November 06, 2007 08:33 pm
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Kansas blasting its way to No. 4 in the BCS this week may be the best thing to happen for the Sooners. If Kansas goes on to win the North, with a game this week at Stillwater against OSU and a decisive game against Missouri, a Big 12 championship game between the two actually works best for both. Missouri is sixth and would be the Sooners' alternative opponent to decide the Big 12, but two wins over Missouri might mean less than a win over both Mizzou and KU.
Missouri has Texas A&M at home, Kansas State on the road and the game with Kansas will be at the neutral site of Arrowhead Stadium. After OSU, Kansas hosts Iowa State leading into the Missouri game.
Meanwhile, the best shot at a loss from the top three is probably Ohio State’s finale with Michigan. The Buckeyes get an Illinois team this week which has recovered after consecutive losses to Wisconsin and Michigan, both by less than a touchdown, but the Wolverines haven’t lost since the Appalachian State embarrassment and the blowout at home against Oregon in early September.
LSU can almost cruise with remaining games at home against Louisiana Tech, at Mississippi and at home against Arkansas, but could still lose the SEC championship game. Arizona (4-6) and coach Mike Stoops could help his brother's team out with a Nov. 15 win over Oregon, who then has 5-4 UCLA and 4-6 Oregon State and no conference championship game.
Makes you want a national championship tournament, doesn't it?
Playoff fever
Muskogee could run into two former foes on its side of the bracket: Norman North and Union, or another revenge game should Tulsa Washington upend Union in Round 1. MHS could face North, again, in Round 2.
Wagoner has Bishop McGuinness on its side of the 4A bracket, meaning another possible semifinal matchup, where the Bulldogs’ season ended a year ago. Hilldale avoids both of the top two teams by being in the bottom of the bracket but still must face Glenpool as a likely second-round opponent and either Broken Bow or Weatherford in the semifinals.
Five area teams are in the Class 2A playoffs and wins by four will match the winners up in Round 2. Sequoyah and Vian are on one collision course, Keys and Eufaula the other. Five unbeatens (Heritage Hall, Henryetta, Cascia Hall, Hennesey and Morris) are also in the way. Hennesey, Cascia Hall and Morris, who opens with Stigler, are on the upper half of the bracket with Eufaula and Keys.
Best opening-round match up: a pair of top 10 teams collide in Class B as Porter hosts its first-ever playoff game against Davenport. Porter is No. 6 in the AP poll this week and Davenport is No. 7.
But the best drama in the high school playoffs will come right here. After giving up my mustache by going with Owasso over Muskogee in Week 9, by e-mail agreement, Yours Truly will adopt the “Henno” look and shave his head to match Muskogee coach Matt Hennesy’s look or dye a batch of graying hair Rougher green through Christmas. The Roughers, on the other hand, will collect one can of food per player and coach for donation to meet local needs for each level shy of a gold ball celebration they fall short. No word on a similar bet from Hilldale and Kenton Brooks, who has less hair to lose as well as less hair than coach Don Hendrix.
NFL bits
Memo to Dallas Cowboys fans: NFC frontrunner status has probably made you forgotten about that trade with Cleveland that gave the Browns Brady Quinn and your team the Browns’ No. 1 in 2008. Quinn isn’t even playing and yet Cleveland is 5-3. So much for a projected top three pick.
Teddy Lehman’s four tackles in the Lions’ 44-7 win over Denver give him 19 for the season (11 solo) as the oft-injured Fort Gibson native appears as back in full swing as his team is at 6-2 and looking for a playoff spot for the first time since Lehman was leading FGHS to the 4A championship game in 1999.
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