BOULDER, Colo. — When selecting a homecoming weekend, most schools immediately eye the weakest conference opponent on the schedule.
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This is why Baylor's football team should arrive at a stadium riding a float rather than a bus.
Homecoming is a time for alums to get reacquainted, watch their alma mater win big, all while getting tanked.
That's the typical homecoming modus operandi.
It doesn't work that way in the rarified air of Colorado. The Buffaloes pick their homecoming on a date that best works alongside Family Weekend, which actually has become a better draw.
This helps explain why in the name of John Denver the Buffs are hosting No. 3-ranked Oklahoma in front of family and friends at Folsom Field (53,750).
The yet-to-be-tested Sooners arrive in this postcard territory having yet needed to wash their uniforms in four games — an average victory margin of 49.7 points per game.
But just because North Texas, Miami, Utah State and Tulsa got stampeded, don't assume the 2-2 Buffaloes will be so willing.
The Sooners are a 22-point favorite, which seems a ridiculous spread on the road against a program that's played in four of the last six Big 12 championship games.
(OK, we all know the punch line: CU went 1-3 in those games with an average loss of 42.7 points.)
When it comes to bashing heads with the Buffs in Boulder, history tells us today is no nature hike for OU.
Sooners quarterback coach Josh Heupel still has a headache from a 38-24 loss on Folsom Field in 1999.
"I remember getting my butt whupped all over the football field. Didn't play a very good football game. That's really the thing that I remember,” said Heupel, who was 26-of-58 passing that day for 328 yards and four interceptions.
"There was an equipment manager when I was (tight ends coach) at Arizona. He came from Colorado and said they had a big picture of me getting pile-driven in that game, hanging in their locker room. That's not a good memory for me. It's a great atmosphere up there. They play well at home. It'll be a great atmosphere and a great road test.”
The Sooners have an all-time losing record against only one Big 12 program, and that's Texas (39-56-5).
No team, including the Longhorns, can match the streak of success the Buffs enjoyed against OU when they went 8-0-1 from 1989 through 1999.
Boulder's elevation is 5,440 feet above sea level, more than a mile high.
Though oxygen is scarce in the Rocky Mountains, OU coach Bob Stoops doesn't seem too concerned.
"We're not going to be there 24 hours,” said Stoops, who is 5-1 against Colorado. "I never hear of anybody going up to play the Broncos having trouble with that. I don't believe in that whatsoever.”
Naturally, Stoops is going to pooh-pooh the high-altitude factor. Every good visiting coach denies it even exists.
While Stoops is dismissing the altitude, he certainly is not dismissing the opponent's attitude.
The Sooners are good enough to win big today.
If not, they could be gasping for air.
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gasp (cough, cough - choke)Interesting reversal of this story is already up on the Newsok site.
This is not a Bill McCartney, Kordell Sewart and Eric Bienemy Buffalo team. Sooners will roll big. Expect Defense to play extra hard with the emotional loss of John Williams.
Altitude Schmaltitude, oh Schmitty will have these boys ready. It may be a little tighter than we are accustomed to this year.My money says we cover the spread. BOOMER!
Worst performance of the OU football team since Blake terrible defense, bench Alligator arms Iglesias, get rid of Wilson's vanilla ass offense and find someone who plays to win tight games, not plays not to lose, YOU WILL LOSE EVERY TIME WHEN YOU PLAY NOT TO LOSE, big game Bob, is now play not to lose BOOB!!!!!!!
Fire Stoops, give his money to the women's soccer team stop playing football at OU it's a waist of time, this is the worst OU football team I have ever seen. This is ridiculous, if he can't get them ready to play, fire his BUTT and FIND SOMEONE WHO CAN!!!!!!!!!!!
Pathetic. That's all that describes what I just witnessed. We choked, and just gave away a chance at a national championship for sure, and potentially a Big 12 championship if we play like that next week in Dallas.
What a complete letdown by OU. Way to choke guys.
Come on guys, Colorado plays in the Big 12 just as we do. I used to get really upset when OU lost, but now that I'm a little older I've come to realize that this is just a game!!! Yep, I take it serious, I spent a pretty penny for my OU vs texas tickets, but do I want to fire Stoops for a loss? Heck no. I just wish we could get a decent offensive coordinator on our team. We haven't been able to win the big games every since Leachs' offensive system left Norman. Remember, until today, we have not really played anyone of note, and are games have been played in Oklahoma. Bradford is still a freshman, and will get better with time. Come on guys, stop being fair weather fans and realize that on any given Saturday anyone get beat. If you don't believe that you should go talk to Barry Switzer.
Boy, what a bunch of fair-weather fans! One bad game and you want to fire everybody?? As a long suffering OSU fan, I could not have been happier that OU lost, but at least I recognize (maybe even envy) the quality of the coaching and the overall program. OU will not lose again this year, put it in the bank! As for Stoops "pooh-poohing" the altitude factor, I am old enough to remember Bud's teams struggling up there every other year, winning or losing by a touchdown or less, and the alternate years in Norman winning by huge margins, like 56-14 or some such. I don't know if they had oxygen tanks on the sidelines for the players, but they certainly should have. Even so, without the 4th qtr turnovers, OU still wins. But I am still glad they lost!
Boy, what a bunch of fair-weather fans! One bad game and you want to fire everybody?? As a long suffering OSU fan, I could not have been happier that OU lost, but at least I recognize (maybe even envy) the quality of the coaching and the overall program. OU will not lose again this year, put it in the bank! As for Stoops "pooh-poohing" the altitude factor, I am old enough to remember Bud's teams struggling up there every other year, winning or losing by a touchdown or less, and the alternate years in Norman winning by huge margins, like 56-14 or some such. I don't know if they had oxygen tanks on the sidelines for the players, but they certainly should have. Even so, without the 4th qtr turnovers, OU still wins. But I am still glad they lost!
OU showed the same problem they have had in the last few years, and teams have exploited it. They still cannot defend the mid-range pass. Give ANY opposing QB more than about 4 seconds, and my blind grandmother in her wheelchair can get 3 yards separation on the defender! OU throws, caught and immediately 3 defenders on him. CU throws, caught, 2 seconds later the OU defender appears on the scene.
Dwane? Rick? Margaret? Anybody home??? Maybe you're waiting for the press conference where Stoops will blame his idiot players for all the problems and making him look bad.
PATHETIC offensive performance. Bradford was awful. The offensive coaching was worse. I believe we should fire the offensive coordinator and play the Nichol kid at QB.
OU faces a trap game Sooners must avoid looking... 09/29/2007 NORMAN — Kevin Sumlin believes in trap games. But not for this Sooner squad. "This team is different,” said Sumlin, Oklahoma's receivers coach. "This...
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What a complete letdown by OU. Way to choke guys.