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Let's play two.
The Big 12 Conference championship once again crosses Oklahoma after the Sooners win 59-56 in West Virginia on Friday night. But if Oklahoma wins its 12th Big 12 crown and the fourth in a row, it will have to avenge its only loss this season: Texas.
FOLLOW: The thrilling take-away victory of Oklahoma against WVU
The Longhorns won their match against Kansas earlier in the day, an unexpected victory of the 24-17 that ends the David Beaty era at the KU and officially launches the Tom Herman era which, in its second year on The Forty Acres, guided Texas out of mediocrity and in the league's league match.
In their first game this season, Texas defeated Oklahoma 48-45 on a late goal bet at State Fair Park on Oct. 6, the last straw that sent Oklahoma out of the defense, Mike Stoops. This time, they will meet at the AT & T stadium with a stake or even higher.
The last time Oklahoma and Texas played twice a season, it was 115 years ago, in 1903, while the teams were tied 6-6 in October and Texas won 11-5 in November. They also played twice in 1901, with Texas winning both 11-0 and 12-6.
It's safe to say that there will be more points scored this time around.
Kyler Murray of Oklahoma led the Sooners to a 20th consecutive road victory, completing 20 of 27 passes for 364 yards and three touchdowns against WVU. He also rushed for 114 yards nine times, including a 55-yard touchdown at the opening of the Sooners' record.
His counterpart, Will Grier, of WVU, performed well, completing 32 of his 49 goals in 539 yards and four touchdowns and rushing to score.
However, Murray and Grier have both had catastrophic setbacks – defensive stops in a Big 12, among other things – that have rocked. Murray lost an early breakaway and then started an interception of the end zone on the opening third quarter drive that the Mountaineers turned into a touchdown and a 49-45 lead.
But Grier one-up Murray in the department of the turnover.
In the second quarter, Grier was fired by Caleb Kelly, who stripped the ball, recovered it and scored for a 35-21 lead. Then, in the fourth quarter, Kenneth Mann forced Grier's fumbling; Curtis Bolton grabbed the ball and scored to give Oklahoma a 59-49 lead with 9:58 to play. They were the first hit of the season in Oklahoma.
Marquise Brown has 11 assists for 243 yards and two touchdowns. WVU's Gary Jennings had seven passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns, while David Sills had eight for 131 and two goals.
The game was not over yet though Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley avoided a faceoff in the final minutes and asked Murray to try the game for the fourth and fifth inning WVU 40. In two minutes and 30 minutes, Murray dropped out, was not under pressure, rushed to his left and found CeeDee Lamb for an 8-yard gain and a first winning run.
The next Sooners game could be so tense.
HOOVER: Murray's winding path to greatness in Oklahoma
Cameron Dicker (UT) scored a 40-yard goal with nine seconds left to shock the Sooners at the Cotton Bowl. OR was an eight-point favorite.
The Longhorns led 42-21 in the fourth quarter, but Murray led a frantic comeback, punctuated by his 67-yard touchdown sprint that allowed a game to score at 5:11. He also led the Sooners in a draw in the final minutes of the Dicker winner.
Murray, the future baseball player taking advantage of his first year as a starter, had 19 yards out of 26, a total of 304 yards with four touchdowns, and also led the Sooners with a hot run of 92 yards at the Texas State Fair. But Murray made his second interception of the season and was overtaken by young American Sam Ehlinger, who completed 24 of 35 passes for a total of 315 yards and two touchdowns, as well as 19 for 72 yards and three goals.
Murray and Ehlinger both scored five touchdowns in a classic – the biggest game in the series' long history.
Ehlinger now has a sore shoulder. He played Saturday against Kansas, but was not effective as a passer, completing only 16 out of 28 passes, totaling 154 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
The Sooners (11-1 in total, 8-1 Big 12) still have patterns on a playoff spot. At number 6 this week, they need – combined with a win over Texas – Ohio State to beat Michigan on Saturday and Alabama to beat Georgia in the SEC championship game in order to win two places.
Oklahoma's defense, however, could continue to be a problem for the college football selection committee. The Mountaineers racked up 704 yards and 33 first tries on Friday at Milan Puskar Stadium, and committee chair Rob Mullens suggested the committee preferred "full" teams.
The Longhorns (9-3, 7-2) have no illusions about their place in the playoffs, but if their great rival has accumulated five other titles in conference, Texas has not won one since 2009. C is a step that Texas will finally cross if "The Horns will defeat the Sooners next week in Arlington.
Again.
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