Sometimes this Sooners football team is like Inspector Clouseau. You know, the Pink Panther investigator who manages to get his man in the end, despite being his own worst enemy.
Such was the case in Fort Worth on Saturday, when Oklahoma beat TCU 24-17, even though at times it seemed like the Sooners were falling off their own boat, running their car into a tree and landing their plane in the middle of a town square.
An interception. A muffed punt return. A missed field goal. Just when it looked like the Sooners would put this game away, they let TCU hang around. Literally to the last seconds of the game.
In the end Oklahoma snatched a share of the Big 12 conference championship. But on Sunday it waited to see if the BCS system, which has managed to turn the college football post-season into an anti-climatic afterthought, gives the Sooners a nod for the Sugar Bowl or rejects them for an obscure mid-major program like Northern Illinois.
The Sooners were coming off of three ballgames where the offense saved the day — Baylor, West Virginia and Oklahoma State. On Saturday in Fort Worth that offense was failry mediocre. The defense saved the day, with DB Julian Wilson breaking up a pass in the end zone in the final seconds of the game.
“That’s how we’ve been doing things,” OU coach Bob Stoops said. “Making things exciting.”
The Sooners looked like they had a Bedlam hangover this week. With the excitement of that overtime win in Norman the week before, it is little wonder. Oklahoma State lost to Baylor in their week-after Bedlam match.
QB Landry Jones completed only 22 of 40 passes, with one interception and a few near-interceptions, seemingly battling a stiff wind at Carter Stadium. Receiver Jalen Saunders was hot, however. And the Sooners run game was spendid, highlighted by Damien Williams’ 66 yard TD run.
“We didn’t play well,” co-offensive coordinator Jay Norvel said. “We played good enough to win, thank goodness.”
Last week, OSU punted five times. West Virginia punted twice. Baylor punted three times. Even Iowa State booted it an even five. But the Horned Frogs punted eight times.
No, TCU is not a high flyer.
“It felt like football out there today,” said defensive coordinator Mike Stoops, a comment on the Frogs traditional roots.
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