Wild times in both Big 12 divisions?
OU won the Big 12 South with a 6-2 conference record in 2002. That’s nothing new in the Big 12 Conference, where less-than-gaudy records regularly have won a division.In the South, 6-2 won in 1996 (Texas), 1997 (Texas A&M), 1999 (Texas) and 2002 (OU). In the North, 6-2 won in 2000 (Kansas State), 2003 (Kansas State) and 2006 (Nebraska); 5-3 won in 2005 (Colorado) and 4-4 won in 2004 (Colorado).
But it could happen in both divisions this season.I ranked Colorado as OU’s fourth-toughest game of the conference season, behind Texas, at Texas Tech and a home game against Missouri. In retrospect, the CU game obviously was tougher than Mizzou, not that the Tigers still couldn’t pull an upset.
But if OU beats Texas, there’s no assurance the Sooners will sail through the rest of the season, particularly the way they played in the Rockies. And if Texas beats OU, there’s even less chance. The Longhorns have only two home games the rest of the season, and neither are gimmes: Nebraska and Tech. They’ve already played Kansas State (and lost) at Royal-Memorial Stadium, and in odd-numbered years, they give up a home game against the Sooners to play in Dallas.
Could this be the year one of the other South schools break the Sooner-Longhorn stronghold? Doubtful, but possible. Tech wouldn’t be in bad shape had it won at Oklahoma State nine days ago. If Tech could stay within a game of OU, the Red Raiders could host OU in late November with the title on the line.
But Tech already has a loss and goes to Columbia and Austin. The Raiders could win both places, but it also could lose both. OSU’s victory over Tech energized the Cowboy season, but State still plays a rough road schedule. At A&M, at Nebraska, at OU.
Here’s the plan if you’re a Cowboy fan. Split the next two weeks at College Station and Lincoln, then sweep the Kansas schools when they come to Stillwater. Neither assignment is easy. Between the Kansas schools is Texas at Boone Pickens Stadium. OSU has a horrid history with the Longhorns, but Texas is playing very poorly. If OSU could somehow go 3-2 in those five games, then win at Baylor, it would be 5-2 going to Norman for a Bedlam finale and the division likely would be on the line. Even under that scenario, the Cowboys’ hopes don’t look strong, because the Sooners seem to have re-established their Bedlam dominance at Owen Field.
But this much is true. This makes for a lot more interesting Big 12 race than if OU and
Texas had won Saturday and were playing Saturday for what everyone believed was going to be the conference championship game.
-------------Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter @BerryTramel. Visit Berry's website here.
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Berry, we’d like to hear more about uO and the 11 dancing ladies! ;>) Not really!
First let’s take a look at oSu’s history with Texas the last three years. Now, throw out last season’s game in Austin ;>) What I want to focus on are the previous two games. In each of those games, one coached in Austin by Les Miles, and the other coached by Gundy in Stillwater, oSu had a sizeable lead in both games at the half, but lost both games big because of one player . . . Vince Young. With VY gone, and Texas falling by 20 points at home to the wildcats, all of a sudden, the Texas game in Stillwater looks very winnable by the Cowboys.
That said, to me, the key for a very special season lies in two games. First, aTm. A win in College Station will be evidence the Cowboys have matured enough to beat Nebraska the next weekend in Lincoln, where they have not won since 1960. Lose at aTm and there will not be much hope for a win in Lincoln, at least from a fan’s viewpoint.