Yesterday went well after I woke up!LOL Going with the big boys USC and Georgia . Only wish I had woke up earlier cause I had all 6 right ATS..
8:30 West Virginia vs Oklahoma -Fiesta Bowl -Arizona
This game has more twists and subplots then a Stephen King novel. This writeup may have more pages then IT! Where does one begin ??? Oklahoma returns to the scene of the crime . A year later digesting all that took place it was a great game but I have always maintained the sloppy play of OU was the reason why they lost rather then Boise exceptional play. There is always a clear difference bewteen being beat and beating yourself.
Was it a monumental upset?? Not really IMO. Why do I feel that way ? The spread was 7 points if I recall correctly on a neutral field, when is a 7 pt dog winning SU considered a HUGE UPSET??? Not to mention it occurred in OT when Boise went for 2pt conversion and got it (so 1 pt win!)!! Boise in the past had done better then Hawaii versus major programs unlike the Rainbows. Though clearly no one schedules Hawaii . I understand the logic that OU wants to erase last seasons game BUT this is also not the Paul Thompson and Adrian Peterson Sooners. This is Sam Bradford and Allen Patrick's offense. I would assume that this is the biggest game of Sam Bradford's life and he is redshirt freshman. Where this is WVU 3rd straight bowl with there key offensive players.
Now we flip to the WVU drama after Rich Rodriguez stepped down to take the job @ Michigan . As an outsider from the CB scene I can say that no matter what a coach does they are in helluva a cluster fuck situation. Meaning the coach and teams involved. If your a BOWL team you cannot wait until this FOREVER Bowl season ends to take a big job just not gonna happen and you will be behind the 8 ball in your new program. So after the GaTech game I really caution these assistants taking over . Now Bill Stewart seems to be savoring the moment more then others in his position. Even though he has been excluded from the coaching search. This is still an audition and if you have any self respect you want to show well here. I like that he has praised OU and said they are the real #1 hopefully he gets WVU to buy into this as well. Clearly WVU needs motivation when everyone had already booked there trip to NewOrleans! From what I have read WVU returned tickets because many had already booked there trips to NO but were NON REFUNDABLE! OUCH!
Then we have the terrible loss vs Pitt . Can anyone see the problem with that game already ? If the fans had already booked there trips to New Orleans had WVU done the same ?? Naturally I mean did they look past Pitt and take the game for granted as a win?? Seeing that big spread next to your team maybe makes you believe its a done deal.
For all the haters saying how terrible the PITT loss was then you just did'nt watch Pitt football. Starting with Navy game we saw a different Pitt team. They did lose BUT they also played to win that day passing up a FG and trying for 7. After that they beat Cincy at home, lost by a TD @ Louisville but they blew that game as well as Howlings fumbled inside the 2yd line , beat Cuse , lost by 4 a Rutgers in a game they should have won , then lost at home to USF in a game they could have won. The main problem in there losses was the terrible QB play Pitt recieved. The fumble going for the tie didnt help @ Ville , the bullshit pass interfernce that took away the game winner @ RU didnt help , but the terrible play of Bostick vs USF was clearly the game decider vs USF. He threw 3 picks and had 2 returned for TDs and believe the other setup a score from the 1 yd line. Thats 21 pts given to them on top of all the momentum!
