Friday, November 24, 2023

TCU Horned Frogs vs. Oklahoma Sooners

Happy Thanksgiving, Sooners fans. I hope you all had a lovely day and have a terrific weekend in store. Today the Sooners tie a bow on the regular season in a special Friday tilt, at home, against the Horned Frogs. Last week the Sooners won ugly against BYU and lost both Dillon Gabriel to a concussion and Jackson Arnold's redshirt. It was a game the Sooners almost certainly would have lost last year. So while there is plenty to bitch about that needs to improve (game/clock management), it's important to remember that there has been some significant improvement this season. 

Alas, it's senior day in Norman, the Sooners will reach 10 wins with a victory today and they are still have a shot at making the Big 12 championship game. Let's go.

OFFENSE

My brother-in-law Kyle sent me an article this week that said DG is a no go against TCU and that he hadn't practiced all week. Kyle then said he saw DG practicing this week with his own eyes. An article in The Oklahoman says DG has been practicing and is probable. I think he probably goes today. 

Whether it's DG or Jackson Arnold, the Sooners have started rounding into form the last two weeks. Jeff Lebby seems to have realized that you need not rely so heavily on cute tricks and gimmicks when you have personnel that can play competent football. Gavin Sawchuk has been on beast mode, Drake Stoops is playing the best football of his life, Jaden Gibson and Nic Anderson are stretching the field. It's a simple game, really. 

Look for more of it today. I'm picking Drake Stoops for my OPOG. I've appreciated him but too easily dismissed the difference he makes. He really has had a remarkable year. On this, his Senior Day, he deserves some attention. I hope he goes for 100 with a score or two. None of that is a stretch.

DEFENSE

Kudos to this group for pulling the Sooner season out of the fire last week. Yes they gave up yards in chunks to a team that is not good at running the ball, but they got stops and turnovers when they had to. It's becoming a habit for them. 

I'm going to assume that TCU will be successful at something simple like a slant or RPO and it will drive us fans crazy. I would like to think our scheme is designed to tolerate success at something the opponent is not good at (like not worrying too much about a running attack) in order to take away everything else. I don't think we're that clever.

All this to say, we just need to keep getting stops when it matters and the occasional turnover from playmakers. Danny Stutsman is our best player and Billy Bowman is our best playmaker. I'm going Billy for DPOG.

THE SCORE

I laid out the plan last week. Win out, get help, win the Big 12, lose on national TV in the playoffs. It's all out there still. 

I like the Sooners big today on Senior Day. The best part; watch how few defensive players are playing their last game today. This team is young and this year could be a springboard for being truly in the discussion for the natty.

I'll take the Sooners today 35-10. Boomer to the motherfucking Sooner

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