Defense (duh!) is key to WVU beating Oklahoma

[Cuyahoga Falls Eers]

I know that comparative scores are meaningless, but what the hell:

Oklahoma beat TCU, 52-46. WVU beat the Horned Frogs, 34-10.

Oklahoma beat Texas, 45-40. WVU beat the Longhorns, 24-20.

Oklahoma beat Kansas State, 38-17. WVU beat the Wildcats, 17-16.

Oklahoma beat Texas Tech, 66-59. WVU beat the Red Raiders, 48-17.

Oklahoma beat Kansas, 56-3. WVU beat the Jayhawks, 48-21.

WVU hasn’t played Iowa State (34-24 Sooner victim) or Baylor (45-24) yet.

Oklahoma hasn’t played Oklahoma State yet, which beat WVU 37-20.

Mountaineers held TCU to 36 fewer points than Sooners did.

WVU held Texas to 20 fewer points than Oklahoma did.

Kansas State scores were 1 point apart. Kansas scores are even more meaningless because it's Kansas.

WVU’s defense is the key to beating Oklahoma, as usual for the Mountaineers this season. Skyler and the dropsy receivers need to get their act together for the Sooners. You can’t keep turning the ball over or dropping it and winning, even though my alma is 8-1 despite doing it.

WVU is tied for SIXTY FIRST nationally in turnover margin: 16 by Tony’s defense, 16 by WVU when the defense isn’t on the field. Against Texas, even though Foreman, the #1 rusher in the country, had 167 yards on 35 carries, he did NOT score a TD. That’s incredible work by Tony’s guys.

The good news for Tony’s marauders is that Oklahoma is even worse, NINETY SECOND nationally, in turnover margin. 12 by the Sooners, 15 against the Sooners. Again, defense probably will be the key to beating Oklahoma. And a WVU victory means the Mountaineers will be in a 3-way tie for the Big 12 title (I’m only counting the losses to write that). Some pretty tall cotton we’re in.

M anhandled Missouri, 26-11

O rdinary against Youngstown, 38-21

U nnerving miracle goalline tip/interception escapes BYU, 35-32

N o quit against Kansas State, 17-16

T ony’s turbulence tore up Texas Tech, 48-17

A nother defense whipping, of TCU, 34-10

I gnominy of turnovers against Oklahoma State, 20-37

N o problem decimating Kansas, 48-21

E xcellent, timely defense AGAIN; beat Texas, 24-20

E rectile dysfunction Oklahoma

R oll over Iowa State

S uffocate Baylor

 

[UTHWE]

Who did your research for you? OU 45 TX 40. Kind of messes up your analogy doesn't it.

 

[Cuyahoga Falls Eers]

Who did your research for you? OU 45 TX 40. Kind of messes up your analogy doesn't it.

Bad fingers. Hit the wrong key. I fixed it. Actually, it supports my conclusion that WVU's defense is the key to beating Oklahoma. Thanks for helping with that. I never object to anyone point out factual errors by me. When I start these statistical searches I don't start with an agenda. I just do it and then see what I've found, then react to it. Sometimes I find that my original thoughts were not what they should have been. Sometimes I find my original thoughts are supported by the statistics. Being a long-time and good reporter, I just go where the facts take me. Every time.

Now, let's get Skyler and his receivers amped up to eliminate the turnovers and have Gibby's troops keep doing their remarkable job and the Sooner Schooner will be knocked off the trail!


M anhandled Missouri, 26-11

O rdinary against Youngstown, 38-21

U nnerving miracle goalline tip/interception escapes BYU, 35-32

N o quit against Kansas State, 17-16

T ony’s turbulence tore up Texas Tech, 48-17

A nother defense whipping, of TCU, 34-10

I gnominy of turnovers against Oklahoma State, 20-37

N o problem decimating Kansas, 48-21

E xcellent, timely defense AGAIN; beat Texas, 24-20

E rectile dysfunction Oklahoma

R oll over Iowa State

S uffocate Baylor

 

[coalcountry52]

Comparing scores in football is dangerous. We obviously let up on Kansas in the second half and let them have some good drives because we had the game in hand and that program needs some good scores every once in a while. OU-Texas is a wash because it's a rivalry. TCU was playing much higher-caliber ball against OU than when they faced off against us (and they still had to score a bunch in the fourth to make it close). They stomped Kansas State, and we have had a helluva time with those guys, so scores there are misleading.

I think the more telling part is the fact their defense is wildly inconsistent. They've been giving up points but some games in bunches, others respectably (Baylor only put 24 on them partially sans Russell). Sure enough we will get their D's best game of the year, or Howard will have another game like he did vs. Texas. That leaves our defense to get stops, which will depend on how much pressure we get on Mayfield and how we cover Westbrook. Given they've gotten Mixon and Perine back, we're in much the same situation as we were against Texas - load the box and let wideouts go one-on-one, or give the backs room to run as we play the pass. We will need turnovers in bunches to put away OU, and since they've tended to play five-star efforts against us, I'm not holding my breath until we put together a win against this bunch.