A win against the Oklahoma Sooners at Owen Field.
The Sooners are 72-2 in Norman under Bob Stoops and have not lost at home since a 17-10 loss to TCU in the home opener in 2005. They also own the longest, current home-winning streak in the NCAA with a 36-consecutive game win streak.
Combine those stats with the pre-season #1 ranking in both major polls: USA TODAY/Coaches and Associated Press. Add in an unprecedented ESPN "All Access" for opening week of practice by the normally reclusive Bob Stoops, a top 5 national showdown week three against #5 ranked Florida State in Tallahassee and the entire Sooner Nation is absolutely giddy about a potential 8th national championship.
But hold on Boomer & Sooner, those irrepressible shetland ponies who usher the Sooner Schooner onto Owen Field after every OU scoring drive, this Tulsa team is potent. And no one is more potent than quarterback G.J. Kinne. The third year starter brings a veteran team with playmakers on both sides of the ball to Norman which is a far-better team than the Golden Hurricane squad that lost to OU in 2009, 45-0.
So, without any further delay, here are 10 ways Tulsa can ruin the Sooner Nation's BCS National Championship dreams before they ever get started.
Reason #1: Be Like John!
In 1980 a skinny, no-name sophomore quarterback in just his fourth collegiate start from Stanford brought his Cardinal football team into Norman to face the #4 ranked Sooners. Just one year removed from Heisman Trophy winner Billy Sims gracing the Sooner sideline, 8-consecutive Big 8 Championships (including two national championships along the way) and back-to-back Orange Bowl victories over Florida State, little known Stanford upset Oklahoma at home 31-14.
The quarterback's name? John Elway.
Riding an unabashed confidence and a gunslinger mentality, Elway shocked the Sooner faithful by shredding the OU defense. Elway lit up the Owen Field visitor scoreboard by completing 20 of 34 attempts for 3 touchdowns and 237 yards. To add insult to injury, Elway also ran 18 times for 37 yards and another touchdown.
How big of an upset did Elway pull off? Consider this: the 31 points scored by Stanford were the most points ever given up by a Barry Switzer coached team and the most against Oklahoma since the infamous Nebraska "Game of the Century" in 1971 when the Huskers knocked off the Sooners 35-31. At least that one was competitive.
Elway came out throwing and led the Cardinal to an early 17-0 lead and never let up as a pouring rainstorm settled over Owen Field and literally soaked the Sooners chances of that illusive 6th national championship. Stanford added 14 more points and was up 31-0 midway through the third quarter before OU finally scored.
Stanford also rushed for 220 yards to keep the Sooner defense off-balance and ran off a modern day Sooner-like 90 plays. The Cardinal also benefitted from 7 OU turnovers including 5 fumbles. The victory ended Oklahoma's 20-game winning streak at home.
OU Head Coach Barry Switzer had this to say about Elway after the game, "The greatest exhibition of quarterback play and passing I have ever seen on this field."
So note to self if you are G.J. Kinne. It can happen. Ask John Elway.
Reason #2: Ask Jeff
Fast-forward to 1982 and the home opener in Norman. Oklahoma hadn't lost a home-opener since 1965 when they were blanked by Navy 10-0. The Sooners also had not started off a season 0-1 since 1968 and were 9-0 in home openers under Barry Switzer.
Enter little-known West Virginia junior quarterback Jeff Hostetler. Who? He was 10 years removed from his Super Bowl winning ways for the New York Giants but Hostetler came into Norman for his starting college debut, perhaps encouraged by Elway's success two years earlier, and shocked the Sooners 41-27. The 41 points were the most ever scored on the Sooners in the state of Oklahoma!
Hostetler was "Cool Hand Luke" burning the Sooners for 321 yards on 17 of 37 passing and four touchdowns.
West Virginia's high-octane passing game kept the Sooners defense on its' heels and guessing and after falling behind 14-0, rallied to lead at halftime 20-14 helped by a surprise onside kick and two late scores to shock the unsuspecting Sooners.
Said Mountaineer Head Coach Don Nehlen, "I would think for a guy who has never taken a snap at West Virginia it was a brilliant performance."
Reason #3: Learn, Read & Be Bold!
Neither Elway or Hostetler had any fears of facing Sooner Magic in Norman.
Both had excellent coaching and numerous hours of film study of previous OU defenses. Both executed their coaches game plans with a cockiness not seen in Norman by opposing quarterbacks.
Their "caution-to-the-wind" attitude fueled their underdog teammates who were emboldened by their fearless attitudes creating an atmosphere of winning.
So, G.J. Kinne can learn from Elway's and Hostetler's historic successes in Norman against higher-ranked Sooner teams and "go for it!"
Reason #4: Strike Early & Often
The key to beating the Sooners at home is to strike early and often if possible and take the overbearing home crowd out the game.
It's hard enough beating OU at your stadium but combine 85,000 rabid, screaming fans who create one of the most impressive home field advantages with the #1 team in the country and it's very, very difficult to beat the Sooners in Norman.
So, go deep early and often and hope you catch the Sooners off guard before they realize what hit them and hold on.
Reason #5: Test The Middle
Long-time Sooner Defensive Coordinator Brent Venables said it best recently when he mentioned that championship defenses are strong up the middle.
