Deseret News | Accepting showdown with Sooners was not so bright

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Doug Robinson: Accepting showdown with Sooners was not so bright

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I disagree completely | 12:24 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

It's simple: to be the best you have to beat the best. And you can't beat the best if you don't play the best, year in and year out, in good seasons and bad.

Most of all it helps to not think you've lost before you set foot on the field. That's why they play the game!

Sandyclaws | 12:28 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

Doug, Oklahoma is its own state. It's not a city in Texas. It's not a suburb of Dallas. "The last time BYU played a team from Texas........" Oklahoma is not a team from Texas, although many of its players hail from that state. I expect you might have some irate Sooners looking for you at the game on Saturday if they read this story.

Coug Record Against Ranked Teams | 12:29 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

Listen, Doug, one way or another the Cougar faithful will declare victory.

Because, as any BYU fan will tell you, they never actually lose games because another team is better.

They lose because Bronco's boys didn't achieve position mastery, or whatever.

Mark my words: no matter the final score, BYU fans will figure out a way that they 'won' this game.

Comments continue below

Always on the negative | 12:35 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

Spoken like the true BYU hater that you are, Doug. It is one thing to acknowledge the difficulty of BYU's upcoming opponent. However, dissing the boys from Provo for even playing the Sooners is over the top. You are looking for reasons to dawg the Cougars even before they suit up to play their first game. Weak.

If BYU | 12:38 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

wants to get better recruits and get better they have to step up sometime. OU is not invincible. BYU's defense and road record are bad. If they are not good enough to be undefeated, an early loss to OU will not hurt them.

At least they get on national TV against one of the best programs in the country. If by some miracle they win it really helps.

It is like an early bowl game and much better than the Vegas Bowl that nobody watches.

If BYU wanted to create an undefeated season by playing cupcakes then this was a bad decision. If BYU wants some respect they have a chance to earn it.

j | 12:46 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

Is this all the pre-game hype that you can generate? At least give us something exciting to read. Anyone can drum up tired facts and sarcastic commentary. It sounds like you are a little tired yourself of being a sports columnist. I think you need a long break from writing. You need to get your edge back.

Amen to I disagree completely | 1:22 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

Hey, "disagree," you took the words right out of my mouth. Good job. Doug, I just lost a lot of respect for you over this one. What were YOU thinking, man?

Heck, BYU ought to be playing top teams like Oklahoma/USC/Florida as often as they can, whenever and wherever they can play them. If they lose, they lose! They just know from that they have more work to do. And if the Cougs WIN--that's what REAL BYU fans want, right?

Are "BYU fans" and Utah media now so afraid of losing and looking bad that we run scared from quality opponents? And then the same people whine about how we belong in discussions about the BCS. Oh, please!

Guess what, folks? THIS IS HOW WE PROVE WE BELONG--PLAYING WITH THE BEST THERE IS. If we come out with egg on our faces, we LEARN and TRY AGAIN! Sheesh--don't know why it has to be any more complicated than that!

So stop your whining, people--you too, Doug, for shame!--and let's play football and see how we measure up!

Obviously! | 1:32 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

You've NEVER competed in sports? If you want to compete in anything in life, you want to compete against the best out there. Ask UTAH if they wanted FLORIDA or ALABAMA!.. One of the worst articles EVER!

Jerry Jones | 1:45 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

The national exposure and payout (since BCS payout has to be shared) is somewhat close to playing in a BCS bowl....I think this is something they couldn't turn down. If however they lose 56-0 it will not be worth either....but maybe 56-7 is a moral victory!

UNLV | 2:31 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

Over 2 Million reasons why they are playing Oklahoma.

get to the qb | 2:35 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

If BYU wants to stay in this game for more than 1 quarter they have to get to the QB, prey for some turnovers and control the ball with Unga. The writer is right and wrong; BYU should not have signed up for this but a more athletic team from the MTN West should have. Styles make fights and this fight is all about speed speed speed.

