ROSE-COLORED GLASSES
Why OU’s match-up against Georgia looks favorable for the Sooners
NORMAN — Safe to say, the Sooners are fired up about their College Football Playoff assignment.
“Going to Cali!” Oklahoma linebacker Ogbo Okoronkwo proclaimed on Twitter, a sentiment echoed by several other teammates on social media Sunday.
Yes, the Rose Bowl is sweeter than honey. Iconic venue. Superb history. Amazing weather. On and on the fringe benefits go.
But here’s the best perk for OU — a game against Georgia.
OU couldn’t have gotten a more favorable matchup. Oh, had Ohio State or Wisconsin made the playoff, that might have been better, but of the four teams that made the field, the Sooners got the opponent that they best match up against in the semifinal.
Can’t ask for much more.
Of course, Sooner coach Lincoln Riley was complimentary in assessing the Bulldogs.
“It’s gonna be a challenge,” he said during ESPN’s selection show. “It’ll be one of the best defenses we’ve played in our three years here, but it’s a challenge we’re very much looking forward to.”
As well the Sooners should be.
This game will pit strength vs. strength. OU’s offense vs. Georgia’s defense.
The Bulldogs rank fourth nationally in
total defense, allowing only 270.9 yards per game. What’s more, they rank second nationally in passing yards allowed per game, giving up only 158.3.
But let’s remember, a lion’s share of Georgia’s opponents in the SEC simply don’t pitchthe ball around the yard like Big 12 teams. Short passes, sure. Intermediate stuff, maybe. But winging it downfield 40 or 50 yards at a time? Most SEC aren’t interested in that.
Needless to say, OU is most certainly interested in that.
So, too, is Auburn. The Tigers handed the Bulldogs their only defeat of the season, a 40-17 shellacking in early November, and it happened on the strength
of Auburn’s passing game. It was 17 of 25 for 251 yards, no interceptions and three touchdowns.
All three scores were longer than 30 yards.
Jarrett Stidham, the Auburn quarterback, is stout. You probably remember him from his days at Baylor. Really good player. Throws it well.
He’s nowhere close to Baker Mayfield.
“He’s unbelievably talented,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said of the OU quarterback during the selection show. “He’s got great athletic ability. Seems like he’s been playing forever.”
Smart acknowledged that trying to scheme to defend Mayfield is likely to cause some sleepless nights over the next month.
And why wouldn’t it? Any time the Sooners want to throw the ball, even
against stellar defenses, Mayfield and Co. have been capable. Look at the two teams OU faced this season that, like Georgia, rank in the top 20 nationally in total defense. Ohio State is No. 8 at 292.3 yards per game, and TCU is 19th at 328.5 yards.
OU bested those averages by a mile.
Against Ohio State: 490 total yards.
Against TCU in the regular season: 533.
Against TCU in the Big 12 title game: 461.
What’s more, inthose first two games, the Sooners threw for well over 300 yards.
Now, some may argue that Georgia’s loss to Auburn was a bad day for the Bulldogs. After all, Georgia avenged that defeat in the SEC title game Saturday and held the Tigers to one measly touchdown. But Georgia
has shown itself vulnerable against good passing offenses. OU has shown no such vulnerabilities against good defenses. Even in its lone loss of the season, the Sooners still scored 31 points.
These guys are going to score.
Truthfully, though, the reason that this matchup is sofavorable for the Sooners is on the other side of the ball. The OU defense has been maligned this season. Everyone knows that. But against teams that wanted and/ or needed torun— think Kansas State, Texas, even Ohio State and TCU— OU has done much better.
Georgia leans heavily on the run. It set a school record this season with 3,426 rushing yards, which is saying something considering that program’s epic running backs. Frank Sinkwich and Charley
Trippi back in the day. Herschel Walker, Garrison Hearst, Knowshon Moreno and Terrell Davis in more recent days.
But powered by Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, these Bulldogs have run it better than ever before. And they run it more than 70 percent of the time.
Might be because Chubb and Michel are so good.
Might also be because the starting quarterback is a true freshman.
Jake Fromm has a great resume. Played in the Army All-American Bowl. Earned four or five stars depending on which recruiting service you prefer. But the fact remains— he’s the only freshman quarterbacking any of the playoff teams.
In the semis, this isthe best possible scenario for the OU defense. If the Sooners had been paired against Clemson, they would’ve had to deal with Kelly Bryant at quarterback. If it would’ve been Alabama, Jalen Hurts would’ve been the guy.
Of course, if the Sooners win their semifinal, one of those quarterbacks will await them, but hey, one game at a time.
Now, does any of this guarantee that OU will beat Georgia? Move on to the national championship game? Have a chance at the ultimate prize? Of course not.
But much like we’ve seen for years in the NCAA basketball tournament, the College Football Playoff is all about matchups— and you have to like OU’s.