Florida State

Well, here are we are again reader(s). Mitch and I are, lets say, "not on the same page" when it comes to confidence this week. He predictably, is befuddled by the musings that FSU might actually be able to play with us or dare I say, beat us. I on the other hand, have sprained my neck nodding in agreement. Not really, mostly I reserve the right to question the Sooners myself. When media types suggest that FSU can hang with us, I spout prolific expletives and question all sorts of things relating to their mental status and genital fortitude.

Nonetheless, I'm quite worried about this one. As I alluded to in some email banter with Mitch this week, this game feels eerily familiar to me. To me, it feels like OU Nebraska 2000, when we re-cemented ourselves atop the college football universe by beating a #1 Nebraska team coming into our house. This has the pins set up in a similar fashion, and I certainly hope they don't fall in the same way.

FSU has presumably been taping calendars above the weight bench, listening to subliminal tapes etc. referring to this date. All since roughly one year ago when we absolutely kicked the shit out of them. They've improved no doubt. What worries me most about them isn't EJ Manuel, it's their defense. Yeah, Manual (another douchebag with initials for a name) is a great improvisor and the sort of QB that has given us trouble in the past, but I think he'll make some mistakes on the big stage (I fucking hope he does). Their defense however is coached by Mark Stoops. Who at this time last year was still in the early stages of implementing his system and was accordingly exposed by a great offense. However, as the season went on they got better and better. History has told us that if there is one thing the Stoops boys can do, it's design a damn good defense. That aside, they have some serious talent up front and in the secondary. My ass has puckered to inversion while writing this.

All of that doomsday gloom has led me to but one conclusion, we will win. Everyone keeps talking about how they return x number of players and they're experienced etc., but if anyone gives a shit, so do we. For the record, I'm in complete agreeance with Mitch that Tom Wort is suspect. He seems content on every play to lay out the hardest hit of all time. The only problem is he doesn't seem to care if it's the ball carrier, or if he misses completely. He has way too many missed tackles in open space. So I'm not thrilled with him either, he's not approaching Matt McCoy memorial Gas Rag status just yet, but he's certainly peering in the window. Also, I loved the Dominique Whaley/Allen Patrick comparison, well played. On to the picks:

Offense

Mitch is right, I'm not sold on Lonnie. Until he takes over in a true road game (e.g. today), then he's just not my guy. We've all seen the splits on home v. road stats for Lonnie this week, not pretty. But I'm optimistic (perhaps naively so) that another year under the belt will have evened those splits out and he'll play well today. I can't pick him however. I love the Broyles pick, spitting right in the face of the defense  who will no doubt be "keying" (real life football lingo!) on him most of the day. I hope Mitch is right, but I don't agree. I'm going to go, once again, with his battery mate so-to-speak in Kenny Fuckin' Shitbag Stills. Two weeks after making perhaps the worst offensive player of the game pick in the history of time (since he wasn't even in the stadium, though I was unaware of that suspension when I made the pick a week earlier), I'm sticking to my guns. I think Fuckin' Shitbag gets quite a few balls thrown his way in light of Broyles being the focus of the defense, and he does plenty with them.

An aside, I agree that the run game is crucial and more or less echo all of Mitch's sentiments on that front. I will make one prediction, Lonnie will throw at least one pick while trying to force one to Broyles.

Defense

I'm pretty nervous here as well. I think containing Manuel will be tough, but is manageable. The key will be the secondary, breakdowns like last week can't happen. It especially can't happen when Manuel scrambles and buys time. That's where the front four come in. I like our rotation there and I think they can do some damage. Which is why you can imagine the relief I felt when I saw that Mitch and I are going with the same guy here, Frank Alexander.  I think big Frank is going to have another really nice day. That said, I think Tony Motherfuckin' Jefferson also plays big and comes up with some kind of turnover today. He's wearing Soggy's 12, and frankly he's one hard Motherfucker.

I think this is going to be a (maybe) surprisingly low scoring affair. I think Lonnie struggles a bit, but I think their offense does as well. I think if we can avoid giving up big special teams plays (not a given), we can handle them well enough to win. I'm shitting bricks over this one, I'm not going to lie. The crowd will be tough, we will need some time to get our feet under us, and will have to withstand at least one furious second half charge. Sooners win, 24-21.

PBR's talls are iced. I'm pumped. Let's go out and beat these rotten motherfuckers.

Boomer to the Motherfuckin' Sooner.