Saturday Lunch Specials: BCS Style

Last night we saw exactly why the BCS is so flawed. We saw exactly why the selection committee is dumber than Bill Walton for putting Illinois and Hawaii in the games. Illinois did not deserve to be playing in the Rose Bowl. Hawaii did not deserve to be playing in the Sugar Bowl (although, they were undefeated so it made more sense for them to get a shot at a BCS bowl). Both games were over before they started. Neither Illinois nor Hawaii ever threatened to make a game out of yesterdays’ contests. Thankfully, tonight we get to watch what should be, in my mind, the best BCS bowl game. Tomorrow night we get to witness what should be one of the worst BCS bowl games in history. The Va Tech-Kansas match up is going to be more boring than a Rome Is Burning feature film would be. Let’s focus on tonight’s Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, a game that last year turned out to be one of the most thrilling games in college football history.

The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma vs. West Virginia- In my mind, this matchup is one of the more intriguing bowl matchups this season. West Virginia is clearly hurting after their shocking loss to Pitt that kept them out of the national championship and the departure of their coach Rich Rodriguez, who left for Ann Arbor. Many people believe Oklahoma is the best team in the country. A devastating loss to Texas Tech kept them out of a shot for the title, but they are still looking to avenge their shocking loss to Boise State last year that came on the same field they will be playing on tonight. The West Virginia offense is based around the run. Whether it is Pat White or Steve Slaton, the Mountaineers boast one of the most potent running attacks in the country. White has rushed for 1185 yards and 14 TDs. Slaton has rushed for 1053 yards and 17 TDs. Even freshman backup Noel Devine continues to showcase his electrifying open-field running skills in an increased role recently. The Sooners own the nation's seventh-ranked run defense for a few reasons. First, they get good penetration up front while maintaining gap discipline. Second, they have outstanding range and tackling skills at linebacker, particularly MLB Curtis Lofton (team-high 142 tackles) and SLB Lewis Baker (second on team with 85 tackles). Oklahoma shut down the only other comparable option team they faced this season, Texas A&M. The Sooners held the Aggies' typically potent rushing attack to just 128 yards (83.6 yards below its regular-season average) in a decisive 42-14 victory. WR Darius Reynaud has emerged as the Mountaineers best receiver, hauling in 11 TDs this season. Oklahoma’s secondary is vulnerable, especially because standout cover corner Reggie Smith is injured. White needs to have an effective game passing the ball if the Mountaineers are to have a shot at winning this game. Oklahoma’s balanced offense is lead by freshman QB Sam Bradford, who has had a remarkable first season for the Sooners. Bradford has thrown for 2879 yards and 34 TDs, and has only been intercepted 7 times. He has two sensational receivers in Malcolm Kelly and Juaquin Iglesias, who are excellent at getting open downfield. Part of Oklahoma’s success on offense is due to their massive offensive line, which will have a size and strength advantage over West Virginia's smaller 3-3-5 stack defense. The more time the Mountaineers' defense is on the field, the more opportunities the Sooners' offensive linemen will have to wear them down. Oklahoma has two solid running backs in Allen Patrick (927 yds, 8 TDs) and Chris Brown (561 yds, 8 TDs). If Oklahoma can rack up a few big plays early, they can shatter what is left of the Mountaineer’s confidence. Coach Stoops will have his young team ready to play and convinced it can use a win over the Mountaineers as a springboard to the 2008 season. Oklahoma over West Virginia 41-28