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Missouri plays the role of underdog against Oklahoma again

By Taylor Bern

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Oklahoma is the highest-scoring team in the country and on Saturday it will play Missouri in Arrowhead Stadium for a berth in the national championship. While the Sooners are coming off of a 61-41 blowout of Oklahoma State, the Tigers dropped a 40-37 heartbreaker at Arrowhead to Kansas last week.

A motivated Sam Bradford versus. a disheartened Chase Daniel means this one could get ugly.

OKLAHOMA

OFFENSE

Quarterback Sam Bradford has torn ligaments in his non-throwing hand, which caused a couple of fumbled snaps last week. No worries.

Now that he’s had a full week to get accustomed it shouldn’t affect the snaps. Plus, if it does becomes a problem, coach Bob Stoops could always call for direct snaps to running backs DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown.

DEFENSE

Optional.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Murray and wide receiver Juaquin Iglesias are two of the best return men in the conference.

Oklahoma leads the Big 12 with 25.1 yards per kick return. Little-used freshman kicker Jimmy Stevens is useful as a PAT-machine, but he’s only 6-for-9 on field goals this season.

MISSOURI

OFFENSE

If not for Chase Daniel’s miserable first half against Kansas, Missouri may be rolling into this contest on a five game winning streak. Instead, the Tigers are reeling and Daniel continues to shoot himself in the foot. He’s thrown at least one interception in every game since a September loss to Oklahoma State, so count on another on Saturday. The only question is: What will he do after that?

DEFENSE

Optional.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Jeff Wolfert is one of the best kickers in the nation, but not even he could drill a 54-yarder in the snow. Because conditions will likely be similar this weekend in Kansas City, he needs to regain confidence with a couple of easy ones early on.

Elsewhere, Missouri’s return game goes as Jeremy Maclin goes. His health is still in question.

PREDICTION

“Big Game Bob” Stoops hasn’t lived up to his name too much lately. Bowl game defeats and even an embarrassing Big 12 title loss to Kansas State have sullied his regular season greatness.

Well, Oklahoma is poised to go to its fourth national championship game in the Stoops era, and few expect them to stumble along the way.

The BCS gave the Sooners an early Christmas present and they can’t unwrap it fast enough. Expect Oklahoma to score at least 21 in the first quarter, and if its defense shows up at all the game should never be in doubt from there.

OKLAHOMA 52, MISSOURI 30

— — Edited by Scott Toland

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