Bedlam 2011: Oklahoma Sooners Defense Will Decide Winner

At this point in the season, there are a few facts about both the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Oklahoma Sooners that are for certain. 

Fact: The Cowboys can flat out score. Head coach Mike Gundy has the Pokes near the top of every offensive category nationally: total offense (3), passing offense (2), scoring offense (2), passing efficiency (6)... the list goes on.

Brandon Weeden is wildly efficient at running this offense and Justin Blackmon is the favorite for the Biletnikoff Award for the nation's top receiver. The somehow-underrated piece in this system is sophomore running back Joseph Randle, who has accumulated 1042 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns on 5.8 YPC.

Fact: The Sooners can score in bunches as well. They rank right up there with the Cowboys nationally: total offense (4), passing offense (3), scoring offense (8) and passing efficiency (28).  They've also produced slightly better rushing numbers.

The Sooners fixed their early-season red-zone scoring issues with the addition of the "Bell-Dozer" package, featuring 6'6", 245-lb freshman QB Black Bell. Don't forget to mention future first-round draft pick Landry Jones leading the team between the ten yard-lines.

Sure, they have lost key starters in Ryan Broyles and Dom Whaley, but the remaining cast has stepped up in their absences and played well.

Fact: OSU still doesn't have defense figured out. The only thing holding this unit together is their high turnover margin, which is inflated slightly by Brandon Weeden's excellent play. Other than that, they look terrible: passing defense (102), rushing defense (93), scoring defense (64)... as before, the list goes on.

For as good as the OSU offense is, the defense is that bad.

Fact: There is no way to know which OU defense is going to show up Saturday night in Stillwater. Will it be the dominant, ball-swarming "Sharks" from Texas and Kansas State, or will it be the overwhelmed, out-of-position "Guppies" we saw against Texas Teach and Baylor?

Will it be the unit that has only given up 24 points during the third quarter all season and pitched four second-half shutouts, or will it be the unfocused, unmotivated unit that has come out flat countless times this year?

This game will show a lot about both the players and the coaching staff. Will the coaches finally get through to these players? Can the players learn from their mistakes and contain this OSU offense?

Considering recent player interviews with SoonerSports.com, they are saying all the right things:

"

"Sometimes we want to make plays for ourselves... get a little antsy or selfish trying to make plays." -Aaron Colvin addressing how selfish play can get you out of position.

"You have to play your man, not the quarterback. [Brandon Weeden] is very experienced, he knows how to look you off and deliver the ball." - Javon Harris talking about the lessons he has learned the last few weeks.

"

Fact: It is up to the OU defense to dictate the winner of this game, which will determine whether or not this was a wasted season. Will it be a loss and a trip to the Alamo Bowl? Or will it be a win, an eighth Big 12 title and another trip to the Fiesta Bowl?