@BPrzybylo - After everything that has happened at Oklahoma in the last month, I don’t know, you don’t know, nobody truly knows what is left of the Sooners for 2021 in the Alamo Bowl vs. Oregon.
But we’re here. We’re in San Antonio for a bowl game for the first time ever, and Cale Gundy and Brian Odom are calling the shots with Big Game Bob running the show.
Embrace it.
Obviously, Oregon has its own coaching turnover turmoil, but there does feel like a shot in the arm for the Sooners because of the presence of Bob Stoops.
Now that won’t help OU’s defensive line try to get pressure and make life tough for a solid Oregon offensive line, but we’ll see what guys like Reggie Grimes and Isaiah Coe and Jordan Kelley can do when playing more snaps.
It will be hard to take much stock in the defense, especially with the staff not being finalized, but guys like Clayton Smith and Shane Whitter have been waiting in the wings. Hey, there’s no more waiting. Go get it.
Offensively is the intrigue. Not just for the present and future of quarterback Caleb Williams, but because maybe Gundy gets a little creative and sprinkles in some different looks here and there.
The receiver room is depleted, but there are still guys like running back Kennedy Brooks and receivers Marvin Mims, Drake Stoops and Mike Woods who can make things happen.
And they will. They would anyway, but add in the Oregon defensive number troubles, it should be a showcase game for the Sooners if their heads and hearts are still in it.
Williams accounts for four total touchdowns, and Stoops gets the send-off that he oh-so rightfully deserves and ‘avenges’ the loss to the Ducks from 15 years ago.
OU 34, Oregon 21.
@Eddie_Rado - This is what it's all about, ain't it? I'm excited. Sure it's not a College Football Playoff appearance. Sure it's not a New Years Six game. But Bob is back. I'll say it again. BOB IS BACK. After the last 29(ish) days in Soonerville ... I think we all kinda deserve this. What a ride it's been. Let's rewind.
In August we thought this was a team that could win a national title. Quickly reality hit. This wasn't a national title contender. Jokes on us. The season opener being moved from New Orleans to Norman. Yeah remember that? Feels like it happened 20 years ago.
It's been a strange season. Maybe it was all foreshadowing for what was to come. No one could have predicted this last month. From the Bedlam loss to waking up to a coaching search on the Sunday that followed.
Now we fast forward to present day. Brent Venables is back in Norman. In a lot of ways it feels like the Oklahoma program took a few steps forward. The Venables era won't start tonight in San Antonio but in a way it feels like it does.
To say I'm excited about the future would be an understatement.
I do think we see Oklahoma open things up a bit offensively. Why hold back? Cale Gundy is going to make the most of the opportunity. Same could be said for Brian Odom. On a personal level I'm excited for both of them. I have to think as graduates of the University they are excited to call the game.
Caleb Williams impresses. Drake Stoops scores a touchdown and his Dad greets him on the field. That's a moment I'm praying for.
Oklahoma 37
Oregon 23
@Josh_M - I'll be honest, I'm shocked we're here. Four weeks ago I thought I was living in some sort of surreal upside down world that rendered the previous three months-plus of football wholly irrelevant and perhaps simply a figment of our Norman-focused imaginations.
Then earlier this week it felt like this game was doomed, so to be here just hours shy of kickoff feels like some kind of threshold has been cleared.
Still though I find tonight incredibly interesting for a variety of reasons, most of which are the chance to see some young players thrown into new rules and see just how they handle that reality.
One guy I'm really interested to see if the Sooners find some time for, particularly if they can pull out ahead early and create some breathing room and that is offensive tackle Savion Byrd. I'm not even convinced he'll get a lot of run but the buzz has been good about him as of late so we'll see if he can force his way onto the field a bit.
Defensively, like everyone, I'm dying to see Clayton Smith get some extended run.
In the flow of the game it's tough to know what happens but I'd be lying if I said there isn't a feel of two offenses who are going to try and bully their opponents up front. Oregon has plenty of ability in the offensive run game but has shown tendencies to get pushed around on defense. The Sooners could have similar things said of them and that's before they lost the four of their five most consistent players in the front seven.
