running back Manase Tonga was ruled academically ineligible for the 2008 season, and will have to take a redshirt before reapplying to the University if he wants to play in 2009.
What This Means: Not a whole lot. Don’t get me wrong, in an offense based on role players Tonga was one of BYU’s best last year. A solid blocker and receiver out of the backfield, he ran for 305 yards and eight touchdowns for the Cougars in limited duty. But BYU is stacked in the backfield, returning both MWC Freshmen of the Year Harvey Unga (1227 yards, 13 TD) and a finally healthy Taufui Vakapuna (252 yards in ’07, 445 yards in ’06.) Unga is truly as talented as they come, while Vakapuna, when healthy, is an absolute load to bring down. When you throw in highly touted redshirt freshmen J.J. DiLuigi to the mix, BYU has one of the best backfields in the entire country even without Tonga.
The Big East reportedly was in negotiations to bring Memphis into the conference as a possible expansion team, then reportedly was not.
What It Means: It seems like just yesterday we were still writing Big (L)east and never missing an opportunity to make the constant aside about how much the new Big East sucks. That being said dumping Temple and moving to an eight team football conference hasn’t been bad at all for the Big East, and despite basically perpetual calls for adding a ninth team by fans and media members I don’t know if this is something that needs to be rushed along. I do know one thing, and that’s that Army, Navy, and Notre Dame aren’t going anywhere, so when the Big East does decide to expand, it will either have to come internally (like ‘Nova moving up from the FCS) or will have to come from Memphis or East Carolina.
ACC Athletic Directors decided to scrap possible plans for adding a ninth conference game.
What This Means: Boo-hoo. I know the folks in SEC and Pac-10 country are whining over this as usual, but being from ACC country I applaud this move. Why? Because we have great regional games here on the east coast, games that often feature matchups between the ACC and Conference-USA or the highly competitive Colonial Athletic Conference. People love to knock these “lower” matchups because of how easily they perceive the ACC slate to be, but God forbid the sport of college football be extended out of hallowed SEC conference. Personally, I’d much rather see a highly motivated CAA team try to knock off a mid-level ACC team than be subjected to seeing Clemson put up 70 on Duke.
League Commissioner John Swofford has announced that the ACC will no longer participate in the Humanitarian Bowl after 2008, a move which will terminate one reluctant ACC team’s annual pilgrimage to the Smurf Turf.
What It Means: With the approval of the Congressional Bowl this was bound to happen, as the ACC is now affiliated with nine (count them: NINE) bowl tie-ins for 2008. Considering the ACC probably won’t have nine bowl eligible teams, it makes sense to cut ties with Humanitarian Bowl, which has always been looked on as something of a punishment by fans and media members. For the record, I hate it when people knock Boise, which really is a pretty awesome city in one of the coolest regions of our country. Maybe not a cup of tea for some Miami fan in December, but hopefully my Midshipmen can jump on this in 2009 and give me a decent excuse to get out to Sun Valley for some skiing.
Mailbag, did you say Mailbag?
I like to think myself a fairly astute observer of the college football game, especially the non-BCS conferences. So, in an effort to make our slow crawl into the college football preview season a little more interesting, I’ve decided to set up a “Non-BCS Conference Mailbag” over here at ITB. Basically we can do this one of two ways. One, you send your questions, comments, concerns, or queries to guyontheright-at-gmail.com and I answer them here on the blog, OR I make up questions by people named A. Howard Rogers and post the answers on the blog. Frankly I’d rather try the first option, so let’s have at it.
Posted on 2008 under ACC, Analysis, BCS Conferences, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Bowl Games, Commentary, Heisman News, Pac 10, SEC |
3
Apr
One of my favorite things about blogging is making predictions, then when they come true I can brag about them. If they don’t come true, I can pretend they never occurred but still boast about the ones I got correct or nearly right. In the second part of MIZZOURAH’s bold predictions, we predict the 2008 BCS Games, Heisman Winners, Surprise teams, and teams doomed to disappoint us. Below I will lay out my thought process for my choices for the BCS games and potential Heisman winners. Next week I will talk about my picks for Surprise and Disappointing teams in 2008.
 |
Get use to the name
Cullen Harper |
It’s April and spring time, time for new beginnings and fresh starts. So here is my first crack at who will be in the BCS Games come January of 2009.