And, Venables qualified that "up the middle" includes the free safety. The Sooners lost All-American Free Safety Quintin Carter last year and are replacing him with Javon Harris who Stoops tried replacing by moving "Roy" backer Tony Jefferson to free safety earlier in fall practice. The 2010 Sooners also were considered "soft" at defensive tackle and were the 53rd best defense in the country. The same three defensive tackles return in 2011. And, OU lost starting linebacker and preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Travis Lewis the first week of practice to a broken toe and fifth year senior linebacker Austin Box who died unexpectedly in the offseason. To add to the Sooners woes, former linebacker and starting defensive end Ronnell Lewis' academic status remains unclear 10 days before the Tulsa game.
Indeed, the Sooners have question marks up the middle that a veteran, seasoned quarterback like G.J. Kinne can exploit.
Reason #6: Control The Ball
Oklahoma runs a high-octane, fast-paced pro-style offense that can score quickly in spurts, control the ball and run off 90+ plays a game. An unheard number of plays in college football.
This type of attack wears a defense out by spreading the field and keeping you guessing which target to attack.
For Tulsa to have any chance to win, they must control the ball on offense with a short passing attack exploiting the Sooners young secondary, combined with a balanced rushing game that keeps the Sooner defense on the field and guessing. Mix in a well-timed deep passing threat where a veteran quarterback like Kinne can attack and you have a recipe for an upset.
Tulsa has a veteran offensive line that is very deep. So deep that Tulsa will rotate two offensive lines to keep the players fresh in an attempt to wear down the defense.
And, Kinne has led the Golden Hurricane in rushing the past two seasons so just like John Elway did in 1980, Kinne can help his own cause with his feet just as well as with his arm.
Reason #7: Exploit the Special Teams
Bob Stoops will deny it until he's blue in the face but it's a well-known fact the Sooners have suffered on special teams the past few years.
How bad are the Sooners woes on special teams? Missouri broke their backs with a long kickoff return in the 36-27 loss in Columbia last October that sank the Sooners national championship hopes and ended their one week stay atop the BCS standings. Texas A & M did the same thing two weeks later in College Station that fueled a 33-19upset. And, OSU kept themselves in the shootout in Stillwater last Thanksgiving weekend with a long kickoff return for a touchdown.
So regardless of Stoops' denial and stubborness, the Sooners can be exposed on special teams and Tulsa needs a score on a long punt return or kickoff to pull off the upset.
Reason #8: Create Turnovers
Bob Stoops Oklahoma teams have created more turnovers than almost anyone else in college football the past 12 years by being very aggressive ball-hawks on defense.
The Oklahoma defenses are built on speed, aggressiveness and toughness exemplified by their head coach who was a former safety at Iowa.
So if the Golden Hurricane are to pull off the upset in Norman, they'll need to steal a page from Stoops' playbook and create some help along the way by their defense to get a key stop with an interception or fumble.
Take a cue from the 1980 Stanford Cardinal who benefitted from 7 Oklahoma turnovers.
Reason #9: Pressure Landry Jones
No quarterback likes to be pressured but some handle it worse than others.
Landry Jones has imploded in key games the past two years and enraged the Sooner faithful with off-balanced throws in the face of pressure. To make matters worse some of those ill-timed passes have resulted in instant pick sixes for the opposing team.
The only reason OSU hung in the first half in Stillwater last year was thanks to Jones' pick six in the first half that kept the Cowboys in the game.
Nothing can take the steam out of an offenses' confidence more than an interception returned for a touchdown.
New offensive coordinator Josh Heupel has worked with Jones all summer to work on his reads, foot work and releases to minimize Jones' poor habit of tossing the ball to the opposing team.
How well Jones has learned will be discovered in 10 days when facing a Tulsa pass rush.
Reason #10: Believe!
And the most important reason why Tulsa can pull off an upset is simply believe!
The Sooners have proven beatable on the road in key games last year at Missouri and Texas A & M. They held on in an historic shootout against OSU last November and pulled out a 47-41 win for the ages.
And, Tulsa has to look no further than their huge 28-27 upset over Notre Dame in South Bend last year before a nationally-televised audience for a blueprint to pull off an upset over the Sooners.
Kinne completed 18 of 34 passes for 196 yards and added 78 yards on 20 carries as the leading rusher for Tulsa. Kinne got the Golden Hurricane off to a fast start by directing a 67-yard, 9-play scoring drive on the opening possession tossing a 9-yard pass to his favorite receiver junior Damaris Johnson. The Golden Hurricane defense added a 66-yard interception return for a touchdown just before halftime and a 59-yard punt return for a touchdown by Johnson in the third quarter to seal the victory.
Kinne celebrated the historic Tulsa win by running over to the Tulsa band section, grabbing the director's wand and directed the Tulsa band in a victory celebration!
Yes the mighty Sooners can be beaten at home. It hasn't happened in the past 36-games stretching over 5-1/2 seasons and Oklahoma is 72-2 at home under Bob Stoops.
However, if any team can pull off the upset, Tulsa is poised to do it if they get a few breaks, score on special teams, pressure Landry Jones into throwing interceptions, create some opportunistic turnovers and hope their quarterback becomes a fearless gunslinger ala the ghosts of Elway and Hostetler.
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