Five Oklahoma football story lines as 2017 training camp commences
By Chip Rouse
Is Ohio State a make-or-break game in Oklahoma’s 2017 season?
When Oklahoma suffered a decisive home defeat at the hands of visiting Ohio State last season, many believed that the Sooners’ were stick-a-fork-in-it done for the season. With two losses in their first three games, OU’s chances for second straight Big 12 title were slim to none, let alone any thought of returning to the College Football Playoff.
Oklahoma’s response to its 1-2 start was 10 consecutive wins, an undefeated 9-0 run through the difficult Big 12 schedule, all capped off with a 14-point win over Auburn in the Sugar Bowl, the Sooners second straight Sugar Bowl win over an SEC opponent, and both over teams from the football-crazed state of Alabama.
This season, Oklahoma travels to Columbus, Ohio, on the second weekend of the season to take on a Buckeye squad that is all but certain to be ranked in the nation’s top five and will be rooted on by a home crowd of more than 100,000 that is fiercely passionate about their football team.
Both teams are expected to be national championship contenders to start the 2017 season, which makes this one of the premier games of season on just the second weekend. The winner of the game will remain in the national championship hunt, and with a marquee win over a highly-ranked opponent to its credit.
The loser, although not totally out of the College Football Playoff picture, will be left standing on but one leg and in need of some help from others and a clean ride with a sprinkling of good fortune the rest of the way.
The game with Ohio State on Sept. 9 is by far the biggest one, from a matchup standpoint and being on the road against a high-quality opponent, but because it is so early in the season it is difficult to say it is the most important game the Sooners will play in 2017.
A victory over Ohio State would undoubtedly place Oklahoma on the inside track toward a Playoff spot, but with 10 more games to play in the regular season, but just as in last season it cannot be said that this one game will define the Sooners’ 2017 season, regardless of a win or a loss.
As an example, a conference loss, could be potentially more damaging because it could keep the Sooners from winning a Big 12 title, which would be a bigger knockout factor in the Playoff race than a loss to Ohio State.