#2 Texas Tech @ #5 Oklahoma football preview

Like it or loathe it, the best thing to come out of the Bowl Championship Series is that it makes November such an interesting month.

You couldn’t ask for more of a delicious matchup between No. 2 Texas Tech and No. 5 Oklahoma Saturday in Norman, Okla. The Red Raiders and Sooners are each ranked among the nation’s top five in passing offense – Texas Tech is first, while OU is third – and scoring offense – Oklahoma is first, while Texas Tech is third.

“It’s as big as it gets,’’ Oklahoma senior wide receiver Juaquin Iglesias said. “Just for the fact that all of our goals are still in reach, and if we win, you never know what’s going to happen in the BCS.’’

There is so much at stake including the BCS and the Big 12 South standings. But the game impacts many other teams. Texas is one of them.

The road to get to the Big 12 championship game Dec. 6 in Kansas City is as follows:

If Texas Tech defeats OU, the Red Raiders go to the title game. The Nov. 29 game against Baylor doesn’t matter because they own the tiebreaker over Oklahoma and Texas.
If Oklahoma wins, it must win at Oklahoma St. on Nov. 29 and hope Texas loses to Texas A&M on Thanksgiving to go. If Texas wins, the Sooners have to hope they jump over Texas in the BCS standings.
Texas will go to the title game if it defeats Texas A&M, Oklahoma defeats Texas Tech and remains ahead of OU in the BCS standings.

Should all three teams finish with 7-1 conference records, the Big 12 tiebreaker states that the team with the highest BCS rating will go to the championship game.

Got all that?

The caliber of offense played in the Big 12 is like none ever seen in the young history of this conference. The game will really come down to which team’s defense can make enough stops.

For Oklahoma, the Sooners are averaging 63 points per game in the last three games and have been executing like no other. Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback Sam Bradford has thrown for 886 yards and 10 touchdown passes. For the season, he has 3,406 yards and 38 TD passes.

But equally important is Oklahoma’s running, which has found another level. The Sooners have rushed for 273, 193 and 328 yards in those games to make themselves much more balanced.

Now, Texas Tech’s defense is much more improved than in previous years surrendering 351 yards per game, which is 60th in the nation. But the Red Raiders are 98 th against the pass.

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As for the Red Raiders, the school’s sports information department has proudly touted quarterback Graham Harrell and wide receiver Michael Crabtree as Heisman Trophy candidates. And well, they really are.

And why not? The pitch-and-catch combination has been extraordinary. It also has its own web site of www.pitchorcatch2008.com.

Just consider what each has done through 10 games. Harrell has thrown for 4,077 yards, 36 touchdowns and completed nearly 72 percent of his passes. Crabtree has 1,010 receiving yards and 18 touchdown grabs. In fact, if the Red Raiders win, then Harrell probably takes the lead.

Oklahoma’s defense isn’t much better against the pass at 93 rd but is first in the nation in turnover margin at 1.60 per game.

But here’s the catch. Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops has lost only two home games in his tenure running this program. TCU and Oklahoma St. are the only teams to have won in Norman.

Each team will get its share of points. But Oklahoma will get just a bit more and throw the BCS in complete chaos.

Prediction: Oklahoma 48, Texas Tech 40

Texas Tech @ Oklahoma Notable:

Texas Tech’s only win in Norman in history was a 22-12 victory in 1996.
Oklahoma has played a higher ranked team 18 times in Norman and is 9-9. But the Sooners are 7-4 when they are ranked in the game.
The Red Raiders own the nation’s longest winning streak at 12 and are seeking only the third 11-win season in school history.

#2 Texas Tech Red Raiders (10-0, 6-0) @ #5 Oklahoma Sooners (9-1, 5-1)

Time: 7 p.m. CST
Site: Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
TV: ABC
Series: 16th meeting. Oklahoma leads 11-4

By Kevin Lonnquist
Big 12 Fans Staff Writer

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