College Football Week 11: Iowa saves the sport
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 11:
I got to Tech’s Jones Stadium early Saturday, before 2:30 p.m. for the 7 p.m. kickoff. I didn’t have anything else to do – the Buddy Holly Museum adventure was behind me – so I figured I’d go to the pressbox and watch the afternoon football games. OU-A&M. Alabama-LSU. Penn State-Iowa.
You know the rest. Sooners rolled. Alabama and LSU went to overtime. And Iowa somehow KO’d Penn State 24-23.
Great, great football, at least on the Bama and Penn State games. Said Pete Thamel of the New York Times, “College football never fails to deliver.”
I watched the last halves of those games with members of the Big 12 office. And particularly with the Penn State game, you never saw such devotion from normally-neutral people. Living and dying with every play.
Penn State stood in the way of a Big 12 national championship appearance. That roadblock now is gone.
THIS’LL BE THE DAYLubbock is the hometown of Buddy Holly, the rock’n roll pioneer killed in a place crash almost 50 years ago, Feb. 3, 1959.
My first adult trip to Lubbock came in 1992, and a photographer I was with, Doug Hoke, wanted to go see the Buddy Holly statue before the OU-Tech game. So we went downtown, Doug climbed upon the base and posed for a picture with Lubbock’s favorite son.
Fast forward 16 years. Another photographer, Steve Sisney, suggested we stop by the Buddy Holly museum.
I’m sort of a Buddy Holly fan; I’ve got his greatest-hits CD and saw the movie starring Gary Busey. So I said sure. Figured it was good karma, since I was in town for OSU-Tech and Busey attended OSU.
Anyway, the museum was $5 and worth it for Holly fans. I learned quite a bit, including how much Buddy Holly and the Crickets (his band) influenced musicians world wide, including four young guys in Liverpool, England, who in the tradition of the Crickets named their band the Beatles.
I also learned that after Holly’s death, the Crickets remained intact and hired a long-time band member named Sonny Carter, whose claim to fame was authoring “Love Is All Around,” a tune better known as “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” theme song.
Anyway, as we walked in the door of the Buddy Holly Center, in the old Lubbock depot, there was a media room of some kind where they conduct interviews and lectures and what not. Some old guy, tall and wearing a Stetson, was being interviewed on camera.
As we left the museum, we walked past the media room, and the old guy was leaving.
A few minutes later, as we went looking for our comrade, photographer Chris Landsberger, we went down a hallway with pictures of musicians on the wall. Sisney stopped and pointed to a photo. It was a picture of the guy in the Stetson.
Tommy Allsup, it said his name was. I remembered I had just seen the name “Tommy Allsup” in the museum. So back we went to the museum, where I found the exhibit that mentioned Allsup.
In 1958, the Crickets had broken up, but Holly was persuaded to tour in the Midwest in 1959. So he hired a band for the tour. That guitarist was a guy he had played with on occasion; fellow by the name of Tommy Allsup.
The tour was an organizational disaster. The tour bus was old and drafty. The heat didn’t work properly.
On Feb. 3, 1959, Holly was fed up and decided to charter a small plane in Mason City, Iowa, destined for the next stop in Fargo, N.D. Holly chartered the plane for his band.
But another member of the tour, the Big Bopper (J.R. Richardson, famous for “Chantilly Lace”), had the flu. So bass player Waylon Jennings volunteered to let the Big Bopper have his seat on the plane.
With the band split, Allsup and another tour headliner, Richie Valens, decided to flip a coin to see who got to ride the plan. Valens won.
Five minutes after takeout, in a blinding storm, the Beechcraft Bonanza aircraft crashed in an Iowa field. Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Richie Valens died. Tommy Allsup survived, and almost 50 years later spent an afternoon with us at the Buddy Holly Museum.
TEN BIGGEST LOSERS OF THE WEEK10. Lame-duck coaches: You expected Washington’s Tyrone Willingham, a 39-19 loser to Arizona State, and Kansas State’s Ron Prince, a 41-24 loser to Missouri, to go down to defeat. But you figured Tennessee’s Phil Fulmer could win one for the already-fired coaches club. Not so. The woefully inept Volunteers lost to hapless Wyoming
13-7.
9. Iowa State: A meager Cyclone season was one yard from a major boost, a road win at Colorado. But with Iowa State on the Colorado 1-yard line, D.J. Sykes and Jimmy Smith stuffed tailback Alexander Robinson for a two-yard loss on the game’s final play.
8. ACC Championship Game: It’s quite likely that the ACC division winners, whoever they may be, will each be 5-3 in the league. Best guess? Virginia Tech vs. Maryland, each at 8-4.
7. Arkansas State: A season that began with such promise – an upset at Texas A&M – is sputtering down the stretch. Ark State lost 22-21 at Florida International and fell to 4-5 overall, 2-2 in the Sun Belt, reviving a great debate. Who is the best team in Arkansas?
6. Illinois: In January, the Illini lost in the Rose Bowl. Saturday, the Illini lost in Kalamazoo. Western Michigan beat Illinois 23-17, and now the 5-5 Illini must beat Ohio State or Northwestern just to become bowl eligible.
5. Internet Expression: In the summer, OU freshman Josh Jarboe lost his scholarship with a violence-laced rap on YouTube. This week, Texas coach Mack Brown dismissed from the team backup center Buck Burnette, who on his Facebook page posted a racial slur about Barack Obama. The world wide web is not some insulated world where consequences don’t exist. It’s a pulpit.
4. West Virginia: The Mountaineers mounted a comeback for the ages, scoring 13 points in the final 72 seconds by every possible point production – touchdown, field goal, safety, 2-point conversion. But then Cincinnati won 26-23 in overtime, and WVU’s Big East title hopes are in jeopardy.
3. Jimmy Clausen: The beleaguered Notre Dame quarterback threw four interceptions in a 17-0 loss at Boston College, and the Irish now have been shut out three times in their last 19 games.
2. TCU: The Horned Frogs dominated Utah in their mid-major showdown, but TCU missed two late field goals and Utah quarterback Brian Johnson threw a 9-yard TD pass with 48 seconds left to knock the Frogs from BCS contention.
1. Zealousness: Two Alabama fans were shot to death over an argument about the LSU-Bama game, witnesses said. Can’t we all just get along?
