Oklahoma @ West Virginia preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 2, 2008 ) West Virginia 48, Oklahoma 28

Oklahoma still has slim hopes of winning the Big 12 Conference if Kansas State stumbles badly, but the No. 12 Sooners are also in contention for a BCS bowl bid as they head to West Virginia to visit the reeling Mountaineers on Saturday. Oklahoma would have to win out and hope for Kansas State to lose its final two, but first it has to get past a high-powered and defenseless West Virginia squad that is mired in a four-game losing streak. The Mountaineers had their eyes on a national championship and Big 12 title after climbing to No. 4 in the polls following a 5-0 start, but the once-lofty goals are much more modest - primarily to eke out at least one more win to become bowl eligible.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Fox. LINE: Oklahoma -10

ABOUT OKLAHOMA (7-2, 5-1 Big 12): The Sooners allowed a season-high point total in a 42-34 victory over Baylor last week that may have provided a blueprint on how they will attack West Virginia. Oklahoma used as many as seven defensive backs against pass-happy Baylor, but wound up surrendering 252 yards rushing. A similar tactic is likely in the offing Saturday against an opponent that has not topped 88 yards on the ground in the last three games. Landry Jones threw for 277 yards and a pair of touchdowns and Damien Williams returned from an ankle injury to rush for 99 yards and two scores. Justin Brown has 13 receptions and two touchdowns in his last two games to lead a receiving corps that will face the nation's worst pass defense.

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA (5-4, 2-4): Geno Smith was the consensus Heisman Trophy front-runner following the fast start, and even though he has dropped out of contention for the award, he's still put up off-the-chart numbers: 3,041 yards with 31 touchdowns against only three interceptions. The four-game skid has overshadowed the sensational play of the Mountaineers' wide receiver tandem of Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin. Bailey went over 1,000 yards for the second straight season last week and leads the nation with 16 touchdown catches. Austin, meanwhile, has caught at least 10 passes in all but one game and has 96 receptions. So what's the problem? Try a defense that has allowed an average of 49.5 points in the last four games.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Following each of the Mountaineers' last four losses, a player from the opposing team has been named Big 12 Conference Player of the Week.

2. Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops surpassed the legendary Bud Wilkinson with his 146th victory last week, moving into second place on the school's all-time list.

3. Stedman and Bailey were among 10 players named semifinalists for the Biletnikoff Award that goes to the nation's top wideout. They were the only teammates selected.

PREDICTION: Oklahoma 47, West Virginia 41