Sooners One Win Away From Shot At National Title

Nov. 28, 2000

Associated Press

Top-ranked Oklahoma can earn a chance to play for its first national title since 1985, as it plays Kansas State in Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday for the Big 12 championship.

The Sooners (11-0) became serious national-championship contenders with a win over the eighth-ranked Wildcats (10-2) in October. A win Saturday would put Oklahoma in position to play for a national championship, as it would take on No. 3 Florida State in the Orange Bowl, the title game of the Bowl Championship Series.

"I just think it's exciting," said Bob Stoops, who coached the Sooners to a 41-31 victory over then-No. 2 Kansas State on Oct. 14. "It's another game to play. We're fired up about it. I don't have any part of setting up the BCS game so I'm not going to worry about it. Let's go play and have fun with it."

Josh Heupel hit 29 of 37 passes for 374 yards and two touchdowns, as Oklahoma jumped out to a 17-point halftime lead in the Sooners' first meeting with Kansas State.

The Wildcats were knocked out of national-title contention, and the Sooners became top contenders as they vaulted from No. 8 to No. 3 in the poll.

Oklahoma ended its regular season with a sub-par effort.

The Sooners survived an off day by Heupel and a scare from Oklahoma State to beat the Cowboys 12-7 Saturday and complete their first perfect regular season since 1987.

Heupel was 19-of-36 for a career-low 154 yards with two interceptions.

The Sooners entered the game averaging 43 points and 452 yards per game. Their 12 points were the fewest in 26 games and the 309 yards were a season low.

If Oklahoma loses, they'll be the third Big 12 team in five years denied a shot at a national title because they lost in the conference championship match.

It happened in 1996 when Texas upset Nebraska, and in 1998 when Texas A&M rallied for an overtime victory over Kansas State.

By beating the team that ended their championship dreams, the Wildcats could get a bid to a BCS bowl, possibly the Fiesta.

A loss might leave them in the Alamo Bowl for the second time in three years.

"Obviously, we're going to have to play much better than we did in the initial game," Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said.

"I don't think we could make a lot of wholesale changes defensively. We have to do what we do. But I do know this - whatever it is, we'd certainly have to do it better. Josh completed 78 percent of his passes. We had a very difficult time. We're going to have to be a heck of a lot better."

Led by quarterback Jonathan Beasley and halfback Josh Scobey, the Wildcats have the 20th-ranked rushing offense in the nation. Beasley and Scobey have set a Kansas State season record with 16 rushing touchdowns apiece.

Looking for its first Big 12 championship, Kansas State has had some time off following a 28-24 win over Missouri on Nov. 18 in its regular-season finale.

Oklahoma leads the all-time series, 64-16-4.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Sooners One Win Away From Shot At National Title

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