Campus Clash
(4) Oklahoma Sooners at (18) Baylor Bears
Oklahoma: So before the first set of playoff rankings were revealed, I honestly had them on the two line behind Georgia. That’s what I predicted on Twitter before everything was released. I was shocked to see them way outside of the top four. The committee had them at number eight! Don’t forget something: They have the longest winning streak in college football! 17 wins in a row and counting to be exact! I can honestly sit here and say to you that if Spencer Rattler is still starting, they’d have a loss or two in that column and would be an afterthought for the playoffs. Lincoln Riley made the right decision by sticking with the hot hand and remaining with Caleb Williams who came in during the Red River Rivalry showdown with Texas. Since that game, they’ve never looked back and you see a complete difference with the offense. Under Spencer, I noticed the lack of possessions along with being punched in the mouth. Also, they weren’t converting on third downs which also hurt them. Anytime an opportunity presents itself to move the chains, you take advantage of it. With Caleb, they look more potent and the most important thing, the Sooners are taking care of the football. I always say this when discussing this team. If they had the same intensity on defense as they do on offense, this is the scariest team in the nation. They travel to Waco on Saturday morning.
Baylor: For years, I’ve been clamoring for a few names to get their shots at becoming a head coach. Brent Venables at Clemson has been one. He’s one of the best, if not, the best defensive mind in all of college football and guys play hard for him. I also said the same thing about Dave Aranda. For years, he was the defensive coordinator for many teams. Wisconsin was one of them and LSU most recently. When Matt Rhule left Baylor for the Carolina Panthers, the university decided to hire Dave. Last season was a struggle for him, but this year has been a nice one for him and his team. To succeed in the Big-12, you must be able to score when you have the chance to do so. The Baylor offense averages 36 points per game. They have an equal amount of balance to push the ball down the field. The defense only gives up 20 per contest which isn’t bad considering the conference because some teams will allow as many points as they score themselves. You always run into one of those offenses that can score at the snap of a finger. That’s this Baylor group. I really like quarterback Gerry Bohanon. He’s a leader and that entire football team takes after him. Even when Rhule was still coaching the team, people were raving about this kid and they had nothing but good things to say. On Saturday morning, they return home for a big game.
Oklahoma X-Factor: Nik Bonitto– On a defense that’s been abysmal this year, he’s been the only shining point. He’s by far their best defensive player. He can affect the play in many different ways. Nik can bat the ball down, swarm to the ball in run defense and drop back at times. His specialty is rushing the passer and he finds different ways to get to the quarterback. Every rush isn’t the same which means he can mix things up.
Baylor X-Factor: Trestan Ebner– He’s a running back you don’t hear much about in the conference. Trestan’s field vision is something. He can reverse fields with ease. I’ve seen plays where he can bring an entire defense with him then cut up the field in a completely different direction. Trestan has the speed to outrun any defense. They’ll feed him the ball to keep that Sooners offense on the sidelines.
Final Thoughts: This could be the first of two battles between these two. The second could possibly take place in the conference title game. Expect points to be scored in this one. The last time Oklahoma played, they were just sliding by the Kansas Jayhawks of all teams. When you have a chance to put bad teams away, put them away! No excuses! The Sooners offense has been on a tear since naming Caleb the starting quarterback. It won’t be easy for the Sooners to run the ball. This will be the toughest defense that Oklahoma will face all year long. Aranda will dial up many different looks to pressure Williams. If I’m Baylor, I’m attacking this Oklahoma passing defense as often as I can. They don’t force turnovers. No need to worry about that.
Prediction: Oklahoma 38, Baylor 30