BCS Title Game
USC vs Georgia - No surprise here if you followed who I voted in the top 2 of my Top 10 in Bold predictions. Both teams return a lot of talent, although USC will be a little green at quarterback, but both Sanchez and Mustain have a lot of potential. I really like the duo of Stafford and Moreno to be one best in the country. Also when you have defensive lineman that can run down WR, it can’t hurt either (See 2008 Sugar Bowl).
Rose Bowl
Ohio State vs Arizona State - As you can see I like Ohio State to win the Big Ten and keeping with the Tradition, I expect the Rose Bowl committee to pick the #2 team in the Pac-10 to replace USC in this spot. I like what the Sun Devils have coming back and think they have a good shot at finishing up high.
Sugar Bowl
Missouri vs Florida - Since the Sugar Bowl lost Georgia, they easily replace it with the Gators who boast the 2007 Heisman winner and possibly the 2008 one too (see Heisman predictions below). Missouri once again should finish at the top of the Big 12 North, but once again will fall to Oklahoma in the title game. However, unlike in 2008, the Tigers will get a BCS bid in 2009.
Orange Bowl
Clemson vs West Virginia - The best quarterback in the country that no one is talking about is Cullen Harper of Clemson. Harper along with the backfield tandem of CJ Spiller and James Davis is going to make Clemson a favorite in the ACC which does not look that tough. West Virginia who returns Pat White and Noel Devine on offense should be the favorites in the Big East.
Fiesta Bowl
Oklahoma vs Wisconsin - I already stated before that I believe Oklahoma will beat Missouri in the Big 12 title game. The second pick was a little tougher since the BCS rules state that no conference can have more than 2 teams in the BCS. I gave Fresno State a little thought as an at-large, but settled with Wisconsin. I think the Badgers are the second best team in the Big Ten and could be the Buckeyes’ biggest obstacle in capturing their 3rd outright Big Ten title in as many years.
Heisman Trophy
 |
Harvin: Running through a
defense near you in 2008 |
I am going to follow one of the Heismandment which state no more two-time winners, and eliminate Tim Tebow. But I do think someone from Tebow’s team will be in the race for the Heisman. Percy Harvin is an amazing athlete and does something extraordinary every time he touches the ball. Even in the Capital One Bowl loss to Michigan he did well, and it still baffles me why he didn’t get more touches in that game. Harvin is a running back/wide receiver hybrid and will take some of the load off Tebow this year.
My next thought for Heisman is from THE Ohio State University, Mr. Chris “Beanie” Wells. He had 146 yards in the title game and nice 65 yard run where he outran everyone in the speedy LSU defense. Wells not only has speed but has the power to punish defenders who try and tackle him. With those two things going for him and the fact that the Buckeyes have a strong offensive line, Wells’ rushing number will be close to 2000 in 2008.
Finally I am going to go with Chase Daniel of Missouri for a 3rd pick. Chase was already through this last year and is a known commodity (see McFadden 2006/07). What Daniel has going for him is that Missouri should have another good year and he will put up some big numbers. For him to win, however, he must have that one huge game against an Oklahoma or a Texas.
Posted on 2008 under Bloggers, Bowl Games, Pick Em Contest |
9
Jan
Well the stomach flu might have kept me out for two days, but I have finally tallied the results for the 2nd Annual ITB Bowl Bonanza. In the Bloggers category we had to go down to a tiebreaker since both Kansas It’s Business time and ITB Charlie Swager both finished with a 25-7 record. Kansas It’s Business Time said that the total score of the BCS title game would be 33 points while ITB Charlie Swager predicted 45 points, so Charlie wins the tiebreaker and the overall title since, as you will see, he had a better record than the readers.
In the reader category we also had to go to the tiebreaker between Greg Gowins and Pete Boivin who both finished with a 23-9 record. Unfortunately for Greg he didn’t fill out tiebreaker points so Pete wins by default. Thanks to everyone who participated and congratulations to the winners. I will be in contact with you about your prizes.
