5 reasons Oklahoma Sooners will upset Ohio State Buckeyes
By John Buhler
1. A must-win game for Oklahoma, Bob Stoops, and the Big 12
While Ohio State would love to win in Norman, the Sooners, head coach Bob Stoops, and the Big 12 need Oklahoma to win this game. If Oklahoma starts the year 1-2 before conference play begins, there is no chance that the Sooners will make the third annual College Football Playoff.
After winning it all his first-year in Norman, the Sooner faithful have grown tired of Stoops not being able to have his team deliver in big games. Oklahoma has won nine Big 12 Championships in the Stoops era, played in three national titles, and made the second annual College Football Playoff, but still Sooner Nation remains restless.
This is a blue-blood program that is growing more ‘championship or bust’ by the season. Stoops is on the hot seat whether the Oklahoma president who hired him believes he is or not.
The Big 12 has had a miserable start to the 2016 college football season. Oklahoma lost to Houston in Week 1. The TCU Horned Frogs dropped their Week 2 game in overtime to the Arkansas Razorbacks. A horrid in-game mistake by the officials cost the Oklahoma State Cowboys a win over the Central Michigan Chippewas last Saturday.
Though the Baylor Bears and the Texas Longhorns are still undefeated at 2-0, the Big 12’s chances to have a team make the College Football Playoff are slim. A loss for Oklahoma to Ohio State ends the Sooners season before Big 12 play even begins.
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Every team that Oklahoma beats in conference play will look worse because of the two losses already on the Sooners’ season resume. Overall, there is too much on the line for the Sooners to drop this game at home in Week 3 to Ohio State. Oklahoma will figure out a way to upset the Buckeyes at home on Saturday night, well, because they have to.