Big 12’s first Top 10 matchup could end title chase

Things sure do get wild in West Virginia whenever Oklahoma comes to town.

The folks who did expect that result might have been a little too deep in the moonshine.

Texas heads to Kansas after letting a game get away against WVU that it feels it should have won.

Oklahoma can wrap up the Big 12 championship with a win over the Mountaineers coupled with an Oklahoma State loss at TCU.

And, the ride could be crazier tonight as the Mountaineers attempt to accomplish two feats that they have failed at since joining the Big 12 in 2012 – beat the Sooners and win a league title. And just as in previous years, the Big 12 title still runs through Norman, Okla.

This game will certainly have interesting implications going forward as Oklahoma was once a team that factored into the discussion for the college football playoff situation.

Since losing an offensive shootout by one point in its first meeting with Oklahoma in 2012, West Virginia has been beaten pretty handedly by the Sooners in the past three matchups, losing by an average of 13.7 points and were plagued by turnovers in each game. “He’s a good player”.

“What he’s doing with the Westbrook dude is impressive”, WVU coach Dana Holgorsen said. “I don’t know how else to put it”.

Oklahoma State will be tasked with slowing them down and putting up their own productive offense. The Oklahoma offense is averaging 44.2 points per game with 219.3 rushing yards and 338.1 passing yards per game. “In particularly offensively, they’re very, very physical running the football and really work the run game and they’ve got some big-play hitters outside, and Skyler Howard, a really good quarterback to throw the football as well”. Wisconsin and Penn State are still up on OU, but don’t play another meaningful game the rest of the way.

That starts with quarterback Mason Rudolph.

The 5-foot-10, 235-pound junior suffered an injury on October 15 against Kansas State and was sidelined until last week’s blowout win over Baylor.

The Sooners absolutely dominated the run game against the Bears. “It looks like with Mixon, they’re keeping the pounding off him with another back who is just as good”.

While starting free safety Jeremy Tyler won’t necessarily be lined up across from Westbrook as frequently as the WVU corners, he said that he will still be cognizant of where the receiver is lined up every play and echoed many of Blue Adams’ comments when discussing Westbrook’s skill set.

The No. 10 Mountaineers are hosting No. 8 Oklahoma.

Against Texas Tech, WVU held the running attack to just 34 yards. The survivor between Ohio State and MI will be in, and the survivor between Clemson and Louisville will be in. You want to limit those big plays and not allow them to gain that momentum on you.

If WVU hopes to shut up the doubters and keep its championship hopes alive, the Mountaineers must stop the blistering Oklahoma offense. That starts up front at the line of scrimmage.

The 6-foot, 1-inch, 226-pound running back from the San Francisco Bay area has the size and speed to beat you with his feet and is the ideal complete to the bruising, run-over-you style of Samaje Perine in the Sooner running game. “I try not to think about it”.

ABC will broadcast the game beginning at 7 p.m.