While Nebraska’s Worst Coast offense continues to sputter along on two flat training wheels, Oklahoma’s offense is backfiring the Sooners into one of the most disappointing stories in college football. The only team falling off a higher cliff is Pittsburgh, primarily based on losing to the likes of Nebraska.
You know where this is going.
Not too long ago, about the time their players were getting their first recruiting letters, the Cornhuskers and Sooners were the scourge of college football, running up massive offensive numbers. Right now, the only people circling the Oklahoma- Nebraska game Oct. 29 are the players’ moms.
The Sooners (1-2) have fallen from No. 7 in preseason to out of The Associated Press poll for the first time since 1999, coach Bob Stoops’ first season.
Even more notable, how many teams have played for the national title two years in a row and the next year fallen to 109th nationally in turnover margin?
Oklahoma fumbled six times Saturday in an embarrassing 41-24 loss at UCLA, Stoops’ worst regular-season defeat as a head coach. While the Sooners lost only three fumbles, the other three killed drives. The Sooners miss the leadership of Heisman Trophy winner Jason White. Redshirt freshman Rhett Bomar came of age at UCLA with 241 yards on 20-of-29 passing, but he fumbled five times.
“It shouldn’t happen,” Stoops said Sunday on his conference call. “We’ve got to get out of what we’re doing. Lost-yardage plays kill you.”
Oklahoma’s nine turnovers are halfway to its total from last year. Also, 2004 Heisman runner-up Adrian Peterson has become just another running back, gaining only 121 yards on 45 carries in losses to UCLA and Texas Christian.
OU line has been awful. Its best blocker is center Chris Chester, a converted tight end.
“I think they’re trying to get back to where they were,” UCLA linebacker Spencer Hav- ner said of the Sooners after Saturday’s game. “They’ve got a long ways to go.”
At least Nebraska is 3-0. Then again, the Huskers have gone 3-0 two of the past three years, and you know how those ended. Coach Bill Callahan’s West Coast offense is even worse than in 2004, when Nebraska was 5-6. The Huskers are averaging 271.3 total yards (106th in the country) and 133.0 yards passing (108th).
“We’re living on the edge,” quarterback Zac Taylor said after the Huskers beat Pitt 7-6. “I wouldn’t say it’s dangerous, but we’re definitely pressing things a little bit.”
The problems are multiple and not easily fixed. Three receiver recruits didn’t qualify, leaving Nebraska weak at that position, and Taylor, a junior college transfer, has been shaky behind shakier offensive tackles.
Cal who?
It could be worse for embattled Pittsburgh coach Dave Wannstedt. He didn’t lose to Cal-Davis. His predecessor, Walt Harris, did.
While you were in bed, Cal- Davis, in its third of a four-year transition period from Division II to I-AA, upset Stanford 20-17 after trailing 17-0. Blaise Smith, a former baseball player who transferred from Cal-San Diego, threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to senior Jon Grant, a first-year starter, with eight seconds left.
Cal-Davis has all of 40 scholarships and started the season losing to New Hampshire and Portland State. Stanford, scoring two touchdowns on Aggies fumbles, got inside the 30 only twice.
Bush outshining White
Chatfield High grad LenDale White continues to get more carries for Southern California than Reggie Bush, but it’s clear Bush is the Trojans’ new starting tailback. White had 10 carries for 60 yards and 90 yards overall in the rout of Arkansas, while Bush scored the first two times he touched the ball and had 195 yards on 11 touches.
Meanwhile, three USC quarterbacks combined for six touchdown passes in the 70-17 win.
Footnotes
If Vanderbilt beats I-AA Richmond and Middle Tennessee, it will be 5-0 for the first time since 1943. … The only ranked team left on Texas’ schedule is No. 19 Texas Tech, at home Oct. 22. … Mississippi State waived the financial guarantee Tulane owed it for the Green Wave’s “home” game in Shreveport, La. … Louisville looks like this year’s Utah. Ranked ninth, the Cardinals (2-0) have one tough game remaining: at West Virginia on Oct. 15. … Good morning, Ty Willingham. Looking forward to matching progress reports with Notre Dame on Saturday?
Staff writer John Henderson can be reached at 303-820-1299 or jhenderson@denverpost.com.
