Huge huge win

Of all the big BYU wins, this one is completely atypical. The only game I can think of where BYU played a big time opponent on a neutral field that was not so neutral is the 1997 Cotton Bowl win over Kansas State. That game was a defensive struggle (19-15 with BYU being down 15-5 to start the fourth quarter), but Kansas State did not have a very good offense that year (Kavanaugh was their QB as a I recall, and he was extraordinarily average). To hold the number 1 offense in the country last year (consisting of a Heisman Trophy winner and two 1,000-year running backs) to 13 points is phenomenal. But even more phenomenal when you consider how bad BYU's defense looked last year against teams that had even a modicum of team speed (TCU, Utah, AZ).

Listen, here's the predicted outcome of this game. OU's offense will roll over BYU's slow and short secondary just like every other decent team in the past five years, and they will most likely strike fast so that BYU is in a hole right away. See Notre Dame with Brady Quinn in 2005 where they never ran the ball, see USC in 2004, see TCU and Utah last year (and other middling MWC teams), especially see Tulsa in 2007. Basically, every BYU game you can expect to see the following scenario: QB launches deep pass, no one around but the WR streaking for a TD. BYU has always had a tough front seven, but the secondary always ALWAYS (there is no hyperbole here) sucks. What made this game completely different is that the corners were impressive. How impressive? Uh, I remember the corners being mentioned twice. On pass interference calls. Other than that, no mention of them. Which is good. It meant that they weren't being burned deep and they weren't making tackles. In other words, OU's WRs were not open deep or even middle. From what I remember, OU did not have a pass play longer than 19 yards. Logan and Howard were the difference in BYU being in the game in the 4th quarter. While we're talking about the defense...

LBs Clawson and Pendleton are brutes. Clawson was the guy last year who just lit up QBs in the first couple of games, and lit up Bradford twice. (If I were an OU fan, I would be appalled that with the incredible recruiting classes OU gets, that they don't have a decent OL or a decent back-up QB that can run the system. BYU's DL seemed to hold up much better against these guys than expected.) I have no idea where Pendleton came from, but he was hitting gaps like a laser-guided missile. It was really impressive. Very reminiscent of Shay Muirbrook or that 1996 team. Those two give the LB corps more speed than they seemed to have last year.

Speaking of team speed...What we should have learned from last year's TCU game, is that we can drive against fast defenses with short pinpoint throws and straight-ahead running. (The one TD against TCU came on a steady diet of between-the-tackles running). What doesn't show up in the overall stats, is that when Kariya ran straight ahead, he did really well. When BYU ran him and Tonga on sweeps, it was awful. Losses of 3 and 4 yards every time and it was the 300 pound DT McCoy who was running them down! Tonga looks really slow. Kariya doesn't look too much faster, but they are both tough, and Kariya was dragging people when running straight ahead. Hopefully Anae ditches the sweeps.

The national media likes to talk about the failures of OU, shooting themselves in the foot with penalties and, of course, the injury to Bradford. Here's the deal. When you have four turnovers in a de facto road game, including two within your own thirty-five and one that goes into your own end zone, and you commit 10 penalties, two of which gave OU 30 yards in that drive before halftime where Bradford got clobbered and they kicked a field goal, you should get spanked. BYU made bigger mistakes and still somehow survived. It's actually very reminiscent of that Boise St-OU BCS game. Every one still talks about the trick plays at the ends. BSU would have killed OU if they hadn't have committed a number of turnovers that game. Anyway, I think OU scored all their points off BYU turnovers...

Biggest moments of the game: Had to be when the BYU's defense spine stiffened after Hall through the INT at the 30. OU suddenly started pounding away on the ground and the ESPN commentators mentioned that BYU was looking fatigued. But! 6 plays within the 5, no TD. That was epic.

Also, the coolest offense play had to have been the quick snap on fourth and four, quick throw to Pitta for 23 yards. That was so heads-up and cool. Loved the confidence. None of this namby-pamby "let's talk this over during a timeout." Just a brilliant call.

I think those are all my thoughts for the game. As for me personally, I was a mess the whole game. Example: After Hall missed a wide open Jacobson on a third and long in the third quarter I sprawled onto the ground in despair, causing Christina, Andrew, and KC to just stare at me. I even started biting my nails during the final, failed OU drive, and that's not a habit of mine.

I looked around briefly on YouTube for a good highlight clip. This shows many of the bad things BYU did. Which better illustrates my above points...(also notice that awesome Andrew Rich tackle. He was pretty good too.)