Let the games begin; Stoops and Heisman QBs

Let the games begin.

The prelims out of the way...now, we now get what we'd hoped for: No.1 OU and No. 5 Texas. And No. 2 Missouri and No. 17 OSU.

Each seems to be improved...Each unbeaten...each unchallenged.

Both OU and Texas have won by an average of 36 points a game. Missouri by 34. And OSU has won its five games by an average of 30 points a game.

I believe it's a complement to OSU that they are only two TD underdogs to the second rated team that is playing at home.

Chase Daniel's offense has not had a three and out all season...Jeremy Macklin is scary good....they're fast and experienced on defense and have terrific special teams.

But OSU is capable of turning it into a scoring festival...they'll need that balance we talked about earlier...take the over...and somebody bring light bulbs...the scoreboard will need it.

If OSU's defense backs up Mike Gundy's post game praise, look out.

In Dallas, Bob Stoops looks to make it seven wins over Mack Brown in the last nine years. Some numbers in his favor: 6-1 when ranked No. 1 against Texas...24 of 24 in the red zone with 23 touchdowns...and the pros say they're seven better than the Bevos.

Some people I respect continue to say they are not convinced Texas is a championship caliber.

But I believe since their impressive Holiday Bowl win, they've played with passion and are much better.

All I know...is that by 10:45 Saturday night, the foursome will be down to a twosome.

Good luck. Go to your corners. And come out fighting.

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Of note: Do you remember the dry period in the nadir days of Schnelly and Blake? Remember one reason for the demise was the fact that there was not a QB who stood out? Granted, a good deal of that was the fault of the coaches who were out of touch and couldn't out scheme a Pop Warner coach. Regardless the situation, the bottom line numbers support my point.

So, I did a little research and found something quite remarkable. If my homework and that of my crack staff is accurate, no OU quarterback until Josh Heupel in 2000 ever finished in the top six in Heisman voting.

That would mean that if Sam Bradford finishes in the top three this season, in four of Stoops ten seasons there will have been an OU quarterback in the top three! I hate exclamation marks but believe it appropriate in this case.

So a defensive coordinator comes to town, hires a mad scientist as his offensive coordinator who brings Heupel to town and the rest is history.

That means the primary characters in the successful chess moves begins with Boren hiring Castiglione, then Stoops, Leach, Heupel, Chuck Long, Jason White, Kevin Wilson (with significant help from QB Coach Heupel) and Bradford. Pretty good recruiting ammo. Most importantly, it's the essential ingredient for putting a team into position to win championships.

My guess is that the only team that has had OU's kind of success in wins and losses has had equal or better success than the Sooners. USC's run of terrific award-winning QBs is impressive.

Fairways and greens.