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Oklahoma-TCU GameDay: X-Factors

Title game tiebreakers ... Senior Day emotions ... Home crowd ... Offensive line
John E. Hoover|
Oklahoma-TCU GameDay: X-Factors
Oklahoma-TCU GameDay: X-Factors

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Oklahoma Sooners

Title game tiebreakers

Oklahoma has a clear path to the Big 12 championship game — Oklahoma State or Texas must lose, and the Sooners must beat TCU. It’s probably a good thing OU opens the weekend race on Friday morning, rather than sitting around and scoreboard watching games ahead of them all weekend. That way, players and coaches know only one thing — just win, baby — and will have fewer outside distractions. If the Sooners just focus on the Frogs, they’ll win comfortably.

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— John Hoover

Senior Day emotions

For the final time, a host of seniors will step onto Owen Field in an Oklahoma uniform. Brent Venables acknowledged it’s a tough task to honor those guys while staying locked in on a football game. Once the hits start rolling, it will be easier for OU’s veterans to settle in, but big plays early from younger contributors can help blunt any nerves early as a result of the Senior Day festivities and keep the team on track to send those veterans out on a high.

— Ryan Chapman 

Home crowd

The Sooners have been at their best in Norman this season, outscoring their opponents 241-80 at Owen Field in five home games. Away from Gaylord-Family Memorial Stadium, OU has looked like a different team, outscoring their opponents just 204-142 and losing twice in six road games including a 66-17 victory over Tulsa. With Oklahoma's home crowd, Dillon Gabriel or Jackson Arnold should be able to communicate with the rest of the Sooners' offense and maintain their poise in a friendly environment.

— Randall Sweet

Offensive line

Oklahoma’s offensive line has been picking up steam over the last few weeks, and it has been reflected in the rushing attack. Gavin Sawchuk has gone over 100 yards for three weeks straight and the Sooners are owning the line of scrimmage. With Dillon Gabriel’s status up in the air and Jackson Arnold waiting in the wings, blocking will be incredibly important this week. If it’s Gabriel who starts, keeping him on his feet to avoid any big shots in the backfield will be key. If Arnold gets the nod, keeping the pocket clean for a freshman quarterback is a recipe for success. Establishing the run will once again play a big part in opening up the field to air it out for whichever quarterback suits up on Saturday. The Sooners have to stay strong up front and give Oklahoma’s offense that extra push.

— Ross Lovelace

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John E. Hoover
JOHN E. HOOVER

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers. During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more. In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools. Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national "Beat Writer of the Year" from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma's "Best Sports Column" from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two "Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting" Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association. John holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK. Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.

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