West Virginia @ Oklahoma preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 17, 2012 ) Oklahoma 50, West Virginia 49

No. 15 Oklahoma and visiting West Virginia enter Saturday's Big 12 opener after debuting new quarterbacks and improved defenses in season-opening wins last week. The Sooners, who posted their first shutout since 2010, pointed to a 2012 meeting with the Mountaineers as one of their defensive low points. "Between that night (a 50-49 road win) and what happened in the bowl game (a 41-13 loss to Texas A&M), it obviously convinced us that we needed to adjust our defense," defensive coordinator Mike Stoops said at Monday's press conference. "(We had to) be more flexible and more diverse and put more pressure on the quarterback."

West Virginia posted a second-half shutout in a rally against William & Mary after an inexperienced defense settled down. Junior quarterback Paul Millard has been tabbed the starter for the Mountaineers for the second straight week but junior backup Clint Trickett could figure in the offense attack. Oklahoma redshirt freshman Trevor Knight showed off more of his running ability than his arm in his debut.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Fox. LINE: Oklahoma -20.5.

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA (1-0, 0-0 Big 12): Trickett played against Oklahoma as a redshirt freshman at Florida State in 2011 and that might help him get in Saturday's game. "It all depends on how the game goes," coach Dana Holgorsen said. "He's played against Oklahoma before. He knows what kind of speed they have." The Mountaineers, who ranked 108th out of 120 FBS teams last year with an average of 472.5 yards allowed, gave up 309 yards to the Tribe - but just 108 in the second half.

ABOUT OKLAHOMA (1-0, 0-0 Big 12): Knight went 11-of-28 for 86 yards and three scores and rushed for 103 yards, becoming the first Oklahoma quarterback to gain more yards rushing than passing since Eric Moore in 1998. Coach Bob Stoops was impressed with Knight's execution of the shotgun option and that his team racked up 305 rushing yards and no fumbles. Senior linebacker Corey Nelson and sophomore linebacker Frank Shannon combined for 15 tackles and a sack as the Sooners' more aggressive 3-3-5 scheme allowed 38 rushing yards.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Oklahoma is 55-1 when rushing for more than 200 yards under Stoops.

2. RB Charles Sims, a graduate transfer from Houston, rushed for 120 yards and a score in his Mountaineer debut.

3. Senior LB Dozie Ezemma (broken leg) is the third West Virginia backup defensive player/special teams contributor lost this season to injury, joining junior LB Shaq Petteway and sophomore CB Nana Kyeremeh).

PREDICTION: Oklahoma 38, West Virginia 14