STILLWATER, Okla. — College quarterbacks don’t like moral victories any more than their coaches do. They’re like a passionless peck on the cheek after a hot date. But for much of Saturday night, Chatfield High School graduate Zac Robinson matched strike for strike with this year’s possible Heisman Trophy winner, Sam Bradford.
On five straight possessions, Robinson and his Oklahoma State Cowboys went through Oklahoma’s defense like a ladle through barbecue sauce, scoring four touchdowns and a field goal. At the end of the third-ranked Sooners’ 61-41 win, the blame was laid nowhere near the feet of the least ballyhooed of the nationally ranked Big 12 quarterbacks.
“He played an excellent game,” Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said. “Just frustrated us so many times because you thought you had him sacked and he’d break through or throw the ball and make plays or he’d run for a first down.”
Robinson finished 17-of-26 for 254 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. Escaping an intense rush, he also ran for 90 yards and another score. Four times on third down Robinson scrambled for a first down, including a 31-yard option run for a touchdown that closed Oklahoma’s lead to 30-26.
He had three turnovers, but his star is rising here. Thurman Thomas, the NFL Hall of Famer who was honored during the game, joined the team on “The Walk” to the stadium. Said Thomas: “People right next to me were like, ‘Hey, that’s Zac Robinson!’ Then some old guy with a cane was like, ‘Hey, Thurman, how you doing?’ ”
Robinson is fourth nationally in pass efficiency at 178.0, completing 177-of-264 passes (.671) for 2,735 yards with 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He’s one spot behind Texas’ Colt McCoy and one ahead of Florida’s Tim Tebow.
Weis in limbo.
Athletic director Jack Swarbrick told reporters after Notre Dame’s flaccid 38-3 loss at Southern California that he’d probably meet with Charlie Weis on Dec. 8 after the embattled coach returns from a prolonged West Coast stay to recruit.
Reports of Weis’ buyout range from “loose change” to $10 million. Read Swarbrick’s words and it doesn’t appear to matter.
“As a university we make our decisions based on the best interests of the students,” Swarbrick said. “We do that in sports. We do that in academics. We do that in residence life.”
What does matter is this: Since quarterback Brady Quinn left after the 2006 season, Notre Dame has averaged only 293.5 yards per game, including 94.3 yards rushing, and 19.5 points. Most important, the Irish are 9-15. Weis’ 28-21 (.571) four-year mark is lower than the .583 of fired predecessors Bob Davie (35-25) and Tyrone Willingham (21-15).
Then again . . .
The Trojans’ top-ranked defense has given up touchdowns in only two of USC’s last seven games. USC has given up more than one TD only twice.
Wilted roses.
My favorite Duck baiter, outdoors writer Charlie Meyers, can take down the pictures of the beavers with roses in their mouths from atop his desk. Oregon State is likely going from the Rose Bowl to the Sun Bowl, but nothing was sunny around Corvallis on Saturday.
On a bridge leading to town before the Oregon game, a sign read, “Honk if you smell roses.” The local Albertson’s sold out of roses. Then came the Ducks’ 65-38 rout. Oregon’s 442 yards in the first half were 150 more than the Beavers’ average.
“Tonight, the bubble burst,” Oregon State coach Mike Riley said.
If UCLA (4-7) upsets fifth-ranked USC (10-1) on Saturday, Oregon State would win the three-way tiebreaker for the Rose Bowl berth, but the visiting Bruins are 30-point underdogs.
Short stuff.
If Notre Dame fires Weis, here’s hoping it looks at Boston College’s Jeff Jagodzinski, who has taken a Catholic school with players Notre Dame wouldn’t recruit and built a 20-6 record. Boston College is a win over Virginia Tech in the ACC championship from the Orange Bowl. . . . Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing couldn’t lift his arm in practice last Monday. Receiver Kerry Meier had to take snaps at quarterback — on one good leg. Yet Meier caught 14 passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns in the 40-37 win over Missouri. The rivalry is tied 54-54-9.
