This is the first year I’ve changed up my Sunday morning routine. In years past, it was a guaranteed lineup: Wake up around 10:30 a.m. Check out sports articles in the newspaper and online. Eat breakfast. E-mail my dad back home in Plano, Texas, my NFL picks for the day so he can enter them into the family’s competition. Set my fantasy football lineup and keep track of inactive lists. Watch NFL pregame shows until the first wave of kickoffs at noon.I still eat breakfast, check my fantasy football lineup and e-mail my dad. But this year, Sunday mornings are mostly reserved for catching up with the Big 12 action I missed the night before. Thanks to DVR, I review the games at my own pace and don’t watch a second of commercials.Most Saturday nights, I work on the Journal-World sports desk. I’ll obviously see the scores, but I only get to catch bits and pieces of the games on TV. Sunday mornings, I’ll catch up on my DVR for specifics.In the case of Saturday’s Texas Tech-Oklahoma showdown, I couldn’t wait to see the video. On the way home from work Saturday night, I got to thinking: How the heck did Texas Tech get blown out, 65-21? I began to think about the three-way tie in the South and the potential mess that could create for the Big 12 Championship game. I thought about Tech’s dream season coming to an end so abruptly. For the past 12 weeks, the Red Raiders were undefeated and at the top of the toughest division in college football. One trip to Norman and they’re out of the BCS Championship picture and maybe out of a BCS bowl game altogether.After watching video on Sunday morning, here’s four aspects of the game that stood out to me:1. The big boys up front on the OU offensive line.Did it not seem like Sooners running backs DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown ran for 10 yards every time they touched the ball? The duo racked up 233 yards and five touchdowns. Murray, who finally looks as healthy as ever after knee troubles earlier in the year, averaged 6.9 yards per carry and Brown averaged 5.1. This was made possible by the OU offensive line pushing Tech defenders back off the line of scrimmage on most snaps. 2. Oklahoma’s offense is the best in the nation.As far as I’m concerned, this is a fact. The Sooners now lead the nation with 52.64 points per game and have scored more touchdowns than any team. With a healthy Murray and Brown to keep Tech off balance, Sam Bradford had all day to find tight end Jermaine Gresham (five catches, 95 yards, TD) and receivers Manuel Johnson, Juaquin Iglesias and Ryan Broyles.OU’s offense is so quick-paced that I didn’t even have to hit fast-forward on my DVR in between plays. As I was watching the game, I also thought: How would you like to work as part of the chain gang for an OU game? No thanks.3. I could care less about the pregame stat that OU’s special teams were one of only two units in the nation to give up three kickoff returns for touchdowns this season.Give me a break. When you score 81 touchdowns on the year — that’s more than seven per game — you’re probably going to kick off more than most other teams.4. I hope OU coach Bob Stoops gave defensive coordinator Brent Venables the day off Sunday.He deserved it. Venables is the only defensive coordinator that’s figured out how to apply pressure on Tech quarterback Graham Harrell, who had been sacked only five times all season before Saturday. Venables’ defense sacked Harrell four times and made him hurry several other times. Tech converted only one of 13 third downs and failed to convert two key fourth-down tries in the first half, which resulted in a short field for OU and impending doom for Tech. Harrell seemed hesitant for the first time all season, regularly pump faking, shuffling his feet and rolling out of the pocket in a desperate attempt to find receivers.Onto the Week 13 awards. Only two games this weekend, so not many candidates.Performers of the week: DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown, OU running backsThe duo shredded a Tech defense that was much improved from years past and opened up the passing game for Bradford. They’re the best 1-2 running back combo in the conference.Most significant win of the week: Oklahoma 65, Texas Tech 21Obviously. But let’s take a look at what the OU victory could have done in the big picture.The new BCS rankings were revealed Sunday night:
If Oklahoma (0.912) beats No. 12 Oklahoma State in Stillwater next week, it will most likely leapfrog Texas (0.920), which finishes the season at home vs. South bottom-feeder Texas A&M. They’re so close in points that style points will come into play. Who knows where that will lead.Biggest surprise of the week: The OU defenseFour sacks, an interception, four forced fumbles (two recovered), 45 Tech rushing yards, no touchdowns for Tech receiver Michael Crabtree, who had caught a TD in every game this season. Brilliant game plan by Venables.The Sorrentino Scale will conclude this entry. The number that follows in parentheses is what place the team was ranked last week.
Random shout-out of the week: Thanksgiving.Far and away my favorite day of the year, perhaps even including my birthday. It’s not one of those pointless, overrated holidays like Valentine’s Day (what’s wrong with telling your girlfriend or wife you love her the 364 other days out of the year?). Anyways, hope everyone has a nice Thanksgiving. Conference Chatter signing off. That’s all for now, friends. As always, discuss.