I have no interest in going back to calculate it, but I’d guess that Oklahoma’s median margin of victory during its current 32-game home winning streak is somewhere in the neighborhood of three touchdowns.
The closest win during that streak? Saturday’s three-point victory over Air Force.
Much like OU’s opening win against Utah State, I expect the reaction in Sooner Nation to look something like:
Frankly, even though blowouts may play better in the public eye, I’ll take a game like this one over a cupcake-fueled massacre anytime.
I expected Air Force to give the Sooners all they could handle today, and the Cadets proved me right. Troy Calhoun’s team arrived in Norman raring to go, and the Falcons refused to quit when OU looked ready to snap the neck.
If the Sooners had played sloppily, that would be one thing. However, they didn’t turn the ball over once and only had 25 yards in penalties on the day.
A tough Air Force team simply played a great game using a unique offensive system that OU sees once every decade or so. In that kind of spot, any win is a good one.
Also, whether Bob Stoops and his troops want to admit it or not, OU hasn’t exactly handled adversity well of late. Sure, circumstances like the ones OU faced last season definitely gave the Sooners a legitimate out. However, at some point, the time comes for a team to put aside the excuses, grow up and get the job done.
Air Force made OU sweat. Yet, the Sooners survived and eventually snuffed the upset-minded life out of the Falcons. That won’t get the headlines, and OU will probably lose some love from the pollsters.
In the long run, though, the Crimson and Cream is better for having gone through games such as this.