{"id":4969,"date":"2017-11-02T21:36:25","date_gmt":"2017-11-03T02:36:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/?p=4969"},"modified":"2018-08-20T14:33:42","modified_gmt":"2018-08-20T19:33:42","slug":"bedlam-has-one-team-that-is-better-but-will-it-take-the-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/?p=4969","title":{"rendered":"Bedlam has one team that is better…but will it take the win?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Saturday at 3 PM Oklahoma travels to Stillwater to face their instate rival Oklahoma State in this year’s Bedlam football game.\u00a0 Both teams are seven up and one down with the winner still in control of their own destiny (where ever that ends up in the final standings) and the loser feeling the shame of a historic winning season down the fricken drain.\u00a0 It will be a beautiful day weather wise Saturday, but in the end, the Cowboys or the Sooners will think that it was a day of what ifs.\u00a0 And today, just a few hours before the kickoff, if anyone tells you that they have a handle on how the game will go, you are a fool in believing them. Yes, you can have your one\u00a0opinion and the following is mine.\u00a0 As a man that lives in a Bedlam family, remember you heard this from a\u00a0 poor Bedlam father,\u00a0got no more cause to lie.\u00a0 These will be the last words\u00a0 I will say about the game, as Francis Elroy Duffy would say, as I leave you a lesson on what will happen on the floor of\u00a0 T Boone Pickens Saturday.<\/p>\n
Oklahoma\u00a0Offense and Oklahoma State Defense:\u00a0 As I had said in a previous post, the team that has success in running the football should have a decided advantage and in winning this game.\u00a0 The Sooners are excellent up front and when they start punishing their opponents defense with the run, Baker Mayfield and the passing game is much more effective.\u00a0 CeeDee Lamb and tight end Mark Andrews are first line pass catchers and are the go to guys.\u00a0 Dimitri Flowers is also dangerous in all aspects of the game, an occasional rush attempt and also a superior\u00a0pass receiver\u00a0over the middle.\u00a0 He makes big plays when it is needed.\u00a0 Oklahoma State’s rush defense has had great success against Texas, West Virginia and some lessor teams this year, but found difficulty stopping TCU in their only loss. Oklahoma must rush the ball on a consistent basis, and if they try to wear down the Pokes and forget the pass early, it could be too late.\u00a0\u00a0 Look for an early key to be if OU is stopped on the ground.\u00a0 Check out how aggressive Lincoln Riley’s play calling is on their first two possessions.\u00a0 OU cannot allow the Cowboys to jump out to a two touchdown lead early. Playing catch-up is not good in this one as Oklahoma State is the best offense they will play this year.\u00a0 OU has to move the ball and three and outs early will cut into their offensive production and that could be fatal.\u00a0 As both teams want to control the clock as much as they possibly can, putting touchdowns on the board is a must.\u00a0 Better to score in two minute drives than come up empty in six minute drives. That goes for both teams<\/p>\n
Oklahoma State\u00a0Offense\u00a0and the Oklahoma Defense:\u00a0 State has an advantage here if he injury bug does not mess with the offensive line Saturday.\u00a0 TCU was able to stop the OSU rushing attack most of the day in that game but the starters are back for the Pokes and they will test the Sooners.\u00a0 Many are saying that the Pokes cannot be conservative Saturday but they will try to establish the run as OU will.\u00a0 The horror of the Sooner defense is that they cannot cover everybody that the Cowboys throw at them in the passing game and this could lead to quick long touchdowns.\u00a0 OU will be tested often and if the Sooners play like they did against the likes of Kansas State and Texas Tech recently, this game could get out of hand early.\u00a0 It would not be out of the question to see Oklahoma State up two, three scores by the half.\u00a0 It is all based on Mike Stoops defense. If they hold up and get three and outs OU will have an easier time of it Saturday. If not, there will be some big time grumblings by Sooner fans.<\/p>\n
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Keys to the game:<\/p>\n
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Baker Mayfield-Lincoln Riley can put his quarterback in some winning situations and the secondary player do their part by not dropping the passes and not fumbling it away OU is going to put point on the board. OSU defense is much better\u00a0than in the past\u00a0and get turnovers but that is on OU.\u00a0 Mayfield is the key for Sooner offensive success<\/li>\n
Rattle the quarterback, get in his face, and make him hurt-Both defenses need to be aggressive and try to put the hurt on the other team’s signal caller. If OU gives Mason Rudolph all day to pass their will be blood on Mike Stoops.\u00a0 With James Washington and his buddies, OSU, with time for Rudolph, can carve up this Sooner secondary. A stiff pass rush has to be and if Stoops has to bring the house he better bring the house because it will not matter if Rudolph has time to pass the ball.<\/li>\n
Do not count on the special teams to be kind to the field goal kickers-the team that has to rely on the field goal is half way to losing this game.\u00a0 Trust not either kicker.\u00a0 As for punting, OU has the edge this year.\u00a0 Look for a fumble or a serious mistake by the Pokes in the kicking game. It has not been a special year in the positive for OSU.<\/li>\n
Home field advantage-none, throw it out the window.\u00a0 Both team have lost on their home field and Baker Mayfield is great on the road (12-0).\u00a0 But here, no advantage.<\/li>\n
Coaching-You would think that Oklahoma State with an all-time school coach in Gundy would give them a significant advantage. My opinion is that both teams have good coaching and there is no advantage here<\/li>\n
Intangibles- Baker Mayfield for OU is a pure sure fire hell cat on the field.\u00a0 He is the man for OU.\u00a0 For the Pokes, if Mason Rudolph can find his receivers, OU will surrender great yardage and points to OSU.\u00a0 James Washington is not the best pass catcher in the country for no reason.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
I like a high scoring game that could, for OU’s sake,\u00a0 could start slow in the scoring.\u00a0 By the end, the points will add up and I see that this one could go one of two ways.\u00a0 If OU can limit the Pokes on the ground and give up few big pass plays\/dominate the trenches, especially the offensive line in pushing the Aggie defensive front back, OU can win a close but hard fought game.\u00a0 Oklahoma State must not waste possessions, and three and outs will cripple them.\u00a0 OSU offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich has to use a\u00a0altra- aggressive passing game Saturday, going downfield often, unlike the game last year.\u00a0 If the Poke offensive line gives Rudolph time, this will be a score fest.<\/p>\n
My thinking Oklahoma wins in a close shave 34 to 31.\u00a0 (OSU is a three point favorite)<\/p>\n
Feature Photo: David Britton-Stillwater News Press<\/p>\n
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