DINING IN LUBBOCKA dining lesson I never learned until Saturday in Lubbock: don’t sit near the waiter’s station or the kitchen.
For lunch Saturday, we stopped at Triple J Chophouse and Brew Company in Lubbock’s Depot District. I’d been there before; solid place. I had a chicken pot pie. Excellent choice.
But we sat in a booth right next to the big counter in front of the grill and the brick oven. It’s interesting to watch cooks and chefs at work; not easy duty. From organization to culinary skills, those guys have to know what they’re doing. It’s sort of like watching the Food Network, except they’re juggling 8-10 things instead of the Martha Stewart gravy train.
There’s a downside, though. The waiters tend to hang out at the counter, waiting for orders, and you see them on their less-than-best behavior.
At a point when we were waiting on something – drinks, salad, I can’t remember which – our waiter paced in front of the counter, doing not much of anything. I guess he thought he was invisible.
Then our waiter coughed right into his fist. We looked down and noticed we hadn’t received our food. Uh, we suddenly weren’t quite as hungry. We got a life preserver when someone else brought our plates, but when it comes to waiters and cooks, the less you know, the better.
Of course, no trip to Lubbock is complete without a visit to Cagle Steaks, the great place west of town with a ranch setting. I think I wrote about Cagle last year, so I won’t repeat myself.
But I followed through on one my dining rules. When someone offers you a real dessert, take it. Most places go fu-fu on desserts. Chocolate mousse. Crème brule. Taramusu. That kind of stuff. Easy to pass.
Cagle offers you two options: cherry cobbler or peach cobbler. I went with the cherry, with ice cream.
Generally speaking, American restaurants don’t offer enough pie and cobbler.
SALUTE TO THE SWCBetween Tech’s Jones Stadium and its indoor practice facility is a pedestrain mall. I strolled by Saturday afternoon, and in front of the Tech athletic offices, which are in the south end of Jones Stadium, there are rock monuments imbedded in the concrete, saluting the old members of the Southwest Conference.
Tech, A&M, Texas and Baylor are joined by SMU, TCU, Arkansas, Rice and Houston.
It’s sort of cool that Tech keeps the tributes in place. The breakup of the SWC was sort of like the breakup of a marriage, I suppose. Not all bad memories. Tech still feels a kinship with those schools left behind.
REALITY RANKINGSCollege football rankings, based not on what we think teams will do, but what they have done. This week, for grins, you get the top 15 and the bottom 15 – the 15 worst teams from BCS conferences:
1. Alabama
2. Florida
3. Texas Tech
4. Texas
5. USC
6. Penn State
7. Georgia
8. Oklahoma
9. Utah
10. Ohio State
11. Oklahoma State
12. Michigan State
13. Boise State
14. Oregon
15. North Carolina
To answer your question, OU most certainly would move up, probably to No. 2 or No. 3, with victories in its final two games.
Worst 15
15. Arizona State
14. Duke
13. Kansas State
12. Michigan
11. Texas A&M
10. Syracuse
9. Baylor
8. North Carolina State
7. Mississippi State
6. Purdue
5. Tennessee
4. Indiana
3. Iowa State
2. Washington State
1. Washington
An amazing list. Three of the 12 worst teams in big-time college football have won national titles in the past 18 years. Washington, Tennessee and Michigan. Who could have guessed that Michigan and Tennessee would each be 3-7 in mid-November?
PRESSBOX SIGHTINGSA tale of two Ohio State graduates:
Twenty minutes before kickoff, ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit came out of the men’s bathroom of Jones Stadium level that serves both the pressbox and luxury suites.
A mom and her son were waiting for Herbstreit and asked if he would pose for a picture. Herbstreit said sure.
At halftime, Bobby Knight left one of the luxury suites. The only person waiting for him was a peace officer to escort him down the elevator.
FIESTA BOWL PART III?I talked to two Fiesta Bowl reps at halftime of the OSU-Tech game, including chairman-elect Alan Young. They said that should the Big 12 champ make the Big Bowl, the Fiesta still would like to fill the vacancy with a Big 12 team.
Including Oklahoma, which has been to Phoenix two years running? Yes, said the yellow-blazered bowl officials. They also asked how OU fans would respond.
I said in the positive. I think most Sooner fans have enjoyed Phoenix, other than the surprising outcomes, of course.
A Big 12 official said perhaps OU’s football operation would like to return to the Fiesta just to exorcise the demons. Maybe he’s on to something. Even if the Sooners go to Miami or New Orleans or even Pasadena and win, ending their BCS losing streak, they still would face a Fiesta stigma. Might as well try to end it all at once.
TEN BIGGEST WINNERS OF THE WEEK10. USC defense: Sorry, Nick Saban. But the nation’s best defense belongs to the Trojans, who held California to 165 total yards in a 17-3 victory.
9. Running games: For one Saturday at least, running games shined. Seven tailbacks gained at least 168 yards. Nevada’s Val Taua led the way with 263 yards in a 41-28 win over Fresno State. Virginia Tech’s Darren Evans had 253 in a 23-13 win over Maryland. Army’s Collin Mooney gained 207 yards in a 38-31 loss to Rice.
8. Oregon State: The Beavers routed UCLA 34-6, and all of a sudden, talk of Oregon State in the Rose Bowl isn’t so kooky. If the Beavers beat Cal, Arizona and Oregon, they will represent the Pac-10 in Pasadena. And only Arizona is on the road.
7. Oklahoma quarterbacks: Tulsa’s David Johnson, OU’s Sam Bradford and OSU’s Zac Robinson rank 1-2-3 in the nation in pass efficiency. Bradford threw for 320 yards and four touchdowns in a routine rout of Texas A&M.
6. Wyoming: What’s with the Cowboys and the SEC? Wyoming beat Tennessee 13-7; on Sept. 24, 2005, Wyoming beat Ole Miss 24-14. Between those two games, none of which came against SEC schools, Wyoming was 15-25.
5. North Carolina: Don’t look now, but the best team in the ACC is Butch Davis’ Tar Heels. North Carolina spanked Georgia Tech 28-7 to raise its record to 7-2. Tennessee could do much worse than Butch Davis.
