Oklahoma 41 Houston 27. @NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
Coogs are 10-1-1 ATS as an underdog the last 3 years while Oklahoma is just 1-6 ATS in the state of Texas the last 3 years.
Coogs had a 13-1 record last year and beat an unmotivated FSU team to get to a #15 ranking this year. Coogs return only 11 starters – but QB Greg Ward, Jr is a key piece – and are inexperienced on the OL and secondary. Both of those could present matchup issues vs an athletic OU defensive front and also QB Baker Mayfield and a high-powered OU offense. The hefty opponent ranking, trip to Houston to play in an NFL stadium, bad taste of losing to Clemson in the playoffs and national TV coverage makes this a game the Sooners can rally around.
Maybe CTH really wants to dampen expectations knowing that OU is better than FSU and we knocked out FSU’s QB. However, we held Dalvin Cook to minimal production.
I really don’t understand the argument that FSU wasn’t motivated in the Peach Bowl. I get that their fans were disappointed at having to play the G5 at large, but that doesn’t mean the player or coaches weren’t motivated. I see this argument everywhere, but where is it coming from? This was a NY6 game on a national stage with seniors trying to go out with a bang. I just don’t buy that FSU wasn’t motivated.
The starting QB for FSU broke his ankle at the end of Q1. It was obvious the FSU back up in the Peach Bowl was not going to cut it against us. We stopped Cook. FSU Motivation - If not motivated why would they bring their starting QB back in the second half with some type of huge immobilization boot half way up his calf?
Well, several sports sites have Oklahoma at number 1. I think they’re as good as Clemson and Alabama who are rank higher than them. Most likely they are rank higher because they both were finalist. I think Alabama is overrated though. Lost a lot of talent. So if UH beats them in a neutral field, it means UH is reallyyy good.
No matter what the score is at the end of the game, I really, really like this game as a measuring stick for this program. For decades now we’ve put up with “UH couldn’t hang with a P5 schedule” arguments based on nothing more than conjecture. We now have the opportunity to beat two consensus elite programs in back to back games (although separated by 9 months) and have another legitimately good P5 team on the schedule later this year in Louisville. Even if we don’t beat OU, we have a great opportunity here to prove we can compete with the “big boys.” And I, for one, am looking forward to that opportunity.
I don’t think that the Florida State QB broke his ankle. He most likely sprained it, and after x-rays had indicated no break, he was able to come back in the game with it taped up pretty good. I don’t think there was any boot on it.
Sean Maguire did fracture his ankle in the first quarter of the Peach Bowl.
By Joe Rodgers
Omnisport @Rodgers_PG
Published on Jan. 10, 2016
Florida State quarterback Sean Maguire’s poor play in the Peach Bowl on New Year’s Eve could be linked to the fact that he continued to play on a broken left ankle.
The Tallahassee Democrat reported the injury will need surgery to repair.
Sorry, no moral victories here…we need to win this game and win BIG…we dont want to “hang”…that is loser mentality. This isnt 1997…this is 2016…we want this game and anything less than that is unacceptable!
rewatch the peach bowl when FSU came within a score of UH after a deep bomb TD from maguire…their whole sideline was lit, jumping up and down, maguire pumping up his offense then tell me with a straight face they werent motivated
Bama also lost the highest paid defensive coordinator in the country to the position of head coach at UGA. Will be interesting to see if they can stop MSU, A&M, and LSU.