[upbeat music] It's about that time again for a little Bedlam Buds, a little CFP College Football Playoff edition of Bedlam Buds. I'm Ryan Boomer Sooner, and this is my buddy Jeremy. Go Pokes. We will have a number of videos this week, and we will talk about Eric Morris and his arrival in Stillwater. North Texas still has a bowl game to play.
They did not make the playoff, but let's, let's start with the playoff. Uh, Oklahoma made it in at number eight, sort of like what everybody was thinking. But beyond number eight, it got a little wacky. It got a little wacky because Duke beat Virginia. Virginia had beaten Duke, Jeremy, 34-17 in the regular season, and then the Blue Devils beat Virginia in the ACC title game 27-20.
That brought James Madison and his, uh, uh, you know, Father of the Constitution Dukes into play. The Dukes will play the Ducks 12-5. 11-6, you got Tulane. Tulane that beat North Texas. They will play Ole Miss. You know, Tulane and Ole Miss played earlier this year. They played on September 20th. Ole Miss won 45 to 10. I'm sure this game's gonna be entertaining. Um, and then you have in 10-7, Miami, who didn't even make the ACC
title game, playing Texas A&M in College Station, a tough place to play. And we'll get into that, especially when we talk about Notre Dame. But Miami essentially was the entity that knocked Notre Dame out. You know, and Miami beat Notre Dame, uh, earlier in the year. And then you had 9-8. Eight was Oklahoma, and nine, Alabama. It not have been. No Notre Dame. It, it, it should not have been at all.
I complete- completely agree. Um, I, I saw, I think it was Kirk Herbstreit, I said, uh, I saw say that, uh, Alabama's been leaking oil for quite a while. They didn't look good against Georgia. They, I mean, they- Georgia ran, ran 'em out. They, they- Georgia flat out- Oh my God... ran them out of the stadium. Th- it could've been 42, 49 to seven.
So but, so you have tho- five through 12, and then you have one through four. Indiana, Ohio State, Georgia, Texas Tech, doesn't matter. I think they're the four best teams in the country anyway. What, what's your overall reaction to what we've seen with the College Football Playoff pairings? Well, I, I think that the top four, the committee got it right, just like you said.
I think that, um, that it, it worked itself out with Indiana beating Ohio State. Everybody already had Indiana written off, that Ohio State was just gonna run through 'em. And so, you know, would Indiana drop out of that top four type of question? Well, we don't have to worry about it because Indiana went out and proved it where they needed to, which was on the football field.
And, you know, and they, they took care of Ohio State and got that one seed. Texas Tech clearly did what it needed to. Georgia did what it needed to. And Ohio State has been number one all year, defending national champs. Again, I think that, that they got that part right. Now, it's the backside where there's always the controversy and, and I, I don't think Alabama deserved to be there. I don't think Notre Des- Notre Dame deserved to be there either.
To me, it was not a question of Alabama or Notre Dame, it was BYU. BYU is the team that got the short stick here. BYU is the team that should be the most angry, not Notre Dame. Notre Dame had too many losses against average opponents, uh, including Miami, who beat 'em head-to-head, right? BYU had two losses. Both of those losses were to Texas Tech, the number four team in the nation, and they were their only losses.
And they had them, again, just to Texas Tech twice within the same year because of the conference championship. Outside of that, BYU did exactly what they were supposed to. They won every other game out there. And so the committee basically said, "We can't punish Alabama for losing that conference championship game, but we're gonna punish BYU for losing the conference championship game." And both of them got blown out.
Both of them, again, neither one of them but BYU had the better season, they had the better look. But it's about that logo. It's about, you know, the things on the side of the helmet, clearly, as much as it is that team. And, you know, personally, I hope that OU just railroads. I hope they run Alabama out of that stadium just to prove that point, just to prove that Alabama should not have been there.
But BYU to me is the team that got absolutely royally hosed here, not Notre Dame. Um, Alabama again jumping up. They should not be there. It really should be BYU.