4. Mid-American Conference: An upset of a Big Ten team and a BCS contender on national television, all in the same week. Western Michigan beat Illinois 23-17, giving the MAC a 4-6 record vs. the Big Ten this season, and Ball State beat Northern Illinois on ESPN to remain unbeaten and on the fringe of the BCS talk.
3. Rashad Johnson: Few defenders have a day like this – three interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown and one to start overtime, which set up top-ranked Alabama for a 27-21 victory over LSU.
2. Graham Harrell: Seems like there’s a new Heisman front-runner every week, but Harrell might hang on to the top spot. He threw for 456 yards, completing 40 of 50 passes, as Texas Tech routed Oklahoma State 56-20.
1. College football: Penn State’s loss to Iowa gave all of America what it hoped for – a Big Ten-free BCS title game.
THE OPEN ROADI drove out to Lubbock with photographers Sisney and Landsberger. We went I-40 to Amarillo, though I’m told there are shortcuts, like going south at Shamrock, Texas, and snaking through the Texas Panhandle. I’ll try that next year, perhaps.
I enjoy driving the Panhandles. Open country. Gives you an idea of how massive is America. The Texas Panhandle is almost 26,000 square miles.
That’s approximately 170 miles by 158 miles. To give you an idea how big that is, that’s the size of this chunk of Oklahoma: From the Red River to Tulsa north-south, and from Oklahoma City to Sallisaw east-west. That’s the size of the Texas Panhandle.
The country is especially provocative at night. We drove home after the game, pulling out of Lubbock at 12:30 and getting back to The Oklahoman tower at 6:15 a.m.
I say we. Funny. Landsberger went wire to wire behind the wheel. A total stud.
A NEW WAY TO THINK OF TECHHere’s some football I learned this week. OSU linebacker Deron Fontenot said Texas Tech would attack the Cowboys this way: When OSU played zone, the Tech receivers wouldn’t run particular routes. They would flood the field and stop their routes in open space. In other words, the Red Raiders would run to where the Cowboys weren’t and stop and wait for a Graham Harrell pass.
Not every play. Not every receiver. The Red Raiders make a living off receivers coming under the zone, sprinting across the field.
But this was a little clarity in exactly how Mike Leach’s offense works. The Red Raiders spread the field, sideline to sideline, creating space. Then they put receivers in that space. Seems to work famously.
Emails are in: Texas Tech on readers’ minds
This week’s emails are dominated by Texas Tech. OSU fans bemoaning the Cowboys’ performance in Lubbock, OU fans worried about the Nov. 22 showdown.
John, a Tech fan, wrote, “Bottling up Bryant was the most obvious thing the Tech defense pulled off, but not the only thing for a group that’s been all about dishing out lows lately. They held Kansas to a 20-game low in total offense, Texas to a 16-game low in rushing. Oklahoma State scored a season low. Until their final, meaningless series, one that started with fewer than three minutes left, the Cowboys were sitting on a 22-game low in rushing.”
Tech’s defense was very impressive. The OU-Tech game should be fun.
Jim wrote, “Obviously, OSU got beat by two teams that are much better than they are. Texas and Tech. would beat OSU no matter where they play. Their two quarterbacks are very good, but I say again, we made them look like supermen. We can not get a rush on them and we cannot defend the middle of the field. Why? I don’t know. I guess it just a matter of those teams being that much better. The offense is not the problem, but if they are playing catch up all day, it is too much pressure for them to sustain a drive or game plan. I do not agree it was a loss by all levels, I think it is the defense. However, I think OSU still has shot at beating OU, somehow I do not think OU is as good as Texas or Tech. Again, It is just a feeling. I think Tech wins 34 to 27 at OU.”
I say OSU would have beaten Texas in Stillwater. And I say OU beats Tech in Norman, because the Sooners are almost unbeatable at Owen Field.
A different John wrote, “USAF used to have pilot training at Reese AFB near Lubbock. I still remember a poster: ‘Lubbock: think dust!’ Yes, it does seem like a rather unique place. I have lived in both Wichita Falls and College Station, and tend to like Texas with the exception of Austin.”
I like all of Texas except Austin and Houston. Too much traffic in both places.
May was distraught, writing, “I am really convinced that after tonight’s lack of any defense by OSU, Mr. Tim Beckman must go. If I remember right, the next day after OSU defeated Texas Tech last year, Coach Leach immediately fired his defensive coordinator and that game was NOTHING like what the nation saw tonight. I have never seen so many receivers being SO OPEN. Where was our secondary? Always in the wrong place. I do think our team did do a good job on preventing the run but did nothing on the pass department. I agree with you that defensive coordinators are often on the hot seat, but I guess that is why they draw those big bucks. So that Coach Gundy wouldn’t have to do the job, Mr. Beckman should resign and go back to high school ball. Sorry about ranting, but……..ugh.”
It does my heart good to know fans on both sides of Bedlam over-react.
Jim had a great take on Mike Leach: “It is amazing how Mike Leach stands on the sidelines looking as if he had just gotten there and looks confused and as if he doesn’t know what is going on. But looks are deceiving. In my opinion, Mick Leach is an offensive genius. The Sooners will have the struggle of a lifetime.”
I don’t know about the struggle of a lifetime, Jim, but you nailed Leach. He doesn’t look like a coach, he doesn’t act like a coach, but he knows what he’s doing. And the best thing about Leach is the courage of his convictions. He’s committed to what he believes in. Not all coaches are.
Roger also commented on Tech: “It is interesting how greatly my perceptions of football teams has changed so quickly this year. Just two or three weeks ago, I viewed the Red Raiders as a freak show with a mad scientist as head coach. Graham Harrell is a great passer, but surely like all Tech teams of the recent past, they have no running game and poor defense. Or do they? My view today is now quite different, based on how both Tech and OU have been playing. Right now, it appears that Tech has the better overall defense – much to my surprise.”
Much to everyone’s surprise. I don’t know if Tech has the better defense, but just the fact that it’s a question makes this game interesting.