Now back to the upset @WVU. In Pitts losses vs Louisville , Rutgers and USF really the blame lies on them for beating themselves . However WVU clearly beat themselves that day. In started from the 1st quarter and just seemed to continue. WVU misses 2 FGs in the 1st quarter . Not long FGs either 20 and 32yders! That's twice in the 1st 3 possessions there were huge momentum shifts and points taken off the board. Great field position to start there 1st drive of the 2nd quarter at there 46 and FUMBLE!! Next possession was a punt then a long 74 yd drive for a TD. Meanwhile Pitt did very little on offense but managed to kick a 48 yder before half expired. So Pitt has to feel good at half play poorly and down just 7-3 and they get the ball to start the half. How do upsets generally happen ? You allow your opponent to hang around. They get a good kick return for nice starting field position and make a few timely plays to score a TD and take the lead. Remember through all this Pat White is OUT. After a punt Pitt again has good field poistion but will later miss a FG . After exchanging punts WVU pinned inside the 5 runs a few plays and another mistake the fumble. Good defense holds them to a short FG and 13-7 defecit. Next possession Devine gives them great field position inside the 35 but stalled at the 26 on 4th down since they cant make any FG's that day they go for it and come up short on 4th and 3. So forgetting everything that happened it could have been 13-10..after another punt WVU takes it to the Pitt 21 but since they needed a TD were desperate and White takes a bad loss to the 28 and doesnt convert 4th down. However at 13-10 its a FG opportunity in there. So very sloppy game by WVU and on top of that they lost White. Not such a terrible loss IMO because Pitt woke up the final 6 , 7 weeks losing all close games to Bowl teams. Now a team fighting for a National Championship should not lose to a rival on there home field but its college football and the talent level bewteen programs isnt always that different expecially in conference.
Now Oklahoma just from last years Boise game you know has trouble with a misdirection offense. Hope WVU knows that as well. Before I get into WVU we have to look at Oklahoma's season. On the road very UNIMPRESSIVE for such a talented team. They smoked Tulsa who has a terrible DEFENSE and couldnt even hang with UCF in two tries. They LOST @ Colorado as 23 pt favs. We saw Colorado get smoked by some upper level teams specifically Missouri. Being that it was on the road its clearly not the same to losing as Pitt on your home field with the Nat Champ game on the line but it is far off? Is Colorado better then Pitt?? I would say they are very equal. Pitts defense really flies under the radar. They beat Texas by a TD in the Red River Shootout. Remember Texas was being given no credit this season even up to there bowl game . How many here thought they would lose?? Also recall that Texas fumbled the go head TD late 3rd quarter inside the 5yd line! They trailed @ Iowa State 7-0 at half before winning 17-7 , 30 pt favs they couldnt even score 20 points that day! They lost to an okay Texas Tech team but Bradford was hurt early. Though it was TT beating up on them early . Granted they won the Big 12 championship vs an excellent Missouri team BUT I really dont think Missouri had much of chance that day. They were just off there HUGE WIN vs Kansas and to play back to back Super Bowl type games is alot to ask any college team. They had alot blowouts at home due to poor competition mainly and while they met A&M and Okie State both were mid pack Big 12 squads that really werent going to challenge an elite team. Okie State could beat a team in a shootout but OUs defense doesnt allow shootouts at home and A&M was just not very good IMO. Running game is overrated and the b play very average at best with an okay defense. Combination of a decent defense and solid running game but not much else. Which lost to a mid level Big Ten Penn State team recently.
So two keys when looking at Oklahoma is can they handle the misdirection WVU will give them on offense and can they improve there generally poor road play?? They have struggled vs some avg teams.
With WVU there schedule is weaker then OU's primarily because WVU didnt face Texas and Mizzou twice. Looking at the rest of OU schedule though it was weaker IMO then WVU. Really the only games that were even close were Louisville which mounted a late comback after being down 17 , USF and Pitt. The Cincy final is misleading thanks to 2 late TDs by Cincy who trailed 21-10H and 28 -10 late 4th q..really WVU play while it slipped on the road didnt dropoff that much. They started slow with an early start @ Marshall but destroyed them in the 2nd H . They won easily @ Maryland (31-7 late). Notice that both WVU losses were games that White left with injuries. Almost a flukish loss @ USF cause you had a pick 6 and busted play for 2 TDs in the 1st Half. USF at home is real tough. Smoke a terrible Syracuse team followed by smoking Rutgers which is tough to do in NJ and then beat Cincy fairly easily 28-10 late lead....
