K State

I didn't get to sit down and watch last week's game start to finish, but I did catch a good majority of it in bits and pieces. I'm most likely far from correct, but it looked to me like the defense did a little better. They're certainly far from elite, but with the offense the Sooners possess they don't have to be either. If they can just tackle and not give up 10 home runs every week, they should win. The blitzing looked to be far less frequent and certainly less predictable. In short, it seemed to be an improvement. But I temper my expectation as Mitch made a good point last week in that, we'll really know what's going on in a couple of weeks.

Speaking of tackling and not giving up home runs, the Wildcats of K State come to Norman this fine Saturday. Bill Snyder has carved out a legendary career based almost exclusively on fundamentals and not beating himself. Though his national relevance has certainly waned in correlation with his years of life, the Wildcats are still a sound team. Once a perennial thorn in OU's side, recent years have proven to be less of a test, but OU still needs to come strong today. With a tough road test against high-flying Tech next week, this could be a bit of a trap game. The Sooners still have everything they want in front of them, but not if they lose another game.

Offense

Another week and another significant injury. After losing Rod Anderson for the season earlier this year, RB was already a bit thin. Now Trey Sermon is likely out, though his injury seems to be of a mystery (at least to me) for the most part. The lack of a definite report from Lincoln Riley doesn't scream minor or that he'll be out there this week. Kennedy Brooks looked very good stepping in, but as with Anderson, it's impossible that loss isn't felt. In better news, it appears Hollywood Brown is good to go and that speed on the outside is huge. All of that is a lot of fluff in me getting to CeeDee Lamb as my player of the game. That guy is always making big plays, whether it's a long TD or a clutch 3rd down catch. I like more of it today against K State.

Defense

As I alluded to before, I have cautious optimism around this D now. It's classic addition by subtraction here. K State employs the dreaded running quarterback, long the checkpoint to the Sooners night of partying. texas' own Sam Ehrlinger looked like Jamelle Holieway circa '85, which was a lot of fun to watch for Sooners fans. Hopefully OU can play some disciplined defense today, stay in position, and not give up huge gains. I like Kenneth Murray today to make a bunch of tackles and force at least one turnover.

Score

This does feel a bit like one the Sooners could be looking ahead on. They got back on track against TCU last week, have a tough road test next week, and have nothing K State this week. Against a disciplined football team, that can be dangerous. But I think OU will have too much offense against them, despite them hanging around a little longer than the home faithful would care for. OU TCBs but just misses the cover and hits the over (OU -24.5, o/u 64.5) today 47-24.

Boomer to the Motherfuckin' Sooner

Iowa State

The Sooners travel to the bustling burg of Ames, IA, today to take on the Cyclones. If you were unaware that OU lost its only regular season game of last season against Iowa State, simply peek through your blinds, there is likely a bi-plane over your house dragging a banner behind it saying as much. In short, even in Louisiana I've been beaten over the head with this detail. It was a perfect storm of a bench QB being much better than even his own coaches thought, and a (marginal) defense being completely unprepared for him. This season, it sounds like (un)Kempt(beaver) may not even play due to injury. Regardless, I don't think the element of surprise will rear its ugly head again.

Last week was a win, but if there is such a thing, it was the worst kind of win. The kind where your Heisman hopeful (read: dominant) RB goes down for the year "with a knee." The "experts" and even Lincoln Riley seem to have downplayed this injury quite a bit. I was talking with Mitch earlier this week and we both agree that replacing Rod is no easy task. Yes, there are other weapons on the offense and even in the backfield, but he's clearly the best back on the team. That's not a loss that goes unnoticed. The question today is how much will Trey Sermon step up and can Kyler Murray take the next step as a passer to relieve some of the pressure off of the run game. Couple that with the first road test of the year and this is no key party in terms of guaranteed success.