Kane has a solution for fans who storm the field: “Last week we witnessed an outrageous action when half the fans in the (Texas Tech) stadium rushed onto the field to celebrate — not once, not twice, but three times! Tonight I saw the end of the Iowa-Penn State contest, where Iowa made a last-minute field goal to earn a big win. Iowa fans stormed the field to celebrate. This kind of behavior is OUTRAGEOUS! It brings shame to all of NCAA football. Such actions should be severely punished! Maybe nothing can be done about storming the field after the game is over – but the home team has responsibility to keep order. I would suggest that, if the home team fans storm the field before the game is over, the home team should forfeit that win. Without such a rule, I expect to see some people killed in the next year or two.”
You can’t forfeit. That kills the sport. But here’s a solution. Identify, through videotape, as many students as you can. If that’s 10, fine. If it’s 100, fine. Then expel them. Make them forfeit their semester. Most such stunts occur late in the year, so expulsion, the waste of a semester, is a high price to pay. The key is to stick to your guns. If a big-shot’s kid storms the field, he gets the same treatment.
Craig wrote, “Berry, if you aren’t calling out the (OU) special teams coach to be fired tomorrow morning, it is a coverup! Mike Leach fired his defensive coordinator after getting beat by four points by OSU last year. Do we have sacred cows?”
If it’s a coverup to advocate keeping together a coaching staff that has a team ranked No. 4 in the country, then I plead guilty. That being said, OU’s kicking units stink.
And finally, Russell is displeased with my lookalikes each Thursday. “This has bothered me for some time as I have personally seen some of these people and they look nothing alike. I have a photo of my butt and I put it right next to your photo in the paper and guess what? A look-alike. If your control over this aspect extends to selection of what photos are published, then I will e-mail my butt photo for your consideration. Just throwing this out there as food for thought.”
Here’s a better suggestion. Remove that 2×4 from your kiester you’re so fond of photographing.
Big 12, SEC on title game collision
BCS intrigue has changed. It seems likely that instead of deciding combatants for the national title game, its primary purpose might be deciding who gets to play in the Big 12 championship game.
The results of Saturday — primarily Penn State’s loss to Iowa — means the national title game is likely to match the champions of the SEC and the Big 12, barring a big upset somewhere along the line.
The SEC and Big 12 hold the top five slots in this week’s BCS: No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Tech, No. 3 Texas, No. 4 Florida and No. 5 OU.
It seems unlikely for No. 6 Southern Cal, No. 7 Utah or No. 8 Penn State to crack the top two, unless they get some serious help. If Missouri won the Big 12 title game or Florida or Alabama lost before the SEC title game then won the SEC title, then that opens the door.
But with so many games remaining between contenders — OU-Tech and a Florida-Bama SEC title game — the current leaders don’t figure to be passed. Even if there’s an upset or two along the way, a fellow conference member stands ready to fill the gap.
Texas is third in this week’s BCS and OU is fifth, and computers give the Longhorns the edge. The coaches poll has OU fourth and Texas fifth, while the Harris poll reverses those rankings.
Computers lift the Longhorns. Texas is No. 3 in the computers, with OU tied for fifth with Florida. Utah is No. 4 in the computers.
What does it all mean? Well, the Sooners still are in excellent shape to move up, since they have two games left: against No. 2 Texas Tech (which is No. 1 in the computers) and No. 13 Oklahoma State (No. 11 in the computers).
If the Sooners can beat both Tech and OSU, no small task considering Tech is on fire and Bedlam is in Stillwater, the computers figure to move OU up significantly.
Texas’ best hope is that voters decide to keep the ‘Horns ahead of OU, but that seems a tall assignment considering the Sooners already lead in the coaches poll.
Coaches poll: OU ahead of Texas
The BCS isn’t out yet, but the coaches poll is out, and OU is ahead of Texas, just like last week. Last week, OU was fourth and Texas seventh in the coaches poll, but UT was fourth and OU sixth in the BCS rankings.
This week, OU is fourth and Texas fifth in the coaches poll. If the Sooners somehow pass Texas this week or next week, no way can the Longhorns pass OU if the Sooners win out. OU will have high-profile games remaining against Texas Tech and OSU, giving OU the advantage should it finish in a three-way tie with Tech and Texas for the Big 12 South title.
If Texas can stay ahead of OU, the BCS rankings could get interesting the last two weeks.
Holder: Stroke of genius?
OSU will not relax its Bedlam ticket policy, and I applaud that stance. If you’re going to implement a controversial system, stick to your guns.
OSU’s policy of not selling individual-game tickets to the Nov. 29 Bedlam game seems to insure a less-than-capacity house at Boone Pickens Stadium, since OSU sold only 39,000 season tickets. OU will get its usual allotment of 5,000 tickets or so, but that leaves 15,000 or so tickets unsold unless someone wants to pay season-ticket prices for one game.
But what if they do? The season has set up like a dream for the policy. Both teams are in the top 10 and still in the running for not just the Big 12 title, but the national championship, too.
If OSU beats Texas Tech today, it likely will go into Bedlam with at least a chance of the Big 12 title, though tiebreakers could cloud the issue. If OU beats Tech on Nov. 22, same scenario, and the Sooners’ path to Kansas City figures to be even easier through the tiebreakers.
If both state schools beat Tech, it figures that the Bedlam game is for no worse than a BCS berth, perhaps the Fiesta Bowl.
Now think about where that puts OSU’s Bedlam tickets. Straight into premium land. The Bedlam game would rise to amazing status; perhaps the second-most important OSU-OU game ever, behind only 1984, when the teams entered ranked 2 and 3. And who knows where OU and OSU could be slotted on Thanksgiving if both win out?
OSU athletic director Mike Holder could come out looking like a genius, if there’s a run on Bedlam tickets. The tickets aren’t cheap; they range from $245 to $419 each, but the less expensive number requires a minimum purchase of four.
With the economy, there are all kinds of fans on both sides of Bedlam who can’t afford such prices. But there also are all kinds of fans on both sides of Bedlam who can afford the tickets and might succumb to the temptation to not miss history.
I don’t think Boone Pickens Stadium will be full for Bedlam. I also don’t think it will be OSU’s smallest crowd of the season. I believe some fans will pony up the season-ticket price. If the Cowboys and Sooners keep winning, I think it will be more than some.
TV ratings: OU-Nebraska rates No. 2
Did you see where Texas Tech-Texas outdrew OU-Nebraska in the Oklahoma City television market Saturday night? The games went head to head, and UT-Tech drew a 21.9 rating on ABC, OU-NU a 21.6 on ESPN.