Now clearly WVU offense slips some vs better defenses because they tend to not get those big runs by White and Slaton that put points on the board in 40 seconds. The one key is there defense is much improved IMO!!!! You look at every good team they faced and only Louisville scored more then 14 points on them with there offense. Pitt 13 , UConn 21 but TD inside of 2 minutes down 47, Cincy 23 but 13 in the final 7 minutes down 28-10 , LVille 31 but 17 came after they fell behind 17 , just go on down the line ..Rutgers 3 , USF 21 but pick 6 , ECU 7 , Maryland 14 and a late TD....point is this defense is much improved over years past. You cant FAULT a team for having Brian Brohm in comeback mode drop back and move the ball on you.
The Question becomes does WVU want to be here?? I think more so then other teams in this position = YES. They are a veteran group and while disappointed they have a tough OU team to fight with that beating should be a nice consolation prize. However I do not know what to expect from the interim HC. You know OU will be trying to erase the memory of last years game but this team is NOT as good as that one, at least I dont think so. OU has also dropped 3 straight BCS Bowl games! So can we say they have failed in big games with unfamiliar opponents ? Nice WVU quote- "I think this is going to be the biggest game we have this (season) because of what happened," wide receiver Darius Reynaud said. "After coach Rod left, we got together as a team, and we've been sticking together." I have mentioned I feel tha WVU defensehas greatly imroved from years past I feel White's ability in the passing game has well. Which few mention.
Still researching this and working on it but have to see the value in WVU taking it @+ 7.5 . WVU has the experience and look what they did vs Georgia couple years back on offense. They had 500 yd of offense vs a Georgia team who allowed only 2 teams to get 17 or better that season...Ark 20 and Auburn 31. Look at there schedule it was beyond tough that season...and you have to like WVU in a bounce back spot...
I really like the fact that this sets up alot like WVU vs Georgia. The whole coaching situation is the main angle that scares me. Great teams win convincingly on the road IMO and OU DID NOT do that. Like I said there big way win wa MIZZOU and I thought the Tigers had ZERO chance that day so it was no suprise to me.
Play: WVU +7.5 or better :cheers:
Really what is left is to decide how much I like this play....
8:30 West Virginia vs Oklahoma -Fiesta Bowl -Arizona
This game has more twists and subplots then a Stephen King novel. This writeup may have more pages then IT! Where does one begin ??? Oklahoma returns to the scene of the crime . A year later digesting all that took place it was a great game but I have always maintained the sloppy play of OU was the reason why they lost rather then Boise exceptional play. There is always a clear difference bewteen being beat and beating yourself.
Was it a monumental upset?? Not really IMO. Why do I feel that way ? The spread was 7 points if I recall correctly on a neutral field, when is a 7 pt dog winning SU considered a HUGE UPSET??? Not to mention it occurred in OT when Boise went for 2pt conversion and got it (so 1 pt win!)!! Boise in the past had done better then Hawaii versus major programs unlike the Rainbows. Though clearly no one schedules Hawaii . I understand the logic that OU wants to erase last seasons game BUT this is also not the Paul Thompson and Adrian Peterson Sooners. This is Sam Bradford and Allen Patrick's offense. I would assume that this is the biggest game of Sam Bradford's life and he is redshirt freshman. Where this is WVU 3rd straight bowl with there key offensive players.
Now we flip to the WVU drama after Rich Rodriguez stepped down to take the job @ Michigan . As an outsider from the CB scene I can say that no matter what a coach does they are in helluva a cluster fuck situation. Meaning the coach and teams involved. If your a BOWL team you cannot wait until this FOREVER Bowl season ends to take a big job just not gonna happen and you will be behind the 8 ball in your new program. So after the GaTech game I really caution these assistants taking over . Now Bill Stewart seems to be savoring the moment more then others in his position. Even though he has been excluded from the coaching search. This is still an audition and if you have any self respect you want to show well here. I like that he has praised OU and said they are the real #1 hopefully he gets WVU to buy into this as well. Clearly WVU needs motivation when everyone had already booked there trip to NewOrleans! From what I have read WVU returned tickets because many had already booked there trips to NO but were NON REFUNDABLE! OUCH!