Offense

So far the offense has (shockingly) not missed a beat from last year. It's a different style, and we can credit wunderkind Lincoln Riley for putting his guys in a position to succeed. The ball has been spread around nicely, presumably making it difficult for defenses to take away one particular weapon. As I mentioned before, injury has done those defenses a favor in taking away a big one. But I think Riley will adapt and I'm going to go with Trey Sermon today. I think he's heard the doubters and moreover, I think Riley wants an "I told you so" statement that the running game is still strong. This plays well for Sermon's confidence and for future opponents to know that even without Rod they'd better be ready for a run game. Sermon goes for 100+ and 2 (that's right, 2) TDs today.

Defense

If I were writing this same crap 15 years ago, defense would've been the fun part to pick. This season, albeit against 2 (so far) questionable opponents, the defense has looked...has looked...halfway decent? There, the kiss of death, so far I've dealt it to two players, now why not the whole unit? Today will present a tougher test I think, and the road factor always makes it tough, particularly if they have success early. One guy I've liked so far is Curtis Bolton. He beat out all-world recruit Caleb Kelly and has played well so far. Basically, I just guaranteed that he's out with severe food poisoning or he's spontaneously combusted.

Score

While the Sooners have given plenty of reason for optimism in the first two games, this is on the road against a pretty tough opponent. Iowa State has a good coach and these conference games are always a challenge. I think revenge is on the minds of the players for last season however, and I think Riley learned from last year that every opponent has to be taken very seriously. The Sooners withstand a close first half against a fired-up Cyclone team and pull away late to take this one, 41-24.

Boomer to the Motherfuckin' Sooner

OU - UCLA

I'm not trying to be hyperbolic but it's hard to imagine the Sooners coming out of the gates looking any better than they did last week against Florida Atlantic. The first team offense played a quarter and a half. The 1st team D pitched a shutout. Special teams had their first blocked punt in years and their first blocked punt for a touchdown since 2002. Kyler Murray was nearly flawless, Hollywood Brown was a beast, Rod ran for 100 on 5 carries or something ridiculous. And from the "Who the fuck is this guy" department, Lee Morris went and earned himself a scholarship.

The defense deserves a ton of credit. This humble blog is far from the only locale in the football universe to rightly doubt and lambaste the Sooners in recent years. Last Saturday, in person and on tape, the defense looked faster and was in better position more often than most games last year. It was stunning in a great way.

Best of all, the Sooners completely dorked a total skeezbag in Lane Kiffin. Fellow dingleberry Chip Kelly arrives this week to get his taste.

OFFENSE

I am going to assume that there have to be other defense's on the Sooners schedule that will have a better chance to flummox or otherwise disrupt Kyler Murray et al than FAU. However, I don't think it's UCLA.

If I were the Sooners I would do some variation of what worked so well last week which was establishing a lethal running attack to set up intermediate and deep shots. What I love about this offense is that it's not dink and dunk it's all out blitzkrieg. It's maximum pressure on the opposing D every single play.

I'm going to go with Rod this week for OPOG. I see him going over around and through the Bruins on land and in the air.

DEFENSE

Deep breath. It was one game but lots of players stood out. Curtis Bolton, Tre Brown, Tre Norwood, Bookie, Parnell Motley, Ronnie Perkins. They need to build on this.

The UCLA offense was unable to do a whole lot against Cincinnati but it will be a nice test going up a Chip Kelly offense. Regrettably, I fell asleep trying to watch the UCLA-Cincy game last week and really don't care to know too much about the UCLA offense. Apparently they have a pretty decent tight end.

For my DPOG I think I'll go Ronnie Perkins. He's a true freshman with a great name and he was flying around last week. Let's see it again, young fella.

SCORE

I like the Sooners big here. I can hardly type on account of my crimson colored glasses. It was so fricking hot last week and the Sooners looked so sharp this 1st team Fan didn't even last a half. This team is good and at home the Bruins don't have a shot.

