My Prediction: Florida 35-34
I had to pick the Big Bowl score almost a month ago and said Florida 35-34. My reasoning was simple: After the Fiesta Bowl last January, I said I wouldn’t pick the Sooners in a bowl again until they won a bowl.
So I didn’t.
But I really don’t have a feel for this game. I think it could go almost any direction. OU blowout. Florida blowout. Close game won either way.
I think the kicking game remains huge, and not just the kickoff coverage fiasco. OU’s net punting is not good. OU’s field goals always are an adventure. If Florida wins the kicking game by one touchdown, that’s a big margin to make up.
Not that the Sooners can’t do it. But until I see this bowl slump end, I can’t pick OU.
-------------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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Comments
You can love the Sooners and still think they will lose the game. The OU offense is amazing, but the defense and special teams are average at best. Long layoffs almost always hurt the offenses more than the defenses. Difficult to believe you can win a national championship with only a really good offense.
My gut tells me Florida wins big, but I hope the Sooners bring home their 8th national title. On a good note, my gut also said OU would lose to Florida State and beat LSU and USC.
Good luck Oklahoma!! Boomer Sooner!!!
If long layoffs hurt offenses, then Florida is in more trouble than OU. They start their decline at a lower level. As for the defensive might of Florida, they’ve never met an offensive line that gives the receivers so much time to “uncover;” too many quality receivers for them to “hang with” this time. OU may, indeed, suffer a loss, but it will be the band bus, not the football team. Those Miami fans are merciless on non-combatants.
Good comments Tramel, I am an OU alum, and feel much the same way…I just hope its a good game, win or lose, I just don’t want to get lit up like we did in the USC game.
The larger issue has to be addressed on two fronts. The first is obvious…we need a playoff. The second is maddening…why is there soooo much time between the end of the season and this game?!? Many of the bowl games this year have not been up to par for the teams playing…The first half of the OSU-TX game was horrible…second half was better…but really, I think both of those teams are better than their first half performances. There is just too much time off between the end of the regular season and the bowl season.
Basketball starts its postseason on the weekend following the season ending tournaments…football should follow suit. End the season on the 1st of January!
Boomer Sooner! I hope, HOPE that Chokelahoma stays away!
I’m a Sooner fan in Fernandina Beach FL… work with 25 Gator fans. I think it’s OU over Florida 42 – 24. What’s funny is the Georgia Bulldogs, FSU Seminoles, Auburn and Virgina Tech fans are ALL for OU! Boomer Sooner!
Berry, dang it, I wish you could’ve been wrong for a change. I’ve lived & died with the Sooners for nearly all my 53 years. I was in the OU Band. I’m an alumnus. But as much as this loss hurts, I’m not going to trash this team. Yes, we made mistakes in all three phases of the game (four if you count coaching), we missed a lot of opportunities, but we didn’t embarrass ourselves. Props to Florida. Game over. Season over. Surely another Top 5 finish for MY team, MY school. It could be worse, folks. We could be Utah fans. At least OU got a chance to win the crystal football.
Let’s look ahead to gathering in Arlington in September at Brother Jones’ new cathedral, and beating of BYU. Boomer Sooner!
Trammel, thank you for your pick. At least now OU will win this game.