LSU

 Here we are my friends, the last game of the season and it’s a big one. After a bleak middle of the season sitting at 2 losses and facing a run of 3 very good, ranked conference teams, including on the road at (then) #4 Alabama, our beloved Sooners have done what they haven’t in so long, TCB. Yet with 1 regular season game remaining, a loss in said game would dash all hopes of a meaningful postseason and a win, well, dare I say?

The obnoxious LSU tigers come to Norman this week for their first ever appearance there. No fan base has done more with less as it pertains to arrogance relative to actual success (except maybe Ole Miss). Make no mistake, they are a very good team and this will be a very tough test to close the season out. But after living in New Orleans for a few years, one gets rather tired of hearing about LSU football. There is plenty on the line here for the Sooners, but that added layer especially has me anxious for this one. Nothing would make me happier than an OU postseason game(s), but if it comes at the expense of an LSU team, all the better. 

Offense

Let’s start with this, Ben Arbuckle is an atrocious play caller. He seems to have no awareness of game situations for down and distance or series to series, let alone in the broad perspective of the entire game. The OU offense isn’t good, but he definitely doesn’t do them any favors. My prediction of them running the ball last week couldn’t have been farther off. So what am I doing? Doubling down of course. I think that Xavier does it this week and maintains the type of ball country so sorely needed with a good defense. 

Defense

Speaking of this Unit (that is with a capital U); where do I start. Missouri is definitely one dimensional, and that QB was horrendous, but man they really shut them down. Zero second half rushing yards allowed against what is easily the best run game in the country. For this week, I’m going to say David Stone. Dude is an absolute beast, I think he makes his presence “felt”.

Score

The line as of me writing this is OU -10.5. That feels absurdly high. LSU has a good defense and see above regarding our offense. The only way I could even remotely see us covering is 12-0 with four FGs. So no. I think that LSU comes out with something to prove and nothing to lose, this is a dangerous combo for a team with their talent. But I think the OU D does enough. Sooners hang on 17-14. 

Boomer to the Motherfuckin Sooner

Missouri

 What a week last week was. Beating the might Crimson Tide on the road in a primetime matchup. It felt like 2001 again (wow I am old). I savored that for a few days this week, no question. But, back to the present and a sneaky good Missouri team coming to town. This has all the makings of a letdown week. Mizzou is tough, they have a  great run game (you may have heard) and they have nothing to lose. I'm sure nothing would please them more than to come in to our house and ruin our playoff hopes, and ergo, season by my calculations. I think this will be hard fought, and if OU can escape with win I will consider ourselves lucky.

Offense

The OU offense has been mostly abysmal. They were no better last week, let's be honest. The defense and special teams are the only reason we stole a W in tuscaloosa. Matteer has been, um, not good. Let's leave it at that. He, and by extension the offense, simply has to be much better if we want to continue this run. As has been oft mentioned, Missouri comes in with one of the best running games in the country. I think we counter today with our own running game and the X man. Xavier Robinson has a big day after Arbuckle takes two hits of LSD this morning and hallucinates his way to actually handing the ball off regularly.

Defense

It all starts on this side of the ball. Unlike last week, the key will be stopping the run game. It's an interesting flip of the script in terms of defensive focus. I think the guys adjust and I think Owen Heinecke is in the thick of it all day long. I like him for approximately one shitload of tackles today and a no doubt DPG.

Score

This is going to be a grind. I think Mizzou hangs around the whole way making for a very uncomfortable day. In the end I think OU does enough to survive this wake-up call. Sooners eke it out 22-21. Let's keep it going.

Boomer to the Motherfuckin' Sooner

Missouri Tigers vs. Oklahoma Sooners

Happy Saturday, Sooner fans. The Sooners, fresh off a massive win in Tuscaloosa, host the Missouri Tigers and find themselves in the thick of the college football playoff hunt. The Sooners need only to win out to get in. That's easier said than done, however, as the Tigers are a pretty dangerous football team and the Sooners, if they aren't careful, could be ripe for a letdown and upset. If you've read the blog for any appreciable amount of time, you'll know there's no room for such gloom and doom around here though. We see the world through crimson colored glasses so on we go.

OFFENSE

John Mateer continues to do enough to win and last week, crucially, he didn't turn the ball over. Alabama did and that was the difference in the game. Pretty simple. Taking care of the ball, along with some cohesion along the offensive line, is the best thing that can be happening to this offense right now. The freshman trio of Michael Fasusi, Ryan Fodje and Eddie Pierre-Louis are going to be anchors for the next couple of years.

The Sooners need to take a long view, without overlooking anybody, and approach this game as the next step in the evolution and establishment of what this offense really is and needs to be for a playoff run which means taking care of the football, staying ahead of the chains and having 3rd and shorts. 