Lame | 2:55 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

Mr. Robinson:

Lame article, man. Just lame. Are you serious? BYU should play the best competition it can find year in year out. Or do you prefer the Eastern Washington-like matchups of previous years. We play the patsies in conference in the MWC, so you have to play the big boys out of conference.

Perennial top 25-team? | 3:20 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

Really? In the last decade how many times have they ended the season in the top 25? After the bowl game loss last year a national sports commentator called the y's earlier high rankings the biggest fraud of the season.

Every year we hear how the y is going to dominate the MWC and play a BCS bowl game. I'm glad that the y will be humbled at the beginning of the season.

Utefan | 4:17 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

Finally a sports article in the D News that speaks the truth about the Y!! Utah was closer in ability to Alabama or Florida than the Y is to OU. This is more like New Mexico's upcoming trip to Texas Tech...not so much a test but a payday that unlike the BCS does not need to be shared.

Texas Ute | 5:25 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

At least they're not playing Texas in JerryWorld. Texas speed is a whole lot faster than Oklahoma speed.

Doug is right! | 5:38 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

If there is anything the teams up north have taught us, it is to schedule Utah and Weber State, win all your games and then act so indignant that you didn't win the national championship. If it works Utah and Boise State, it must work for us too.

BYU fan in Sooner country | 6:14 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

If they come out of this game without anyone seriously injured, it will be a victory.

There are high school teams in the
south that could take on BYU.

And you think BYU fans are devoted (and even rabid.) You ain't seen nothin'!

But like Doug says--whatever else happens, no one can say BYU is afraid to take on the big dogs.

Let the game (and the prayers) begin!

Steve | 6:43 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

"The Cougars are a perennial top-25 team."

Huh? BYU has had a top 25 finish four times in the last 10 years. They finished 25th, 14th, and 16th in 2008, 07, and 06, respectively. Then in the seven years before that, they finished 25th once.

Perennial top 25 team? Nope

Never say never | 6:46 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

Let me see, BYU in the early 80's was behind SMU by over 30 points with less than 5 minutes until the end of the game, people were walking out of the stadium.

BYU won and don't ask me how.

Maybe BYU will pull another upset.

Time for BYU to change? | 6:51 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

All things being equal, most good players would rather attend a school where partying and having their version of a good time is not grounds for expulsion.

Perhaps BYU should consider being more tolerant of other lifestyles so long as these lifestyles are lead responsibly.

It is possible to stand for something, but still be tolerant of other viewpoints and lifestyles.

Where is the Academics? | 7:01 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

Give me a school that focuses on academics any day. Football and $1 will buy me what?

BYU is over focused on religion, and Oklahoma is overfocused on Football.

Bob2 | 7:13 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

What a lazy article!
1. Oklahoma is not a team from Texas.
2. BYU is not a perennial top 25 team. "Perennial" would imply that you are always there and that it's a big shock when you are not there.
3. BYU should take on a big name opponent any time they have the chance.

BTW-I would be willing to bet that the Coog players would appreciate a little more optimism on the part of Coog fans and such. Get behind your team and say, "We're going down there to bust them in the mouth!" They're smug-but we're going to give them a mouthful of bloody chicklets!"

This is how Utah fans approached the Sugar Bowl and mighty Alabama and look what happened. We believed in our team and we smacked them in the face and beat them up in their own back yard in front of their cousins!

It's good... | 7:22 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

to see someone challenge the "beloved" cougars and take off the blue colored glasses in the Deseret News. I for one hope BYU wins but completely agree with Doug Robinson. This game won't help the conference when BYU loses by 28 or more points. There are good programs and there are "elite" programs. Oklahoma is the best of the best. BYU is considered formidable in the 2nd tier.

RE: Time for BYU to change? | 7:23 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

And your FOOTBALL-RELATED point would be... ?

Wow | 7:27 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

What a baby

To Steve, | 7:32 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

Maybe being in the top-25 4 out of 10 years is not "perenial", but it matches the number of times that Utah has finished in the Top-25 in their entire history! Now, add about 10 more years to that list (for BYU), then you can say that they are a "perenial" program, which they are...maybe not to the extent as a USC, Okla, or FL, but in our realm of the College Football world. Utah, does not so take off your Sugar Bowl glasses and step back into the reality of an 8-4 season, and a trip to the New Mexico Bowl...

