Nobody Knows Anything: Sooner swoon
It's Baylor's world right now. (Image courtesy: ESPN.com)
This week's games that made no sense to anyone:
Texas 33, West Virginia 16
This may be a score we can expect to see between these two teams in the next couple of years. Clint Trickett continued his struggles from the TCU game, and the Longhorns gained 227 yards on the ground.
Texas is at five wins now with Oklahoma State on Saturday. A bowl game (and bowl practices) in Charlie Strong’s first year could set Texas up for a quicker rebound than many were expecting.
For West Virginia, it’s a rude welcome back to earth. The Mountaineers are a talented team, and their dismantling of Baylor and going toe-to-toe with Alabama weren’t flukes. However, Dana Holgorsen’s team hasn’t shown that they can be effective and consistent through an entire season in the Big 12 yet. Perhaps we should never assume they can achieve that until they actually do it.
Texas A&M 41, Auburn 38
Just last week, the idea of a Kansas State-Auburn rematch in the playoffs did not seem that far fetched. That dream looks foolish now.
While the Wildcats fell victim to TCU, the Tigers finally had luck turn against them. Auburn turned the ball over three times and allowed a blocked kick to be returned for a touchdown. The Aggies also rolled up 453 yards as Auburn’s defense still looks to be a step below the best in the SEC.
You can look at this as a good win for Texas A&M, but this is the first time that the Aggies have looked competent since an overtime win over Arkansas in September. All this game means is that Texas A&M is talented and that Auburn is flawed.
Baylor 48, Oklahoma 14
There is not a lot that I can say about this particular game that has not already been said. It was a major disappointment for the Sooners, and it felt like a game that will necessitate some changes in the offseason.
The big picture, however: Oklahoma has not won the Big 12 since 2010. In that time frame, Texas A&M, Nebraska and Missouri left the conference, while Texas saw a slow, painful slide at the end of the Mack Brown era. There is no way that the last four years can be characterized as anything but a disappointment.
When you take a look at current facilities and recruiting base, it’s foolish to expect OU to compete for a national title every year. Losing the Big 12 to the likes of Baylor, however, is not as easy to swallow, and, for Sooner fans, it probably shouldn’t be.