Because of what happened in the other one with Duke, uh, you know, winning their conference championship, uh, you know, throwing the, the wrench in the works there, which allowed James Madison and Tulane to both slide their way in, Tulane by beating North Texas, and then James Madison because of that, uh, that other, you know, hole there for Group of Five.
Um, but, you know, I see that Oregon is just gonna, they're gonna run James Madison out of there. Good for JMU. I hope they make it a game in the first half. But Oregon is just way too talented. Um, Tulane, Ole Miss. Ole Miss, it won't be a five-touchdown game like last time, but Ole Miss is the better team. Now, question is, how do they respond without Lane Kiffin? Do they go out and do they, um, win one for the Gipper?
Do they prove the point that we were good even without them, uh, and go out and, you know, and win that way? And then, uh, Miami, Texas A&M, that's gonna be a terrific ballgame. Uh, Texas A&M has kind of dropped off, not played as well the last few weeks. Uh, Miami has, has put it out there where they needed to, uh, doing what they've needed to down the stretch. That's gonna be a terrific game.
And of course, the OU Alabama, those are the two blockbuster games these first round. And, and-To just kind of skip ahead, to me OU got the best side of the bracket to be on. OU has an easier route to the final game than the other side where you've got A&M, you got Miami [laughs], you got Ohio State, and Georgia, Ole Miss. I mean, come on. I completely agree.
Not only do I agree with you about BYU being hosed, um, I believe that they were actually the odd man out here and not Notre Dame. Uh, but I agree with you about OU having a fortuitous side. I do see a universe, as crazy as it sounds, if OU wreaks havoc and some chaos and plays it ugly, funks it up, I do see a universe where OU's playing in the national title game. I really genuinely do.
I don't see them winning a national title game, but I see them... I mean, by the way, if you get to a national title game, who's to say you don't? Absolutely. Who's to... It's one game. But with, with that said, um, I just have to think when you think about the season that Oklahoma has had, and as a Sooner fan I'm so proud of them for being there, um, this has been a mental war of attrition for them against the doubters.
I've been a doubter. It's not that I've been a doubter, I've been a realist. We're realists. We're just talking about how we see things happening. But they have fought the true mental war of attrition, and they only have to do it four more times. Uh, uh, with that said, it just, they're, they're playing out of their skins.
Uh, they're standing on their head, to, to use a hockey term when you talk about a goalie who's doing great. He's standing on his head. That's, that's what the Sooners are doing. Um, I, I don't see anybody unbeatable in this batch. I do see some possible upsets. Uh, but when I think about Oklahoma-Alabama specifically, I think about where they are mentally. Uh, OU is already an underdog. Perfect.
Perfect. Absolutely perfect. How, how can they be an underdog when they've beaten Alabama twice in a row, including this year on the road? Oh, I a- I mean, and, and then it's on- I'm s- I'm so grateful, so grateful that they are. First off, this is gonna be the wildest, maybe the drunkest crowd that OU has ever had.
Uh, it's Friday night at 7:00 in December. You're gonna need to get warm. Are, are you kidding me? Yeah. It's to bring the LSU energy to Norman, Oklahoma. It's the night before graduation. Come on. It's going to be a... You think, and I know a lot of people point to the Texas Tech game in 2008. I expect this to be the wildest, rowdiest Sooners crowd in the history of Oklahoma football. Um, and this, their mentality is hard to kill.
It's on, printed on his shirt. Alabama, on the other hand, um, you know, there's, uh, a, a lot of people on TikTok I follow who are Roll Tide fans who are basically done with the season after the Georgia loss. They're like, "Well, don't send us to the playoff. We, we, we don't wanna be there." And if those fans are saying that, what do the players feel, feel like?
Is Kalen DeBoer really the guy to really get those guys galvanized? Does he, did he have their mental energy in a game that they needed to have against Georgia? No. I think that the potential for a blowout is there. It ju- I mean, OU's offense has to show up, has to. Has to. I, I think that OU's offense will show up enough, and I think that Bama's offense is not that good. And I'm sorry, but that quarterback is not, uh, to me, a national championship winning quarterback, uh, at Alabama.