Blogger Category
*- Won in Tiebreaker
Reader Category
| Rank |
Name |
Wins - Losses |
| 1 |
Pete Boivin |
23-9* |
| 2 |
Greg Gowins |
23-9 |
| 3 |
Matt Kieta |
22-10 |
| 4t |
Sunny Verma |
21-11 |
| 4t |
Brian Isaacson |
21-11 |
| 4t |
Jason Stiver |
21-11 |
| 4t |
Timmy B |
21-11 |
| 8t |
Rodney Polston |
20-12 |
| 8t |
Dan Schoonover |
20-12 |
| 10t |
Lorena The Dodgerchick |
19-13 |
| 10t |
Logan Jaffe |
19-13 |
| 10t |
Richard Dixon |
19-13 |
| 13 |
Lou Nemec |
16-16 |
| 14t |
Brant Chruscial |
14-18 |
| 14t |
Jeff Brancolini |
14-18 |
| 14t |
Mrs Corn Nation |
14-18 |
| 17 |
Cyril Tircuit |
12-20 |
*- Won in Tiebreaker
LSU 11-2 (6-2), 1st Southeastern - West
vs
Ohio State 11-1 (7-1), 1st Big Ten
January 7, 8:00 pm, FOX
For the second time in as many years, the Ohio State Buckeyes are playing in the BCS Championship game. But unlike last year they come into the game as the underdog even though they have only 1 loss. LSU backed into the title game after Missouri and West Virginia lost on the last week of the season. But even so, many think that LSU has been the best team all year based on their difficult schedule. This will be the first time since the inception of the BCS title game, that we will have a repeat winner. LSU and Ohio State both have BCS titles in their resume.
As I said before, LSU played on of the toughest schedules in the nation and they rely on a defense that is built on speed. The Tigers are ranked 10th against the run, 9th against the pass, 3rd in total defense, and 16th in scoring defense, allowing a little over 19 points per game. The main guy of the Tigers’ defense is their All-American defensive lineman Glenn Dorsey. Matt Flynn has had an up and down year but overall a solid one. Flynn has thrown for over 2200 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He has made some outstanding throws in pressure situations. Jacob Hester has run for 1017 yards and 11 touchdowns. He’s a tough runner who you give the ball to in short yardage situations. Brandon LaFell, Demetrius Byrd, and my favorite Early Doucet are LSU’s top 3 receivers.
Ohio State is another solid team on the defensive front. The Buckeyes are 3rd against the run, 1st against the pass, 1st in total defense, and 1st in scoring defense only giving up a little over 10 points per game. Todd Boeckman is the quarterback, he does nothing flashy but he is consistent quarterback. In 2007, Boeckman has thrown for 2171 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Running back Chris Wells, has it all as a runner. He can run you over, or beat you to the corner. This year he ran for over 1400 yards and 14 touchdowns. At receiver Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline have combined for 15 touchdowns and 1500 yards. What impresses me most about Ohio State, is the strength of the offensive line. And they will face their biggest test trying to keep Dorsey out of the backfield.
Out of all the teams that Ohio State could’ve played in the championship game, I think that they match up best against LSU. LSU does not have a flashy offense that runs the spread. For LSU to win, they have to do what Illinois did, keep the ball out of Ohio State’s hands and control the clock. With the strengths of these teams being the defenses, turnovers will play a huge part in this game. I know I’ll get blasted for this, but I really believe Ohio State wins this game. They have been told since the beginning that they don’t belong, and most are crowning LSU as champions. I think the Buckeyes overcome the hostile crowd in Louisiana and win a close one. Ohio State 20 LSU 17
Picking LSU to Win (84%)
ITB Charlie Swager, Football Frontier, The LSC Scoop, Corn Nation, Pitch Right, Kansas It’s Business Time, Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician, Sportsbone TV, Rizzo Sports, MizzouRAH, MidWest Coast Bias, The Enlightened Spartan, Bastard Sons of Pinfall Marks, Greg Gowins, Sunny Verma, Lorena The Dodgerchick, Pete Boivin, Cyril Tircuit, Rodney Polston, Jeff Brancolini, Richard Dixon, Mrs Corn Nation, Brian Isaacson, Logan Jaffe, Matt Kieta, Lou Nemec, Timmy B
Picking Ohio State to Win (16%)
ITB Brian Sakowski, ITB Ron Juckett, Jason Stiver, Brant Chruscial, Dan Schoonover
Bowling Green 8-4 (6-2), 1st Mid-American - East
vs
Tulsa 9-4 (6-2), 1st Conference USA - West
Jan 6, 8pm ESPN
Okay, rough weekend here and I am not able to do my full preview of the GMAC Bowl. To check a good preview out check out the one on Yahoo Sports. The picks of the game are below.
