Fact or Fiction: Oklahoma would beat Notre Dame
National recruiting director Mike Farrell and national recruiting analyst Adam Gorney tackle three topics daily and determine whether they believe the statements or not.
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1. Oklahoma would beat Notre Dame.
Farrell’s take: FACT. I know the Sooners had a bad loss early to Kansas State and it’s easy to say this after they beat up a depleted Gators team, but the way this defense is playing, the power of the running game and the weapons that Spencer Rattler has leads me to believe they would not only beat Notre Dame but roll them. We won’t get to see it, but when the Irish get destroyed by Alabama we can all see how this OU team would have killed them as well.
Gorney’s take: FACT. I like Notre Dame a lot. The Irish are so well-coached, they can pound you up front with that run game and the defense has been impressive, but Oklahoma has so many weapons and they’re playing so much better than early in the season. The Sooners probably have no argument to be in the top four because of those early losses to Kansas State and Iowa State, but this is a completely different team, the defense has been outstanding and this is one of the top-four teams in college football right now. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were preseason No. 1 or No. 2 heading into next season.
2. Kyle Trask saw his draft stock plummet.
Farrell’s take: FACT. I know he didn’t have his receivers and he had an amazing season, but the NFL is very fickle. Everything NFL scouts don’t like about Trask, from arm strength to ability to extend plays, will be discussed and this will be added on the top to drop him into late round two or round three. And it’s not his fault. He was done dirty by his wide receivers and teammates as they opted out and left him with zero weapons. But it will hurt him in the end.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. NFL teams will look at Trask’s entire body of work. He threw for 408 yards and three touchdowns against Alabama in the SEC Championship Game and he had one of the best seasons for a quarterback in recent memory. That is more important than his struggles against Oklahoma when he had no receivers. There are still concerns about Trask, especially his arm strength and his mobility, but he’s still a fringe first-round or second-round pick and the bowl game won’t change that.
3. Wisconsin will be dangerous next season.
Farrell’s take: FICTION. Graham Mertz has upside no doubt, but the Wisconsin team I saw this season and against Wake Forest doesn’t scare me at all. The defense was uninspired and the offense lacks speed. I know it’s a boring bowl game no one cares about, but Wisconsin went from a team that was supposed to be a playoff team to one that limped its way through the season.
Gorney’s take: FACT. Wisconsin is going to do what Wisconsin does - run the ball, play great defense and bore the ever-loving soul out of everyone watching games that finish with scores like 14-10 or 17-14. Former four-star Jalen Berger is going to have a big career in Madison, the Badgers are going to be solid on the offensive line and I was heartened by the defense’s performance in the second half against Wake Forest. Wisconsin needs to find some playmakers at receiver to truly be a national contender but I like the direction heading into next season.