Oklahoma football opened the season 1-0 with a 51-3 win over the Temple Owls. The Sooners rode a strong performance from their defense, which created six turnovers and six sacks of quarterback Forrest Brock.
The offense was solid. It didn’t need to open the playbook completely. It cashed in on six of its eight possessions in the first half for a 34-0 lead at the break.
The Sooners are set up to have a strong season. How good it will be, only time will tell. The Sooners have a tough schedule and a number of games that could go either way. Though I have the Sooners going 10-2, the latest look at the ESPN matchup predictor has the Sooners ending 8-4.
While 10-2 would put Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff, an 8-4 finish would have the Sooners bowling. In USA TODAY Sports’ latest bowl projections, Oklahoma would travel to Tampa, Florida, to play in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
Formerly the Outback Bowl, this game has tie-ins with the SEC and the Big Ten. According to Erick Smith of USA TODAY Sports, OU would face the Iowa Hawkeyes.
In Smith’s projections, he has four SEC teams making the playoffs. Georgia, Texas, Alabama and Missouri.
While that would no doubt be a disappointing landing spot in the postseason for a proud Oklahoma football program, it would provide an intriguing bowl matchup. The Hawkeyes have had one of the best defenses in college football over the last several years but have struggled to find an offense. Despite a sluggish start with just six points in the first half against Illinois State, the Hawkeyes hit their stride in the second half for a 40-0 win.
A battle of really good defenses could break out in Tampa if the Sooners and Hawkeyes met up in the postseason.
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