Picking Bowling Green to Win (22%)
Rizzosports, The Enlightened Spartan, Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician, Lorena The Dodgerchick, Rodney Polston, Jeff Brancolini, Lou Nemec
Picking Tulsa to Win (78%)
ITB Brian Sakowski, Sportsbone TV, MizzouRAH, MidWest Coast Bias, Bastard Sons of Pinfall Marks, ITB Ron Juckett, ITB Charlie Swager, Football Frontier, The LSC Scoop, Corn Nation, Pitch Right, Kansas It’s Business Time, Greg Gowins, Sunny Verma, Pete Boivin, Jason Stiver, Cyril Tircuit, Richard Dixon, Mrs Corn Nation, Brian Isaacson, Logan Jaffe, Brant Chruscial, Matt Kieta, Dan Schoonover, Timmy B
Rutgers 7-5 (3-4), 5th Big East
vs
Ball State 7-5 (5-2), 2nd Mid-American - West
January 5, Noon, ESPN2
The International Bowl in Toronto is one of the filler bowls between now and the championship game on Monday. Rutgers comes into the game after losing their last one against Louisville. The Scarlet Knights did not have the magical season, like in 2006, but going to another bowl is only helping the team on the recruiting front. Ball Stater comes into the game riding a two game winning streak, but if you examine their schedule you will see that none of their 7 wins came against teams from BCS Conferences. This will be the their first meeting since their 1989 game, which ended in a tie.
On offense, the Scarlet Knights are led by Junior Ray Rice, who ran for 1732 yards and 20 touchdowns this season. Rice only needs 62 yards to break his career high for yards in a season. To be honest, he should have no problem doing that against a Ball State team that gives up over 192 yards per game on the ground. Rice is the meat of the offense, but quarterback Mike Teel’s play usually tells you if it will be a win or a loss for the Knights. This season has been a bit better for Teel as he threw for 2844 yards with 17 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, down from last year. But not all the blame could be placed on Teel, he has some help now with quality receivers like Kenny Britt and Tiquan Underwood. Both of which had over 1000 yards receiving and a combined 13 touchdowns. On defense, the Knights are 2nd in the country against the pass and 13 in total defense. Gaining yards will be tough for Ball State in this game.
Ball State’s offense relies on their passing game, and they’ll be going up against the strength of the Rutgers defense. Nate Davis is the Cardinals’ quarterback and this year he has thrown for 3376 yards and 27 touchdowns. His two top targets are Dante Love and Darius Hill who have combined for 2100 yards and 18 touchdowns. But unless Ball State can get a running game established in this game, they are going to have a tough time moving the ball on Rutgers. On defense I already mentioned that Ball State is not good against the run, but they are second in the country in turnover margin and have 18 interceptions within their secondary. So they could force Teel to make some bad decisions and capitalized on them.
In five bowl games Ball State is 0-4-1 while Rutgers is going to its third consecutive bowl game after only going to one before that in their existence. We all remember the Cardinals coming one extra point away from beating Nebraska in Lincoln, but we found out later that Nebraska wasn’t very good, while Rutgers has some impressive wins on their resume over South Florida and Navy. I expect Rutgers to win mainly because of their balance and the fact that Ray Rice will have a field day against this porous Ball State run defense. The only question remaining is, will this be Ray Rice’s last game at Rutgers? Rutgers 35 Ball State 17
Picking Rutgers to Win (97%)
ITB Brian Sakowski, Sportsbone TV, Rizzo Sports, MizzouRAH, MidWest Coast Bias, The Enlightened Spartan, Bastard Sons of Pinfall Marks, ITB Charlie Swager, ITB Ron Juckett, Football Frontier, The LSC Scoop, Corn Nation, Pitch Right, Kansas It’s Business Time, Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician, Greg Gowins, Lorena The Dodgerchick, Pete Boivin, Jason Stiver, Cyril Tircuit, Rodney Polston, Jeff Brancolini, Richard Dixon, Mrs Corn Nation, Brian Isaacson, Logan Jaffe, Brant Chruscial, Matt Kieta, Dan Schoonover, Lou Nemec, Timmy B
Picking Ball State to Win (3%)
Sunny Verma,
Kansas 11-1 (7-1), 1st Big 12 - North Division
vs
Virginia Tech 11-2 (7-1), 1st Atlantic Coast - Coastal
January 3, 8pm, FOX
Predicting Hawaii making a BCS game was not that much of a stretch when you consider the talent they had coming back and the schedule, but if you were to have predicted Kansas to be playing in a BCS game, I’d have to call you a genius. Kansas’ only loss this season was their season finale against, Missouri, and since the Jayhawks have been dogged because their schedule was ranked 109th out of 119th in the country, they feel they have a lot to prove against Virgina Tech. The Hokies started out the year a little rough, winning their first game but getting killed by LSU. That loss stuck with them, but they worked their way back up the rankings and lost a heart breaker to Boston College at home. Tech got revenge in the ACC Title game against Boston College, and that is why they are playing in this game. For more on this game check out the three part series over at Kansas It’s Business Time.
