Let’s play two.
The Big 12 Conference championship goes through Oklahoma once more after the Sooners' 59-56 victory at West Virginia on Friday night. But if Oklahoma is going to win its 12th Big 12 crown and fourth in a row, it'll have to avenge its one loss this season: Texas.
MORE: Takeaways from Oklahoma's thrilling win against WVU
The Longhorns won their game at Kansas earlier in the day, an unexpectedly tight 24-17 victory that ends the David Beaty era at KU and officially, really, launches the Tom Herman era, who in his second year on The Forty Acres has guided Texas out of mediocrity and into the league’s championship game.
In their first meeting this season, Texas beat Oklahoma 48-45 on a late field goal at State Fair Park on Oct. 6, the final straw that prompted Oklahoma to fire defensive coordinator Mike Stoops. This time, they’ll rendezvous at AT&T Stadium with the stakes, somehow, even higher.
The last time Oklahoma and Texas played twice in a season was 115 years ago, 1903, when the teams tied 6-6 in October and then Texas won 11-5 in November. They also played twice in 1901, with Texas winning both games 11-0 and 12-6.
It’s safe to say there will be more points scored this time.
Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray led the Sooners to their 20th consecutive road victory by completing 20 of 27 passes for 364 yards and three touchdown throws against WVU. He also rushed nine times for 114 yards, including an electrifying 55-yard touchdown burst on the Sooners' opening drive.
His counterpart, WVU’s Will Grier, kept up fine, completing 32 of 49 for 539 yards and four touchdowns and also rushing for a score.
Both Murray and Grier suffered catastrophic turnovers, however — defensive stops in a Big 12 game, of all things — that swung the game. Murray lost a fumble early and then threw an end zone interception on the opening drive of the third quarter that the Mountaineers turned into a touchdown and a 49-45 lead.
But Grier one-upped Murray in the turnover department.
In the second quarter, Grier was sacked by Caleb Kelly, who stripped the ball, scooped it up and scored for a 35-21 lead. Then, in the fourth quarter, Kenneth Mann forced the Grier fumble; Curtis Bolton grabbed the football and scored to give Oklahoma a 59-49 lead with 9:58 to play. They were Oklahoma’s first defensive touchdowns of the season.
OU wideout Marquise Brown caught 11 passes for 243 yards and two touchdowns. WVU’s Gary Jennings caught seven passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns while David Sills caught eight for 131 and two scores.
The game wasn’t over, however, until Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley eschewed a punt in the final minutes and instead called for Murray to go for it on fourth-and-5 from the WVU 40. With 2:36 to play, Murray dropped to pass, wasn't pressured, scrambled to his left and found CeeDee Lamb for an 8-yard gain and the game-clinching first down.
The Sooners’ next game could be just as tense.
HOOVER: Murray's winding path to greatness at Oklahoma
In the first Red River Rivalry, UT’s Cameron Dicker connected on a 40-yard field goal with nine seconds left to shock the Sooners at the Cotton Bowl. OU was an EIGHT-point favorite.
The Longhorns had led 42-21 in the fourth quarter, but Murray led a frenetic comeback, punctuated by his 67-yard touchdown sprint that made it a one-score game with 5:11 to play. He also led the Sooners on a game-tying drive in the final minutes before Dicker’s game-winner.
Murray, the future baseball player enjoying his one year as OU’s starter, was 19-of-26 for 304 yards with four touchdown passes and also led the Sooners with 92 yards rushing on a hot day at the Texas State Fair. But Murray threw his second interception of the season and was outdueled by Texas sophomore Sam Ehlinger, who completed 24 of 35 passes for 315 yards and two touchdowns and also rushed 19 for 72 yards and three scores.
Both Murray and Ehlinger accounted for five touchdowns in a classic — the highest-scoring game in the long, storied history of the series.
Ehlinger is now dealing with a sore shoulder. He played Saturday against Kansas but was not efficient as a passer, completing just 16 of 28 passes for 154 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
The Sooners (11-1 overall, 8-1 Big 12) still have designs on a spot in the College Football Playoff. At No. 6 this week, they need — coupled with a victory over Texas — Ohio State to beat Michigan on Saturday and then Alabama to beat Georgia in the SEC championship game to move up two spots.
Oklahoma’s defense, however, might continue to be a sticking point for the College Football Playoff selection committee. The Mountaineers amassed 704 yards and 33 first downs on Friday at Milan Puskar Stadium, and committee chair Rob Mullens has hinted the committee’s preference for “complete” teams.
The Longhorns (9-3, 7-2) have no delusions of a Playoff spot, but while their arch rival has piled up five more conference titles, Texas hasn’t won one since 2009. That’s a step Texas will finally make if the ‘Horns can take down the Sooners next week in Arlington.
Again.