I don’t know what that means, but it’s interesting. Non-cable games always have an edge on cable games, but still, I’ve never seen an OU game lose out to anything.
There were extenuating circumstances.
1. The UT-Tech game was of utmost importance to every football fan in the state. OU fans, OSU fans, college fans in general.
2. OU-Nebraska was a rout; 21-0 within five minutes, 35-0 after one quarter. Thousands of OU fans no doubt switched channels.
3. UT-Tech was a great finish and lasted longer, so even die-hard Sooners could watch the end. The final 45 minutes of UT-Tech drew a 33.2 rating.
But Saturday was an example of the slightly-changing market. OSU-Iowa State on Saturday afternoon drew a 21.3 on ABC. Again, non-cable telecasts have an advantage, and OSU-ISU wasn’t going against Tech-Texas, but nevertheless that’s an excellent trend for the Cowboys, that they can pull a number almost the equal of the Sooners.
It’s also a sign that viewers might be a little more discriminating than in the past. Maybe the public’s tolerance for blowouts is waning. We can only hope.
One more thing on the TV ratings. The Thunder drew a paltry 0.4 Saturday night for its game at Houston. And you know what? That’s not an awful number. I didn’t know the Thunder could draw that many people against all that college football.
Add that 0.4 rating to OU-Nebraska, and the Sooners would have outdrawn Tech-Texas.
Another OU game in Dallas? Say it ain’t so
Brigham Young coach Bronco Mendenhall told the Salt Lake Tribune that the Cougars might play a 2009 game at JerryWorld, the Dallas Cowboys’ new stadium in Arlington, Texas, and OU is a possible opponent.
I say no way. At least, no way should the Sooners consider it. At some point, E.Z. Million becomes right.
OU already plays a game year in the Metroplex, and the OU-Texas tradition of a Cotton Bowl clash during the State Fair of Texas is a regal stop on the college football circuit. One of the games that make the sport so heritage-rich.
But two neutral-site games in Dallas-Fort Worth? There’s no justification for that. Play two games in Dallas, and the questions should start mounting from fans and administrators and fund-raisers. Just exactly why did you rebuild the football stadium into a palace if you’re going to regularly take games not just to Dallas, but to the middle of a giant parking lot down the road from Six Flags?
If the Sooners can afford to play BYU in Dallas and stage just six home games in 2009, forget Dallas and play BYU home-and-home. Go to BYU and let the Cougars come to Norman in a near season.
Scheduling has become a nightmare for OU. It’s hard to find teams willing to play the Sooners, even on a home-and-home basis. Many schools, most schools, are scheduling to reach a bowl or the BCS. Which means automatic victories. And those willing to come to OU for a paycheck are demanding exorbitant amounts.
So here’s a team, BYU, perhaps willing to play the Sooners. So play. Yes, OU already has a tough non-conference foe for 2009 in Miami. Yes, OU is going to Miami, and two non-conference road games would be unheard of among today’s college football heavyweights.
But college football scheduling has reached the critical stage. September is creeping closer and closer to irrelevancy, creeping closer and closer to NFL exhibition status.
It will take schools like USC and Florida State and Oklahoma to turn the tide. Go play BYU. Just not down the street from Six Flags.
College football Week 10: Reunions & Elections
Oklahoma-Nebraska once was the epicenter of college football. The game that you could circle in August as the likely game of the year. The game that more often than not, lived up to such expectations.
It’s still an OK game, because of the history, but it has fallen. It has fallen far. Now it’s not one of the top 100 games in the college football season.
Here’s how far it has fallen. OU-Nebraska, the game itself, was trumped twice over the weekend, not by other games, but by events AT MEMORIAL STADIUM.
Saturday night, the OU-NU rout quickly went to the backburner, and fans focused on Texas Tech-Texas. If the Sooners had displayed the game from Lubbock on the Owen Field video board, it would have been a priceless PR move, though the Huskers might not have appreciated it.
But even before kickoff Saturday night, OU-Nebraska 2008 was overshadowed by OU-Nebraska 1971.
The reunion Friday night in the Switzer Center was one of the coolest things I’ve ever covered. There aren’t a lot of unique events left in sport. This was one.
A reunion of a game from 37 years past, hosted by the vanquished foe.
Have the ’51 Dodgers hosted the ’51 Giants? Has ’92 Kentucky hosted ’92 Duke? Have the Lakers of any years hosted the Celtics?
This was the ultimate show of respect and honor, and the ’71 Huskers were magnanimous in their victory. There was no trash-talking, no bravado.
The only deviation from that script came from the OU side, so far as I know. During the dinner, which was closed to the media, Nebraska star Johnny Rodgers was introduced and a reference was made to his punt return for a touchdown. “Yeah, but there were two clips,” yelled a Sooner from the back. And everyone in the house broke up laughing.
Thirtysomething Sooners and twentysomething Huskers showed for the event. Photo ops were everywhere. Bob Stoops came by; I saw him with Rodgers and Chuck Fairbanks. Jeff Kinney was there, and Greg Pruitt, and 6-foot-7 John Dutton, who played 15 years in the NFL and looked like he still could.
Leon Crosswhite and Joe Wylie and Doug Dumler and, well, the names are too numerous to bear. The only downer was the guys who were missing. OU quarterback Jack Mildren and Nebraska coach Bob Devaney, who have passed. Husker quarterback Jerry Tagge, who was ill. NU nose guard Rich Glover, who didn’t make it from New Jersey.
But at the dinner, the speakers included the game’s offensive coordinators, Barry Switzer and Tom Osborne; Fairbanks; Greg Pruitt and Rodgers.
A special, special night. Nebraska won that game 35-31, but 37 years later, I think we safely can say that nobody lost.
Massive Nebraska defensive tackle Larry Jacobsen said it best: “Heck of a game to watch, hell of a game to play.”
TEN BIGGEST WINNERS OF THE WEEK
10. Utah State: One of college football’s most beleaguered programs now has now two WAC wins. The Aggies beat Hawaii 30-14 and has won four of its last seven conference games dating back to last November.
