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Writer's pictureChristopher Knight

Bowl Preview: OU vs. #13 Florida State

We are going bowling. That's what matters. I couldn't bring myself to post about the Texas Tech game. That was too much. But. We are going bowling. And we are going up against a good team. How will the Sooners fare? Will we put on a defensive clinic like in the 2000 national championship game (try not to laugh at that)? Will a receiver like Marvin Mims make a Kenny Stills style touchdown grab like the matchup in 2013? These questions will be answered on December 29th. So how should we prepare?


Picture courtesy of KJRH Oklahoma.


Offense. Offense. And more offense. If this game turns into a defensive battle, I would be completely shocked.


The Crimson and Cream, commanded by Brent Venables, have the #18 offense in the country and the 12th-worst defense in college football. Who would've thought the first year of Brent Venables would be an offensive powerhouse and a... less than great defense?


The #13 Florida State Seminoles, led by Mike Norvell, have the #13 offense in college football and the #14 defense. They have been significantly more well-rounded, with a phenomenal QB in Jordan Travis at the helm.


A complete team going up against a team that has been inconsistent with a horrible defense sounds like a recipe for a blowout. But don't count the Sooners out of this game.


Towards the end of the season, when our offense would sputter, our defense would rise to the challenge. We were shut out after the first quarter against Oklahoma State, and our defense still allowed us to win by 2 scores. We couldn't get anything against West Virginia, but it was a low-scoring game that needed a last-second field goal for WVU to pull off the upset. Our offense was alright for most of the Iowa State game, but our defense stepped up when we needed them the most, forcing three interceptions, two of which were on back-to-back drives in the fourth quarter.


When we need to, our offense can fly down the field. We won't have Eric Gray, which is a huge loss to our run game, but we will have Javonte Barnes. Barnes has proven to be a powerful back, nearly working his way into the starting lineup as a true freshman. Marvin Mims, Drake Stoops, and Jalil Farooq, despite a few drops from Mims and Farooq, are consistent playmakers and deep threats. Stoops is practically an automatic first-down maker. When the ball goes near him, get ready to move the chains. Our offensive line has hit a serious stride in the second half of the season. Brayden Willis is constantly showing off his ability as a power tight end. And a healthy Dillon Gabriel can air it out downfield with the best of them.


Florida State might struggle against our offense for some of the game, but I expect their offense to have no trouble moving down the field. Jordan Travis dominated LSU's defense. They lost to Clemson, but not before throwing for 254 yards and running for 206. They average more yards per game rushing and passing than the Sooners. Given how well Eric Gray played this year, that is a serious achievement by the Seminoles.


Florida State's defensive unit is one of ferocity, speed, strength, and pure will. They have 34 sacks on the year, make great plays in coverage, and dominate against the ground. Given that the Sooners will be without their star RB Eric Gray and also missing two starting offensive linemen, the Seminole defense will prove to be quite the challenge for our offense.


Stat Line (Courtesy of ESPN)

OU:

  • Points per game: 32.9

  • Points allowed per game: 29.6

  • Total yards per game: 472.2

  • Total yards allowed per game: 450.5

FSU:

  • Points per game: 36.2

  • Points allowed per game: 19.7

  • Total yards per game: 475.7

  • Total yards allowed per game: 307.3


My Prediction

I want the Sooners to come away with a win. I do. And I think there is a real chance we can do it. That being said, Florida State has been a phenomenal team this year, and they are on their way to a brighter future, just as OU is. I'm predicting this game will be an OU-Texas Tech style shootout, with the Seminoles just barely beating the Sooners, 42-38.


I sincerely hope the Sooners prove me wrong. I love this team. But Considering how FSU beats us in every category, I don't see many paths in which the Sooners can win.


All stats courtesy of ESPN and the NCAA.

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