TBtheGBwiththeTD
Baller By Nature
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2011
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I hear see this talk on here about how gigantic this game is for UT, and I agree that it is, but who does this game mean more too?
The way I see it, these are national powers viewed in different lights. UT is the mighty that has fallen and is now clawing their way back to national relevance. OU, meanwhile, is the national power that seems to have stalled and lost some of its glow.
People still see national power when they look at OU, but they also see a team that has a recent history of under preforming and I think people are starting to expect it. If I told you 4 or 5 years ago that Texas would be a total train wreck, who would jump to mind as likely Big 12 champ? Turns out they are a distant 3rd.
UT has been down down so long that people are used to it. If polled I bet the nation would be more surprised to see UT ranked and competitive at this point than the contrary. UT is desperate for relevance.
As a UT fan my initial lean on the question posed is:
It has to be bigger for UT! Look at what is at stake! Years and years of suffering and rebuilding has led to this moment... a chance to beat a national power at home during prime time and stake our claim. "UT is back!"
Sure this is a huge game for both national, and internal, perception. This game is huge.
I started to take a look from the other side however, and what I have realized is this game represents a desperate claim to national relevance for a team and fan base that doesn't know any better. Oklahoma is the Georgia of the Big 12, or at least recently they are. They are loaded with talent but always find a way to lose big games.
Think about what is at stake in the other direction. If OU wins they can say, even if they finish 3rd in the Big 12, we are still close. If they lose? Goodbye hope. Mediocrity is back again.
I know I would love to be 9-3 this year... OU would strongly disagree. But if they lose you won't find any prediction better than that. OU is desperate to avoid repeating the new narrative they represent.
All in all, this game is massive. I think both teams are very talented, and flawed at the same time.
I. Can't. Wait.
The way I see it, these are national powers viewed in different lights. UT is the mighty that has fallen and is now clawing their way back to national relevance. OU, meanwhile, is the national power that seems to have stalled and lost some of its glow.
People still see national power when they look at OU, but they also see a team that has a recent history of under preforming and I think people are starting to expect it. If I told you 4 or 5 years ago that Texas would be a total train wreck, who would jump to mind as likely Big 12 champ? Turns out they are a distant 3rd.
UT has been down down so long that people are used to it. If polled I bet the nation would be more surprised to see UT ranked and competitive at this point than the contrary. UT is desperate for relevance.
As a UT fan my initial lean on the question posed is:
It has to be bigger for UT! Look at what is at stake! Years and years of suffering and rebuilding has led to this moment... a chance to beat a national power at home during prime time and stake our claim. "UT is back!"
Sure this is a huge game for both national, and internal, perception. This game is huge.
I started to take a look from the other side however, and what I have realized is this game represents a desperate claim to national relevance for a team and fan base that doesn't know any better. Oklahoma is the Georgia of the Big 12, or at least recently they are. They are loaded with talent but always find a way to lose big games.
Think about what is at stake in the other direction. If OU wins they can say, even if they finish 3rd in the Big 12, we are still close. If they lose? Goodbye hope. Mediocrity is back again.
I know I would love to be 9-3 this year... OU would strongly disagree. But if they lose you won't find any prediction better than that. OU is desperate to avoid repeating the new narrative they represent.
All in all, this game is massive. I think both teams are very talented, and flawed at the same time.
I. Can't. Wait.
