And, at this point is it really any surprise at all?
Interlude:
This is what is happening in Columbus Ohio (rough approximation)
And In The What The Hell Department
Like everyone else, I sort of had a feeling that an Oklahoma victory over Missouri was inherently possible, if not probable. That being said, I still picked Missouri to win the game, because I sensed some sort of tangible improvement last week over the team that took the field in Norman. As it turns out I was wrong about that. It is not entirely surprising. What was surprising, if not downright shocking, was Pitt knocking off West Virginia. But more on that later on.
Big 12 Championship
The game in San Antonio was the least interesting game of the “major” games of the day. The game played out, by and large, in much the same way that the first match up did. Oklahoma seized control early on, and they never really relinquished it. That is not to say that Missouri wasn’t in the game because they were, especially in the first half. They traded barbs early and often, the poise and control of Chase Daniel was evident from the onset, but Missouri was never able to completely seize anything more than a partial share of the momentum in the first half.
The second half was a completely different animal. Oklahoma made some adjustments to what Mizzou was trying to do, the Tigers did not do anything in anticipation for the adjustments the Sooners brought to the table. It was as if Pinkle and company, dipped as far into their bag of tricks as they could in the first half just to match OU. When the second half came around and OU showed some fresh looks, Mizzou had nothing to fall back on. Ponder this stat for proof, Mizzou had two second half drives that were not 3 and outs. One resulted in a punt, the other a field goal.
Backyard Brawl
Did not see this one coming, no one did. Honestly, who would, not even Pitt fans I dare say. First thing out the gate. Pat White going down was a problem, a massive, team crippling, upset rendering problem. There can be no doubt about that, but WVU was in serious, serious trouble long before he went down late in the second quarter. The bigger problem, the problem that manifested itself very early in the game was the play of the suddenly porous WVU defensive line. On the first play from scrimmage LeSean “Shady” McCoy busted a 12 yard gain. A harbinger of things to come. Pitt just wanted the game more up front, on both sides of the line. The Pitt defensive line, which has been very disruptive all year long took it to another level tonight. Pitt basically applied to same game plan that Cincinnati used against WVU, but with much better results. If you watched the Cincinnati game, UC was constantly in position to make plays for loss or no gain, but they weren’t able to make the tackles. What was the most shocking element, and thing that should be particularly galling to WVU fans is the fact that Pitt won despite never being able to attack where the Neers were most vulnerable, in the secondary. Instead they just pounded McCoy into the teeth of the defense again and again with surprisingly good results. The game is tough to define, quantify, or even comprehend, especially given the way Pat Slaton has been able to shred much more talented Panther defenses the past two years. Mystifying on a USC Stanford, and Michigan App State scale. For those keeping track of this sort of thing, Pitt is 3-4 in the Big East, the two wins coming against the two best teams in the conference.
SEC Championship
All of the talk coming into this game has been about Les Miles. Originally he was announced as hired at Michigan, at roughly 10:30. Two hours later it was announced that he had “agreed in principal” to a contract. With LSU? WTF indeed. Then, approximately one hour later, Les Miles unleashed the second instant classic Press Conference of the year.
While it certainly lacks the duration, and classic comedic effect of the epic Mike Gundy presser, it made up for it with Miles calling Kirk Herbstreit, more or less, a hack. Miles address was his 300, to Mike Gundy’s Troy. All in all, awesome. But there was a game to be played, an SEC championship to be won, and, though he surely did not know it, a statement to be made about the national championship. LSU went out, without Matt Flynn, and with a still hobbled and ineffectual Glenn Dorsey and took care of business in a very efficient, very methodical effort though, still lacking the sadistic streak that has come to be associated with this Tigers this year. though It’s been missing since the Auburn game, which coincides with the health Glenn Dorsey, consider that insinuation made.
ACC Championship
Did you notice that Virginia Tech won the ACC for the second time in four seasons? Did you care? Did you watch? I’ll admit it. I didn’t, I was too consumed with the UCF Tulsa game, and Kevan Smith’s breathtaking performance. So yeah, go Hokies.
USC
This is a team that is finally becoming what we all thought that they would be at the beginning of the season, and this is a team that no one wants to play right now. Not when they are healthy and firing on all cylinders up front and JD Booty is as efficient as he has been the past two games. I am very secretly wishing for a Georgia vs Southern California Rose Bowl, that would be an absolute slug fest.
Peace, I’ll post something when the bowls are announced Sunday afternoon.