And I don't know if Mateer is, but Mateer has that little something that he finds a way to win in most situations. Uh, not, not- Well, does have a little something... not quite, he's not Baker. Yeah. He, he, he, you know, he ain't Baker, but- No... he has a little bit of s- Nobody is... well, right. He has a little bit of something.
Um, and I, 'cause to me you just throw the Texas game out, that, that's just always weird. But- Right. Agree... I, I, I think that, uh, Alabama, uh, OU has the mental advantage for sure. I think Bama's gonna come in hoping to win. Uh, I think they're, they'll start out strong, but once OU punches them in the mouth and once the Bama offense can't do a lot, I see OU winning by double digits.
I, I really do. Now I'm not saying, you know, 21, uh, you know, or 35 or a blowout like that, but I see OU winning 15 to 20 points. 410 to 2713, 2710. Hey, one or 100, that's all that matters is, as long as you're on the right side. Right. Totally. Okay, so as you're looking at that whole bracket, if you had to pick a Final Four right now, I mean, who would you pick?
I mean, gosh, I, I would h- I would hate to, I mean, because right now I, I see, honestly I see Oregon, I see Georgia, I see Ohio State for sure. Indiana and maybe, I don't know, I, I just have, I'm struggling with the fact that it's Indiana. Um, and that they win ugly, that they win, they, they, they don't mind getting dirty in there.
They're, they're not the most glamorous team. They're not the high-flying team. Um, and that's why I think OU absolutely could give them fits if OU's defense is on. I see that being a, a really close ballgame, and I could see OU winning that. Uh, but gosh, right now, I mean, I have those, those three and that fourth one, I mean, if I had to pick, uh, I would say Indiana right now, but I reserve the right to change my mind after OU and Alabama play. Right. Right. Right.
So when I look at it, um, I mean, it would be easy to pick Indiana, Ohio State, Georgia, and Texas Tech. I don't think that's gonna happen. I think Miami beats Texas A&M. I think Miami beats Ohio State. I think Miami, oh, I think they have, they have a, a mental edge to them also. Uh, yeah, and by the way, Ohio State, not that great. They're, they're okay.
I mean, they're okayUm, it's, but, but they're not, it, this isn't the same Ohio State last... Ohio State last year, going in, I was like, "Ohio State's winning this championship." Yeah. It, it, by the way, they were seeded seven- Well, they lost to Michigan... last year. Right. So. So, but, but I'm, uh, but either way, I was like, "God, the way they're playing, they're gonna win this whole thing."
Um, now, uh, I might have thought that after a game in the playoffs, but with that said, I think, I think Miami is on a good side of things, playing a Texas A&M team that didn't really show up against Texas, and then getting to play Ohio State as opposed to Indiana. Um, here's the crazy thing. If OU beats Alabama, can OU beat Indiana? Yeah, I'm sorry, man. I absolutely think they can.
I, I am as enamored by the, uh, Indiana story as anybody, but I'm like, I still think they're beatable, uh, in, in the moment. Absolutely. And I see ver- I see Oklahoma very much like a butler in the, the tournament. They're going to ugly it up, and that's why I would say we're not gonna play finesse football. We, I, in fact, I, I wanna see a safety scored. I wanna see two safeties scored.
I wanna see weirdness happen, and that's the way... A- and so when I'm looking at the Final Four for me, uh, first off, I think Georgia and Texas Tech are playing for the national title. And I, and don't tell me that Texas Tech can't win it. I am very, very high on Texas Tech, and I think they're very, very good. And that's why, going back to the discussion about BYU, okay, you look at BYU getting blown out twice by Texas Tech, but you're gonna see in these playoffs how good Texas Tech is.
