There was one sport that mattered greater than the remaining Saturday, and although it had an influence on the School Soccer Playoff image, the stakes at this season’s Bedlam transcended nationwide titles. Within the remaining iteration of Oklahoma-Oklahoma State, the Cowboys despatched the Sooners packing to the SEC, 27-24, and stomped out any hopes OU had of the playoff.
Whereas the in-state rivals absolutely will meet once more, Mike Gundy and Okie State received’t be in a rush to present the traitors from Norman one other shot on the title. It’s a degree of pettiness that’s solely wholesome within the area of fandom and one which ought to be celebrated contemplating OU’s motivation for leaping conferences.
Maybe essentially the most karmic second got here on a 3rd and 12 deep in OSU territory late within the fourth quarter, with OU trailing 27-21. Dillon Gabriel threw a fade to the again proper nook of the endzone, and receiver Drake Stoops bought mugged, actually tackled, with the ref staring proper at him.
No flag.
It was the sort of non-call that instantly sends conspiracy theorists’ antennae skyward. Large 12 crew offers Oklahoma a swift kick to the groin within the largest spot attainable? Certain. Sooner coach Brent Venables ended up kicking a subject objective, however like final week, even when OU bought the ball again with 1:46 remaining needing solely three extra to go to OT, no one thought they have been going to execute.
The Sooners didn’t because the Cowboys earned a cease on fourth and 5 to seal the sport. After a few kneel-downs, the Stillwater crowd then spilled onto the sphere, and are in all probability nonetheless spilling drinks round campus.
It was your typical rivalry sport of twists, turns, and massive performs, however Ollie Gordon II’s two-touchdown, 136-yard efficiency will eternally be immortalized in Poes’ lore. It was Gundy’s a centesimal Large 12 win, and after the sport he informed ESPN that the win ranked on the prime of his Ws on this presently defunct sequence.
“It’s an enormous sport,” Gundy said. “And it’s good for the Oklahoma State individuals to complete Bedlam with a win. Interval.”
From a 2023 soccer standpoint, the Sooners’ second loss takes them out of the CFP image, and places any likelihood of creating a Large 12 title sport berth within the arms of Texas, and Oklahoma State, who sit atop the convention. To be truthful, the way in which the Sooners, and Gabriel have been enjoying, they’re not successful something of significance.
The Cowboys, then again, are three video games from reprising their spoiler position towards the opposite deserter, ought to the Longhorns additionally keep away from self-destructing. Whereas a Large 12 title and a center finger to Texas — the crew palling together with your longtime rival to the SEC — could be good, it received’t be sweeter than Saturday.
Two finest quarterbacks in faculty soccer bow out
Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels have been lastly betrayed one too many instances by their respective defenses. In two video games that seemed to be heavyweight prize shootouts after a half, they rapidly become referendums on why USC and LSU can’t be taken critically.
The Tide knocked Daniels out of the sport and turned the ultimate quarter right into a formality for a 42-28 win over LSU. The Huskies put the Trojans in a trailing place that they couldn’t overcome and rode UW’s Dillon Johnson to victory. The working again had a profession evening with 256 yards and 4 touchdowns on 26 carries.
Alabama and Washington made sufficient performs on each side of the ball to additional their march towards the CFP, however don’t idiot your self into pondering Michael Penix Jr. and Jalen Milroe are in the identical hemisphere as Williams and Daniels. Regardless of Brian Kelly and Lincoln Riley being within the second season of a brand new job, each will probably be kicking themselves for squandering these extraordinarily gifted quarterbacks’ remaining years.
That’s additionally been the rub on Kelly and Riley: there’s all the time an Achilles heel, and it’s all the time evident. It’s additionally humorous how a lot the notion varies between the 2 visored coaches. Anyway, it doesn’t matter, at the very least not this yr.