Today I think the Sooners will try to pound the ball against Missouri and they'll definitely take some shots to Isaiah Sategna. In fact, I think I'll pick Sategna as my OPOG. He about gives me a heart attack with his ball control, but he's a star in the making.

DEFENSE

Missouri's running game is elite. Ahmed Hardy is the nations leading rusher. Fortunately, the Sooner defense matches up well to this style of play. While you can say every game it all starts with stopping the run, today you can definitely say it starts with stopping the run. 

The Sooners depth up front and physicality should be enough to keep the Tigers in check. However, if the Tigers meet with some success, it could result in some time consuming drives that turn this game into an ugly slog.

I don't know that Mizzou has a good answer if the Sooners turn them into one dimensional passers. I'm certainly not scared of their personnel.

Today I'll take Owen Heinecke for my DPOG. He's been a maniac lately and should rack up double digit tackles today.

THE SCORE

I'm glad the Sooners are back home and can have the crowd help prevent a let down after a big win last week. The work is still ahead of them, but the Sooners are in prime position to make the playoff.

If they take care of business today, I can see them handling the Tigers by a couple of scores.

Sooners 27, Tigers 17

Boomer to the motherfuckin Sooner

Alabama

 Our beloved Sooners find themselves traveling to the hostile environs of Tuscaloosa today with everything they wanted still on the line. OU is currently 11th but squeezed out of the playoffs if they were to start today due to other conference bids superseding their ranking. Alabama, after a season opening loss, hasn't bothered to lose again and are all the way up to 4th in the country. A win on the road would certainly move the Sooners up a few spots in the rankings, and deservedly so. A loss, well, that would have us curious which mid-december fast food/lawn care/autoparts bowl we'd be heading to. In short, everything is on the line here.

After a surprising and ultimately meaningless (to the Sooners) win at home against Alabama last season, the Crimson Tide are no doubt anxious to avenge us. They sport a gaudy record in spite of having a mediocre offense and by extension offense. Their D however is excellent. This sounds a lot like a texas team we lost to earlier. I'm nervous.

Offense

I just did a quick google search and it turns out that you can't win games if you don't score. So, this side of the ball is important. Mateer started off the year looking like a heisman winner. After breaking his hand in the Auburn game, he's looked like a participation ribbon winner. This can't stand if we are to make the playoff. As much as Xavier Robinson and the run game are critical to the success of the offense today (and every day), I'm saying Mateer has a great game today. I think he makes some mistakes but comes up in the clutch. I like him for OPG. 

Defense

R. Mason Thomas is doubtful to play today. Normally this fact would have escaped me and I would have picked him right off. Maybe it's a bad sign that I'm not. The defensive line will be the crux of things on this side of the ball, if they don't step up, this is over before kickoff. I think they do and as a result, I think they force Ty Simpson to make some bad plays. I like Courtland Guillory to be the benefactor of this. I think the true freshman gets a pick today, and does a great job against a very tough alabama WR room.

Score

Whew brother, this is going to be a ball buster. I almost hate that we beat them last year even though it was fun. We have everything to play for and so do they. This game is huge on both sides with the added revenge factor and home field for Bama. But, we have the nobody-thinks-we-can-do-this factor and I'm a homer. I think the Sooners pull the big upset, 24-17. 

Boomer to the Motherfuckin' Sooner

Oklahoma Sooners vs. Tennessee Volunteers

 Happy Saturday, Sooner fans. Today, the Sooners are in Knoxville, TN for a Black Out night game against the Vols. The Sooners, fresh off a hard fought loss at home last week, are now truly fighting for their season. 

The Sooners have to put it all together tonight to have any chance.

OFFENSE

Last week the Sooners found something in the running game in the second half with Xavier Robinson before panicking late and abandoning it completely. John Mateer was serviceable, but the fact is he's not a great decision maker and his touch is a C at best. 

Also, the Sooners have dynamic playmaking ability with Deion Burks, Isaiah Sategna and Jaren Kanek, who are often open and, as a group, are not getting enough good opportunities in the open field. 

Finally, the offensive line is absolutely the weakest unit on this football team. Ole Miss got pressure with a 3 man rush at times. Think about that.

Today, the Sooners need to figure out the run game early and give Mateer some simple reads. Get the ball out quick, get one of the three dynamos out in space, commit to the running game. It's a simple game.

For my OPOG, I like Isaiah Sategna to bounce back from a brutal fumble that irreversibly turned the tide in favor of Ole Miss last week. 

DEFENSE

If the Sooners hope to win any of their remaining games the Sooner defense simply has to be more opportunistic. At this point, they are still one of the better groups in the country. They are capable of getting pressure and they are good tacklers.

