It was a chance for Jackson Arnold to SHOW he was still the future at the QB position and for the defense to SHOW that maybe they should be considered elite. It was a chance for Interim OC Joe John Finley to SHOW himself to be someone who should be considered for the position full-time and it was a chance for Brent Venables to SHOW that he is capable of making important in-game decisions.
There was also a lot on the line Saturday night. A win would also make the Sooners bowl eligible. Would I be excited about watching OU play Rutgers in a meaningless game in mid-December, or the opportunity to add a Zaxby’s Wingz & Fingerz Bowl Game shirt to my collection? Maybe, maybe not, but that isn’t the point.
In today’s era of college football, the importance of being in a bowl game for any team isn’t about getting a free Walk-Man or a Pop Tart Bowl Game watch, it’s about gaining something much more valuable – which is the extra two weeks of practice that comes with playing Utah State in the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl.
Bottom line, the Sooners need one more win to be bowl eligible … and with games against Alabama and a trip to Baton Rouge to play LSU as the only games left on the schedule, there was a lot on the line last Saturday night against Mizzou.
With a little over 2 minutes to play, Sooner Magic had seemingly struck again. Following an OU drive that covered 75-yards in 12-plays to tie the game, Missouri running back Jamal Roberts coughed up the ball like he was an OU quarterback. Two rather fortuitous bounces and 43-yards later, OU safety Billy Bowman was taking a bow in the Mizzou end-zone. The Sooners lead by 7 with 2:00 to go in the game. For the Sooner Nation it should’ve felt like déjà vu … remember Auburn? Good, now forget it, because that is where the similarities come to a crashing end. I guess you could say the lead was to big a Burden, because OU simply crashed and burned. Sadly, with a minute to go in the game combined with having watched every second of this teams season, I made a prediction.
Bill … “there is still a minute left and we have two timeouts, maybe we can get into field goal position. Schmidt has already hit from over 50 tonight.” Me … “Sure, and maybe tomorrow I’ll start training to run in the Cowtown Marathon on Thanksgiving Day. Look, I’ve seen nothing from this team all year that gives me hope that they can go 40+ yards in a minute, especially with the game on the line. Unfortunately, a minute is also probably too much time to just take a knee. But you know what 1:00 is the perfect amount of time for? For Jackson Arnold to make a game ending mistake. I just hope the coaches see this situation like I do and try to play for overtime” Well, screw me.
Look, you know what happened next. You don’t need me to rehash it any more than you need me to come over and tell your young children that there is no Santa Claus. I've also never wished to have been wrong more in my life ... or at least that day, but I wasn't. The Sooners turned the thrill of victory into the agony of defeat. From Sooner Magic to Meltdown – the result of which, by all intent and purposes, brings an end to Oklahoma’s quarter century long bowl streak.
Somebody who likes to put stupid quotes on plaques or knit them onto pillows once wrote … “A loss is not a total loss, if you learn from your mistakes so that they don’t happen again.” While I’m more of a Lombardi “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing” kind of guy – for the sake of conversation, let’s say stupid quote guy is right. What did we learn Saturday in the loss to Missouri? Well, I'm glad you didn't ask, because I’ll SHOW YOU next.
UP IN A COUPLE HOURS …
Part II: Here Today – Gone Tomorrow
Just The Opinion of One Mildly Interested Guy
Buddy Putty
The Overweight Armchair Sooner
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