Anonymous | 7:44 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

BYU is going to get pummeled

Deth | 7:44 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

Doug,

I bet you tell your children to take easy classes in school so they can get good grades.

"Hey kids, don't be too ambitious. Don't run, you might skin your knee. Algebra might be too hard for you, lets go back down to pre-algebra, that'll be easier for you."

You go Doug! Keep aspiring for big things!

Not on the road | 7:46 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

Doug needs to check the schedule. This is not a road game - it's a neutral site game.

I don't know why no one gives BYU a chance. They hung with #2 Utah for almost 3 quarters last season. That Utah team was as good or better than this Oklahoma team. So why can't BYU compete with them? Why shouldn't it be close?

BYU Fan DEEP in the Heart Of TX | 7:54 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

I agree somewhat with "Sooner country" above - people in Utah just don't get it.

I was born and raised in Am Fork, so I know Utah, and Utah sports- I was 20 when BYU won their NC, remember vividly Danny Ainge's full court drive to beat UCLA, and had the privilege of attending the first sellout game in Utah Jazz history. I've been there.

Now I have 8 years under my belt in San Antonio, and the quality of High Sschool football in Texas is unrivaled anywhere else in the world.

It is at least as good as many college programs, that's why the new HIGH SCHOOL stadium that just finished construction down the road (AND almost every other high school stadium in San Antonio) seats 11,000 - 15,000!

When I first arrived here and saw the high school stadiums, I was floored.

Sorry, Utah, but you will NEVER catch Texas in the quality of football; it simply is not going to happen.

Huh? | 8:00 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

RE: Time for BYU to change? | 7:23 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009
And your FOOTBALL-RELATED point would be... ?

_______________________________

R-E-C-U-I-T-I-N-G

also

quality of life so the players will be happy and can focus on football instead of their deprived lifestyle.

Anne | 8:13 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

It sounded to me that this article was written "tongue in cheek." There is not reason for the BYU fans to get upset by it. Just let it roll off your backs.

Play with the big boys | 8:13 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

If BYU were to beat OU and Florida State and be undefeated at the end of the season (a huge if for sure) and OU and Florida State prove to be good teams (i.e. win their conferences or finish in the top 2 or 3 of their conference), then who could deny BYU a chance to play in the BCS, or possibly a national title shot? Boise State this year only plays Oregon, game 1 at home (great game tomorrow to watch), if they win and go undefeated, who cares... The rest of their schedule is garbage. Same goes for Utah who also only has 1 noteable non MWC foe in Oregon (playing Utah State, San Jose State -- are you serious? -- and Louisville?). If they go undefeated as well as Boise, meaning both Boise and Utah beat Oregon, than no one will care about putting Boise or Utah into the national title game and may be forced to put one into the BCS games, but only by rule. Sorry, BYU may lose, but if they win they will show the deserve to play in the BCS, which is more than the other non BCS powerhouses can claim.

Big Daddy D | 8:18 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

Doug, first of all, football is not for sissies. Second of all, grow a pair.

Neutral Site Game? | 8:19 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

Ha Ha Ha!!! That is really funny!

If Utah could beat Alabama ... | 8:19 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

then anything is possible. Admittedly, though, Oklahoma won't take BYU as lightly as Alabama took Utah.

Ignorance is a fun thing | 8:27 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

Take this article for example.

I wonder if Doug, and about half the responders on the board, remember TCU played OU in Norman last year and got beat by 25?

They ended the season ranked in the Top 10 -- after losing to Utah too.

Was TCU stupid too for taking that game? What exactly did getting blown up by OU do to them?

Nothing.

OU blew out 3 top 25 teams last year. BYU may be added to the list. BYU has NOTHING to lose here even if they are obliterated.

OU is one of the 3-4 teams entering the season with legit national title contention. BYU is not on that level.

But BYU can rock the boat with a win.

This is exactly the kind of game BYU and other MWC teams should be taking.