That said, I think Oklahoma has the most dynamic weapon on offense in Caleb Williams and that's going to be too much to overcome.
Oklahoma 42
Oregon 24
But we’re here. We’re in San Antonio for a bowl game for the first time ever, and Cale Gundy and Brian Odom are calling the shots with Big Game Bob running the show.
Embrace it.
Obviously, Oregon has its own coaching turnover turmoil, but there does feel like a shot in the arm for the Sooners because of the presence of Bob Stoops.
Now that won’t help OU’s defensive line try to get pressure and make life tough for a solid Oregon offensive line, but we’ll see what guys like Reggie Grimes and Isaiah Coe and Jordan Kelley can do when playing more snaps.
It will be hard to take much stock in the defense, especially with the staff not being finalized, but guys like Clayton Smith and Shane Whitter have been waiting in the wings. Hey, there’s no more waiting. Go get it.
Offensively is the intrigue. Not just for the present and future of quarterback Caleb Williams, but because maybe Gundy gets a little creative and sprinkles in some different looks here and there.
The receiver room is depleted, but there are still guys like running back Kennedy Brooks and receivers Marvin Mims, Drake Stoops and Mike Woods who can make things happen.
And they will. They would anyway, but add in the Oregon defensive number troubles, it should be a showcase game for the Sooners if their heads and hearts are still in it.
Williams accounts for four total touchdowns, and Stoops gets the send-off that he oh-so rightfully deserves and ‘avenges’ the loss to the Ducks from 15 years ago.
OU 34, Oregon 21.
@Eddie_Rado - This is what it's all about, ain't it? I'm excited. Sure it's not a College Football Playoff appearance. Sure it's not a New Years Six game. But Bob is back. I'll say it again. BOB IS BACK. After the last 29(ish) days in Soonerville ... I think we all kinda deserve this. What a ride it's been. Let's rewind.
In August we thought this was a team that could win a national title. Quickly reality hit. This wasn't a national title contender. Jokes on us. The season opener being moved from New Orleans to Norman. Yeah remember that? Feels like it happened 20 years ago.
It's been a strange season. Maybe it was all foreshadowing for what was to come. No one could have predicted this last month. From the Bedlam loss to waking up to a coaching search on the Sunday that followed.
Now we fast forward to present day. Brent Venables is back in Norman. In a lot of ways it feels like the Oklahoma program took a few steps forward. The Venables era won't start tonight in San Antonio but in a way it feels like it does.
To say I'm excited about the future would be an understatement.
I do think we see Oklahoma open things up a bit offensively. Why hold back? Cale Gundy is going to make the most of the opportunity. Same could be said for Brian Odom. On a personal level I'm excited for both of them. I have to think as graduates of the University they are excited to call the game.
Caleb Williams impresses. Drake Stoops scores a touchdown and his Dad greets him on the field. That's a moment I'm praying for.
Oklahoma 37
Oregon 23
@Josh_M - I'll be honest, I'm shocked we're here. Four weeks ago I thought I was living in some sort of surreal upside down world that rendered the previous three months-plus of football wholly irrelevant and perhaps simply a figment of our Norman-focused imaginations.
Then earlier this week it felt like this game was doomed, so to be here just hours shy of kickoff feels like some kind of threshold has been cleared.
Still though I find tonight incredibly interesting for a variety of reasons, most of which are the chance to see some young players thrown into new rules and see just how they handle that reality.
One guy I'm really interested to see if the Sooners find some time for, particularly if they can pull out ahead early and create some breathing room and that is offensive tackle Savion Byrd. I'm not even convinced he'll get a lot of run but the buzz has been good about him as of late so we'll see if he can force his way onto the field a bit.
Defensively, like everyone, I'm dying to see Clayton Smith get some extended run.
In the flow of the game it's tough to know what happens but I'd be lying if I said there isn't a feel of two offenses who are going to try and bully their opponents up front. Oregon has plenty of ability in the offensive run game but has shown tendencies to get pushed around on defense. The Sooners could have similar things said of them and that's before they lost the four of their five most consistent players in the front seven.
That said, I think Oklahoma has the most dynamic weapon on offense in Caleb Williams and that's going to be too much to overcome.
Oklahoma 42
Oregon 24
