Which team has been the most underachieving program in college football this decade? Which team has lost big game after big game? Which team has been upset at home, road, and neutral venues repeatedly? Which elite program has a losing record in bowl games this decade? Which team hasn't won a national title in 9 years despite a gaggle of 1st Round NFL picks and multiple Heisman Trophy winners?
See... you would think that the answer to this question would be the Ohio State Buckeyes. They are the villains of college football, right? The hateable losers that everybody loves to, well, hate. Can't win a big game, can't beat an SEC team, can't beat Michigan (oh, wait, they can), and their coach wears that stupid sweater vest. Oh, and they play in the deplorable Big Ten. Why is it deplorable you ask? Well, it's not the SEC, it's not USC, and it's not on the East Coast... I guess that's good enough of a reason, right? Those Midwestern people just ain't right, ya know.
But, the true answer to this question is... the Oklahoma Sooners. While Ohio State and the Big 10 continue to get ramrodded by the Mainstream Media (this is a dangerous path I'm going down, I'm sounding like Glenn Beck again... ), the Sooners have somehow quietly gone the last 6 years as one of the most miserable elite teams in the country. Of course, here at RSS I could just give you mere opinion and conjecture, but I show you the facts. Let's look at Oklahoma's "resume" since 2003.
-2003: A team that beat A&M 77-0 and Texas 65-13, lost to Kansas State in the Big XII Title game 35-7. Quite a turnaround, eh? Oh, they had the Heisman winner in Jason White too. Somehow, after getting blown out by 28 in their Conference Championship, they got a crack at the BCS title game, and were dominated by LSU, getting a consolation TD to make the score 21-14. Billed as one of the best teams ever, they played more like Tulsa down the stretch instead of OU.
-2004: A 12-0 season brought the Sooners back to the National Title game. They met USC, led by Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush. In what was billed as the Game of the Century, Oklahoma lost 55-19. Let that sink in. 55-19. With a Heisman winner, and Adrian Peterson, and a powerhouse defense, they lost by 36 points.
TIMEOUT!
Wait a second, Oklahoma lost two straight National Title games??? Isn't that like an automatic ban from ever being allowed back into the national title picture? Isn't that eternal damnation for your team and your conference? Isn't that even more embarrassing than Charlie Weis? (They beat Nevada!! ND is back!!) If you're Ohio State, yes. If you're Oklahoma, no. Not that this column is meant to prove any double standards, or hypocrisy or anything... back to the facts.
-2005: Lost home opener to TCU, finished 8-4, but won only Bowl game in this stretch by winning the Holiday Bowl, yea! Team was led by new QB Rhett Bomar, yes, Rhett Bomar who was kicked out of the program. At least Coach Stoops can balance crappy on-field performances with NCAA violations and players getting kickbacks.
-2006: Lost to Texas. Came back to win Big XII at 12-2. Then there was that little Fiesta Bowl game against Boise State. Losing to a WAC School in a BCS game? If you're Oklahoma, just sweep it under the rug. Hey, at least Stoops didn't fall for any school yard trick plays though right?
-2007: Another 11-2 season. Another Big XII Championship. Another embarrassing Fiesta Bowl loss. This time, Pat White and West Virginia destroyed the Sooners 48-28. Notice a trend here?
-2008: Another loss to Texas. Another Big XII Championship. Another Heisman Winner in Sam Bradford. Another BCS Title Game loss, this time to Florida. The Heisman winner managed 14 points of offense in the title game.
-2009: A marquee home opener at Jerry Jones Palace in Dallas becomes just the latest big game Oklahoma choke job. They lost to BYU 14-13. Sure, Sam Bradford was hurt, but it's not like he tore the house down while in the game. Oh, and you lost to B Y F*&#@n' U!
So, for a brief recap. Since 2003, Oklahoma has lost 3 National Title games (including 1 embarrassing blowout), lost to 3 WAC/Mountain West schools, (including in a BCS game), and went 1-5 in Bowl Games despite 4 Big XII titles and 2 Heisman Winners.
Compare this to an Ohio State program since 2003 which lost 2 National Title games (including 1 blowout), lost to 0 mid-majors, blew out Brady Quinn's Notre Dame and that KSU team who beat OU 35-7 in 2003, split 2 games vs Texas, went 3-3 in Bowl Games, won at least a share of 4 Big 10 Titles and 1 Heisman Winner, and according to most pundits deserve to be relegated to the MAC, along with 4/5 of the Big 10.
You tell me which program should be under fire from the MSM more.
So, in the coming week, you'll hear everyone make excuses for another OU choke job against BYU. You'll hear that a loss at the beginning of the season doesn't hurt as much as later ones. You'll hear that once Sam Bradford comes back everything will be fine. You'll hear that Bob Stoops is still a great coach, and OU is still a great program.
You'll also hear about how Ohio State is going to get trounced by USC next Saturday. You'll hear how terribly they played against Navy (SI's Stewart Mandel had the obligatory Big 10 Sucks column up seconds after that game, even though OSU won). You'll hear how great the Trojans are and how sorry the Bucks are. You'll hear about the wretched Big 10. You'll hear that even if the Bucks win this game, they still have a long way to go before they can reach national respect again. You'll hear that they only won because they played a freshman QB.
What you won't hear is the truth. Saturday's loss to BYU is just another embarrassing loss for an OU program that has had its share this decade. You won't hear that OU and Bob Stoops should be under fire for their repeated losses in big games to inferior competition. You won't hear how OU has been outplayed and outcoached repeatedly in the last 6 years. You won't hear anyone calling out Oklahoma or Bob Stoops from the College Football Media. You won't hear anything about the Oklahoma Sooners being the true underachievers of College Football.
Bob Stoops should count his blessings that he coaches in Norman, OK instead of Columbus, OH.
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