Then we have the terrible loss vs Pitt . Can anyone see the problem with that game already ? If the fans had already booked there trips to New Orleans had WVU done the same ?? Naturally I mean did they look past Pitt and take the game for granted as a win?? Seeing that big spread next to your team maybe makes you believe its a done deal.
For all the haters saying how terrible the PITT loss was then you just did'nt watch Pitt football. Starting with Navy game we saw a different Pitt team. They did lose BUT they also played to win that day passing up a FG and trying for 7. After that they beat Cincy at home, lost by a TD @ Louisville but they blew that game as well as Howlings fumbled inside the 2yd line , beat Cuse , lost by 4 a Rutgers in a game they should have won , then lost at home to USF in a game they could have won. The main problem in there losses was the terrible QB play Pitt recieved. The fumble going for the tie didnt help @ Ville , the bullshit pass interfernce that took away the game winner @ RU didnt help , but the terrible play of Bostick vs USF was clearly the game decider vs USF. He threw 3 picks and had 2 returned for TDs and believe the other setup a score from the 1 yd line. Thats 21 pts given to them on top of all the momentum!
Now back to the upset @WVU. In Pitts losses vs Louisville , Rutgers and USF really the blame lies on them for beating themselves . However WVU clearly beat themselves that day. In started from the 1st quarter and just seemed to continue. WVU misses 2 FGs in the 1st quarter . Not long FGs either 20 and 32yders! That's twice in the 1st 3 possessions there were huge momentum shifts and points taken off the board. Great field position to start there 1st drive of the 2nd quarter at there 46 and FUMBLE!! Next possession was a punt then a long 74 yd drive for a TD. Meanwhile Pitt did very little on offense but managed to kick a 48 yder before half expired. So Pitt has to feel good at half play poorly and down just 7-3 and they get the ball to start the half. How do upsets generally happen ? You allow your opponent to hang around. They get a good kick return for nice starting field position and make a few timely plays to score a TD and take the lead. Remember through all this Pat White is OUT. After a punt Pitt again has good field poistion but will later miss a FG . After exchanging punts WVU pinned inside the 5 runs a few plays and another mistake the fumble. Good defense holds them to a short FG and 13-7 defecit. Next possession Devine gives them great field position inside the 35 but stalled at the 26 on 4th down since they cant make any FG's that day they go for it and come up short on 4th and 3. So forgetting everything that happened it could have been 13-10..after another punt WVU takes it to the Pitt 21 but since they needed a TD were desperate and White takes a bad loss to the 28 and doesnt convert 4th down. However at 13-10 its a FG opportunity in there. So very sloppy game by WVU and on top of that they lost White. Not such a terrible loss IMO because Pitt woke up the final 6 , 7 weeks losing all close games to Bowl teams. Now a team fighting for a National Championship should not lose to a rival on there home field but its college football and the talent level bewteen programs isnt always that different expecially in conference.
Now Oklahoma just from last years Boise game you know has trouble with a misdirection offense. Hope WVU knows that as well. Before I get into WVU we have to look at Oklahoma's season. On the road very UNIMPRESSIVE for such a talented team. They smoked Tulsa who has a terrible DEFENSE and couldnt even hang with UCF in two tries. They LOST @ Colorado as 23 pt favs. We saw Colorado get smoked by some upper level teams specifically Missouri. Being that it was on the road its clearly not the same to losing as Pitt on your home field with the Nat Champ game on the line but it is far off? Is Colorado better then Pitt?? I would say they are very equal. Pitts defense really flies under the radar. They beat Texas by a TD in the Red River Shootout. Remember Texas was being given no credit this season even up to there bowl game . How many here thought they would lose?? Also recall that Texas fumbled the go head TD late 3rd quarter inside the 5yd line! They trailed @ Iowa State 7-0 at half before winning 17-7 , 30 pt favs they couldnt even score 20 points that day! They lost to an okay Texas Tech team but Bradford was hurt early. Though it was TT beating up on them early . Granted they won the Big 12 championship vs an excellent Missouri team BUT I really dont think Missouri had much of chance that day. They were just off there HUGE WIN vs Kansas and to play back to back Super Bowl type games is alot to ask any college team. They had alot blowouts at home due to poor competition mainly and while they met A&M and Okie State both were mid pack Big 12 squads that really werent going to challenge an elite team. Okie State could beat a team in a shootout but OUs defense doesnt allow shootouts at home and A&M was just not very good IMO. Running game is overrated and the b play very average at best with an okay defense. Combination of a decent defense and solid running game but not much else. Which lost to a mid level Big Ten Penn State team recently.
