Just a great football game. I had it as a pick ’em game and the closeness of the game did not in any way surprise me. Georgia is a good ball club, as is OU, and when I look back at what is already being described as the best game of the year and the greatest Rose Bowl ever—I’m a little sad, but in no way have any regrets as a fan. OU had a great season, and quite frankly had three separate chances to win the game even after Georgia came back in the second half. Give Georgia credit, they made some plays.
Let’s be honest here, Big 12 defenses lack physicality, so I pretty much expected Chubb and Michel to have success, but not quite that much success. I thought freshman linebacker Kenneth Murray had a difficult game. Plus, OU’s kicking game was horrific if you objectively take the game apart. The bad squib kick giftwrapped three points to Georgia, the blocked field goal effectively ended the game, the inability of OU kick returner Jeff Badget on three straight kickoffs to get the ball beyond the 17 yard line in the third period denied OU field position , and the bad punt by Austin Siebert which led into Georgia’s tying touchdown all contributed to OU losing the game.
Baker Mayfield moves on. Kyler Murray will be OU’s starting QB next season. For me, if OU wants to aspire to win a national championship in this era of SEC dominance, it has to start with their linebackers. OU has to have linebackers with more physicality who can still run with the spread defenses of the Big 12
So…now we have two SEC teams in the championship game…yawn. I would guess it will be something like Alabama 20- Georgia 16. Snore. UCF should have an opportunity, a Big Ten team should have had an opportunity, and even a PAC 12 team should have had an opportunity. I’ve always been a proponent of an eight team field and still am. BTW…nice to see Josh Huepel land the UCF job.
Either way, it was a great season for OU. They just have to become better from a physicality aspect in a league which is basically a finesse tackling in space league. Maybe easier said, than done. Big 12 went 5-3 in bowl play, but collectively if the league wants to win national championships they all need to become more physical.