It’s never over till it’s over and these Sooners aren’t ready to pack in their CFP hopes just yet. It was shaky in that first period of tumult, but Brent Venables young men steadied themselves like a pummeled boxer in the corner from a knockout via the R Mason Thomas Scoop & Score and in reality pretty much dictated the terms the rest of the way in Knoxville as the Sooners prevailed in a mild upset by a score of 33-27.
OU improves to 7-2 overall versus the toughest schedule in CFS and 3-2 in the overall toughest conference of the four Power 4 conferences. True, Ohio State and Indiana are ranked higher, but the overall depth of the Big 10 isn’t nearly as deep and treacherous as the SEC.
This was the first game since John Mateer’s hand injury that in reality he really turned it loose with his running game. When Mateer can run as he did versus Michigan and Auburn, and as he did last night against the Volunteers—these Sooners are a different animal. Add to the running game mix is the fact 240 lb. running back Xavier Robinson is finally healthy again and doing what he did the back third of last season.
With Mateer now playing fearless again, plus the fact Xavier now has a two game streak of 100 yard plus games– these final three games of the regular season still offer a glimmer of hope for the Sooners to crack the Top 12 simply because I feel certain the Committee will reward a hot team on a late run with two losses who has the played the most challenging schedule of the combined 153 CFS teams.
OU thankfully has an off week now as that will allow both R Mason Thomas and linebacker Kobe McKenzie to get healthy for the Alabama game.
Lest we forget…last year’s national championship game featured two …two loss teams–Ohio State and Notre Dame.
Alabama hosts LSU next week-end. Maybe OU will get lucky and the dysfunctional Tigers will play inspired and physical ball versus the Tide and bang them up a little for the Sooners. To me…the key for OU versus Bama will be can they get their pass rush to Ty Simpson, and will the Sooners be able to RUN THE FOOTBALL ENOUGH to be two dimensional?
So many helmut stickers from last night….so here I so in this order….
1 John Mateer As JM goes the Sooners will go.
2 Kicker Tate Sandal Tate accounted for 15 points last night. Best kicker in the country so far this season.
3 R Mason Thomas Even though he got knocked out of the game his Scoop & Score was in essence a 14 point play.
4 Owen Heineke Toughest motherf–ker on the field last night.*
5 Taylor Wein Maybe the second toughest motherf–ker on the field last night.*
6 Kip Lewis Prolly MJ’s favorite player on the team these past two seasons.*
That’s it for MJ today. Maybe tomorrow or tonight I’ll talk about those two amazing LA Dodger game ending double-plays in Game 6 and Game 7 which gave them a repeat World Series championship. Will Smith was my MVP, Yamamota…a very close second.
Peace, love, and mercy.
MJ
- Footnote…below is what Owen, Taylor, and Kip gave us last night in Knoxville. More of this will be needed in two weeks if the Sooners are to derail the Tide on the road. Job well done last night, guys.