9. Backyard Brawl: West Virginia beat Connecticut and Pittsburgh beat Notre Dame, reviving the status of the old rivalry’s participants and setting up the possibility that their Nov. 28 showdown at Pitt could be for a BCS berth.
8. Central Michigan: The Chippewas lost a chance to beat a Big Ten foe in Purdue when they fell 32-25, but they didn’t let the chance pass this time. With backup quarterback Brian Brunner throwing for a day-best 485 yards, Central beat Indiana 37-34.
7. Ole Miss: The Rebels’ 17-7 victory over Auburn was big for bowls; Mississippi moved to 5-4 and dropped Auburn to 4-5, and more importantly, seemed to signal that under Houston Nutt, the pecking order in the SEC West might have changed.
6. North Texas: The Mean Green was as good a bet as any as the worst team in college football. But coach Todd Dodge got a much-needed victory over fledgling I-A member Western Kentucky, 51-40.
5. Mardy Gilyard: The Cincinnati flanker – who carved up the Sooners back in September – caught a 26-yard TD pass against South Florida, then crashed into 7-year-old Cincy fan Garrett Monroe. But Gilyard showed his humanity; he immediately picked up Monroe to make sure the kid was all right, disdaining a celebration of what proved to be a huge play in the Bearcats’ 24-10 victory.
4. Miami: The Hurricanes started 2-3 but have won four straight, including a 24-17 overtime win at Virginia. If Miami can beat Virginia Tech in Thursday Night Football on Nov. 13, the ‘Canes could play at Georgia Tech a week later with Coastal Division supremacy on the line.
3. Max Hall: Quarterback U is back. Brigham Young’s QB threw for 389 yards and five touchdowns, including the game-winner with 22 seconds left that gave the Cougars a 45-42 win at Colorado State.
2. Bad blood: Florida beat Georgia 49-10 to stamp itself as perhaps the nation’s best team, and Gator coach Urban Meyer repaid Georgia’s Mark Richt for a perceived slight last season. Meyer called two timeouts in the final minute to prolong the Florida celebration.
1. Graham Harrell: Don’t discount the Texas Tech quarterback from the Heisman race; 36 of 53 for 474 yards and the game-winning drive in the so-far game of the year, a 39-33 victory over Texas. Now Harrell gets two more spotlight games, against OSU and OU.
DARROL RAY’S BARBEQUE
Because of the OU-Nebraska reunion, I didn’t make my usual Friday night dinner pilgrimage. But I’ve got another dining adventure to offer.
On Thursday, I met an old friend, Brent Clark, for lunch. Brent is a Norman lawyer who has authored two books about OU football.
Anyway, he suggested we meet a Ray’s Smokehouse BBQ. It’s a new joint in Norman run by former Sooner star Darrol Ray.
Darrol Ray was always one of my favorite players. A free safety from 1976-79, he was in the great OU signing class of 1975. A superb ballplayer, Ray ranks No. 4 on OU’s career interception list, with 15. He was one of those guys who should have made all-American but didn’t. Then Ray played five years with the New York Jets, starting 69 games and making 21 NFL interceptions.
Ray has been in the restaurant business for years, and Ray’s Smokehouse is very good. I had a chopped beef sandwich that was excellent.
You’re likely to find Ray there; he stopped by to chat, and Barry Switzer stopped in for some take-out while we were there. “A barbeque man!” Switzer said to me.
Caught in the act. A barbeque man indeed. And I’ve got a new place to go. 1514 W. Lindsey in Norman.
REALITY RANKINGS
College football rankings, based not on what we think teams will do, but what they have done.
1. Penn State: Surprising, I know. But probably can’t stay No. 1.
2. Florida: Gators will be tough to beat in this ranking, with a road game at Florida State and the SEC title game against probably Alabama.
3. Texas: I know, Tech fans will yelp, but this ranking makes sense. ‘Horns beat OU on a neutral field and OSU in Austin. Tech has the big home win over Texas but still faces the meat of its schedule.
4. Alabama: If Bama wins at LSU, it might be No. 1.
5. Southern Cal: Hard for the Trojans to jump a bunch.
6. Texas Tech: If Tech sweeps the Okies, it’s a runaway No. 1.
7. Oklahoma: Sooners still can rise far.
8. Georgia: Bulldogs are pretty much done. They’re living off earlier wins.
9. Oklahoma State: If OSU wins in Lubbock, it moves into top three.
10. Utah: If Utes beat TCU and BYU, they’re going to the BCS.
11. Boise State: In a rough spot. Broncos could get trumped by Utah or TCU for the lone BCS spot guaranteed a top-12 mid-major.
12. Michigan State: This surprises me, but the Spartans are 7-2 and have played a solid schedule.
13. TCU: Horned Frogs are helping OU every week.
14. Ohio State: If Buckeyes don’t win out, Rose Bowl might have to look outside the Big Ten for a team to play USC. And the Buckeyes go to Northwestern and Illinois before hosting Michigan.
15. California: Golden Bears might be second-best team in Pac-10. We’ll find out. Cal goes to USC this week and Oregon State next.
PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN
Saturday morning, I left the house early, about 7:45 a.m. I was going to help do some painting at my church, Lakeside Church of God in east Norman. I was supposed to be there at 8 a.m. but I thought I might risk being a little late to vote.
I went by the Cleveland County Election Board for early voting. I was there at 7:55. Voting started at 8. And the line stretched more than two blocks long. North on Peters three quarters of a block, the full block west on Main Street and then back south down Jones.
I didn’t stop – a can of paint had my name on it – but I felt proud. I always do on election days. What a great sight. A pristine November morning, and my fellow citizens lined up to cast their ballots.
I went back Monday morning to vote early, but again, no time to wait. I returned Monday evening and this time plunged in. I took a spot in line about 5:15 p.m. in front of Danny’s TV on Main Street.
My wait was about 75 minutes, and I can’t remember when I had a better time.
I stood in line with William Wakefield, director of OU bands. We chatted for almost an hour before he introduced himself, but we had the most wonderful conversation.
We talked football and New York City and marching bands and Oklahoma life. Here’s what I learned: Remember that great Pride of Oklahoma tradition, where the band members dress up in costume for a halftime show around Halloween? They don’t do it anymore because too many people complain about certain costumes, and trying to regulate what 400 musicians might wear onto the field is too cumbersome a task. Oh well.
