Bold fourth-down call nets Sooners a win

Ross: Guts and glory for Sooners
By Jim Ross

WWE announcer and big-time Sooner fan Jim Ross talks football and previews Texas Tech.

By Jim Ross As my late granddad used to say, the Sooners' 17-16 victory in College Station, Texas last Saturday night was a “stem winder”.

The win was highlighted by the uncanny football instincts of OU Head coach Bob Stoops, who chose to go for a first down on a fourth and inches play at OU’s own 29-yard line with 1:29 left in the heavy-hitting Big 12 South matchup. OU Coaches can publicly downplay the challenge of playing at Kyle Field, especially at night, but I don’t buy in to it and feel the one point win on the road, in the division, against a team with only one loss is a hellacious accomplishment.

A&M coach Dennis Franchione, who may get the best haircut award for Big 12 football coaches, will be second-guessed and perhaps rightfully so about his decision late in the game to throw on third and goal, and then kick a field goal instead of running the football utilizing Jovorskie Lane, the Aggies’ running back who looks to be a plate of baby back ribs away from 300 pounds. The ever-improving Sooner defense has to be credited for that questionable calling as it was obvious that A&M felt they could not score a touchdown on a rejuvenated OU defense and was hoping to win the game with their defense and another field goal.

I think that Coach Stoops has done one of his best-ever coaching jobs this year at OU, especially when one steps back and takes a look at the unpredictable and negative things that has challenged the Sooner Football program.

On a positive note, the Sooners had six players taken in the NFL draft. Secondly, starting QB and Holiday Bowl MVP Rhett Bomar and starting offensive guard J.D. Quinn were kicked off the team about a week or so before fall practice began. Then the best running back in college football, Adrian Peterson, suffered a broken collarbone and is out reportedly until the bowl game. (My fingers are crossed AD will be medically cleared to play against Oklahoma State).

Plus, underrated, starting offensive tackle Branndon Braxton broke his leg in the Sooners’ seventh game and is lost for the year, which necessitated Oklahoma starting a true freshman Trent Williams, at offensive right tackle.

Then we go on the road to Eugene, Oregon and thanks to incompetent officiating, the Sooners lose what will end up being a very expensive shafting. Enough said on that debacle.

Now with the team earning seven wins against only two losses, the opportunity to finish 10-2 is more of a reality that many cynics thought just a few weeks ago. It won’t be easy, but it is definitely doable.

The opportunity to play in the Cotton Bowl against perhaps LSU is a distinct possibility. If the Cotton Bowl, which will get the major renovation it needs to keep the OU-Texas game in Dallas thanks to the voters of Big D this past week, doesn’t pan out perhaps the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio will be our bowl destination this year, which would not offend me. Plus, there is a chance of a repeat performance in San Diego’s Holiday Bowl again depending on the outcome of our next three games. Bottom line, we're going bowling.

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