Oklahoma on high trap game alert

Year after year, you know it’s coming. Not when, but you know eventually it’s coming. Blame it on injuries, lack of motivation, poor decision-making, whatever your favorite excuse is for an Oklahoma loss. But there’s always that trap game that takes a sledgehammer to the title hopes of Sooner fans.

Of course, OU has made it back to the BCS National Championship since their winning their seventh title in school history in 2000. However, despite some padded stats and loopholes, there’s always a game or two that kills everything for Oklahoma.

Let’s be honest, a two or three loss season would be amazing for a lot of schools. To win 10 games is something programs celebrate. Though, a storied program like the University of Oklahoma spits on 10-win seasons and non-BCS bowl victories. Sooner fans expect to get in to the double-digits in the “win” column. And most of the time, those losses aren’t to better teams. They are trap games, and here are a few match-ups I would be a bit cautious about as the season approaches.

Texas Tech in Lubbock, Oct. 6: This one is fairly obvious. Oklahoma has yet to beat the Red Raiders consecutive years since Texas Tech controversially beat the Crimson ‘n Creme in 2005. They have been a pesky thorn in the side for years, and the Sooners would love to get revenge on Tech after they ended their 39-game home win streak.

While the Sooners nearly came back from a 31-7 deficit a season ago, that was a game OU had no business losing. Which for every trap game, the favorite never has any business losing. And in 2012, Oklahoma will definitely be the pick for their early October date in Lubbock.

It’s just a matter of stopping junior QB Seth Doege, who threw four touchdown passes and racked up 441 yards against the “Sharks” last season. Also, Tech is fortunate to return 17 starters, so could this be a big year for Tuberville’s Red Raiders?

Maybe so, but what truly makes this is a trap game is it’s the week that precedes the Red River Shootout. Oklahoma desperately needs to take it one game at a time, because honestly, this one may be just as big as October 13 in Dallas if Texas does not live up to all the hype they are receiving.

Baylor in Norman, Nov. 10: Apparently the Sooners are capable of losing at home. When your program wins nearly 40 straight, you start writing off teams when they step on to Owen Field. However, the Red Raiders shattered that illusion last season, and no home game is a guaranteed win anymore.

Not only did that incredible streak come to an end last season, Baylor broke a 19-game losing streak to the Sooners in Waco. It was the first ever Bears win over the Sooners in football. If you were on the outside looking in, then it must have looked like a classic game. The Bears game-winning drive by Heisman-winning quarterback Robert Griffin III was one to remember.

However, it was not a fun one for Oklahoma fans. The Bears had always been bottom-dwellers, but as soon as a once-in-a-lifetime quarterback comes around for Baylor, the Bears finally earn their first victory over the Sooners in program history.

While it was a historic win for the Waco faithful, the Bears lose just three starters on defense and five on offense. They are not as hyped coming in to this season, but who is to say they can’t take down OU right before a big clash with West Virginia? Sooners-Mountaineers has College Gameday written all over it, but the Bears will hope to become a nasty blemish on OU’s BCS resume.

They do have a solid defense, and senior QB Nick Florence looks like he could be a quality signal-caller for the Bears. The team will definitely want to prove to everyone that it just wasn’t RGIII who won those games in 2011, and while the Sooners have multiple big games at home, this is supposed to be one of the easier games in Norman. However, any given Saturday, an upset can take place. And the Sooners don’t want to be victim to a questionable 2012 Baylor Bears.

Texas Christian in Forth Worth, Dec. 1: It probably won’t be a defacto Big 12 championship like Bedlam last year, but crazier things have happened. Though, going on the road to West Virginia, Oklahoma State, and Texas will probably be too crazy for the Horned Frogs.

However, if they can pull out a win in Austin, Thanksgiving weekend, TCU may have enough momentum for OU the next week. It will be the last game of the regular season for TCU, and to knock off the Sooners, who could be vying for a spot in the BCS National Championship, would be the icing on the cake to their year.

Junior QB Casey Pachall is poised to join just another strong class of Big 12 quarterbacks, but their defense loses over half its starters, and that could be problematic for TCU against a high-powered Oklahoma offense.

There is no doubt if OU is playing for a spot in the BCS title game, or the Big 12 championship, Texas Christian would love to play spoiler December 1, and pull a Kansas State on Bob Stoops.

Texas Christian benefits from OU facing West Virginia in Morgantown and Oklahoma State in Norman right before they take on the Horned Frogs. A tired out Oklahoma would be the perfect set-up for a late season upset over the Sooners who embarrassed TCU the last time these two met. A loss here would wreck any dream for a national championship.