So two keys when looking at Oklahoma is can they handle the misdirection WVU will give them on offense and can they improve there generally poor road play?? They have struggled vs some avg teams.
With WVU there schedule is weaker then OU's primarily because WVU didnt face Texas and Mizzou twice. Looking at the rest of OU schedule though it was weaker IMO then WVU. Really the only games that were even close were Louisville which mounted a late comback after being down 17 , USF and Pitt. The Cincy final is misleading thanks to 2 late TDs by Cincy who trailed 21-10H and 28 -10 late 4th q..really WVU play while it slipped on the road didnt dropoff that much. They started slow with an early start @ Marshall but destroyed them in the 2nd H . They won easily @ Maryland (31-7 late). Notice that both WVU losses were games that White left with injuries. Almost a flukish loss @ USF cause you had a pick 6 and busted play for 2 TDs in the 1st Half. USF at home is real tough. Smoke a terrible Syracuse team followed by smoking Rutgers which is tough to do in NJ and then beat Cincy fairly easily 28-10 late lead....
Now clearly WVU offense slips some vs better defenses because they tend to not get those big runs by White and Slaton that put points on the board in 40 seconds. The one key is there defense is much improved IMO!!!! You look at every good team they faced and only Louisville scored more then 14 points on them with there offense. Pitt 13 , UConn 21 but TD inside of 2 minutes down 47, Cincy 23 but 13 in the final 7 minutes down 28-10 , LVille 31 but 17 came after they fell behind 17 , just go on down the line ..Rutgers 3 , USF 21 but pick 6 , ECU 7 , Maryland 14 and a late TD....point is this defense is much improved over years past. You cant FAULT a team for having Brian Brohm in comeback mode drop back and move the ball on you.
The Question becomes does WVU want to be here?? I think more so then other teams in this position = YES. They are a veteran group and while disappointed they have a tough OU team to fight with that beating should be a nice consolation prize. However I do not know what to expect from the interim HC. You know OU will be trying to erase the memory of last years game but this team is NOT as good as that one, at least I dont think so. OU has also dropped 3 straight BCS Bowl games! So can we say they have failed in big games with unfamiliar opponents ? Nice WVU quote- "I think this is going to be the biggest game we have this (season) because of what happened," wide receiver Darius Reynaud said. "After coach Rod left, we got together as a team, and we've been sticking together." I have mentioned I feel tha WVU defensehas greatly imroved from years past I feel White's ability in the passing game has well. Which few mention.
Still researching this and working on it but have to see the value in WVU taking it @+ 7.5 . WVU has the experience and look what they did vs Georgia couple years back on offense. They had 500 yd of offense vs a Georgia team who allowed only 2 teams to get 17 or better that season...Ark 20 and Auburn 31. Look at there schedule it was beyond tough that season...and you have to like WVU in a bounce back spot...
I really like the fact that this sets up alot like WVU vs Georgia. The whole coaching situation is the main angle that scares me. Great teams win convincingly on the road IMO and OU DID NOT do that. Like I said there big way win wa MIZZOU and I thought the Tigers had ZERO chance that day so it was no suprise to me.
Play: WVU +7.5 or better :cheers:
Really what is left is to decide how much I like this play....
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