Well, against, uh, uh, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech scored by accident. Uh, uh, I mean, I mean, it was, it really was. It was 49-nothing, and it, they didn't, they were trying not to make it that big. They just kept scoring. Um, unlike Oregon, [laughs] who ran it up. Um, I don't know. There, there's something about right now
that, I don't know, Oregon, when Oregon is on, they can, they can just literally outscore anybody. And Texas Tech is intriguing. You're absolutely right. Again, it's like Indiana. You know, it's because of who they are and who they've been in the past, it's hard to believe in them despite what my eyes have shown me this year. To me, Texas Tech has looked better than Indiana in their wins.
Um, it's just that the quality of opponent in the Big 12 is not seen as high as a quality opponent in the Big 10, and that's a shame, because I think they can, I think they can match up all the way up and down. Um, you know, I think BYU would, would handle pretty much anybody in the Big 10, uh, Michigan and, and some of those other schools like that for sure. Certainly your, your other teams, you know, your,
uh, Purdue, uh, you know, Michigan State, those types. I think that they would absolutely smoke them, Wisconsin. So, uh, Texas Tech is really intriguing, but I just... And again, maybe that's just the Big 12 bias that I've seen them play so much and not be very good that I'm having a hard time believing that they are as good as what they are.
'Cause again, I have Oregon beating them, because Oregon can beat anybody when it comes to that. But I'm not gonna argue with you. Texas Tech, they are just solid. They are not spectacular. They are just really, really good at what they do on both sides of the ball, and that linebacker needs to win the Heisman. Um, oh. Oh, Rodriguez. Yeah, Rodriguez. Just, I mean, he scored a touchdown.
They put him in an offense just 'cause they said, "Well, we know quarterbacks win this Heisman," so they got him a touchdown. I mean, that's just beautiful. Uh, he's the best player out there, I, I, I think, but, uh, we all know it's an offensive award. But man, Texas Tech, they're just solid at what they do. They're not spectacular, but at the end of the day, you look up and, and you've lost by four scores. All right. So if I have to nail you down, and you, you're picking a final.
I picked a final, Georgia, Texas Tech, which is plausible since it's, uh, two versus four. Um, you know, four would play one, two would play three. Uh, who would you pick for a final? Um, I'm going Georgia, Oregon. Georgia, Oregon. I'm going Georgia, Oregon. I- That would be a good, that'd be a good game. That would be a terrific game.
I mean, again, I think that the top side of the bracket is a little bit, uh, uh, less a path of less resistance than the bottom half. I think that Georgia is the better team down there. I think they're, they're gonna show that against Ohio State. As you mentioned, Ohio State shows too many cracks. Uh, Georgia is playing way too well right now. Uh, they will continue to do that.
They are solid all the way through. Um, I think O- Oregon gets hot and runs it out, but, um, if, if, if it's not Oregon, it's gonna be Texas Tech. I just, I- Right... I just, uh, again, I just don't see Indiana. Um, I just don't see them being able to complete. It's some- sometimes the sphincter clenches, you know, in the tough moments.
D- you know, and they've been good so far, but when that game is 13-13 with 4:22 left in the final game, how, or, or in whatever game they're in, how do they respond? Are they... Because all the pressure's on them. You're number one. You're Cinderella, man, and, and you, you have that target on your back. And you got, uh, uh, I especially think OU. OU's playing with house money. What do they care?
Just go out there and it's just, it's like the movie, uh, uh, uh, Road House. "I came here to, uh, drink beer and kick ass, and I am all out of beer." Yeah, absolutely. I, man, it, it's, it's gonna be, it's gonna be terrific. It, it, uh, I really think that. Uh, the first round games will have, you know, again, I think that Oregon, JMU's not gonna be all that terrific. But, um, I think the rest of them are gonna be really good.
Uh, and, uh, you know, I look forward to, to watching it, and hopefully, uh, hopefully our coach is watching that and figuring out how to get my team to that level. We will talk about that in the next episode of Bedlam Buds, so for now, it is a boomer sooner from me, Ryan, and Jeremy. Go Pokes, baby. [upbeat music]