Fiesta Bowl Oklahoma Sooners vs. UConn Huskies: Two Teams With Much To Prove

The Oklahoma Sooners are in the Fiesta Bowl against a seemingly unworthy and inferior opponent. It appears to be the worst matchup of all the BCS games and people will only watch it because it is the only game on that night.

Sound familiar?

Oklahoma has been in this position before just four short years ago, when a hook and ladder and a flea-flicker left the overwhelming favorites in disbelief as they watched the Boise State Broncos celebrate an improbably upset victory.

Fast forward to 2011 and the Big 12 Champions, No. 7 Oklahoma Sooners (11-2), will face the Big East Champion UConn Huskies (8-4).

Because they lost four games and did not finish the year ranked in the BCS top-25 there are many people who feel UConn is not worthy of a BCS bid, while I agree with these people, the Huskies did win the Big East and therefore get a shot.

The rules need to be changed, but as they stand now UConn qualified for the BCS so the game must go on. 

Although the Big 12 champion Sooners have lost five straight BCS bowl games, Oklahoma will beat UConn and give the BCS critics even more to gripe about.

The Sooners will rely on Landry Jones, DeMarco Murray and Ryan Broyles to put points on the board and pressure on an anemic Husky offense.

Jones threw for 35 touchdowns and over 4,000 yards this season. Over 1,000 of Jones’ passing yards were thanks to wide-out Ryan Broyles who had 13 receiving touchdowns on the season. Together, they lead a passing attack that averages 351 yards per game. Good enough for third in the country.

If stopping the passing game seems like a challenge, the Huskies will also have to find a way to slow down running back DeMarco Murray, who rushed for over 1,000 yards this season. Murray is a very versatile back who also had nearly 600 yards receiving.

While the Sooners appear to be the overwhelming favorites, they will still need to figure out a way to slow down the UConn rushing attack.

Jordan Todman, Big East offensive player of the year, rushed for 1,500 yards and 14 touchdowns. Todman averaged 143 yards per game which was second in the nation.

Although Todman has been successful all year, the Huskies have a one-dimensional offense. Oklahoma will more than likely put eight men in the box and force UConn to throw the football.

If UConn has any hope of an upset, senior Zach Frazer will have to have a breakout game throwing the football.

Frazer only completed 52 percent of his passes this season for a measly 1,202 yards and only threw for more than 200 yards once. While he only threw four interceptions, he only threw five touchdowns as well.

Frazer is the definition of a “game-manager” but the UConn passing attack, which ranks 116^th in the FBS, will need him to be a “game-changer” in Glendale.

Oklahoma is the definite favorite in the game and should win easily, but with Bob Stoops at the helm, it has been proven time and time again that anything is possible.

The Sooners have not won a BCS bowl game since the 2003 Rose Bowl against Washington State.

The 2011 Fiesta Bowl will also be the first meeting between UConn and Oklahoma.