USC Exposes Big 12, Stoops (Matt Haynes)

TejasTiger · Jan 5, 2005

Ouch! Guess Matt won't be getting any interviews with Bob anytime soon.

Nice season, Auburn. Now go shine your SEC trophy and tell anyone who will listen that at least you wouldn't have lost that bad to USC.

A year after getting shut out of the BCS national title game, USC now stands alone on the sport's grand stage. All those skill players, all that speed, all rolled into one impressive dismantling of an Oklahoma program that has suddenly become the team that fades at the finish.

USC's Heisman Trophy winner (Matt Leinart) threw five touchdown passes; OU's Heisman Trophy winner (Jason White) threw three interceptions. USC's heralded defense forced five turnovers; OU's supposedly staunch unit gave up 38 points and more than 300 yards by halftime.

When we look back on this huge letdown of a national title game, we'll remember it for what it was: a well-coached team humiliating an unprepared team that played like it shouldn't have been here anyway. Then again, we should have seen this coming.

Here we have Choklahoma, a product of Bob Stoops' stature as one of the game's best coaches, playing in an average league and getting exposed in the only game that matters. The Sooners struggled to beat Texas A&M and Oklahoma State — which lost by a combined 68-7 in bowl games — and won ugly in their only meaningful game all season against Texas.

But let's face it, if Baylor were wearing Crimson and Cream, the Longhorns would find a way to lose that game, too.

The Sooners were outclassed, outcoached and outmuscled. There's a reason USC has now won 22 consecutive games, and much of that can be traced to coaching. The difference in talent between OU and USC is marginal; the difference in coaching is significant.

Oklahoma took its first series, went up 7-0 and made it look easy. Then USC adjusted defensively, and the beat down began. It took USC and offensive coordinator/guru Norm Chow one series to figure out the OU defense before the Sooners looked like any other Pac-10 patsy.

Maybe Bob Stoops can get some pointers from little brother Mike, whose Arizona team only gave up 49 points to the Trojans. By the time Bob the Bachelor threw his fifth touchdown pass of the game with 10 minutes to play in the third quarter, OU fans began filing out of Pro Player Stadium.

But it was over long before then. All-American tackle Jammal Brown, who hadn't given up a sack all season, perfected the Ole! move (hint: matadors) while trying to block USC's Shaun Cody. The Sooners showed time and again why they haven't covered anyone in the secondary for three years, and phenom tailback Adrian Peterson showed he may not be Herschel Walker just yet.

More than anything, USC showed why it is clearly the best team in the nation.

And the BCS is grateful.
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diamondheadtiger · Jan 5, 2005

MESSAGE TO AuNUMA

"Nice season, Auburn. Now go shine your SEC trophy and tell anyone who will listen that at least you wouldn't have lost that bad to USC."

AuNuma1 · Jan 5, 2005

Yeah, OU's meltdown completely justifies the BCS...horsesh!t and you know it, D-head. :thumb:

islstl · Jan 5, 2005

USC could play OU 10 times and win pretty convincingly 9 of the 10 times.

Not even on the same level.

Auburn's offense would have done absolutely nothing against the USC defense. It would have been interesting to see the Auburn defense go up against Chow and the Gang. Much better matchup than the OU leaky D.

TwistedTiger · Jan 6, 2005

islstl said:

USC could play OU 10 times and win pretty convincingly 9 of the 10 times.

Not even on the same level.
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What did you see that makes you think OU could win one out of ten against USC?

TigerDom · Jan 6, 2005

USC's defense didn't show me that much ... OU had more offensive yards at halftime against USC this year ... than they had in the entire game last year against LSU ... remember that LSU held OU to only 154 yards offense for the entire game ... LSU's defense was sick

I'm not sure that AU's offense would have "done nothing" against USC's defense

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USC Exposes Big 12, Stoops (Matt Haynes)

TejasTiger Founding Member

diamondheadtiger Founding Member

AuNuma1 Founding Member

islstl Playoff committee is a group of great football men Staff Member

TwistedTiger Founding Member

TigerDom Freshman

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