(UWire) Out-of-conference games have provided many trap games and losses for the No. 12 Sooners in both the regular season and bowl games the past few years.
This weekend’s game against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane, hailing from Conference USA, provides for another test to avoid adding to the legitimacy of non-Bowl Championship Series conferences and the argument of overrating the Big 12.
The Big 12 has been dealt two blows so far this season by C-USA and the Mountain West Conference.
The first coming in week one when Brigham Young University beat OU 14-13, and this past weekend the No. 21 Houston Cougars defeated the Oklahoma State Cowboys Saturday 45-35.
The victory gave Houston and C-USA some national respect, and now Tulsa has been handed the job of adding to that respect by possibly defeating OU.
But that task is a daunting order for the Golden Hurricane even though it is putting out one of its best teams in recent years.
The Sooners hold a 15-7-1 series lead, and have won the last four meetings.
The head-to-head record could be used as a motivating factor for both Tulsa and C-USA.
The conference as a whole is 12-12 so far this season, but the Golden Hurricane is a perfect candidate this week for giving validity for the conference, and propelling themselves into the top-25.
Tulsa has come out of the gate well with its two victories over Tulane and New Mexico, both on the road, and are looking to stay undefeated against an OU squad that still has a lot of question marks. Tulsa, Houston, Southern Mississippi and Southern Methodist are the only undefeated teams left in the conference, but it is unlikely all four will end the season with a zero in the loss column. Houston has the easiest schedule of the remaining undefeated C-USA teams, with its toughest game remaining being Tulsa.
Including the Sooners, the Golden Hurricane has three ranked teams on its schedule.
The other two teams are Houston and No. 10 Boise State, with both games being at home.
A loss in Norman against Tulsa would be devastating to OU, and would most likely end its national championship dream.
The threat is a likely possibility with how well the Golden Hurricane has improved in recent years, and how banged up the Sooners’ inexperienced offense has become.
The Big 12 has not been well-known for its defense over the past few years, but Saturday’s game against a high-powered C-USA team will come down to how well the Sooners’ defense can keep Tulsa’s offense out of the end zone.
If the defense is not able to do so, then C-USA will throw its hat further into the ring for a national championship run.