Generally speaking, I'm not a huge fan of Tulsa World's The Picker. He/she's often loud, obnoxious, and controversial for controversy's sake (it's no coincidence that he posts anonymously). But his/her comments re: OU today were spot on.

Here's what The Picker wrote:

"Concerning college football, we told you so. For some while now, we have been saying that the spread was a rinky-dink offense invented for the Techs of the world, a gimmick aimed at evening the playing field with the big boys. Every year some team like Oregon beats 10 or 11 people 75-10. Then against a solid defense, it gets punched in the mouth and is "upset." Teams like OU should junk the spread immediately because on third and one, you can't hand off and make a yard. So look atop the college football rankings. Again. Same as year after year after year. Not a silly spread team to be found.

While on the subject of college football, it's time the OU fans came to grips with what this team really is, and will be for the foreseeable future. It's a good team. It's nowhere near a national title contender. It is a good team comprised of hard-headed coaches -- not using Finch as a runner is absurd. If Mike Stoops was a great defensive mind, he wouldn't be where he was, would he. OU has one playmaker, receiver Stills, who catches tons of third and 18 passes and seldom drops a one. Many of the rest, good, not great. Versus K-State, make one defense play and win the game. Nope. Versus Notre Dame, make one defensive play and win the game. Nope. Versus horrible West Virginia, bury the tape. Good team. Solid quarterback. Great receiver in Stills. Strange defense. [OU] has settled between 6th and 15th nationally. Pretty salty. Far from great."

http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/sportspost.aspx?New_News/14-17836 (emphasis added)

I'm afraid The Picker's right: as currently constructed, OU has a 2- or 3-loss ceiling. OU's a good team. The problem is Bob's Sooners haven't been anything more for four years. (And, worse, OU has had one legitimate national-title contender since '04.) And I don't see anything more than good on the horizon.