The Jayhawks have the 2nd ranked scoring offense in the country (4th in total offense), scoring 44 points per game, and a main reason for that is their quarterback Todd Reesing. Reesing leads the 14th ranked passing offense by throwing for 3259 yards with 32 touchdowns and only 6 interceptions. As a whole, the Jayhawks don’t turn the ball over, boasting the number 1 ranked turnover margin. Brandon McAnderson and Jake Sharp have combined to rush for 1800 yards and 25 touchdowns, but if you watched the Missouri game, you will realize that this offense feeds off of Reesing. His two main receivers are Marcus Henry and Dexton Fields as the two combined to catch 15 touchdowns passes. On defense the Jayhawks are also tough ranking 6th in rushing defense, 14th in total defense, and 4th in scoring defense giving up only 16 points per game.
The Hokies have gone through a bit of a transformation on offense. Sean Glennon has matured throughout the year and has come a long way. He was injured half way through the season which allowed for Freshman Tyrod Taylor to get some reps. Coach Beamer has done a good job keeping both happy, using mainly Glennon, but Taylor will come in for a change of pace and to use his feet to create plays. The two have combined for 2600 yards and 16 touchdowns. Also coming along is their running back Branden Ore. A lot of people in Blacksburg were excited for Ore, but he productivity has not lived up to expectations. Although in his last few games he has regained some of his old flash and power. But enough with the offense, we all know the Hokies are built around defense and a strong special teams unit. The defense is once again one of the best in the country ranking 5th in rushing defense, 28th against the pass, 5th in total defense, and 2nd in scoring defense, allowing a little over 15 points per game. They are hoping that their linebacker Vince Hall, who is a game time decision, will play.
These two teams are very similar on the defensive side of the ball, but I don’t think Kansas has seen a team this season with the size speed combination that Virginia Tech will throw at them tonight. Kansas struggled offensively when they played against Missouri and I think they will encounter much more pressure from the Hokies. The Hokies offense is no juggernaut themselves, so they must protect the ball because Kansas is very good at causing turnovers. Unlike last night, I think this game is going to be a low scoring affair. I give the Hokies the edge on special teams and when their defense is going up against Kansas’ offense. So with that I am taking the Hokies. Virginia Tech 24 Kansas 14
Picking Kansas to Win (22%)
Kansas It’s Business Time, Pitch Right, Rizzo Sports, MizzouRAH, The Enlightened Spartan, Mrs Corn Nation, Jason Stiver
Picking Virginia Tech to Win (78%)
ITB Brian Sakowski, Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician, Sportsbone TV, MidWest Coast Bias, Bastard Sons of Pinfall Marks, ITB Ron Juckett, ITB Charlie Swager, Football Frontier, The LSC Scoop, Corn Nation, Richard Dixon, Brian Isaacson, Logan Jaffe, Brant Chruscial, Matt Kieta, Dan Schoonover, Lou Nemec, Timmy B, Greg Gowins, Sunny Verma, Lorena The Dodgerchick, Pete Boivin, Cyril Tircuit, Rodney Polston, Jeff Brancolini
Posted on 2008 under Bowl Games, Pick Em Contest |
2
Jan
Including tonight’s game, there are 5 bowl games remaining. Therefore, only a few people are still in the hunt for the Bowl Bonanza championship. The overall leader is in the Bloggers category, but there are a few people right on his tail. Remember a prize is awarded to a winner in each the Blogger and Reader category. The standings are below.
