Mussatto's Minutes: OU football fans, it's time to let go of Lincoln Riley

I have a confession. I fell asleep Saturday night during the fourth quarter of Southern Cal’s 43-41 triple-overtime win against Arizona.

As I read up Sunday morning on what went down in Los Angeles, I also stumbled into all kinds of jeers and jokes from Sooner fans poking fun at Lincoln Riley and the Trojans.

I get it. College football is religion. Trash talk is fun.

But on a day in which OU beat Texas, squarely putting the Sooners in College Football Playoff contention, why all the agitation over a jilted lover? Because that’s what Lincoln Riley has become, and it’s past time to let him go. Past time to stop dwelling on Alex Grinch and the ineptitude of his defenses.

In defense of OU fans, Riley hasn’t moved on either. He’s gone out of his way to further alienate himself by dramatizing his exit from Norman. But that’s not where most of the disdain for Riley stems from. Riley, like Kevin Durant, is loathed in these parts because he left for what he deemed a better job, and for proud Oklahomans, that’s hard to stomach.

By the way, USC won Saturday night. And they’ve won big since Riley and Caleb Williams arrived in LA: a 17-3 record, including 12-1 in Pac-12 play. Brent Venables is 12-7 as OU’s coach, with a 6-6 Big 12 record.

Venables, though, just earned his marquee win by beating Texas on Saturday while Riley and the Trojans slipped past lowly Arizona.

Both OU and USC are undefeated, and both Sooner and Trojan fans seem happier these days. If you think the split was for the better, then why the incessant resentment?

It’s time to move on.

More: Mussatto: Meet the OU-Texas football fairgoers who don't go to the Red River Rivalry

OU and OSU surprise

I picked Texas to beat OU 40-30. I picked Kansas State to beat OSU 31-17.

And not to throw my teammates under the bus (sorry, friends), neither Scott Wright nor Jacob Unruh picked OSU to win, nor did Ryan Aber or Justin Martinez pick OU. All of them, however, were picked closer games than I did.

But here’s the point: It was one heck of a weekend for the Bedlam rivals.

OSU is 1-1 in conference play, tied with BYU and Kansas State. That’s better company to keep than joining 0-2 Cincinnati and Houston, much less 0-3 UCF.

OU, on a bye this week, stands alone atop the Big 12 at 3-0. West Virginia, at 2-0, is the only other unbeaten team in conference play, and the Mountaineers are heavy favorites to improve to 3-0 on Thursday night at Houston.

OSU has a 2:30 p.m. Saturday home game against Kansas. It won’t be easy, but the Cowboys’ season would do a 180 if they sweep the Sunflower Staters.

More: 'It’s a mindset': How Nick Martin, Cameron Epps helped save Oklahoma State football season

Pick Six

Each week, I make a list of six college football somethings — teams, players, coaches, etc. — I want to highlight.

This week, we take a look at the six teams with the easiest path to the College Football Playoff.

1. Louisville (6-0)

First let me say this: I do not think Louisville is making the College Football Playoff. But we’re talking the easiest path here, and the Cardinals have a comfy one after upsetting Notre Dame on Saturday.

Remaining games: at Pitt, vs. Duke, vs. Virginia Tech, vs. Virginia, at Miami, vs. Kentucky, (possible ACC championship game)

2. Oklahoma (6-0)

How things have opened up after beating Texas. The Sooners don’t currently have a ranked opponent left on their schedule, which makes it hard not to look ahead to a possible rematch with Texas in the Big 12 championship.

Remaining games: vs. UCF, at Kansas, at Oklahoma State, vs. West Virginia, at BYU, vs. TCU, (possible Big 12 championship game)

3. Florida State (5-0)

Seminoles coach Mike Norvell improved from three to five to 10 wins in his first three seasons in Tallahassee. Ten wins would be a disappointment for Florida State at this point.

Remaining games: vs. Syracuse, vs. Duke, at Wake Forest, at Pitt, vs. Miami, vs. North Alabama, at Florida, (possible ACC championship game)

4. North Carolina (5-0)

Sensing a trend here? I’m including all three ACC unbeatens and no Pac-12 unbeatens. That’s because North Carolina, Louisville and Florida State wouldn’t have to face each other until the ACC title game. Meanwhile, Washington, USC and Oregon all have to play each other.

Remaining games: vs. Miami, vs. Virginia, at Georgia Tech, vs. Campbell, vs. Duke, at Clemson, at N.C. State

5. Georgia (6-0)

The fearsome Bulldogs hadn’t looked so scary this season. Until Saturday, when Georgia walloped Kentucky 51-13. I don’t know if I’d stay with my pick of Georgia three-peating as national champs, but I don’t know that I wouldn’t.

Remaining games: at Vanderbilt, vs. Florida, vs. Missouri, vs. Ole Miss, at Tennessee, at Georgia Tech, (possible SEC championship game)

6. Michigan (6-0)

Here’s how I picked the easiest path — none of which are easy — among Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State. Michigan hosts Ohio State and goes to Penn State. Ohio State hosts Penn State and goes to Michigan. Penn State goes to Ohio State and hosts Michigan. Penn State is no easy place to play, but I’d rather go there than at Ohio State or at Michigan.

Remaining games: vs. Indiana, at Michigan State, vs. Purdue, at Penn State, at Maryland, at Ohio State, (possible Big Ten championship game)

More: Mussatto: Brent Venables has his marquee win and now OU football can dream real big

Big 12 Game of the Week

Kansas (5-1, 2-1) at OSU (3-2, 1-1), 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Fox Sports 1: Both the Jayhawks and Cowboys are coming off big wins, with Kansas crushing UCF and OSU upsetting K-State. The Jayhawks might be the third-best team in the Big 12, although West Virginia certainly has a case.

More: 'He was fearless': How Dillon Gabriel etched name into OU football lore by beating Texas

National Game of the Week

Oregon (5-0, 2-0) at Washington (5-0, 2-0), 2:30 p.m. Saturday, ABC: Man, what a matchup in the Pacific Northwest. Huge playoff implications in this one.

Mid-major mention: All kinds of good ones. Liberty at Jacksonville State on Tuesday night in an undefeated clash in Conference USA. Tulane at Memphis on Friday in the American. But let’s go Wyoming at Air Force, 6 p.m. Saturday, CBSSN. Air Force is 5-0, Wyoming is 5-1, and both teams are undefeated in Mountain West play.

More: OU football report card: Clutch gene is alive and well with Sooners' defense vs. Texas

OKC Thunder thoughts

Basketball is here!

The Thunder hosts its first preseason game at 7 p.m. Monday against the Spurs. Fingers crossed for a Chet Holmgren vs. Victor Wembanyama matchup. And to have Oklahoma City as the trivia answer one day for: “Where did Victor Wembanyama play his first preseason game?”

My guy Justin Martinez will have coverage from Paycom Center. Meanwhile, I’ll be on the way to Montreal, where the Thunder plays Thursday. Stay tuned for a special Lu Dort story as he returns to play in his hometown.

More: How OKC Thunder's Chet Holmgren is growing his game with Kevin Durant's help

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU football fans finally should now let go of USC coach Lincoln Riley