I'll go Sooners 59, UCLA 17

Boomer to the motherfuckin Sooner

UCLA

As far as new quarterback era debuts go, it would be tough to do better than last week. An allegedly solid FAU squad proved to be more the consistency of butt mud. OU plowed through them and around them and over them with strikingly little resistance on their way to a dominant blow-out. That a FAU returned 10 of 11 starters on defense, carries some merit even. Even the Mike Stoops-led defense resembled something more than the usual collection of porcelain figurines strategically placed to look like a football team. But before we go sucking each other's dicks, let's keep in mind that this is FAU after all. And despite some preseason optimism, they are likely to be one of the easiest contests on the schedule. This week a likely more formidable UCLA Bruins team comes to town.

Here is the sum total of my knowledge of the UCLA football team: they lost their opener, they've had some (very) historically decent seasons, they wear a light blue/gold color combo that I hated as a kid but find mildly appealing as an adult. That they couldn't beat Cincinnati last week doesn't mean a ton to me as I know nearly as much about Cincinnati as I do UCLA. I'm certain though that if they were a real national contender this year, they wouldn't have lost. After saying all of that, I do assume they'll be a much bigger test for the Sooners. Hopefully the Sooners are firing on all cylinders on offense again, and the defense continues to play a passable version of itself and OU can keep rolling.

Offense

It's tough to decide who I would pick from last week if I had it do over again, though I don't think Rod Anderson's  absurd line would be a bad choice. Kyler Murray looked very good, but wasn't exactly tested. That said, I am going to go with the dynamic fellow this week. Will the running game be solid? Sure, I think so. But, I think UCLA will make this enough of a game that Murray plays more than 1.5 quarters, and as such puts up some pretty solid numbers. I think 300+ in the air and accounts for at least 3 touchdowns.

Defense

In keeping with tradition, I managed to pick a player who failed to start the game. It was slightly better than some past efforts in that Caleb Kelly is on the team, and is not injured. However, I did have my eye on Ronnie Perkins. He made several plays early and his name sounds like he could write one hell of a song about driving an 18 wheeler. Mr. Perkins, you now have the hex on you, you've been warned.


Score

Knowing nothing about UCLA makes this difficult, but the result will in all likelihood be as wildly off-base and inaccurate as most weeks. I think the Sooners TCB and put on a solid win. I do think they may come out slow as the script is flipped from last week, in other words everyone is expecting the world and UCLA has been given no chance. With that in mind I think the Sooners do yeoman's work and win it 41-24.

Boomer to the Motherfuckin Sooner

Florida Atlantic

We're back again loyal reader(s) for another year of the oft ignored/seldom read Steamroller. I am not sure how long we've been doing these posts but I'm thinking it has to be getting close, if not surpassing, ten years. Not a lot has changed save the forgettable and undoubtedly maligned audio/visual season. I could fairly easily go back and look up exactly how long it's been but that type of superficial research would break precedent of this half-assed site. Instead we'll press onward, facts and accuracy be damned. Welcome back. 

Last seasoned ended in unceremonious if not typical sooner fashion, with copious scoring and a steadfast refusal to attempt anything resembling defense. Several key players are gone from that very good sooner team none more notable than Baker Mayfield. When a player is drafted first overall, it's generally safe to say his replacement will represent a decline in production. For the first time in a few seasons QB is a question mark, however it's not a question of whom, but of how big that decline will be. Much of the luster has worn off of Kyler Murray since his freshman year at texas A&M. In part due to an underwhelming first year there, but also simply because time tends to create doubt, warranted or not. He looked good in tiny appearances last season, but teams gameplanning for him specifically represents a completely different obstacle. It will be interesting to see how he does. 

