Oklahoma Football: Bob Stoops, Sooners Survive Against The Air Force Academy

The University of Oklahoma football team and its fans can breathe again. For the second time in the first three weeks of the season, the Sooners survived a close call against what was generally perceived to be inferior competition.

Going into the game against the Air Force Academy and the nations' leading rushing attack, Oklahoma was posted as a 17-point home favorite by the oddsmakers in Vegas.

Against their first week's opponent, the Aggies of Utah State, the Sooners were favored by over 20 points.

The combined margin of victory was 10 points.

Oklahoma had to convert late first down opportunities in both games to run out the clock and escape with the victory.

While it is nice to see the Sooners win the close games that, in recent history, they have come up short in, there are plenty of red flags for the coaching staff and fans to be concerned with.

As was the case in the first game against USU, when Oklahoma's offense scored the game's first 21 points and then seemed to go into a self-congratulatory funk, the Sooners saw a 17-point lead in the third quarter almost evaporate against the Falcons of the Air Force.

Luckily for the Sooners, their superior athleticism was just enough to chalk up the victory, or their school record 33-game home winning streak would have gone down quicker than a progressive candidates' chances of re-election.

With OU leading 10-3 at the half, it looked as though the Sooners had finally solved the mystery of how to stop the Falcons triple-option rushing attack that had come into Norman averaging well over 400 yards a game. They had started to converge on the ball by the end of the first half and looked to be in control going into the second half of the game.

Air Force received the kickoff to start the third quarter and promptly drove it down the Sooners' throats, silencing the home crowd and letting them know this service academy had come for battle. 

After converting on a 3rd-and-15 play with one of their eight completions in 14 attempts, the Falcons tied the game at 10 apiece on a keeper by talented signal caller Tim Jefferson on an option play from 38-yards out.

The Sooners responded quickly when Moses Maddu returned the ensuing squib-quick back to the Falcons 41-yard-line, scoring two plays later.

OU soon added a 41-yard field goal and then a Landry Jones-to-DeMarco Murray 17-yard touchdown reception for what seemed a comfortable 27-10 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

The fly-boys were not through, though. They responded with two long scoring drives in the final period, leaving Oklahoma with a precarious 27-24 advantage.

After electing to kick the ball deep after their last score with under four minutes left, Air Force was hoping a stop from their defense would give them the ball back with a chance to win the game.

Oklahoma picked up a first down on two DeMarco Murray rushes, forcing the Falcons to burn the three timeouts they had saved throughout the second half.

With about 2:40 left on the game clock, the Sooners faced a 3rd-and-4 near mid-field. A conversion meant they could run the clock out and preserve the victory. An Air Force stop might force a punt and make the Sooner defense, already worn down from the 351 yards rushing the Falcons had hammered them with, try to stop them from reaching the end zone on a possible last-minute, game-winning drive.

Electing to put the ball in the air, Sooner QB Landry Jones hit freshman Kenny Stills for a 10-yard gain, moving the chains and allowing them to drain the clock.

So, the big question for Sooner fans is this: Who are the Sooners this year?

Are they the team who showed up against Air Force and Utah State? The Oklahoma squad who, leading up to each game, was lavished with praise and considered a legitimate contender for both the Big 12 and BCS crown?

This team seems to be the one who reads their own press clippings and will sit back after building a lead, hoping the other team is ready to call it punch out and collect a check. They play like they have nothing to prove and are hoping the Sooner brand is enough to carry the day.

Or, are they the team who smashed Florida State? These Sooners had heard they were overrated and how the Seminoles, with ex-Heisman candidate Christian Ponder, would end the nation's longest current home-field win streak.

This team in Crimson and Cream then proceeded to put a beating on FSU that hadn't been seen since Tina Turner was married to Ike.

Only time will tell, Sooner fans, but a word of advice: If you would like this team to perform up to their capabilities on a weekly basis, don't gloss over the negatives you have seen from this year's Oklahoma squad. They seem to perform much better with a chip on their shoulders.

If anything, the players need to be reminded on a daily basis, that, just because they put on an OU uniform, it doesn't entitle them to anything. Only a disciplined Sooner squad who comes out hungry and focused every week has a chance at a title of any kind this year.