Amid all the challenges of playing a college football schedule in the year of a COVID pandemic—the Big 12 got it right heading into Saturday’s championship game at Jerry’s World.
Iowa State should be the No. 1A seed and OU should be the No.1B seed. What none of us know is whether with Ronnie Perkins, Rhamondre Stevenson, and a more experienced Spencer Rattler at QB is if that’s enough for the Sooners to beat the Cyclones in a rematch.
Two best coaches in the conference in Lincoln Riley and Matt Campbell. Two best QBs in the conference in Brock Purdy and Spencer Rattler. Two best defenses in the conferences since Ronnie Perkins’ return to the Sooners’ front seven.
The two best teams on paper and on the field
A tough game to handicap from a betting standpoint. But like most games pitting two even teams it should come down to who doesn’t turn the football over at a critical time. Who doesn’t take a really stupid penalty to extend an important possession.
You would have to give Iowa State the edge at QB, the edge at running back with Breece Hall, the edge with an alpha receiver in 6’6″ tight end Charlie Kolar, and a defense which was statisticly better than OU’s for the duration of the season.
There will be no home field advantage and the weather will not be a factor.
Mojo and swagger will not be a big deal. Iowa State under Matt Campbell has beaten the Sooners twice since 2016 and almost did it a third time. OU players won’t be able to look across the field and see Mike Gundy with that deer in a headlight look on his face with a neon 1-15 tag hanging around his neck. This is a different deal. Iowa State players know it and OU players know it. This is an Iowa State team which thinks it’s going to win the football game.
Here’s the one place where I give the Sooners an edge…place kicker. I think the Sooners might have an edge here. So for that reason I’m taking OU 31 – Iowa State 28 at Jerry’s World tomorrow in what should be a good football game and a proper ending to the Big 12 football season.