Daily Bullets (Dec. 14): Most Viewed of the Week, OSU’s Chance to Silence Texas A&M

The week off for Finals has been slow sportswatching but it sounds like Ice will need all of that time and more.

Bullets Rundown

• Texas Bowl thoughts
• Two things for Chuba to stay for
• D-line commit bails after Texas offer (and why that’s the wrong football call)

OSU Bullets

• Most Viewed of the Week (No. 1): OSU to Face Texas A&M in the Texas Bowl

With all of the uncertainty, I’m not sure OSU playing Houston in the First Responder Bowl wouldn’t be more ideal. Playing Texas A&M is certainly a more appealing matchup but unless more Texas A&M players lay low and Chuba Hubbard in a clear way announces he’ll play in the game, it’s not one you can feel confident about the Pokes chances.

To Mike Gundy’s credit, he’s shown the capacity to get guys excited about lower-tier bowl games. If A&M isn’t excited, OSU could easily swing a couple of scores in the right way. You’ll need Spencer Sanders and Chuba Hubbard to make that happen though.

• Most Viewed of the Week (No. 2): Chuba’s Not Playing in the Bowl Game, Right?

In the stay-or-go argument, I think these two points are what matters most (numbers are mine):

1. Is fourth-round money enough to eject? Well, the first pick of the fourth round this year signed a four-year, $3.3 million deal with an $800K signing bonus. Not nothing!

2. And what is the ceiling for Chuba if he comes back? Is he going to perform better than he did in 2019? I suppose there could be more buzz — which seems to be half the battle most of the time — that would elevate him to the third or second round. But there’s also the risk of going full Shaun Livingston against Iowa State. [PFB]

They’re tied together – if you could double your investment, say by moving from the fourth round to the second – do you wait a year?

How do you do that? You tell your pal Tylan to cool his jets and see if you can make a run and tell Mike you want to catch a pass every three downs (and maybe take a summer class on pass protection). It’s not a strong argument but I think that’s the only plausible one I see.

• Most Viewed of the Week (No. 3): Defensive Line Commit De-Commits After Texas Offer

I get it, right? A piece of paper with UT on it weighs more than a non-burnt orange one (an OSU degree) does. Eat tacos and drink great coffee or fish with the homies all summer long.

But outside of the streak broken this year, I’m not sure it’s the right competitive decision. Excuse my Oklahoma vernacular but Texas ain’t back and Tommy “Boy” Herman will likely be the next OC at Urban Meyer’s next job. OSU has shown the ability to do more with less from a talent perspective, while Texas continues to underachieve with more.

• Most Viewed of the Week (No. 4): Five Thoughts on Texas A&M Matchup

The most fun and most nerve-wracking angle of this matchup is this: taking the Aggies down a peg or helping them solidify their argument of “S-E-C” nonsense.

Here it is: you put lipstick on a pig, and it’s still a pig.

The level to which A&M despises the Big 12 despite not having actual success in the Big 12 absolutely delights me. A&M went 37-44 in their last 10 years in the league. That’s not good. Thirty-seven wins for 10 years is nearly an Iowa Stateian number. [PFB]

If OSU loses, one of the more delirious fan bases (you’re closer to UCLA than Auburn as little brothers go, Aggies) gets to say “see – we left because we’re better than you.” No bueno.

• Most Viewed of the Week (No. 5): Chuba Snubbed from List of Heisman Finalists

You want to know what players from a non-blue blood program have been able to overcome that lack of brand equity since the year of our Lord, 2000?

• RG3 from Baylor
• Johnny Manziel from Texas A&M
• Lamar Jackson from Lousville

The rest comes from the college football oligarchy of Oklahoma, USC, Ohio State, Alabama, and the sort. Johnathan Taylor with numbers just like Chuba’s last year was about as relevant as Johnathan Taylor Thomas to a Gen Z teenage girl.

I think the Doak Walker was a combination of a national bias towards running backs in conferences generally devoid of passers and Taylor’s brand equity established by “proving it” with another year of solid numbers.

Also – let this Lamar Jackson number sink in – this is the kind of player that you say “who cares if we don’t generally think a player from that school is actually that good“.

Lamar Jackson is going to win the NFL MVP at 22 years old.

Joe Burrow is going to win the Heisman at 23 years old.

That is insane.

— Josh Parcell (@JoshParcell) December 13, 2019

Non-OSU Bullets

• Really good faith-based post on assuming the worst in those we love
• I want the assets the Heat have for CP3 but this Heat-Pelicans trade makes more sense
• Great thoughts from HBR on the dirty concept of “networking”
• Zach Lowe’s always fun ten thoughts in the NBA