The weather was immaculate; 72, 73 degrees. The sun was setting, creating a scene fit for a painting, and Main Street seemed alive and so did I.
I’m never prouder to be an American than I am on election day. The campaigns embarrass me; the election invigorates me.
Standing on Main Street in my hometown, under magnificent autumn trees, with fellow Americans who didn’t complain once about the long wait, I felt sorry for the people who turn this fabulous experience into something so bitter.
All the Democrats who say they’re moving to Canada if a Republican wins the White House; all the Republicans who say that no matter who wins the election, Obama will never be their president, shame on you.
I went into the voting booth, voted for four Democrats and three Republicans, voted to retain all but one judge; voted to yes on two state questions and no on two others.
And walked out into the November night feeling better about America than I’ve felt in a long, long time.
TEN BIGGEST LOSERS OF THE WEEK
10. Wisconsin: The Badgers aren’t a bad team. They just can’t win. Wisconsin lost 25-24 at Michigan State and fell to 1-5, dead last in the Big Ten.
9. Baylor: Victories over ranked foes are rare for the Bears. But Baylor was tied 28-28 with No. 14 Missouri and had the ball after an interception of Chase Daniel. But lined up to go for it on 4th-and-4, Baylor committed a false start penalty, and coach Art Briles decided to punt. Missouri then marched to the game-winning field goal.
8. Louisville: The Cardinals lost to Syracuse – Syracuse! – 28-21 and now play the Big East’s three best teams, Pitt, Cincinnati and West Virginia, all in a row. Louisville is 5-3 overall but 1-2 in the Big East and could be headed for the second straight dismal finish in Steve Kragthorpe’s two seasons.
7. Fresno State: Fresno State once led the mid-major parade this season. But that was a long time ago. The Bulldogs lost 38-35 to Louisiana Tech on Saturday, dropping them to 5-3 overall and 2-2 in the WAC.
6. Tulsa: The Golden Hurricane probably wasn’t headed for the BCS. Utah, TCU and Boise State stand in the way along Mid-Major Boulevard. But its all moot anyway for TU after a 30-23 loss at Arkansas that means the Liberty Bowl is as good as Tulsa can do.
5. Notre Dame: Believe it or not, the Irish had a chance at the BCS. At 5-2, Notre Dame had Pitt coming to South Bend, followed by games against Boston College, Navy and Syracuse. Nine wins might have lifted Notre Dame into the BCS discussion. But after four overtimes, Pitt emerged with a 36-33 victory, and with USC awaiting Nov. 29, the Irish seem headed for the Gator Bowl.
4. Ron Prince: I don’t think Kansas State will fire its coach, who is 16-18 in three years. But I won’t swear to it with many more performances like this – a 52-21 browbeating at Kansas. It was 31-0 at halftime.
3. Minnesota: True story. The Gophers were on the radar of the BCS, with a record of 7-1 and a remaining schedule that included three home games and no heavyweights. Then Northwestern’s Brendan Smith returned an interception 48 yards for a touchdown with 12 seconds left to beat Minnesota 24-17, and good-bye BCS talk.
2. State of Washington: Remember 1987, when Kansas went 1-9-1 and Kansas State 0-10-1, and those teams tied 17-17? No way will the state of Washington match the Sunflower State futility. There are no ties anymore. But Washington U.’s and Washington State’s slump reached new depths Saturday. UW lost 56-0 at Southern Cal and WSU lost 58-0 at Stanford. That’s a combined 114-0 if you’re scoring at home.
1. Phil Fulmer: A hapless 27-6 loss at South Carolina sealed the fate of Tennessee’s national-championship coach, who Monday announced he had lost his job. Offensive ineptitude doomed Fulmer; the Vols are 114th in scoring, 17.0 points a game, in front of only Central Florida, Mississippi State, Army, Washington, Washington State and Wyoming.
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
After the OU-Nebraska reunion Friday night, I motored up to the Community Christian-Windsor Hills 8-man game. You’ve probably seen the lights of CCS’ field, which sits hard by Interstate 35, between Norman and Moore.
My niece, Chelsea Williams, was up for a homecoming honor, so the whole family was there. I arrived midway through the second quarter and had the most delightful time.
I saw some old friends and met some new people. Tim Lashar was there. On the CCS sidelines were ex-Sooners Vince Carter and Josh Norman, who are CCS coaches.
And I got to chat with Dewey Selmon, his wife Kathryn and daughter Shannon. Shannon is married to Carter, and Selmon’s adopted son plays for CCS.
Great night. At the reunion, I got to chat with Eddie Foster and his wife Kim. Eddie was an offensive tackle on those early Sooner teams. The Fosters are a wonderful family. Foster was Joe Wylie’s college roommate; Wylie agreed to be on our NewsOK.com Pre-Game Show on Campus Corner, and the Fosters brought the Wylies over to make sure they found our stage.
On Friday night, an hour after chatting with the Fosters, I sat with Dewey and Kathryn Selmon.
Two events, same night, and I get to chat with my two favorite old Sooners.
I’ve got a heck of a job. And I live in a heck of a place.
Emails on Thunder & college football
The new emails are in, and lots of talk about the NBA. Mike from New Orleans checked in: “Your second game ever and you didn’t even sell out?? What’s up with that? I thought Oklahoma City was ‘big league?’ Oh well, I’ll just go back to the New Orleans Arena on Wednesday night for our 16th straight sellout, and you can start your streak back at 0, my friend. I can’t wait to see how Clay papers the house after you guys start 4-25.”
You know, Mike, you’re right. That game should have been sold out. It makes for questionable marketing, more than a squishy market, in my opinion. OKC is near the top in season tickets and has a waiting list for season tickets – so why didn’t it sell more to start with. I thought that was a strange move, capping ticket sales, and darned if it didn’t bite the Thunder in Game 2. And good for New Orleans. Great, great team, and we know they have an organization you can rally around, and it’s great for the city, too. Wouldn’t it be cool if New Orleans got to host the NBA Finals? I’m all for Byron Scott and George Shinn and that little point guard whose name I can’t remember.
Craig attended the Thunder opener and wrote, “If this team doesn’t show a better effort, the attendance will only average 15 to 16,000 by the last quarter of the season. I mean this FIRST season. That team is bad.”
