Olympic judging, college football style
Here’s what this weekend’s OU-Texas drama reminds me of: Olympic gymnastics.
You’ve seen the gymnastics judging, its provincialism and its quirkiness, and how a few people watching the same thing can see things so differently.
Same with this Big 12 South Division mess. But here’s one last advantage for the Sooners: they get last bats.
In the Olympics, you always want to go later. The higher scores come late. The early performers are oft forgotten.
So while Texas had the stage to itself Thursday night, dismantling a thoroughly embarrassing Texas A&M team, the Sooners arrive Saturday night for the marquee time slot, in Stillwater against a stout Oklahoma State.
Several things to consider:
1. Texas’ media campaign, some of it originating from within the UT athletic department and some of it not, will sway some voters. It also could backfire on some voters. The kid with the Facebook deal? Some voters will move the Sooners ahead of Texas on principle alone after that ESPN interview. And while some daffy voters might need to be reminded that Texas beat OU 45-35, more serious voters might be offended that they’re being treated like goofballs (not that poll voters deserve anything else) and etch 39-33 on their palms.
2. Texas was hurt by A&M’s lack of competitiveness. If the Aggies had shown up all year, then the Longhorns smacked them like this, people would be impressed. But A&M has been a lay-down team. The Aggies lost to Baylor. The Aggies lost at home to Kansas State. The Aggies lost at home to Arkansas State.
3. OU’s best friend in the world right now is Oklahoma State. The Cowboys have done the Sooners a huge favor by being so good this season. Of course, that could backfire. If OSU beats OU, then all this campaigning and all this talking is for naught. But if the Sooners win by any margin, it’s a solid victory because of OSU’s prowess, and if the Sooners win in dominating fashion, it likely will end all discussion. Coming off the Texas Tech slaughter, the Sooners will look like the nation’s best team if they go to Stillwater and do anything close to the same thing.
Lose early and win late always has been the college football blueprint, and that includes this weekend. The Sooners get last bats to impress the pollsters, and suddenly, Bob Stoops is happy that Bedlam has returned to a Thanksgiving weekend staple.
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.
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