Blogger Category
Reader Category
| Rank |
Name |
Wins - Losses |
| 1t |
Greg Gowins |
20-7 |
| 1t |
Pete Boivin |
20-7 |
| 3t |
Matt Kieta |
19-8 |
| 3t |
Sunny Verma |
19-8 |
| 5t |
Brian Isaacson |
18-9 |
| 5t |
Jason Stiver |
18-9 |
| 5t |
Rodney Polston |
18-9 |
| 8t |
Dan Schoonover |
17-10 |
| 8t |
Timmy B |
17-10 |
| 8t |
Lorena The Dodgerchick |
17-10 |
| 11 |
Richard Dixon |
16-11 |
| 12 |
Logan Jaffe |
15-12 |
| 13 |
Lou Nemec |
13-14 |
| 14t |
Brant Chruscial |
12-15 |
| 14t |
Jeff Brancolini |
12-15 |
| 16 |
Mrs Corn Nation |
10-17 |
| 17 |
Cyril Tircuit |
9-18 |
West Virginia 10-2 (5-2), 1st Big East
vs
Oklahoma 11-2 (6-2), 1st Big 12 - South Division
January 2, 8pm, FOX
It has been anything but a fiesta for the West Virginia Mountaineers since late December 1st. First they lose to their rival Pittsburgh, 13-9, in a game in which if they won, they would’ve played for the National Title. Secondly a weeks later their coach bolts and takes the Michigan job. As of now, West Virginia does not have a coach, but Bill Stewart will handle the duties for this game. For more WVU talk, head over to the Fanhouse and read what John Radcliff has to say. Oklahoma is another team that has a gripe of playing in the title game. They beat Missouri twice this season, the second time in the Big 12 title game, to land in the Fiesta Bowl. But for Oklahoma fans and players, they hope they do not see a repeat of the 2007 Fiesta Bowl where they lost to Boise State.
The Sooners are led by their record setting redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Bradford. In 13 games this season, Bradford has thrown for 2879 yards, 34 touchdowns, and only 7 interceptions. He doesn’t do it all alone, he has a rushing offense that averages almost 192 yards per contest. Carrying the ball for the Sooners is the trio of Allen Patrick, DeMarco Murray, and Chris Brown. The three have combined for over 2200 yards and 29 touchdowns. Those players are a main reason why Oklahoma is 3rd in scoring offense, scoring over 43 points per game. On defense, the Sooners 7th ranked rushing defense will be tested by the West Virginia spread offense. Also their defense is 9th in the country in scoring, giving up only 18 points per game.
When you talk about West Virginia, two names come to mind, Pat White and Steve Slaton. This season, it is apparent that this team will go as far as Pat White will take them. In their two losses, White missed significant time during that game because of an injury. White has run for 1185 yards and 14 touchdowns while throwing for 1548 yards and 12 touchdowns. His backfield mate Slaton is not having as good of a year as the 2006 season, but still has 1053 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns. The most interesting stat is that in Slaton’s last 8 games, he has only rushed for over 100 yards twice. The Mountaineers defense is as statically impressive as the Sooners. They rank 4th in total defense and 7th in scoring defense, only giving up 17 points per game. With the type of offenses that these two teams have, I suspect each will give up over their average amounts.
Like USC, I think Oklahoma is playing some of the best football in the country. West Virginia is not. What surprised me most about the Pitt game is how the Mountaineers knew that Pitt was not going to throw, yet they still couldn’t stop the run. When they go out against Oklahoma, they will not have that same luxury. The Sooners can beat you through the air and on the ground. I think we will see a lot of offensive fireworks, but the biggest booms will be from the Boomer Sooners. Oklahoma 31 West Virginia 20
Picking West Virginia to Win (28%)
ITB Charlie Swager, Bastard Sons of Pinfall Marks, Rizzo Sports, MidWest Coast Bias, The LSC Scoop, Logan Jaffe, Lou Nemec, Dan Schoonover, Timmy B
Picking Oklahoma to Win (72%)
ITB Brian Sakowski, Pitch Right, Kansas It’s Business Time, Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician, Sportsbone TV, MizzouRAH, The Enlightened Spartan, ITB Ron Juckett, Football Frontier, Corn Nation, Richard Dixon, Mrs Corn Nation, Brian Isaacson, Brant Chruscial, Matt Kieta, Greg Gowins, Sunny Verma, Lorena The Dodgerchick, Pete Boivin, Jason Stiver, Cyril Tircuit, Rodney Polston, Jeff Brancolini