OU vs. FSU

ESPN has themed this week, "Road Test Week". I think it should be "Statement Week".

Nothing like an early road test to send you either hurtling towards greatness or potentially derailing title hopes. Really, this sentiment is apropos for either the Sooners or the Seminoles. Who is going to take charge of their own destiny?

I'm not that nervous. Your 2011 Oklahoma Sooners are a veteran bunch and that means the world in college football.The Seminole locker room is talking about a return to glory, the Sooner players are talking about games like this being the reason they chose the Oklahoma. The X on your back, the prize in front of you, etc.

I sure do wish the Sooners had played a game last week though. Sure the bye gives you plenty of time to prepare and get people healthy but it's too early in the season for a break. You could argue that the Sooners facing each other in practice is a better test than what the Seminoles had last week but there is nothing better than game experience.

That said, I have it on good authority that these Sooners are ready for this one. If there was a game this season besides Texas that the Sooners are looking forward to it's this one. Gameday, national television at night, and a chance to show the country why they are ranked number 1.

Honestly, I haven't seen a team in the first two weeks that really stepped up and set itself apart from any other. LSU seems pedestrian. Alabama, meh. Where's the playmakers?  They are on the Sooners, damnit, and they are about to serve notice.

OFFENSE

The fundamental truth is that your stars shine brightest on the biggest stage. Baylor's Robert Griffin III is the only player I've seen really perform out of this world and in the spotlight. That changes Saturday night. Ryan Broyles is going to grab control of the Heisman race. Book it. And here's a spoiler alert: Get ready for a season of, "Can a wide receiver win a Heisman in 2011?" articles. Look, if Broyles lights it up this early in the season and has a signature performance in week 3, it's his to lose.

Now, that's not to say that this game is about Heisman front running. That's a bunch of crap. But, the Seminoles are going to throw the kitchen sink at trying to contain Broyles and if they fail (and oh! they will fail) that means they can't shut anybody else down either. That means trouble for Florida State. I am keen on trouble and havoc for Florida State. If the Sooner offensive line can keep Lonnie clean, and Lonnie can keep from smearing his own britches, the Sooners are golden.

Obviously Broyles is my pick.

I can't move on to the Defense without saying also that it's going to be huge that Dominique Whaley not be a one-hit wonder. Yes he's a Cinderella story, he came from nowhere and all that. That shit sells papers (or e-readers or whatever the fuck else). The Sooners have to have a ground game. Against Tulsa, I thought Roy Finch was suspended. I think he's back this week with a vengeance. But the Sooners must be able to run the football. I think Whaley can be better than Allen Patrick and I hope I'm right.

DEFENSE

So I was at Wakarusa this Summer and as we drive in we gave this kid a lift to his campsite and come to find out that he goes to Florida State. We should have kicked him out of the car but we're good people and we put up with his nonsense about how EJ Manuel is like Michael Vick if he made babies with Vince Young and every other run-first pass-average QB of the last twenty years. Here's the thing though; EJ Manuel is a Junior. Christian Ponder is a pussy and woefully overrated. If Manuel were "all that" he would have started. Plain and simple. You think the best quarterback on a roster isn't starting at 95% of all major colleges? Crazy talk. If you think I'm wrong that's you getting caught up in recruiting blabber. Coaches typically like their jobs. They get fired more than they quit. Playing your best players helps coaches keep their jobs. When I was watching LSU-MSU the other night ESPN compared EJ and Lonnie. EJ, for his career, has 6 TD's and 10 INT's. Dreadful on any level.

That's the key difference in this ballgame. Of course the Sooners have to, "stay disciplined", and "don't break contain" and, "know gap responsibility". All that goes without saying.

I'm nervous about the secondary of all things. Versus Tulsa, that's where the breakdowns happened. They can be corrected, of course. But the Sooners need to be the aggressor here and they need to force Manuel into some mistakes which he is clearly wont to do.

The Linebackers need to keep it up also. Whilst my colleague Navin is still not sold on Lonnie, I still don't trust Tom Wort. I'm not convinced he's a gamer. Sorry.

The OU Defensive line was much better against Tulsa than I thought they would be. They could be a serious strength and a source of headache for Offensive Coordinators. Dear God, please let that be the case on Saturday night.

I'm going to play keep up this week with my defensive pick. Frank Alexander was a man possessed against Tulsa, so I'm going with him. Buddy, you better believe the Seminole offensive line has their work cut out for them.

Before we move on, I'd just like to mention that the rumor is that none other than Tony M.F. Jefferson will be wearing Soggy Box's #12 this week. Um, I like that. Would it stand to reason that in Week 1 it's pretty obvious that you let Box's new position minder (Wort) wear #12 and in week 2 you give the honor to your defense's bellweather? That's how I'm thinking this works. From here on out it will go to the person who "grades out" the best on film until Old Steady comes back. He gets it his first week back obviously and then it's back to who deserves it the most.

THE PICK

Someone please tell me what Florida State has done to earn the #5 ranking? Sure they ended the season last year on a positive note. But they played in the ACC which. let's be honest, is barely deserving of a BCS bid if such things were determined on a yearly basis. And yeah Jimbo Fisher appears to be a rare example of the "Head Coach in Waiting" shtick actually working out. And Bobby Bowden might have given the 'Noles an emotion boost by announcing he battled cancer in recent years stoically, alone and like a man. But c'mon. This is a perfect example of why there should be no rankings until week 5. Also, if you're going to base expectations on what happened last year then shouldn't it matter if the QB who took you there is now holding a clipboard in the NFL?

I just don't see it. The crowd will be hyped but this is a business trip for the Sooners. It's not total domination but it's close.

OU 34 - FSU 24

Tip them PBR Tallboys and Boomer to the Motherfuckin Sooner