Five Things You Need to Know About Bedlam 2016

As we prepare for yet another Bedlam, here are five things you need to know about OSU and OU when they get together on Saturday to decide the Big 12 Conference championship.

1. OU is the worst

In a likability sense, where does OU rank? I think somewhere between a speeding ticket and an ingrown toenail. Whether it’s the band’s only song they know how to play or the abundance of “gas station for a tank of gas and ball cap fans,” OU is not enjoyable.

2. No “D” for Bedlam Week

It is fantastic that Ohio State chooses to not use the letter “M” in honor of the game with hated rival Michigan. The Bedlam version of that could be if Gundy/OSU abstained from using the letter “D” in honor of what has been by far and away the Brothers’ Stoops worst defense in recent history.

“Unacceptable at so many levels,” Bob Stoops said, “I can’t even begin to try and define it.”

There was much lamenting post OU-Tech game this year and while there’s since been some improvement, some of that could be quality of opponent.  The offensive juggernauts of KU and Iowa State struggled and Baylor sputtered without star quarterback Seth Russell/any sense of direction or morality as a program. West Virginia bludgeoned the OU front seven and Justin Crawford is still running.

PS: If your co-worker tells you it’s just because middle linebacker Jordan Evans went down, Crawford had 178 yards at halftime (Evans went out in the 3rd).

Justin Crawford has been named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week AND the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week.

STORY: https://t.co/2nWSjQ4c3e pic.twitter.com/q9Svx1CZOM

— WVU Football (@WVUfootball) November 21, 2016

PFB’s Kyle Cox did a fantastic job breaking down how the running game could fare against the Sooners, and a major highlight is how both teams fared over the last three games. The 240+ yards the Pokes are averaging over that time would put them within seven yards of leading the conference in running the football. OU is giving up 240+ on the ground, a number that would rank at the bottom of the barrel in what some refer to as the Conference Where No Defense is Played.

Middle linebacker Jordan Evans is a player that holds down the middle of the field when he’s in and Bob is “fairly confident he’ll be ready to play by the end of the week.” Color me skeptical that Evans will be back to anything close to 100 percent for Bedlam — hamstrings don’t heal quickly. In addition to Evans, OU also lost a couple of stud defensive linemen up front, and now you’ve got a couple athletic guys running around without a nose for the ball.

3. Porous Pass Defense

What do the football teams at New Mexico State University, UMass and Idaho have in common? They allow fewer passing yards per game than the no. 122 ranked Oklahoma Sooners.

Houston’s Greg Ward, Jr. threw for 321, Tech’s Pat Mahomes went for an NCAA-record 734, UT-Frosh Shane Buechele went for 245 and my favorite, TCU’s Kenny Hill threw for 449 yards and five scores against the Sooners. Kenny is averaging 217.8 yards per game in B12 play and is benched every other week.

One of the top rotation players in the OU secondary was booted for a violation of team rules recently What could he possibly have done to be kicked off the OU football team? Do you have to be video taped committing a felony not be a five star to be held accountable for your actions?

A true freshman is starting at corner and the nickleback Will Johnson won’t be playing this week. Safeties Ahmad Thomas and Steven Parker are super talented, but one-on-one coverage isn’t what you’d call a strength.

Much ado has been made for “all conference” corner Jordan Thomas who’s likely to draw The President assignment. Stat I can’t get over: DQ Osborne has the same amount of interceptions as this ballyhooed ball-hawk. Zach Sanchez left a year early and it’s left a hole on the back line.

James Washington thinks it’s time to …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrIyt6jTlzc

4. OU’s Offense Is the Opposite of Its Defense

Think Texas Tech with a beast mode running game. The numbers they’re putting up flirt with Sam Bradford’s 2008 Sooner offense… Just insane. For Pete’s sake two of ESPN’s top four finalists for the Heisman (as of November 29th) are offensive players for OU.

Looking at stats in conference play, the Sooner O is putting up some pretty good numbers:

Dede Westbrook is the next stud in line for the annual “only receiver with a pulse but it doesn’t even matter because the dude is filthy talented” award.

Baker is the prototype OU quarterback, quoted about recently (in a tremendously insightful PFB podcast) by Sooner Scoop writer Eddie Radosevich as one of “the top five cockiest persons I’ve ever been around.” The ginormous tight end/slot Mark Andrews is a red zone target and those running backs … man.

5. Bedlam will be a fun one.

I would pay good money for a live feed of Mike Stoops this Saturday as he watches Carson plow over backers and McCleskey slide through the secondary like a hot knife through butter. He’ll need to take his heart medication when he wakes up that’s for sure.

Neither of the Bedlam opponents is untouchable, plenty of close wins on both sides of the fence. But there will be two offenses in this game worth the price of admission.

When was the last time we felt really good about a team going into Norman? Chelf and Randle nearly stole one in 2012 but Luchador Landry and his mustache didn’t strike fear in the hearts of Cowboy fans.

2016 features Mixon and Perine vs. Carson and Hill, Rudolph vs. Baker. Bob vs. The Mullet. Baker is pining for that trip to New York he missed out on in 2015 and will be ready to dance the night away.