Joe DuVall: (@Joe_DuVall)
It was a beautiful Fall Saturday in the year 2000, Meet the Parents was the number one movie at the box office, “Come on Over Baby” by Christina Aguilera was the number one song in the world, and number eight Oklahoma was taking on Bill Snyder’s second ranked Kansas State Wildcats. I happened to be playing in a baseball tournament that day, so when you looked up towards the stands all anyone could see was a sea of balding men with mustaches and white New Balances holding their own personal radios up to their ear. It was a very exciting time to be a Sooner fan growing up in Norman, Oklahoma.
At that point, the Wildcats were rolling and a perennial member of the top 5 in the polls and man, they were cool. Playmakers in purple blurred across the screen every time the Little Apple was on TV; Josh Scobey, Jonathan Beasley, Rock Cartwright, Quincy Morgan, and Aaron Lockett embodied the Je Ne Sais Quoi that would later be simply referred to as “swag.” I vividly remember my father explaining to me about how great of a coach Bill Snyder was and how tough it is to win in Manhattan, Kansas. Little did I know Bob Stoops would not only win that game, but the four sequential trips to Kansas State that followed.
The difference 15 years makes?
Before the 2000 KSU game, Oklahoma had just dismantled 11th ranked Texas 63-14 the week prior.
In 2015, the Sooners are coming off an embarrassing 24-17 loss to a reeling 1-4 Longhorns team that has lead pessimism to reign on the plains again.
Fortunately for Oklahoma, there are no Locketts left at Kansas State. No one on this Wildcats squad comes into the game with even 285 yards rushing or receiving. For reference, Dede Westbrook has 307 receiving yards and Durron Neal has 286.
However, Oklahoma is 115th in the FBS in penalties per game and has one of – if not the worst - offensive lines in the Stoops era and a defensive line that leaves a lot to be desired.
Kansas State is strong in the trenches and you can count on a Bill Snyder coached team being disciplined and playing sound football. Every intelligent football mind in the world would tell you to trust the smarter team that is better in the trenches.
Unfortunately for you all, you get me.
If this is a close game down the stretch, like I expect it to be, Baker Mayfield is a massive advantage for Oklahoma over Joe Hubener - who is going to struggle if he’s forced into obvious passing situations against this secondary. The key for the Sooners defense will be to hold up on first and second down and force the Wildcats into those difficult third-and-longs.
And Bob Stoops teams just play better with their backs against the wall and I can’t ignore his success in Manhattan (5-0) and coming off of regular season losses since 1999 (31-0).
Oklahoma – 27
Kansas State – 24
Austin Seibert gets his chance to be the deciding factor.
Eddie Radosevich: (@Eddie_Rado)
Once again Oklahoma heads to Manhattan a week after laying an egg at the Cotton Bowl.
While disappointing, the Oklahoma football program has become accustomed to bounce back wins in the Little Apple. Look no further than 2013. Following a shocking loss to Texas, Oklahoma bounced back with a resounding victory and in turn sparked momentum towards a BCS bowl berth.
This year's trip is no different.
Embarrassing. Stunning. Shocking. All descriptive of Oklahoma's performance in Dallas. Fingers have been pointed. Excuses have been made. Saturday we'll find out what the 2015 Oklahoma Sooners are made of.
It's one thing to talk about it. It's another to actually do it. 'Execute' as they like to term it in Norman.
Following tough losses to start the Big 12 Conference slate, Kansas State enters Saturday's contest in need of a win. So too does Oklahoma. The Sooners haven't started 1-2 in the conference since Bob Stoops first year in
Norman. Who wants it more?
A quick start offensively proves to be valuable for Oklahoma as they bounce back- yet again- in Manhattan. Baker Mayfield and the offensive starters spoke on it throughout the week ... tempo ... tempo ... tempo. What will be key the Sooners look to move quickly is Mayfield taking care of the ball. He's done a decent job of that through his first five starts. Hot Sports Opinion: Jordan Smallwood catches a receiving TD.
Oklahoma 38
Kansas State 30
Josh McCuistion:
I made my pick last week and felt good about it, honestly until waking up Sunday morning but the more you look at it the more you couldn't help but wonder - could Oklahoma find a way to mess this up? And in fact they did...
And thus, this week I sit here unsure of anything that I once thought I knew.
One thing that I do know? Bob Stoops doesn't lose in Manhattan, Kan., he doesn't lose after Texas week and he doesn't lose consecutive games in the regular season.
So one way or another I think Oklahoma comes out on top but it's for more than the reasons listed above. I've said it before Stoops is a terrible front runner. (And no I'm not sure I emphasized 'terrible' enough there.)
When you look through the years (particularly the last 5-10) the Sooners have taken fare more baffling losses than they have the defeats that were simply down to a team being better than themselves - though that happens more than Sooner fans are ever willing to admit.
In the end I just think that the advantages that Oklahoma has - namely playmakers on offense at quarterback, receiver, and running back far outweigh the areas where I think Kansas State could win out tomorrow.
The thing that comes down to a real question to me is can Oklahoma bounce back and look like the squad that, for the most part, just dismantled West Virginia or will we see more of a team that has struggled with penalties, dumb mistakes, turnovers and general poor football?
I just think in the end that Oklahoma has a little too much talent, and presumably too much pride, to throw out another performance like last week.
Then again, after last week...what do I know?
