The biggest game in the history of the state of Oklahoma comes on Friday. No, I ain’t laying it on thick, and I ain’t engaging in highfalutin hyperbole.
It’s bigger than Game 7 of the NBA Finals when the Oklahoma City Thunder won the franchise’s first title at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City in June.
It’s bigger than Oklahoma softball clinching an NCAA four-peat and winning the Sooners’ eighth national title in the sport at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.
It’s the College Football Playoff first-round game between No. 8 Oklahoma and No. 9 Alabama.
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As each the founding of the College of Oklahoma and its soccer crew predate statehood, there has by no means been an even bigger sporting occasion in state historical past than the CFP recreation that can be performed on the identical soil the place stakes had been planted within the floor to say what’s ours; on high of crimson dust the place Yankees cannot reduce it, the place neither twister nor political tumult has run us Oklahomans off.
There has by no means been an even bigger occasion within the state, particularly within the sport we Oklahomans determined way back is the software for which we can be heard, our respect can be paid and OU has as soon as once more earned an opportunity to face center-stage.
However this time the sport’s at residence, and it is in entrance of us Okies who name that crew our birthright. That is what the primary spherical of the CFP is about, what the postseason is greatest at and what the game has craved because the daybreak of its TV period.
That mentioned, listed here are my CFP bracket predictions:
First Spherical
No. 9 Alabama at No. 8 Oklahoma (Friday, Dec. 19)
Winner: Oklahoma
(Butch Dill/Getty Photographs)
Oklahoma coach Brent Venables is undefeated (5-0) when he’s calling the protection in rematches.
That report dates again to 2000 when the Sooners upset No. 2 Kansas State in the course of the common season and earned a 27-24 win towards Invoice Snyder’s Wildcats within the Large 12 championship recreation en path to the nationwide title. Within the newest instance of Venables’ prowess in rematches, after Clemson misplaced the primary assembly in 2020 towards Notre Dame, 47-40, in time beyond regulation, then-defensive coordinator Venables helped lead the Tigers to a 34-10 victory towards the Preventing Irish.
That the Sooners beat the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, 23-21, lower than a month in the past ought to solely serve to embolden Oklahoma, a crew that has constructed its success within the second half of the season nearly solely on Venables’ play-calling and the play of his protection.
[MORE: Hypothetical 24-Team College Football Playoff Bracket]
No. 10 Miami (Fla.) at No. 7 Texas A&M (Saturday, Dec. 20)
Winner: Miami
(Al Diaz/Miami Herald/Tribune Information Service by way of Getty Photographs)
The Hurricanes have performed excellent soccer since dropping to Louisville in October, and their weakest unit is the one that includes a former SEC champion quarterback, Carson Beck, and, maybe, essentially the most explosive participant south of the Mason-Dixon Line, Malachi Toney.
Miami defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman deploys a protection that ranks No. 6 in scoring protection (13.8), No. 7 in dashing protection (86.8) and No. 11 in complete protection (277.8). Miami has outscored its final 4 opponents 151-41 and has a line of defense that’s match to frustrate Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed.
Reed isn’t simply the explanation the Aggies mounted the biggest comeback win in SEC historical past once they overcame a 30-3 halftime deficit to beat South Carolina in mid-November. He’s additionally one of many causes they had been trailing the Gamecocks by that margin in any respect. He threw two interceptions and will’ve simply thrown as many as six within the first half earlier than he got here out of the locker room with a cape round his neck and a metaphorical Superman “S” on his chest.
The Aggies signal-caller has additionally proven himself to be prone to throwing the ball to individuals who ain’t on his sideline — notably opposing defenders. He has thrown six interceptions in Texas A&M’s final 5 video games. Hetherman watched that tape. He watched the tape towards Texas within the Aggies’ solely loss and the tape towards Notre Dame within the Aggies’ slender win. Reed should play mistake-free soccer on Saturday to guide Texas A&M previous Miami.
No. 11 Tulane at No. 6 Ole Miss (Saturday, Dec. 20)
Winner: Ole Miss
(Justin Ford/Getty Photographs)
Ole Miss outclassed Tulane on September 20 when the Rebels rolled the Inexperienced Wave, 45-10, in Oxford. Even with out coach Lane Kiffin on the sideline now, there’s little motive to imagine Tulane can win this recreation, which options among the finest offensive models within the nation led by SEC Newcomer of the 12 months and quarterback Trinidad Chambliss.
He’s that good.
Chambliss, a former Division II Ferris State passer, put up greater than 400 yards of offense — together with 307 passing yards — and two touchdowns within the victory towards Tulane simply three months in the past.
Since his first begin on the FBS stage towards Arkansas, he’s performed like a Heisman finalist. In opposition to the Razorbacks, he threw for 350 yards and three touchdowns. By the top of the common season, he’d thrown for 300 yards seven occasions, handed for greater than 3,000 yards and rushed for greater than 500 in simply 10 begins.
Now, he’s 4 wins away from main Ole Miss to its first nationwide title and his second in as a few years.
No. 12 James Madison at No. 5 Oregon (Saturday, Dec. 20)
Winner: Oregon
(Steph Chambers/Getty Photographs)
The final time Oregon received to play a Group of 5 crew within the postseason, the Geese pummeled Liberty within the Fiesta Bowl, 45-6. The Flames led that recreation 6-3 after the primary quarter on New 12 months’s Day 2024, and that will be as shut as they got here to defeating the Geese, who appeared to see Liberty’s spirited begin as a private assault on anatidae all over the place.
Add to this, the final time the Geese performed within the postseason, they had been embarrassed by Ohio State, 41-21, within the Rose Bowl because the No. 1 seed in final 12 months’s CFP. In the end, that lopsided loss meant final 12 months’s Large Ten champion and beforehand undefeated Oregon was pressured to observe the Buckeyes elevate a nationwide championship trophy that the Geese certainly believed was imagined to be theirs.
Now, with the Dukes headed to Autzen Stadium, I count on a press release of intent from an Oregon crew with unfinished enterprise.
Quarterfinals
Cotton Bowl: No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 7 Texas A&M (Dec. 31)
Winner: Ohio State
Orange Bowl: No. 4 Texas Tech vs. No. 5 Oregon (Jan. 1)
Winner: Texas Tech
Rose Bowl: No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 8 Oklahoma (Jan. 1)
Winner: Indiana
Sugar Bowl: No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 6 Ole Miss (Jan. 1)
Winner: Georgia
Semifinals
Fiesta Bowl: No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 2 Ohio State (Jan. 8)
Winner: Ohio State
Peach Bowl: No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 4 Texas Tech (Jan. 9)
Winner: Indiana
Nationwide Championship
CFP Nationwide Championship: No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 2 Ohio State (Jan. 19)
Champion: No. 2 Ohio State
RJ Younger is a nationwide faculty soccer author and analyst for FOX Sports activities. Comply with him @RJ_Young.
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