BYU Cougars Upset of Oklahoma Sooners Overshadowed by Bradford Injury

When I first heard BYU would be playing Oklahoma in Arlington to start this season I was incredibly excited because I hadn't thought I would get to see BYU play this year.  I knew that it could be a good game if BYU played to their potential, and honestly, I just hoped it would be competitive.

Last night's game exceeded all of my expectations, and was the greatest football I game I have ever been to.

Walking up to the stadium it was obvious who the most support would be for as the parking lots were lined with crimson tents bearing the OU logo.  Their fans were casually enjoying a beautiful Texas afternoon probably expecting a blowout, and while I knew that wouldn't happen, the outcome was a pleasant surprise.

The stadium was unbelievable and definitely a site to be seen.  It was a great place to watch a game, and well worth the trip from Austin.

I was extremely encouraged early in the game as BYU's defense showed they came to play.  While they didn't get the pressure I thought they needed to to win, they stopped the run and played solid coverage for inexperienced corners.

Unfortunately, Oklahoma's defense was equally good and was getting pressure on Max Hall.  That fact alone mad me worry some as I felt BYU needed to start off hot to have a chance. 

There were numerous penalties that really messed with the flow of the game throughout, but they were pretty even.  There were a few calls I felt were questionable, but by no means grossly wrong, and overall I felt the officials did a good job of letting the players determine the outcome.

When McKay Jacobson dropped that punt early my heart fell out of my chest as those are the kinds of mistakes that create momentum and determine games.  But, the defense played solid and kept the score low.  Jordan Pendleton seemed like he was everywhere the whole game and deserves huge credit.

BYU showed their resilience at the end of the half holding OU to the field goal to end the half.  Holding the reigning Heisman winner who picked defenses apart last season to under 100 yards was a huge accomplishment and deserves recognition.

The injury to Bradford was extremely unfortunate.  I never like to see anyone get hurt, especially a good guy like Bradford, because I hate all of the excuses that immediately come out about BYU only won because Bradford was out. 

I think it is interesting that not one person has mentioned that BYU's number one running back didn't even play.  Kariya played a great game and was an adequate replacement, but Harvey Unga is a much better back and would have had a huge impact as well.

I obviously didn't see it sitting in the top row, but I found it interesting that Max Hall went into the locker room at halftime saying we are going to win.  That is exactly the kind of confidence you need from your senior quarterback, and the kind that leads you to a win over the number three team in the nation.

The second half seemed to be played more cleanly, though there were still numerous penalties.  Both teams have their fair share of young players so I guess they were to be expected to some extent, but I would guess that both teams will play more cleanly in the future. 

As the game was drawing to a close, there were two huge segments that are not getting the coverage they should as they relate to the final outcome. 

The first was the staunch goalline stand by BYU.  As I remember it OU got 6 chances at the endzone from inside the five and BYU stopped them every time.  Keeping them to only a field goal made BYU's comeback possible.

The second huge play was BYU's fourth down conversion to Dennis Pitta.  The quick snap and flawless execution on that play showed a lot about the poise of that whole unit, and the leadership of Max Hall.  While Jacobson's redemptive catch to win the game will get all the publicity, I really think Pitta's catch was more crucial.

As I mentioned before, this was the greatest game I have been to overall.  It was not a super clean game, but it was a game that was won in the trenches, and surprisingly, BYU owned Oklahoma in that respect.  They showed huge heart and earned this win.

I have to give huge respect to the OU fans.  I have never met fans that were more graceful in defeat.  We had numerous OU fans stop us to congratulate us on the win and my brother and I thanked them for the enjoyable game.  The only retard I saw was in fact a drunk BYU fan (apparently they do exist). 

All in all it was worth the travel, the lack of sleep, and the money.  Make whatever excuses you want about injuries, penalties, and anything else you want, but BYU won that game.  Both teams gave the other team plenty of opportunities to run away with it, but BYU settled down just enough to take it home.

I am by no means ready to send BYU to the national championship, but show me a team that had a bigger win on Saturday.  Oklahoma St. won a big one at Georgia, though I think both teams are a little overrated, but either team could have won without it being a big surprise. 

As for the Alabama vs. Virginia Tech game, I don't think there will be a game with two more overrated teams the rest of this season.  Only time will tell if that proves true, but again, either team could have won without i being a huge surprise.

Look at the rest of the top teams, and name one that even played a quality opponent. 

There are still huge games against Florida St., TCU, and Utah to be played, but all of them are at home, and that should be huge.  BYU has not lost a home game in three years, so that should help in this whole endeavor.

I could hardly talk after the game last night, and I am still pumped beyond belief right now.  This is going to be a great season, and it started with an amazing game that I will remember forever.