Mid Season Bowl Preditions

It's about that time. The time of the year when college football looks far to into the future to predict who we'll be seeing in the BCS bowl games. Who will represent the SEC? Will Texas finish out their schedule unscathed? And, of course, what bowl will the USC Trojans be playing? All of your questions are answered with much speculation right here on "The Boomer Blog."

BCS National Championship

Alabama v. USC

- The prediction is bold. How could a team that left Seattle with a loss make it to the big show? Well, maybe they shouldn't. But TBB has a good feeling that a currently suspect Texas team won't make it through the rest of their schedule without a loss, and we're not even talking about the Big 12 Championship. The Longhorns have looked suspect against Texas Tech, Colorado and an Oklahoma squad who's only strength might be their defense. USC has had quality wins against Ohio State, California and Notre Dame. If you give the most talented team in the nation an entire season to impress they're going to do it.

- Alabama, on the other hand, looks to be the best team in college football, save a few struggles here and there by junior quarterback Greg McElroy. Mark Ingram has set a pace for the Heisman presentation in New York and the defense has remained one of the most dominant in the nation.

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl

Texas v. TCU

- This match-up is tricky. Will it be TCU or Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl? Well we're going to make a stab in the dark here and say that Boise will be awarded the Sugar Bowl with previously strong showings in recent years. TCU will finish undefeated with a gripe for a playoff but should be happy with a chance to prove their legitimacy against a strong Texas squad.

Rose Bowl

Iowa v. Oregon?

- Iowa is looking like the class of the Big 10 (whatever that means). The Hawkeyes still have quality games left on the schedule with Michigan State and Ohio State. But losing only one of these games will all but lock Iowa for the Rose Bowl. 

- This is where a monkey wrench is going to get thrown into the system. The traditional match-up here would be between the best available Big 10 and Pac 10 schools. If that scenario holds expect Oregon to make a trip to Pasadena as they have some real opportunities to climb the rankings before December.

Sugar Bowl

Florida v. Boise State

- TBB would bet the farm that Florida will be making a trip to the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. This simply isn't the Florida team of last year, but there is no doubt that if the Gators do go down it will be to 'Bama and only 'Bama. The Gators will win out and take one on the chest in the SEC Championship game putting them on path for a match-up in the big easy.

- Boise State doesn't have an opportunity to lose, which is why they will be on the outside looking in on the BSC National Championship. A win over Oregon doesn't make you a national championship team, Sorry Boise. They will still be able to enjoy a quality bowl and maybe make for an interesting game if they provide the nation with more BCS trickeration. 

Orange Bowl

Miami v. Cincinnati

- Miami will represent a lowly ACC conference against another surprising Cincinnati squad. Out of a handful of probable bad match-ups this might prove to be the best game of the lot. Nobody can say that Miami isn't fun to watch and college football is about to realize that Cincinnati is the Cinderella of the 2009 season.

Texas losing a game this season might be the worst possible thing that could happen to the BCS this year. Iowa, Boise State and TCU have more than a good chance to finish their seasons without a loss. Thus, all three will have a serious problem with being passed up by a team that lost the Washington. Unfortunately none of these teams scheduled OOC and will have to fall on their own sword for that reason.

Hard Times Hit Norman

What happened last weekend in Miami has raised already lingering questions about the players, the coaching staff and the Sooners will to win a football game. Oklahoma has folded like a lawn chair in every big game they've played in the last three years. And in the minds of Sooner fans, games against BYU and Miami this season are a sign that Oklahoma's big game blunders are far from over.

As Brent Musburger said in the third quarter of the Miami game, "Things have gone awry for Oklahoma."And Although the quote did not apply to the last three years of Oklahoma football, it might as well have. Things with the Sooners have been "awry" for some time now. Nobody needs to be reminded of that.

"The Boomer Blog" is not normally one to call out coaches because in most cases said coach is the coach for a reason, because they know football better than anybody. But in this instance, as well as others over the past three years, better play calling by Kevin Wilson absolutely would have won the game. And although we know that Wilson was playing conservatively at Miami because he was nervous about an inexperienced Landry Jones being picked off, there comes a time in every game you're losing where you have to find your balls, cross your fingers and pray for the best.

