Class 6A-1 Title First Look

Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy!   The Class 6A-1 state championship game is set for Friday night at 7PM in Edmond as #3 Bixby will face off with #6 Owasso. These two teams met all the way back in late August to kick off the 2022 football season. And they'll meet again on Friday night to decide the state champion in the state's largest class. And we have a bit of history with this match-up. It's the first time since 1995 that we do not have either Jenks or Union playing in the state's largest state championship game. Bixby and Owasso eliminated Jenks and Union respectively in the semifinals. Prep Redzone Oklahoma will have plenty of content throughout the week, previewing the state title game and then plenty to check out during and following Friday's game. But up now, we take our first look at the 6A-1 state championship game.   #3 BIXBY SPARTANS (11-1)   Aug. 25 - Beat Owasso 49-14 Sept. 2 - Beat Springdale Har-Ber, AR. 59-0 Sept. 9 - Beat Sand Springs 67-3 Sept. 23 - Beat Norman North 63-7 Sept. 30 - Beat Southmoore 80-0 Oct. 7 - Beat Enid 77-14 Oct. 14 - Beat Broken Arrow 77-17 Oct. 20 - Beat Westmoore 73-6 Oct. 27 - Beat Moore 64-7 Nov. 3 - Lost To Jenks 38-35 Quarterfinals - Beat Enid 63-0 Semifinals - Beat Jenks 28-14   CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: 7-8 (16th Title Appearance)   For the 16th time in school history, Bixby is playing for a state championship. And after dominating 6A-2 for eight years, this is their first championship appearance in 6A-1. The Spartans have made the championship game an annual tradition as they are playing in their ninth consecutive state championship game. That ties the state record for consecutive state championship games with Morrison, who accomplished that from 1986-1994. The Spartans are playing in their first championship game while competing in the state's largest class. But the Spartans are no strangers to playing under the lights in Edmond. They are looking for their fifth consecutive gold ball and their eighth in the last nine years.   OFFENSIVE PRODUCTION: 61.3 Points Per Game   For the second consecutive season, Bixby comes into the state championship game averaging at least 60 points per game and beating their opponents by an average of at least 50 points per game. Despite losing their starting quarterback and electric playmaker Braylin Presley to graduation, the offense hasn't missed a step. They had a streak earlier this season where they scored at least 60 points in seven consecutive games. Within that same streak, they scored at least 70 points in four straight games. The offense has been one of the best in the state over the last several years and they are once again this year.   DEFENSIVE PRODUCTION: 10 Points Per Game   Bixby's offense gets a lot of the headlines but the defense has been just as stout over the last few years and this year, you can make the argument that they've been just as valuable. We're not sure if it's still the case going into this week, but earlier this year, the Spartan defense and special teams had scored more points than the opponents Bixby has faced this year. Think about that for a moment. Take away all the touchdowns on offense. The defense (and special teams) had been playing at such a high level that they were scoring more than the opponents and could still come out on top.   NOTABLE   Bixby was able to avenge their only loss of the season when they beat Jenks 28-14 in the semifinals. They lost to the Trojans just three weeks prior in the regular season finale. That loss would snap Bixby's state-record winning streak of 58 consecutive games. The Spartans would go unbeaten from September of 2018 to November of 2022. As the Spartans moved up to Class 6A-1 this season, it seemed like only a matter of when, not if the streak would come to an end with the Spartans getting more competition week after week. But Bixby put the record at a number that we might not ever see again in 11-man football, especially coming from a school in one of the larger classes.   #6 OWASSO RAMS (9-4)   Aug. 25 - Lost To Bixby 49-14 Sept. 2 - Lost To Jenks 14-7 Sept. 9 - Beat Broken Arrow 27-26 Sept. 23 - Lost To Union 35-17 Sept. 30 - Lost To Mustang 27-17 Oct. 7 - Beat Edmond North 30-16 Oct. 13 - Beat Yukon 36-17 Oct. 21 - Beat Edmond Memorial 37-14 Oct. 28 - Beat Edmond Santa Fe 13-7 Nov. 4 - Beat Norman 24-14 1st Round - Beat Westmoore 41-7 Quarterfinals - Beat Norman North 41-34 Semifinals - Beat Union 50-47 (6 OT)   CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: 3-0 (4th Title Appearance)   Owasso is playing in the state championship game for the fourth time in school history. It's also the third time that head coach Bill Blankenship has guided the Rams there since he took over in 2017. Under Blankenship, the Rams are perfect in state championship games with a gold ball in 2017 and another one in 2019. As far as Owasso's history in the state championship game. It depends on who you ask. If you ask Owasso, they are 3-0 in title games. If you ask Ada, the Rams might be 2-1. They tied Ada back in the 1974 championship game and both teams claim that year's state championship. That predates overtime and so they didn't go to six overtimes with the Cougars nearly five decades ago.   OFFENSIVE PRODUCTION: 27.2 Points Per Game   The Rams have never been at 100 percent on the offensive side of the ball but they have still been one of the more consistent scoring teams in 6A-1 this season. Despite missing some big names on that side of the ball, the Rams come into the state championship game averaging 27.2 points per game and they are playing some of their best football of the season right now. They did put up a season-high 50 points in the semifinal win over Union but there's a major asterisk there. 37 of those points came in the six overtime periods. But in their first two playoff games, the Rams scored 41 points in each as well.   DEFENSIVE PRODUCTION: 23.6 Points Per Game   Flipping over to the defensive side of the ball and the Rams have definitely been a "bend but don't break" unit and have played very consistent football throughout the season. The Rams gave up 49 points to Bixby in the season opener and ever since then, they've done a good job in limiting some of the state's better offensive units. In the semifinal round specifically, Union had one the second best scoring offense in 6A-1 and the Rams held them to 13 points at the end of regulation. And one of those touchdowns was a Union pick six. The Rams have to feel confident with the way they are playing on defense.   NOTABLE   The Owasso Rams weren't supposed to be in this position to play for a state championship. At the halfway mark of the season, Owasso had a 1-4 record, had key injuries everywhere and the Rams did not look like a team that could contend for a championship. But we mentioned that week how the Rams played a brutal schedule in the first five weeks and them rattling off five straight wins to close out the season was not surprising. There aren't too many teams that have started 1-4 and gone on to make the championship game. Carl Albert began the 2012 season 1-5 and would win the state title. Ten years later, we could see it happen again if the Rams are able to do it one more time and raise the gold ball on Friday night.

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