Defensive Meltdown

After watching Texas A&M SHRED the Sooner defense, which has been guilty of many busted plays in pass coverage today, I can't help but think Oklahoma co-defensive coordinator Mike Stoops was more than a little distracted sifting through those potential job offers.

And aren't these assurances to the contrary just more proof?

So now it gets interesting for the BCS. There are now two undefeated teams left, Ohio State (who survived an upset bid today, but must still play #11 Michigan) and Miami (although the game with Virginia Tech could be trouble). You would think Oklahoma would be ranked ahead of most of the one-loss teams (including Texas, which it beat convincingly), but usually late-season losses to underdogs hurt more than early-season losses.

Personally, I'm hoping for Miami and Ohio State BOTH to lose, not because it gives Oklahoma a shot (they don't deserve a shot at #1 after their defensive performance today), but because it would blow up the whole system and make an eventual playoff system more likely.

Despite the Sooner loss, I really do love the Big 12. Any given Saturday, an upset can happen, and that makes things exciting. And R.C. Slocum may have just saved his job. Upsetting the #1 team in the BCS can help you that way.

I'm off to watch some music in El Campo, TX of all places. Should be fun.

PS Maybe the defense can take the game off against Oklahoma State again too, and send Texas to the Big 12 Championship a la 2001.

[Posted at 17:38 CST on 11/09/02] [Link]