OU-Tulsa: Make it an annual series
OU-Tulsa wasn’t much of a football game. The Sooners won 45-0. But OU-Tulsa is an excellent football series. A solid opponent for the Sooners. A chance at the golden goose for the Hurricane.
It is getting harder and harder to get foes to come to Owen Field. The Sooners have started offering home-and-home series and some 2-for-1 offers — two OU home games, one road game — with opponents you wouldn’t normally think, including some mid-majors.
Why not establish an annual series with Tulsa. OU wouldn’t agree to a home-and-home with Tulsa, but the schools could make it a 2-for-1 deal. Even getting just one home game every three years would be a good deal for Tulsa, which would increase its season-ticket base.
Meanwhile, OU would have one less scheduling hole to fill. An annual game with TU would be a good, competitive matchup, this 2009 whitewash not withstanding. It would keep the money in the state, would hold down expenses for both schools and would give OU a greater presence in Tulsa.
Are there any downsides to OU playing Tulsa? “I don’t know what they would be,” Bob Stoops said. “We’ve gone over there a few times (since World War II, 1987, 2002, 2007). It’s a favorable experience for everybody.”
Football coaches don’t seem to have the same posturing as basketball coaches when it comes to in-state rivalries. OU and OSU absolutely should be playing Tulsa in every sport, every year. The OSU-Tulsa football series, with only one meeting since 2000 (2004), resumes on a limited basis next season.
Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech should be playing other Texas schools, including some road games (which they do some). Arkansas should be playing Arkansas State (it doesn’t). Ole Miss should play Southern Mississippi. Alabama should play UAB.
Such games are good for the economy, good for football spirit and good for scheduling in the crazy world of college football.
9 Show / Hide Archive Comments