Jim Ross' Blog: OU- Baylor

My answer is always the same. First of all that’s simply the way college football is today whether we like it or not. But we aren’t just any college football program. There’s only one….Oklahoma and we expect everyone’s best shot but they need to know that a Spooner reciprocates.    This Saturday morning’s scenario isn’t a new one. Stoops Troops travel out of Norman to launch the Big 12 schedule and will be looking to take the first step in playing for the Big 12 Title in Kansas City December 6. The unheralded journey to win three consecutive Big 12 Titles starts Saturday morning on the road.    Baylor coach Art Briles rejuvenated Bears stand in the Sooners way of earning passage to the Promised Land but it doesn’t take a Wall Street analyst (bad example) to ascertain that Briles’ Bears have every thing to gain and nothing to lose when they take their home field for Saturday morning’s brunch kickoff. The 2-2 Bears aren’t looking for a “bailout” but simply an opportunity to make history. The Baylor Bears have never beaten a #1 ranked team in their school’s history. For the record, the Bears have never beaten OU and are 0-17 life time against the Crimson and Cream. Are the Bears due? I’m sure that they think so.  The game may be closer than many experts predict and I see Oklahoma winning by 25 points. BBQ’ed food for thought: 

• Everything Baylor does offensively runs through true freshman quarterback Robert Griffin who is a world class athlete and who came “this close” to making the 2008 United States Olympic team as a high hurdler. #10 is 6’3”-200 lbs and is Baylor’s leading passer AND leading rusher. Griffin is an intelligent athlete who graduated 7th in his high school class at Copperas Cove High School and has already broken Baylor’s single game rushing record this season and he didn’t even start the first game.
• Oh yeah, Griffin is also the #10 ranked passer in the nation with about a 170 QB rating and has thrown NO interceptions this season which is a valued stat for any QB notwithstanding a freshman.
• The Bears have scored 124 points in their last three games which is the most they have scored in the same time frame in 17 years. Cynics can nit pick a couple of Bears’ opponents this season but the bottom line are that the Bears believe that they can score and that’s where it all starts, believing.
• Defensively OU must play sound, stay “at home” and know where Griffin is at all times. Sounds easy writing it but something tells me it won’t be. Nonetheless the Sooners need to take the talented Griffin to the woodshed early and often.
• The Bears run a 4-4-3 defense that resembles an old school “wide tackle six” and will fill every gap and do all they can to not allow any deep pass completions. The Bears will focus first on stopping OU’s running game ala TCU.
• Based on the Bears defensive scheme one would assume that the Sooners could have success in completing short and intermediate passes.
• My instincts tell me that OU will attempt to re-establish their running game Saturday using three sets of fresh legs, Murray, Brown, and Madu. Last week’s productivity running the ball isn’t indicative of what this team can and must do to achieve their goals.
• Demarco Murray is due. Enough said.  
• Ryan Broyles catching short passes in front of the Baylor DB’s and then making things happen is a good visual and the same can be said for Manny Johnson and Joaquin Iglesias.  
• The “Big Dog” Jermaine Gresham can’t be consistently contained and hopefully he will get his “touches” on Saturday. Gresham may well be the Adrian Peterson of Sooner tight ends. #18 is simply a physical freak.  
• OU’s secondary has not looked this good since the Derrick Strait years which should bode well for us in the pass happy, star laden QB Big 12. Baylor’s Griffin will put a great deal of pressure on OU DB’s and linebackers.
• Saturday would be a great time for Austin English, who’s tougher than a $2 steak, and Jeremy Beal to have big time games as in physically abusing Baylor’s QB.
• OU must win in the 3rd phase of the game, special teams. Covering kickoffs need not be an adventure but it has been.
• Can the ballyhooed Jimmy Stevens convert field goals and will we find out before he has to make one to win a game?
• Without question, Baylor coach Art Briles will likely “channel” Texas Tech’s Mike Leach in throwing ample amounts of uniquely innovative offense at the Sooners and will do anything, no matter how unorthodox, to win the biggest game of the modern era for his new employer.  Fake punts, on side kicks, and gadget plays may be more prevalent than against any other team we face until November.
• Baylor staying “close” can’t be an option. The Sooners need a hot start on both sides of the ball and then need to not fade and to maintain their focus unlike it seemed what happened last week against an as good as advertised TCU team.

 I hope the Sooner faithful travels well to Waco, hey it’s closer than Seattle, and represent the University with class and passion. This is a huge game because it is our next game.   For those not able to attend the game we will have every HD flat screen TV at J.R.’s Family BBQ in both Moore and Norman tuned to the Sooners. Come by and enjoy the best, slow, hickory smoked “Q” and home cooking around. We also do catering and have tailgate packs of all sizes available. Please check out our website at www.jrsbarbq.com for all the info. This is my only mention of “next week” but I will be a guest on ESPN’s College Football Live next Friday afternoon to discuss the upcoming game in Dallas. I’ll see you in Waco or at DFW after the game as yours truly will be trying to make a flight to Portland, Oregon to do WWE work on Sunday.  Boomer Sooner!J.R.