Oklahoma 30
Kansas State 20
It was a beautiful Fall Saturday in the year 2000, Meet the Parents was the number one movie at the box office, “Come on Over Baby” by Christina Aguilera was the number one song in the world, and number eight Oklahoma was taking on Bill Snyder’s second ranked Kansas State Wildcats. I happened to be playing in a baseball tournament that day, so when you looked up towards the stands all anyone could see was a sea of balding men with mustaches and white New Balances holding their own personal radios up to their ear. It was a very exciting time to be a Sooner fan growing up in Norman, Oklahoma.
At that point, the Wildcats were rolling and a perennial member of the top 5 in the polls and man, they were cool. Playmakers in purple blurred across the screen every time the Little Apple was on TV; Josh Scobey, Jonathan Beasley, Rock Cartwright, Quincy Morgan, and Aaron Lockett embodied the Je Ne Sais Quoi that would later be simply referred to as “swag.” I vividly remember my father explaining to me about how great of a coach Bill Snyder was and how tough it is to win in Manhattan, Kansas. Little did I know Bob Stoops would not only win that game, but the four sequential trips to Kansas State that followed.
The difference 15 years makes?
Before the 2000 KSU game, Oklahoma had just dismantled 11th ranked Texas 63-14 the week prior.
In 2015, the Sooners are coming off an embarrassing 24-17 loss to a reeling 1-4 Longhorns team that has lead pessimism to reign on the plains again.
Fortunately for Oklahoma, there are no Locketts left at Kansas State. No one on this Wildcats squad comes into the game with even 285 yards rushing or receiving. For reference, Dede Westbrook has 307 receiving yards and Durron Neal has 286.
However, Oklahoma is 115th in the FBS in penalties per game and has one of – if not the worst - offensive lines in the Stoops era and a defensive line that leaves a lot to be desired.
Kansas State is strong in the trenches and you can count on a Bill Snyder coached team being disciplined and playing sound football. Every intelligent football mind in the world would tell you to trust the smarter team that is better in the trenches.
Unfortunately for you all, you get me.
If this is a close game down the stretch, like I expect it to be, Baker Mayfield is a massive advantage for Oklahoma over Joe Hubener - who is going to struggle if he’s forced into obvious passing situations against this secondary. The key for the Sooners defense will be to hold up on first and second down and force the Wildcats into those difficult third-and-longs.
And Bob Stoops teams just play better with their backs against the wall and I can’t ignore his success in Manhattan (5-0) and coming off of regular season losses since 1999 (31-0).
Oklahoma – 27
Kansas State – 24
Austin Seibert gets his chance to be the deciding factor.
Eddie Radosevich: (@Eddie_Rado)
Once again Oklahoma heads to Manhattan a week after laying an egg at the Cotton Bowl.
While disappointing, the Oklahoma football program has become accustomed to bounce back wins in the Little Apple. Look no further than 2013. Following a shocking loss to Texas, Oklahoma bounced back with a resounding victory and in turn sparked momentum towards a BCS bowl berth.
This year's trip is no different.
Embarrassing. Stunning. Shocking. All descriptive of Oklahoma's performance in Dallas. Fingers have been pointed. Excuses have been made. Saturday we'll find out what the 2015 Oklahoma Sooners are made of.
It's one thing to talk about it. It's another to actually do it. 'Execute' as they like to term it in Norman.
Following tough losses to start the Big 12 Conference slate, Kansas State enters Saturday's contest in need of a win. So too does Oklahoma. The Sooners haven't started 1-2 in the conference since Bob Stoops first year in
Norman. Who wants it more?
A quick start offensively proves to be valuable for Oklahoma as they bounce back- yet again- in Manhattan. Baker Mayfield and the offensive starters spoke on it throughout the week ... tempo ... tempo ... tempo. What will be key the Sooners look to move quickly is Mayfield taking care of the ball. He's done a decent job of that through his first five starts. Hot Sports Opinion: Jordan Smallwood catches a receiving TD.
Oklahoma 38
Kansas State 30
Josh McCuistion:
I made my pick last week and felt good about it, honestly until waking up Sunday morning but the more you look at it the more you couldn't help but wonder - could Oklahoma find a way to mess this up? And in fact they did...
And thus, this week I sit here unsure of anything that I once thought I knew.
One thing that I do know? Bob Stoops doesn't lose in Manhattan, Kan., he doesn't lose after Texas week and he doesn't lose consecutive games in the regular season.
So one way or another I think Oklahoma comes out on top but it's for more than the reasons listed above. I've said it before Stoops is a terrible front runner. (And no I'm not sure I emphasized 'terrible' enough there.)
When you look through the years (particularly the last 5-10) the Sooners have taken fare more baffling losses than they have the defeats that were simply down to a team being better than themselves - though that happens more than Sooner fans are ever willing to admit.
In the end I just think that the advantages that Oklahoma has - namely playmakers on offense at quarterback, receiver, and running back far outweigh the areas where I think Kansas State could win out tomorrow.
The thing that comes down to a real question to me is can Oklahoma bounce back and look like the squad that, for the most part, just dismantled West Virginia or will we see more of a team that has struggled with penalties, dumb mistakes, turnovers and general poor football?
I just think in the end that Oklahoma has a little too much talent, and presumably too much pride, to throw out another performance like last week.
Then again, after last week...what do I know?
Oklahoma 30
Kansas State 20
