Andrew Dieb-USA TODAY Sports
Texas was awarded 39 free seconds as it tried to mount a comeback. It’s completely inexcusable, and the Big 12 needs to do more.
Happy Tuesday, friends and fans!
During the fourth quarter of the Oklahoma Sooners ’ Red River meeting with the Texas Longhorns , many people noticed a clock management error made by the game’s officials. After a lengthy review reversed the spot of the ball on a UT drive, 46 seconds were added to the game clock.
On Monday, Big 12 Conference football officials liaison Greg Burks clarified that only seven extra seconds should have been put back on the clock, meaning Tom Herman’s team was unjustly awarded 39 additional seconds that ultimately aided their late comeback in regulation. The Athletic’s Jason Kersey provided more context in the explanation he received.
This means the conference is acknowledging that 39 seconds were incorrectly added to the game clock.
Once again, Texas scored the game-tying touchdown that forced overtime with 14 seconds left in regulation.
— Jason Kersey (@jasonkersey) October 12, 2020
At this point of the game, the Longhorns trailed the Sooners , 31-17. In the time that was incorrectly added to the clock, UT ran three plays, including a successful fourth-down conversion. Like Kersey points out, it’s worth noting that Texas’ final touchdown to tie the game near the end of regulation came with 14 seconds remaining on the clock. If those 39 false seconds were never added to the game, this four-overtime thriller very well could have been just another close call in a 60-minute contest.
In the grand scheme of things, this admitted mistake did not cost OU the win, but if it had, the outrage from Oklahoma would have undoubtedly been colossal. I’m glad that’s not a reality we have to live with, but the Big 12 still needs to do more than simply acknowledge such an egregious error. Illustrating an effort (or at least an intention) to implement concrete changes that can be put in place to avoid this in the future would be a start, but that’s probably a bit to much to ask of a league that consistently commits gaffes and creates needless PR issues.
Now for today’s Hot Links! A former five-star is starting to break out, Oklahoma releases more COVID testing data, the NCAA Transfer Portal is about to be bananas and more!
OU Links
Oklahoma’s special teams played a major part in securing the win against the Longhorns over the weekend. A blocked punt, blocked field goal and significant punt return all helped pave the way for what amounted to an OU victory. The Tulsa World’s Eric Bailey has more.
WR Theo Wease looked like he took the next step in his collegiate development on Saturday against Texas. After a relatively quiet first few games to start his sophomore season, he broke out in a big way with eight receptions for 52 yards and a crucial two-point conversion, writes SI Sooners’ John Hoover.
On Tuesday, the OU men’s basketball team had themselves a little photoshoot ahead of the 2020-21 season tip-off. The Sooners are coming off a third-place finish in the Big 12 and a 19-12 campaign that was cut short just before the postseason due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lights ✅
Camera ✅
Action #BoomerSooner pic.twitter.com/dmKGuhVO13
— Oklahoma Basketball (@OU_MBBall) October 13, 2020
Speaking of COVID-19, the OU Athletic Department released another round of testing data from its staff members and student-athletes. From Oct. 4 through Oct. 10, 439 players (all sports) and 136 coaches/trainers were tested. Of the 575 total tests, only five cases resulted in positive cases. Actively, four student-athletes and one staff member are currently positive throughout Oklahoma Athletics.
Latest COVID-19 data from tests performed on OU student-athletes and staff ➡️ https://t.co/hWSqQ9hffJ pic.twitter.com/s3VBHStjxB
— Oklahoma Sooners (@OU_Athletics) October 12, 2020
BreakingT designer Nick Torres came up with this sweet Red River themed t-shirt to commemorate Oklahoma’s epic four-OT win over Texas. Not only do the Sooners retain the Golden Hat Trophy for another year, but the river that borders these two states indeed still runs red. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate one of the wildest games in the history of the series than to add this baby to your OU wardrobe right away!
After four overtimes and a bunch of missed holding calls, Oklahoma still reigns supreme over Texas in the Red River Shootout/Rivalry/Showdown/whatever.
Get yourself a t-shirt to celebrate the occasion! #Sooners https://t.co/gnMIdxEj6x
— Crimson & Scream Machine (@CCMachine) October 12, 2020
Around the Sports World
Welcome to college football, free agency. Well, it won’t be full-on free agency, but for any player who feels like a better opportunity awaits them somewhere other than the school they originally signed up for, this NCAA proposal that’s expected to pass in January will allow those players to transfer to another program one time, penalty-free. Needless to say, this is an absolute game-changer for the sport.
Athletes will be granted a penalty-free, 1-time transfer starting in 2021, per proposal sent to DI Council & obtained by @SINow . It’s expected to pass in January.
FB/BSK players must notify school of transfer by May 1 each year.
From @ByPatForde & me – https://t.co/cDj6ADiTCY
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) October 13, 2020
Without Dak Prescott for the remainder of the 2020 NFL season, the Dallas Cowboys have signed former Texas/SMU QB Garrett Gilbert off of the Cleveland Browns ’ practice squad.
The Vanderbilt Commodores ’ game at the Missouri Tigers has officially been postponed to a later date (tentatively Dec. 12) due to COVID-19 protocols limiting Vandy’s active roster.
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 . He is currently in isolation and not experiencing any virus-related symptoms.
After a coronavirus outbreak postponed the originally scheduled date of this game, the Buffalo Bills are finally squaring off against the Tennessee Titans tonight in a battle of unbeatens. Tune in on CBS at 6 p.m. CT to see which team will remain atop the league standings and which one will suffer its first defeat in 2020.
Tuesday Night Football.
: #BUFvsTEN — Tonight 7pm ET on CBS
: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app pic.twitter.com/cLjgrEGBe9
— NFL (@NFL) October 13, 2020
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