One-sided Big 12 showdown: No. 8 Oklahoma routs No. 10 WVU

Hours after the No. 11 Cowboys waxed TCU 31-6 in their most dominant performance of the season, Oklahoma jumped on the Mountaineers with a flurry of explosive plays from its quartet of offensive stars. He was only 4-of-7 passing at the break.

Minutes before the West Virginia Mountaineers and Oklahoma Sooners kicked off the biggest game of the Big 12 season, the two sides met in the center of the field for a heated pregame scuffle.

Saturday’s showdown, which could very well determine who will claim the Big 12 title, will be the first time since 1993 when WVU played host to Miami. Oklahoma lost the Big 12 championship game to Kansas State in 2003 but still played LSU for the title in the Sugar Bowl.

The committee, at least this year, doesn’t value the Big 12 as highly as the other conferences, despite it’s three teams ranked inside the Top 15 in the CFP rankings.

The Sooners roll into Mountaineer Field in Morgantown riding high on a seven game winning streak. Skyler Howard is completing 64.5% of his passes for 2562 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions for West Virginia.

Oklahoma cornerback Jordan Parker (9) and safety Ahmad Thomas (13) celebrate after an Oklahoma fumble recovery during the first half of an NCAA college football game against West Virginia, Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016, in Morgan. Will the CFP downgrade OU on the eye test? The Buckeyes play No. 3 Michigan Saturday, so one of those teams will drop.

The Sooners will surely move up at least one more spot via Louisville’s loss to Houston on Thursday night and perhaps impressed some people who discarded them after the 45-24 loss to Ohio State on September 17.

Iowa State (2-8, 1-6) has four conference losses of 10 points or less under first-year coach Matt Campbell. Don’t be surprised if the answer comes out of a debate between the Sooners and a second Big Ten team in a few weeks.

Oklahoma, sitting with two losses, can’t afford to lose.

It took just 43 seconds for the Sooners to get the ball back after a WVU’s three-and-out and it scored in equally quick fashion.

Five Top 10 teams – (2) Clemson, (3) MI, (4) Washington, (8) Texas A&M, and (9) Auburn – suffered losses.

“That’s what’s disappointing to me when you have enough people in there to stop it, we should do a better job”, he said. A night game at Milan Puskar Stadium created the electric atmosphere that can lift a team or short-circuit it. Even though the second half was much better for the gold and blue, it was too little too late. “We’re in control of our own destiny right now, and, like I said, it’s on to the next one”, Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield told reporters.

“Can’t make mistakes against a good football team”, Mountaineers coach Dana Holgorsen said. Get his NCAA Football Free Pick: Oklahoma at West Virginia.

Oklahoma is undefeated in conference play but has suffered two defeats earlier in the season.

Dede Westbrook had only had two catches for 100 yards, but he had a 75-yard catch-and-run that deflated the Mountaineers.

When the snow abated, the avalanche continued.

Again, West Virginia was able to get behind Oklahoma’s secondary, this time Ka’Raun White running open for a 37-yard touchdown with 10:06 remaining to make it a two-possession game, 41-28. Howard isn’t the most accurate passer, but he generally puts the ball in an area where his underrated receivers can get to it. Quarterback Kenny Hill and running back Kyle Hicks combined for 521 yards and six touchdowns.

First, the offense became stagnant will trying to milk the clock in the third quarter due to OU’s 41-7 lead.

With temperatures in the mid-30s, the only reason to burn couches in Morgantown was to keep warm.

This is going to be an incredible college football game.