And yet there is almost a conservative aspect to this unit that is either coached or just part of who they are. The Sooners just don't take chances jumping routes or are not in a position to do so. 

I worry it's coached. If that's the case, we're sunk. You cannot win close games by being on the wrong side of turnover margin and the Sooner offense is good for two turnovers a game, easy. 

I'm not hating here. They are undoubtedly good enough to keep us in every game. They need to take chances in the secondary and not just chances trying to rush the QB.

I'll take Marvin Jones, Jr. for my DPOG

THE SCORE

I think the Sooners can come out of Knoxville with a win. I love that Seth Litrell might be tying boat anchors around the proverbial neck of Josh Heupel's offense. To win though, the Sooners have to win the turnover battle. They haven't done it all season, but they must do it today.

If they do, I'll take the Sooners 31, Volunteers 20

Boomer to the motherfuckin Sooner

Tennessee

 That was a pretty brutal loss to Ole Miss last week. On one hand, they played pretty terribly and had a chance at the end. On the other hand they lost a game they shouldn't have. Also, Lane Kiffin is a huge shithead. This isn't news (if you came here for that, there are, um, better options). Anyway, of the remaining games that was pretty much a must win as I would say the Sooners will have to run the table to have a shot at the playoff. A high flying Tennessee team isn't exactly the cure for what ails you in terms of the win column. The Sooner D has been good, but they have to be damn near perfect with the way the offense has been playing. The play calling on that side has been very questionable I would say. Continuing to run the same plays that don't work seems to be a resume builder for potential OC hires at OU. Similarly, going away from the only thing working last week (i.e. the run game) was baffling. OU had one good quarter offensively when they ran it down their throat. Otherwise it was BS gimmick plays and deep shots that never panned out. They'd better figure that out this week or it will be more of the same

Offense

Continuing my season long trend of picking the facet of the game that worked the week before, I'm going to go with a RB today. Matteer clearly has to be better, and if he isn't, the rest of the offense isn't likely to get much done. I'm hopeful that on reviewing game film from last week they might revisit that 3rd quarter when they ran with authority. I am going to switch it up though and go with Tory Blaylock this week. I like him to get going and get in the end zone.

Defense

I'm going to go with Owen Heinecke today. He's been a really good player all season for the Sooners and seems to consistently be around the ball when he's in there. I think he jumps a route and gets a pick today on top of a bunch tackles.

Score

I really don't like this game today. My head says this is Tennessee all the way, but my heart wants the Sooners so bad. I'm going to go against my better judgement and take OU 31-30 on a last second FG. Now let's get back in this thing.

Boomer to the Motherfuckin' Sooner

Ole Miss

 In what was nearly a "must win" in my opinion, our beloved Sooners TCB'd at South Carolina last week. The D was, once again, not fucking around. The offense finally found a run game. It was a wonderful follow to the shitshow that went down in Dallas. But, now the rubber meets the road so to speak. The boys start quite a stretch of opponents that leads off with the Rebels from Ole Miss. Kiffin's kids (if you will) are an unsurprising offensive machine. This will easily be the biggest test of the season so far. Both for the defense and the team as a whole. Kiffin has, also unsurprisingly, ran his stupid mouth insinuating that we've been stealing signs on defense and that is why the D has been so proficient. Meanwhile, I'm sure Saint Lane coaches with nothing but honor and so forth. Anyway, it was a stupid thing to say and feels like some bulletin board fodder to me. But it does touch on the crux of things today, can we slow down this prodigious offense? I think we can do enough to keep the O in it. We just need to Mateer and the gang (not to be confused with Kool) to put up enough points against their shaky D. To recap, we need to score more points than them. This kind of insight is what keeps you, the reader(s), coming back.

Offense

I was very pleased to see Tory Blaylock crack the 100 yard mark last week. If there is anything the offense has lacked, aside from consistency, it's a run game. I don't think these two facts are independent of one another. Mateer has been good enough (turnovers not withstanding), but he can't do everything. The threat of a power run attack keeps defenses honest and we need it to continue. I think it will today, but I still think it's the pass game that is the difference. I like Jaren Kanak to have a big day today and he gets in the end zone at least once.

Defense

This will easily be the biggest test on this side of the ball to date. Ole miss just lost to Georgia after scoring 40+ points. If they put up that many on our Sooners today, I think we're cooked. As always, it starts up front. Keeping pressure on their Q and shutting down the run is how we beat these guys. I like the big dog today, R. Mason Thomas to step up and have a huge game. 

Score

This is extremely unlikely to be low scoring grind. They will get theirs, but we have to limit them as much as possible. Most importantly I think, we have to force some turnovers (not exactly our strong suit) and of course take care of the ball ourselves. I think we do enough at home to take it, Sooners 34 Ole miss 30.

Boomer to the Motherfuckin' Sooner