The funny thing about the offense against Miami is that when Wilson trusted Jones to take care of the ball and make plays, Oklahoma drove the ball for its only two scores of the game. Once in the first quarter and then again in the third when the Sooners looked like they were ready to break out of an offensive slump. 

Landry Jones has proven time and again that he can get up to the line of scrimmage and create the tempo by simply running the offense set in place. But Wilson refuses to trust the young quarterback, like he really had a choice. Just like he did at Texas Tech in 2007 with Joey Halzle.

But how quickly do Sooner fans forget that Kevin Wilson was the recipient of the 2008 Frank Broyles award? Without Wilson last season this team wouldn't have even been in contention for a Big 12 championship. 

Venables is in the same boat. The Sooners defensive coordinator seemed to have all the answers in the first three games, but apparently a good offense was the remedy to set things back to normal for Oklahoma. One thing remains constant in Venables' defense; when it really matters they can't make a stop. That's the absolute bottom line. 

Miami was eight for thirteen on third down conversions and in a number of those conversions not only did they move the chains, but were able to move the chains a considerable distance further than they needed to to pick up a new set of downs.

In the humble opinion of "The Boomer Blog," playing the blame game doesn't stop with the coaches. This season Sooner fans have seen two lackluster efforts by players that more than likely put Stoops and Co. in a bad position to begin with. 

Dominique Franks' blown coverage against Miami is a perfect example of the mistakes that Oklahoma players have been making since kickoff in Dallas. If there was a highlight reel of the top ten worst coverage blunders of all time Franks' man coverage on Graig Cooper would likely take honors at the one spot. It cost Oklahoma the game, period.

Trent Williams' leg whip in the fourth quarter hurt the Sooners as well. Oklahoma was in four down territory, but after a costly personal foul Wilson was left with a fourth and long that was considerably less manageable than the fourth and five or less he was hoping to end up with.

What is going on with the Sooners is more complex than anything you can put on paper, more than just skin deep. It has nothing to do with the ability of the players or the game plan set out by the coaches. And that is exactly what's frustrating Sooner Nation. 

The problem is that you can't put your finger on the problem. The Sooners are a ship with too many holes. As soon as you patch one up another breaks way.

But if you want to keep it plain and simple Oklahoma is playing without passion. And lighting a fire under a player's asses that have had a poor precedent set before them is probably the most difficult problem coaches have to deal with in college football. Especially if said coaches might also require the services of said fire.

This is nothing more than an overly talented and completely uninspired football team that is doing nothing but going through the motions and expecting to win football games off skill alone.

Unfortunately, none of us "outsiders" know what's really going on here. We don't know what's going on in the locker room and can't see what goes on behind the scenes. That includes the media. Anybody you hear talking about the real problem with Oklahoma is surely just some "knowledgeable fan" with little more than his own speculation to back up his argument. 

So, in regards to this season for all you self-righteous Oklahoma fans out there "The Boomer Blog" has a little advice for you. Get the hell over it. 

Stop being that Oklahoma fan that says, "I can't watch college football when my team is losing." Quit being that guy complaining about how this team, "Should be undefeated." Because if there is one thing that could make this team and this season any worse it has to be the incessant bitching currently coming out of the city of Norman. 

We get it! Believe us when we say that we're just as frustrated as you. But whining and complaining and "what if" scenarios aren't going to undo what has already been done. Those games are over, baby.

Instead, as real college football fans, and more importantly a real fan of your University, we should simply be excited that it's still football season. Because let's be honest, basketball is second rate.

Only time will tell if this OU team will decide to pull their jocks up and play with a little pride. But we're not counting on it.

Here's to hoping for a little Sooner Magic to finish this season out.

Post Miami

Sooner Nation,

Over the next day or so "The Boomer Blog" will be collecting thoughts on a team that simply seems like it doesn't have the cojones to win a game late. We know it's nothing less than disheartening watching this team and these coaches let games get away from them, we know. In the next few days TBB will be putting a column together that encompasses all that is going wrong with this team... so it's probably going to be a damn long column.

Baylor is coming up and since Robert Griffin has gone down with an ACL it's looking like these lack-luster Sooners will be able to win one at home before going into what should be another Oklahoma loss in Dallas. 

In Sooner Magic,

The Boomer Blog