Sooners hold Vegas’ respect

Scanning ESPN’s college football coverage, found this interesting stat from a Pat Forde piece:

Oklahoma has been favored in 20 straight games.

Only LSU under Les Miles holds a longer streak with the boys in Vegas, with the Tigers tapped as the favorite in 21 straight.

For the record, the Sooners went 16-4 in the role, the Tigers 19-2.

But barring a key injury to, say, Sam Bradford, OU figures to fly on by LSU in the role of streaking favorite this fall. The Sooners will be giving points in every game this season, only coming in question perhaps in a bowl game.

LSU, the defending national champion, remains a formidable force even after significant losses to the NFL and the insertion of a Harvard-transfer at quarterback.  But at some point, perhaps soon – with Sept. 20 at Auburn a possibility – the Tigers will find themselves as underdogs. If not at Auburn, then maybe at Florda on Oct. 11, or home against Georgia Oct. 25.

So what’s the significance?

Hey, they’re not painting the back side of OU’s fancy new video board with news of the favorite’s streak. It’s a line in newspaper’s small print, or the picks box that runs in the paper now each Thursday.

But it’s also a sign of ultimate respect. The Big 12 is a bugger of a league and these are volatile times in college football. To be favored 20 straight weeks, at home and on the road speaks of respect.

Respect among the people whose job it is to know.

– By John Helsley