Nebraska @ Oklahoma preview
AT&T Stadium
Last Meeting ( Nov 7, 2009 ) Oklahoma 3, Nebraska 10
No. 13 Nebraska and No. 9 Oklahoma square off Saturday in a Big 12 Championship Game packed with story lines.
This will be last meeting between the longtime conference rivals, who have tangled in some of college football’s most storied games. Nebraska heads to the Big Ten next season and would love nothing more than to scoop up the Big 12’s lucrative BCS bowl bid before jumping ship.
The winner of Saturday’s game at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas also moves onto the short list of possible preseason No. 1 candidates for 2011.
Unfortunately for Cornhusker and Sooner fans, they're forced to worry about injuries to their star players.
Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez is a game-time decision due to turf toe on his left foot and a right ankle injury. The redshirt freshman practiced Wednesday, but was seen leaving the field with a boot on his right foot.
Martinez got off to an electric start this season, but slowed down the stretch. He missed two games due to injuries, including last week’s win over Colorado. Backups Cody Green and Zac Lee have seen time in Martinez’s absence and helped the Huskers (10-2, 6-2 Big 12) finish with their best regular-season mark in nine seasons. Green has emerged lately and is expected to start if Martinez can’t go.
Oklahoma could be without leading rusher DeMarco Murray, who injured his knee in last week’s win over Oklahoma State. Coach Bob Stoops told the media this week that Murray is improving, but his status is still questionable against Nebraska. Freshman Roy Finch and senior Mossis Madu will be asked to produce on the ground if Murray can’t go.
Even if Martinez and Murray are held out, there will still be plenty of talent on the field. The Cornhuskers have a pair of game-breakers at running back. Roy Helu (1,122 yards, 10 TDs) and Rex Burkhead (822 yards, 7 TDs) lead the nation’s eighth-ranked rushing attack.
Nebraska also boasts the nation’s fifth-best defense, led by cornerback Prince Amukara, one of the top NFL draft prospects at defensive back.
Amukara will likely be matched up against Oklahoma’s prolific receiver Ryan Broyles, also an NFL prospect. The nation’s leader in receptions per game, Broyles is quarterback Landry Jones’ favorite target and averages 115 receiving yards. Jones passed for 466 yards and four touchdowns against Oklahoma State and spearheads the nation’s fourth-best passing attack.
Defensive end Jeremy Beal, the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, leads the Sooner defense, which has been inconsistent this season. Oklahoma is giving up 152 yards rushing per game. Starting cornerback Jonathan Nelson (concussion) was a full participant in practice for the Sooners and is expected to play.
The Sooners enter the game as touchdown favorites and are shooting for their fourth Big 12 title in the last five seasons. They’ll have to perform better than they did in last season’s ugly loss to the Cornhuskers.
Jones threw five interceptions in the 10-3 loss in Lincoln, Neb.