Sooners Look To Extend Win Streak Over Mountaineers, Will Welcome WVU Into Oklahoma Memorial Stadium This Weekend

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On Saturday, No. 23-ranked West Virginia and No. 15-ranked Oklahoma will square off at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in a very intriguing contest that figures to be one of the most entertaining college football games of the weekend.

After scoring more than 40 points in their last three games, the Mountaineers will face a true test in Oklahoma, which kicks off a stretch in which they take on ranked opponents from the Big 12 in each of the next four weeks. Like the Mountaineers, Oklahoma’s offense has also gotten off to a hot start, recording 52 points in their last outing against Tulsa and Saturday’s game will be all about whose defense can contain the opposing offensive unit.

Despite the magnitude of this game, tickets to see the Sooners and Mountaineers lock horns are relatively inexpensive. In fact, according to TotallyTickets.com, they’re averaging just $85.35 on the secondary market, with a get-in price of only $28, making it one of the best values on this weekend’s college football slate.

In their last three meetings since the Mountaineers arrived in the Big 12 in 2012, Oklahoma has gotten the best of Dana Holgorsen’s group. In 2012, Landry Jones threw for six touchdowns and 554 yards, breaking a school record in the process, to lead the Sooners to a narrow 50-49 win. In 2013, the Sooners juggled between quarterbacks Trevor Knight and Blake Bell to hold onto a 16-7 triumph, and last year, Oklahoma rode the rushing performance of Samaje Perine (242 yards, 4 TD’s) to a 45-33 shootout victory.

While Perine and quarterback Baker Mayfield lead an explosive offense, the Mountaineers can combat the attack with their stingy defense. West Virginia defensive coordinator Tony Gibson’s 3-3-5 defense has gotten off to a great start, limiting their first three opponents to an average of 7.7 points-per-game, which is good enough to have the defense ranked 11th in the FBS (I-A Division). This same defense has also recorded nine interceptions, but to completely shut down the Sooners, Perine must be contained. The Texas native is fresh off of a 152-yard performance against Tulsa, in which he also found the endzone once. Additionally, Mayfield has already thrown 10 touchdown passes this season to the likes of Sterling Shepard, among others, who is one of four receivers to have compiled more than 150 yards thus far.

Despite the Sooners’ impressive offense, WVU can handle a shootout if one were to occur. Skyler Howard, like Mayfield, has found success through the air, throwing nine touchdowns on the season, and is also a threat on the ground, having rushed for 88 yards. Wendell Smallwood is averaging 6.9 yards a carry, rushing for over 300 yards this season, and Shelton Gibson leads a talented wide-receiving group with four TD’s. On both sides of the ball, WVU and Oklahoma can get the job done and on Saturday afternoon, another great game will be installed into this rivalry’s infant history.

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