November 23, 2008

A look at the Big XII resumes

If you haven't heard, the Big XII South division is tied and -- potentially -- going to be determined by pollsters and computers. But before we get to that point, here's a look at the resumes of the three championship candidates.

Texas, Texas Tech and Oklahoma have completed their round robin, with all teams going one-and-one. Texas went on the road twice, beating Oklahoma on a neutral field and losing with one second remaining on the road at Texas Tech. Oklahoma lost to Texas on a neutral field and smashed Texas Tech at home. Texas Tech beat Texas at home in the final seconds of the game and went on the road to get wrecked by the Sooners. If all the records are even, the Longhorns certainly get a slight nod for having played both marquee games on the road.

So how did they lose? Texas Tech got their hides tanned by Oklahoma. The Sooners lost by ten to the Longhorns. Texas got beat by the Red Raiders when UT dropped an interception, giving TT one final play which went for a touchdown. Each outcome amounts to a loss, however, Texas had victory slip through their fingers (literally) while the others lost more substantially.

Texas, in my opinion, has run the gauntlet. They had four top-eleven teams back-to-back-to-back-to-back, a run that hasn't been endured by any national champion in years. The Horns beat OU, beat Missouri, beat Oklahoma State, and then lost with one second remaining at Texas Tech. Nothing that the Sooners or Red Raiders have endured even remotely resembles UT's stretch run.

Looking deeper at the resumes, the Sooners have wins over 1-11 DI-AA Chattanooga and 0-11 Washington, as well as BCS ranked TCU and Cincinnati. OU was home for all of those non-con games, except traveling to winless Washington. Texas Tech beat DI-AA Eastern Washington (home), Nevada (road), SMU (road), and DI-AA Massachusetts (home). The Longhorns didn't play and DI-AA schools, but beat Florida Atlantic (home), UTEP (road), Rice (home) and Arkansas (home). Maybe this sounds like a trend, but I have to say that Texas had the tougher row to hoe, especially when you figure that UT was the only one of the bunch to play Missouri this year.

Texas Tech, by virtue of their epic FAIL in Norman, should be eliminated in the minds of BCS polls, leaving just the Sooners and Longhorns. Both have strong resumes, but I believe Texas' is moreso. Both deserve top rankings, but the Horns deserve the nod over Oklahoma.

Texas already owns what amounts to a tie-breaker over the Sooners, but it won't factor this year with three teams tied. That dog won't hunt.

As my playoff-advocating friends like to say... who beat whom? In this instance, Texas knocked out OU by a score of 45-35.

Advantage: Texas

Posted by Kevin Donahue

Comments:

A look at the Big XII resumes
If you haven't heard, the Big XII South division is tied and -- potentially -- going to be determined by pollsters and computers. But before we get to that point, here's a look at the resumes of the three championship candidates. Texas, Texas Tech and Oklahoma have completed their round robin, with all teams going one-and-one. Texas went on the road twice, beating Oklahoma on a neutral field and losing with one second remaining on the road at Texas Tech. Oklahoma lost to Texas on a neutral field and smashed Texas Tech at home. Texas Tech beat Texas at home in the final seconds of the game and went on the road to get wrecked by the Sooners. If all the records are even, the Longhorns certainly get a slight nod for having played both marquee games on the road. So how did they lose? Texas Tech got their hides tanned by Oklahoma. The Sooners lost by ten to the Longhorns. Texas got beat by the Red Raiders when UT dropped an interception, giving TT one final play which went for a touchdown. Each outcome amounts to a loss, however, Texas had victory slip through their fingers (literally) while the others lost more substantially. Texas, in my opinion, has run the gauntlet. They had four top-eleven teams back-to-back-to-back-to-back, a run that hasn't been endured by any national champion in years. The Horns beat OU, beat Missouri, beat Oklahoma State, and then lost with one second remaining at Texas Tech. Nothing that the Sooners or Red Raiders have endured even remotely resembles UT's stretch run. Looking deeper at the resumes, the Sooners have wins over 1-11 DI-AA Chattanooga and 0-11 Washington, as well as BCS ranked TCU and Cincinnati. OU was home for all of those non-con games, except traveling to winless Washington. Texas Tech beat DI-AA Eastern Washington (home), Nevada (road), SMU (road), and DI-AA Massachusetts (home). The Longhorns didn't play and DI-AA schools, but beat Florida Atlantic (home), UTEP (road), Rice (home) and Arkansas (home). Maybe this sounds like a trend, but I have to say that Texas had the tougher row to hoe, especially when you figure that UT was the only one of the bunch to play Missouri this year. Texas Tech, by virtue of their epic FAIL in Norman, should be eliminated in the minds of BCS polls, leaving just the Sooners and Longhorns. Both have strong resumes, but I believe Texas' is moreso. Both deserve top rankings, but the Horns deserve the nod over Oklahoma. Texas already owns what amounts to a tie-breaker over the Sooners, but it won't factor this year with three teams tied. That dog won't hunt. As my playoff-advocating friends like to say... who beat whom? In this instance, Texas knocked out OU by a score of 45-35. Advantage: Texas