Offense

The aforementioned QB change aside, plenty has changed on the offense otherwise. Most notably the loss of key components on the offensive line. As any analyst worthy of an ESPN Under Armor high-school all-star game will tell you, this is where games are won and lost. Mayfield was great, make no mistake, but great protection and running game certainly help. Speaking of running game, last year's committee at RB slowly evolved into the Rodney Anderson show (who's inexplicable abandoning against Georgia cost OU the game in my opinion, but I digress), and what a show it was. That said the Sooners still possess great depth here. I'm a sucker for Trey Sermon who's a beast and it speaks to Anderson that he's gotten almost no hype going in to the season. WR looks well stocked and Calcaterra appears to be a capable replacement at TE. In this one however, I have to go with Anderson. Ball control will be essential against a fast paced, capable offense like FAU, and feeding Rod (really need a solid nickname here, The Rod?) will be a must. I think he goes for 150 on the ground and scores twice.  

Defense

As optimistic as I am with the offense, the defense is equally discouraging. I'm not sure where to find optimism, though I'm sure Mitchy can, yin/yang etc. Has anyone had a wider swing of adoration to loathing than Mike Stoops? I have ran the gamut with him and I've come to the conclusion that he's probably a great coach, coaching in the wrong era and unable to adapt. This could be a week one problem against a Lane Kiffin team that might as well be in the Big 12 with their style of play. Oh yeah, I'm supposed to pick a player here. I will go with Caleb Kelly. My main reasons are he has shown promise in the past, was a physically gifted recruit, and I'm 75% sure he's still on the team. 

Score

I think, as most do based on what I've read, that this will be a shootout. If OU comes to play defense in this one, let's just say it will be a welcome break of character. The last line I saw had OU -21, I would take FAU in that one, and I might now that Mississippi has sports books and I'm passing through there this weekend. I didn't see an over/under but barring something absurd I'll take the over. I do like the Sooners at home, and I think they do enough to win this in an angst provoking win. Sooners take it 47-33. It feels good to be back and it feels good to again say:

Boomer to the Motherfuckin' Sooner 

Sooners vs. Jayhawks

The Sooners do their best SEC impersonation this week when they simulate a late season bye week by playing a patsy. The Kansas Jayhawks are losers of 9 straight. It's hard to imagine a team that has raced faster back to the bottom after having made an appearance in a BCS bowl.

The Sooners need to stay healthy and "TCB". It would be a bonus if they could leave the outcome so little in doubt that as many players as possible get some "quality reps". The defensive backfield in particular needs to take this one quite seriously. Today could be the springboard towards galvanizing a very young secondary for the rest of the season.

OFFENSE

Is there a good way to describe being aggressively on cruise control? Whatever that is, is what the Sooners need to be today. They need to put the hammer down and be sharp. Motivation could be tough and they need to get on the board early. It'd be nice to see Baker get his arm loosened up by making some easy throws to some different targets. Maybe the offensive line can set the tone. Orlando Brown has spoken highly of the KU d-line in the past so I assume he'll be ready to play.

For my OPOG I'll go Rodney Anderson. Going into the season he would not have been in my top 7 list of difference makers on offense and he has been absolutely incredible. I'm real happy for this young man what with overcoming multiple years lost to injury. I think he'll run rough-shod over a discombobulated and overwhelmed Jayhawk defense.

DEFENSE

This D needs a break but that should not be confused with rest or complacency. It's actually the opposite. They need a break from looking like hammered dog shit and hanging on for dear life. They need to be crisp. They need to figure out what they have going forward and they, above all, need some confidence.

This is an opportunity to do all of that and more. As mentioned previously there are guys up front like Amani Bledsoe that they are still trying to work into the rotation. The secondary could see three freshmen starting. They need reps, reps and more reps. It's regrettable that, at some point, this team will need Jordan Thomas to step up and be ready. So if/when he gets a chance maybe he can have some success. The Ghost of Parnell Motley might want another chance.

The point is this could be chance to reset, regroup and lock it in for the rest of the season for this group. It's a big day for them.

For DPOG I'll go dartboard style and take Kenneth Mann. I hear his name every now and then. I'm not even sure if he'll play today. Sounds perfect.

THE SCORE

This just needs to be a business trip. TCB on offense, reset on defense. It would be a total waste to come out flat, uninterested and leave Lawrence less prepared for West Virginny next week.

I'll take the Sooners 56-10