Tulsa World: Huge games for OSU, OU highlight weekend

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Huge games for OSU, OU highlight weekend

By JOHN KLEIN Senior Sports Columnist
Published: 10/10/2008 2:03 AM
Last Modified: 10/10/2008 3:45 AM

MISSOURI WOULD APPEAR to be the bigger of two hurdles facing Oklahoma and Oklahoma State on Saturday.

That's no knock on Texas. The Longhorns are far better than expected, and Colt McCoy has done enough to put himself on the same level with any quarterback in the nation, but Missouri has more weapons.

Yet, it would be foolish to think the Longhorns aren't capable of beating Oklahoma.

Seldom have the state's two largest schools faced two such highly anticipated games on the same weekend.

Oklahoma is No. 1 and OSU is No. 17. The Sooners and Cowboys have been this good at the same time, actually even better, at several points in the last 25 years.

However, it would be hard to find one weekend when the schools faced such significant national games at the same time.

Texas would appear to be the most difficult game the Sooners will face until a possible showdown with Missouri in the Big 12 Conference championship game

Just how good is the Big 12? Check out Oklahoma State. The Cowboys face four teams ranked among the nation's current top seven during the next eight weeks.

This is a league that has surely taken over the nation's top spot from the Southeastern Conference.

The reasons are obvious. The Big 12 has unbelievable offenses. The league has arguably six of the nation's top 10 quarterbacks.

OU's Sam Bradford and Mizzou's Chase Daniel, considered by many the leading Heisman candidates, are expected to lead their teams to victories on Saturday and solidify spots at the top of the national polls.

Some believe Mizzou's offense, with a second Heisman hopeful in Jeremy Maclin and All-America tight end Chase Coffman, is simply the best. No one has even slowed the Tigers down this season. They have yet to have a three-and-out series, and we're into the sixth game of the season.

"I think if you're going to have the offense we run up-tempo, fast, attacking we're going to throw the ball a lot downfield," said Mizzou coach Gary Pinkel. "You can't be concerned about time of possession.

"Our offense is like that. Bottom line, when you get the opportunity, you have to score."

That's the bottom line with Mizzou. You have to be able to score with them. Few teams will have the kind of defense to slow down the Tigers.

So, perhaps the key is to slow yourself.

"What they (OSU) like to do is control the clock, they're efficient and they score," said Pinkel. "It certainly puts a lot of pressure not only on your defense but on your offense. That's when you get the opportunity, you have to take advantage of it."

It would not be out of the realm of possibility for a repeat of OSU's 1988 game with Nebraska. The Cowboys had an unbelievable offense but couldn't stop the Cornhuskers. This is a game where the lead will be critical.

By contrast, Texas has enough of a defense to make it interesting with the Sooners.

If one assumes OU has the best defense in the league, and most believe that is true, then Texas would probably be No. 2.

It would be wrong to assume Oklahoma has a huge talent edge. Texas has ability. It knows how to play. McCoy has been playing at the highest level in the country, but Bradford is equal or better.

"These two guys have been on fire," said Texas coach Mack Brown.

The rivalry part of this game means anything could happen. Now, add in that the two teams look relatively even in many areas.

A little slip here or there could be the difference. There would not appear to be as much difference in the teams as some in this state believe.

"It's even bigger when both teams are really, really good like they are this year," said Brown.

Winning is great, but there are challenges ahead for everyone in the Big 12.

Take a look at Texas. The Longhorns follow the showdown with No. 1 Oklahoma by playing No. 3 Missouri, No. 17 Oklahoma State and No. 7 Texas Tech (in Lubbock) in the next month.

So, this is a big weekend. The first of many if you play in the Big 12. By JOHN KLEIN Senior Sports Columnist

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