Bronco | 8:33 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

Exactly, take the road most traveled, and be satisfied with mediocrity! Maybe BYU should be playing SUU, or even better, Timpview! BYU by 7!!

To the faint-hearted | 8:33 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

All you with faint hearts, the Sooners put their football pants on one leg at a time, just like the Cougars. This will be fun to watch.

KC Fan | 8:35 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

Doug's just pushing your buttons, people. Evidently, it's a slow news day.

RR | 8:50 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

Wow, do you not understand ANYTHING BYU's coach says? What a terrible article. Yeah, never play or schedule anyone from the South. BYU did beat #1 Miami, or are you too ignorant to remember that? I admire the coach for wanting to schedule two beasts of teams this season. BYU has scheduled other teams like USC, Georgia Tech, Boston College, UCLA, and Notre Dame.

I for one will applaud the coach for scheduling high, and not being afraid to schedule whomever they can.

To 'To Steve' at 7:32 am | 8:51 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

Ummmm... no one claimed Utah to be a perennial top 25 team... although it aspires to be. Two BCS appearances is helping build that reputation.

BYU can and should aspire as well. It's the claim that the current vintage of BYU football has already achieved perennial top 25 status that is so amusing.

Shave Head if BYU wins.. | 8:54 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

Mr. Doug should agree to shave the rest of his hair off if BYU wins. That's a pretty safe bet for him, but Mr. Robinson should have the guts enough to agree to it. How bout it Doug?

Fire | 8:57 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

Good bulletin board stuff. I hope it works!

Let's see | 8:59 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

Before we all trash Robinson, let's see what happens Saturday. Some posters may agree with him a lot more after the game. (I know, blasphemy)

RE: Not on the road. Probably at least 2/3 of those watching the game will be Sooner fans. I wouldn't call that an away game for the Sooners.

hhh | 8:59 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

Maybe when the score is out of reach, we can see which team can hit the scoreboard with the football; that should be fun!!!!

Utah | 9:10 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

Utah will show once again this year why they are the dominate program in the MWC. It is a joke that they even have to play USU and BYU!!! Utah should be in the SEC or the PAC 10 not the MWC with a pretender program like BYU and their obnoxious fans!!!

BYU Limping In | 9:14 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

Even with a 1-21 record against top 25 talent, I like to think BYU has a fighting chance against anyone in the country any given week. But in order to beat top 25 teams BYU has to be at full strength and play an almost flawless game the kind we saw against UCLA last season. Whether they play a flawless game won't be known until Saturday but they certainly are not going into this game at full strength. Buckner, Bradley and Reynolds just have a few practices under their belts and none are completely healthy. And perhaps worse of all - Unga has not gone all out for over a week and may not even try to sprint until a day or two before the game. Add on to that a brand new o-line and brand new starting or back-up corners and this is not about a lack of optimism. It is about facts. And the facts are that BYU is limping into Saturday which is not a good thing when playing the best team they have possibly EVER played.

What a joker | 9:22 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

You are right Doug. We should all just never take on challenges or risks and we should never challenge our kids to risk or let go of the side of the pool. What a terrible article and for the Ute fans on here, let me remind you of some of your great performance over the last few years. Please don't forget that since 2005 Utah has lost 6 games to teams that didn't have winning records. Here are some of my favorites: A 4 and 7 Wyoming team 31 Utah 15, and the best one, a 2 and 10 UNLV team 27 and Utah 0. Doug, you, the Hawaii's of the world and Utah, can have your easy schedules. I would rather go for it and get beat than play the likes of Utah State and SJSU to start the season. At least BYU is going though with their big game in Texas instead of putting their tail between their legs and running away as Utah did in canceling their game with U Texas.

Coug fan | 9:23 a.m. Sept. 2, 2009

If BYU learned how to recruit defensive backs with speed they could contend for a BCS game. However, until they do that, they will be a decent team, but not great. Although BYU will lose, I think their offense will put up some good points. Sooners and their conference are not known for defense, but then again BYU knows how to choke in big games on offense. I prefer to play a team like OU at the start to humble our team and truly learn where the program needs to be in order to be a contendor.

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