FORMER TULSA COACH Dave Rader believed the Golden Hurricane had enough players and the motivation to pull off a stunning upset of Oklahoma in 1996.

He later admitted the biggest job he had that week was convincing TU it could win.

Tulsa coach Todd Graham will have a similar role this week as TU gets ready for a high-profile game at OU that would be the most significant Tulsa victory since that stunner 13 years ago.

Of course, these Sooners are far better than those Sooners, and this Golden Hurricane team is a lot better than it was in 1996. Both OU and TU finished with losing records in 1996.

But there are striking similarities in that Oklahoma has not played at peak form yet this season and Tulsa seems to be playing with a high level of confidence.

Some things never change. Oklahoma still has better players, and far more of them, than Tulsa.

It would take a few miracles, such as the 99-yard TD pass that TU completed in 1996, for Tulsa to win this game.

Yet it would be foolish for Oklahoma to believe this will not be a challenge.

If Tulsa goes to Norman believing it can play with the Sooners, and plays at peak form, it is not out of the question that this could be a game.

Not likely. Just possible.

Tulsa should have plenty of motivation other than the usual desire to beat an in-state rival and national power.

This is Tulsa's chance to prove that the TU football revival, now in its seventh year since Steve Kragthorpe breathed life back into the Golden Hurricane, is more than just victories over weaker conference opponents.

Yes, TU did beat a ranked team last year (Ball State in the GMAC Bowl). But, for the most part, Tulsa has failed to win its most significant games against high-profile opponents during this most recent stretch of football success.

Tulsa is 8-0 against nonconference teams from non-BCS leagues under Graham. Teams like New Mexico, a 44-10 victim on Saturday night in Albuquerque, have been no problem for TU in the last two years.

But it has been more than a decade since TU last beat a team, any team, from a BCS league such as the Big 12 (1998 over Oklahoma State).

Oklahoma must win this game to have any shot at a BCS bowl. Tulsa would love to win this game to be mentioned in the debate for a BCS bowl.

So far, Boise State (over Oregon), BYU (over Oklahoma) and Houston (over Oklahoma State) have tossed their hats into the BCS discussion from the non-BCS leagues. Tulsa would love to join that group.

It is hard to put a finger on just where Tulsa is after two games. Yes, the Golden Hurricane has won twice. And TU's defense has been much better than in recent years.

But those defensive gems have come against two of the worst offensive teams in the country. Tulane and New Mexico will struggle to score all season.

And Tulsa has not been sharp on offense, despite the lopsided scores. New Mexico completely wiped out Tulsa's running game and put quarterback G.J. Kinne under a heavy rush throughout the game in Albuquerque.

Oklahoma has infinitely better defensive players than New Mexico.

What one doesn't know is how Oklahoma's offense will react if challenged. Obviously, the Sooners did not play well against BYU, before and after Sam Bradford was injured. The guess here is that Tulsa's defense is at least comparable to BYU.

Plus, nothing should be assumed by OU's blowout of Idaho State.

The national and Oklahoma City media have been quick to lump Tulsa in with Idaho State.

This much we know to be true. Tulsa is not Idaho State.

Getting TU's players to believe they are good enough to shock the college football world will be Graham's challenge this week.