I agree, the team is bad. But I think the fans still will come out in Year 1.
James wrote about the Thunder’s game-day presentation: “You may not remember back in the 60′s (I think), there was a movie called Thunder Road with Robert Mitchem (and his son). If my 70-year-old memory serves me correct, there was a music score played when they were on the road running from “revenuers”. The beat may be a good one for the team.”
Consider it passed on. And you’re right. I may not remember the ’60s.
Barb, our Hornets-made NBA fan, wrote about the Thunder’s opening night. “Game lost because of opening night hoopla! Isn’t that a first? It’s Oklahoma, where we expect the unexpected, so I guess it should come as no surprise that although most teams feed off the energy in their arenas, our team chokes on that same energy in the first game. Should we fans put bandannas over our mouths and gloves on our hands to muffle the noise?”
No. That theory about the Boomers struggling because of opening-night hype was silly. Not enough height had as much to do with it as too much hype.
Terry wrote about my idea that the Thunder will be a unifying force in OKC: “Hate to disagree with you, but rather than a uniter, I think the Sonics are a divider. The circle I run with, except those who don’t live in OKC, are still miffed that their taxes are going to support billionaires and millionaires at the expense of the poor. Wonder how much all the hoopla today is costing me in the way of city forces doing extra work for it. Over and under for the Sonics to be here: nine years. Here’s hoping for an 0 and 82 season. Way too much of the shrinking sports pages devoted to this Johnny-come-lately team.”
So I guess those tightwads in that circle you run with are miffed that Ford Center ushers and parking-lot attendants and Bricktown waiters are seeing a lot more work. Yes, I would hate to do anything that helps people making $25,000 a year.
Rob is an analyzer of all things OKC, even though he now lives in the Dallas area. Here’s what he wrote about the Thunder: “I am a Thunder fan. I like this about the OKC Thunder: the strong local ownership and leadership. Chesapeake, SandRidge, Devon, a big bank (MidFirst) and The Oklahoman. These major deep pockets care about the city. The Thunder has a great thing going for it with the local ownership team.”
Glad to be of service.
OK. On to college football. Ralph, a Penn State fan, said, “You still keep dogging Penn State, indicating that Texas would beat them by 40 points. I humbly disagree. Remember what Penn State did to a high powered Miami offense in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl (Lions 14 — Miami 10). No one gave Penn State a chance that night. I see the same scenario setting up again this year. One other thought. Go back to 1977, OU-Texas game. They ranked #1 and #2 going into that game in October. OU had a good offense with Thomas Lott at QB, and Texas had Earl Campbell, who won the Heisman that year. Final score: Texas, Oklahoma 6. Only 1 TD was scored with those big offenses. Anyway, my point is Penn State could hold Texas to less than 17 points.”
OK. Let’s go back to 1977. OU and Texas weren’t ranked 1-2 when they played. They were ranked 2 and 5. OU that season opened with a sloppy win over Vanderbilt; the week before Texas, the Sooners beat Kansas 24-9, and that was a bad Jayhawk team. That was not a great OU offense, at least not in October. Texas was carried by defense, too; its two biggest games were won 13-6 and 13-9. Which looks a lot like Penn State 2008. And what happened to OU and Texas in the post-season? Notre Dame beat Texas 38-10, and Arkansas routed OU 31-6.
Jim wrote, “After watching Penn State and Ohio State play, I think neither one of those guys could play a down in the Big 12.”
Oh, I think either one could win the Big 12 North.
Dave is still down on Brent Venables: “The OU coaches that are left have no prayer of being offered a big-time college coaching job. The true talent has been picked up and are long gone (Leach, Mangino, Mike Stoops). Tell it like it is! We are not that good! We’re not a solid team! Yes, would be nice to be undefeated but, we’re not and more losses are very likely. We are in no way deserving of a No. 4 rating. Our defense is so bad and shows no QB lit us up (over 500 yards!!!). How bad would it be if Tebow or someone of his caliber is passing on us? We wouldn’t have a prayer of stopping them. It would be a repeat of the USC beatdown.”
I love amateur historians. Does anyone remember that when Kansas hired Mark Mangino, the prevailing opinion among Sooner fans was that KU had done OU a big favor by taking Mangino off its hands. The truth was, Mangino was a heck of a coach, and so is Venables.
Marc, a Texas fan, wrote, “I will be disappointed if OU is ranked ahead of Texas after the Horns beat them head to head. Voters tend to forget things as the weeks go by. Texas should be fourth and OU fifth, but I doubt OU moves down after a big win. Bama, PSU, Tech, Texas, OU. Texas might even be third in the BCS, but I doubt it.”
You forgot about Florida, my friend. You forgot about Florida.
Sorting out the Big 12 tiebreakers
Provided the contenders win all their remaining games against non-contenders, here are the Big 12 South possibilities:
IF TEXAS WINS OUT
If Tech beats OSU, OU beats Tech & OSU beats OU: Tech wins.
If Tech beats OSU & Tech beats OU: Tech wins.
If Tech beats OSU, OU beats Tech & OU beats OSU: BCS ranking determines. OU would have the inside track.
If OSU beats Tech & OU beats Tech: Texas wins.
If OSU beats Tech, Tech beats OU & OSU beats OU: BCS ranking determines. OSU would have the inside track.
If OSU beats Tech, Tech beats OU & OU beats OSU: Tech wins.
The parameters change if there’s an upset. The most difficult game involving a contender but not both is Texas’ Nov. 15 game at Kansas. If the Jayhawks upset the Longhorns, here are the Big 12 South possibilities:
IF TEXAS LOSES ANOTHER GAME
If Tech beats OSU, OU beats Tech & OSU beats OU: Tech wins.
If Tech beats OSU & Tech beats OU: Tech wins.
If Tech beats OSU, OU beats Tech & OU beats OSU: OU wins.
If OSU beats Tech, OU beats Tech & OSU beats OU: OSU wins.
If OSU beats Tech, OU beats Tech & OU beats OSU: OU wins.
If OSU beats Tech, Tech beats OU & OSU beats OU: OSU wins.
If OSU beats Tech, OU beats Tech & OU beats OSU: OU wins.
