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When the Oklahoma Sooners lost to the Texas Longhorns 49-0, their chances at a trip to Arlington for the Big 12 Championship were all but destroyed. The Sooners had lost three straight games, which was something that hadn’t happened in over two decades.
After a bounce-back win against Kansas and a much-needed bye week, the Sooners are now 4-3 with five games remaining on their schedule. Bowl eligibility is within their grasp.
These aren’t the results Sooners fans are used to. Not this generation, anyway. The last time the Sooners had three losses in a season was in 2014, when they lost five games. They ended that season by scoring six points in a loss against Brent Venables’ defense in the Russell Athletic Bowl.
With Dillon Gabriel, there is a possibility that the Sooners win five straight and make it to the Big 12 Championship. It’s very unlikely. The odds for Oklahoma to win the Big 12 title are .01%, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index. However, there is a path. They need a lot of help to get there.
Oklahoma would have to win out along with TCU. Oklahoma State would have to lose another game in addition to Bedlam. Kansas State and Texas would need to finish with four losses. It’s a slim chance, but hey, there’s a chance.
With a tough schedule for the remainder of this year, all the Sooners can do is worry about who they have in front of them on the remaining five Saturdays of the regular season. Losing even one of their next five games will kill any remaining chance they have at the Big 12 Championship.
I guarantee Brent Venables isn’t telling his players, “ok guys, we just need to win two more games to make it to a bowl game.” He’s not saying that. He’s not wired that way. He wants to win football games, and there are five more to go.
So many players on the current roster will be back next year. I want to see how they play with their backs against the wall. I want these guys to give me hope that next year will be different. If the Sooners are mathematically eliminated from the Big 12 race, I want it to be at the end of the regular season, not this Saturday.
In the words of the late Al Davis, “Just win, baby.” That’s all the Sooners can do. Win some football games and let the chips fall where they may.
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By: Ben Dackiw
Title: With destiny out of Oklahoma's control, winning the next game is all that matters
Sourced From: soonerswire.usatoday.com/2022/10/26/oklahoma-sooners-football-brent-venables-big-12/
Published Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2022 14:10:16 +0000
