No. 8 Oklahoma's Big 12 Title March Moves On To No. 10 WVU
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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Things sure do get wild in West Virginia whenever Oklahoma comes to town.
In the first meeting of top 10 teams in the Big 12 this season, the eighth-ranked Sooners (8-2, 7-0 Big 12, No. 9 CFP) will try to keep their faint national playoff hopes going on Saturday night, along with the consolation prize of moving closer to a league title.
Then there's No. 10 West Virginia, which badly wants its first league crown but needs some help along the way.
The Mountaineers (8-1, 5-1, No. 14 CFP) also want to put to rest the notion that it's not up to par with Oklahoma, which is the only Big 12 team that West Virginia hasn't beaten since joining the league in 2012.
"I've been here a long time, 0-4 against Oklahoma," said West Virginia center Tyler Orlosky. "Obviously you want to win this game and it'll set you up for the rest of the season, finish out strong. And hopefully we do."
West Virginia has the Big 12's stingiest defense, allowing 20.6 points per game. Chances out that goes out the window in a series that has seen two high-scoring games in Morgantown.
In 2012, Oklahoma needed a last-second TD pass by Landry Jones to beat the Mountaineers 50-49 in a game that featured 1,440 yards of offense .
Two years later, the teams combined for 1,013 yards, Oklahoma's Samaje Perine ran for 242 yards and four scores , and the Sooners won 45-33.
Oklahoma has a 14-game conference winning streak. Its last three road games have been decided by 10 points or less.
"There's always a certain challenge and energy to playing on the road to a rowdy crowd," said Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops. "The guys kind of unify, and bond, and it's sort of you against all of them, and you can get a charge out of that."
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