Oklahoma @ Oklahoma State preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 27, 2010 ) Oklahoma 47, Oklahoma State 41

THE STORY: Bedlam is upon us, and the stakes are still high despite both teams stumbling down the stretch. Fifth-ranked Oklahoma State will try to secure its first Big 12 championship and BCS berth by ending an eight-game losing streak to visiting in-state rival Oklahoma on Saturday.

The 106th meeting had the potential to be a pseudo national semifinal, but the then-No.2 Cowboys and then-No. 5 Sooners each lost on consecutive nights two weeks ago.

Oklahoma State suffered a shocking 37-31 double-overtime road loss to Iowa State on Nov. 18. The defeat came hours after women’s basketball coach Kurt Budke, assistant coach Miranda Serna and two others were killed in a plane crash.

After mourning the loss, the Cowboys now shift their focus to beating 11th-ranked Oklahoma for the first time since 2002. If the Cowboys can end their long losing streak, they might still wind up in the BCS title game. Oklahoma State, ranked third in the BCS, has an outside chance of jumping ahead No. 2 Alabama. The Crimson Tide finished its regular-season last week.

The Sooners, who had their title dreams dashed for a second time with a 45-38 loss to then-No. 22 Baylor, lead the series 81-17-7. Landry Jones tied a school record by throwing for 468 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions in last season’s 47-41 win in Stillwater.


TV: ABC, 8 p.m. ET. LINE: Oklahoma State -3.5

ABOUT OKLAHOMA (9-2, 6-2 Big 12): The Sooners were stunned by Texas Tech at home on Oct. 22 and then fell out of the national title picture again with a loss to Baylor on Nov. 19. After allowing a season-high 616 yards to the Bears, the defense rebounded in a 26-6 win over Iowa State last week. The Sooners are fourth in total offense (547.9 ypg) eighth in scoring (43.0 ppg). Jones failed to throw a touchdown for a second straight game, but backup QB Blake Bell ran for a pair of scores. Bell has scored six of the Sooners’ seven touchdowns over the last two games while running the Wildcat formation. Oklahoma ran for a season-high 253 yards in the win over Iowa State, with Roy Finch (83) and Brandon Williams (80) combining for 163 yards.

ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE (10-1, 7-1 Big 12): The Cowboys started 10-0 for the first time in school history thanks to the second-highest scoring offense in the nation (49.8 ppg) and an opportunistic defense. But Oklahoma State picked a terrible time to lose the turnover battle. Twenty-eight-year-old Heisman candidate Brandon Weeden threw three interceptions and the Cowboys turned the ball over a season-high five times against Iowa State. Oklahoma State had been outscoring opponents while relying on a suspect defense (107th, 453.7 ypg) that has forced the most turnovers in the nation (37). Weeden, who's second in the nation in passing (373.3 ypg), threw two touchdowns and three interceptions against Oklahoma last season. His favorite target is WR Justin Blackmon, who is second in the nation in touchdown receptions (15).

EXTRA POINTS:

1. November’s tragic plane crash at Oklahoma State occurred 10 years after a 2001 crash involving the men’s basketball team that left 10 people dead.

2. With only 10 teams, the conference eliminated the Big 12 championship game. Thus, if Oklahoma and No. 15 Kansas State both win, there would be a three-way tie for the conference title. Oklahoma would receive the automatic BCS berth based on head-to-head matchups.

3. Blackmon, who won the Biletnikoff award as a sophomore last season, will take part in Senior Day activities. He is expected to enter the NFL draft and he'll likely be a top-10 selection.

PREDICTION: Oklahoma 41, Oklahoma State 37 - The Cowboys have the firepower to beat anyone, but the clock has struck midnight for their defense.