3-2-1 KICKOFF
Oklahoma and West Virginia kick off at 7 p.m. Friday in Morgantown with a trip to the Big 12 title game on the line. Here’s what to look for:
3 Players to Watch
Kennedy Brooks: He might be Oklahoma’s only available scholarship running back. Former starter Trey Sermon is questionable to play, as is freshman T.J. Pledger. Brooks could be in line for a big workload.
Kyler Murray: The quarterback duel will be mustwatch. Murray and Mountaineer quarterback Will Grier will meet Friday night, and they might meet again on Dec. 8 in New York at the Heisman Trophy presentation. Sooner secondary: There’s really no one player to single out. OU’s hopes will likely rely on the play of its defensive backs. Grier to David Sills V is one of the top quarterback-receiver duos in the country. 2 Big Questions
Just how banged up is OU? Lincoln Riley said last week, without divulging specific information, that his team was dealing with more injuries than any during his four-year Sooner tenure. It’s unclear who OU might be without in Morgantown. Will OU’s defense have anything to prove? It’s been a broken unit, but poor performances against Texas Tech, Oklahoma State and Kansas would be largely forgotten if the Sooners can contain the Mountaineers. 1 Wild Prediction Win or lose, Kyler Murray will improve his Heisman Trophy standing. Murray is still a long shot for the award as Tua Tagovailoa and Alabama keep cruising, but a strong showing at West Virginia could narrow the gap. There’s a chance he could lead OU’s offense to a 60-point showing and still not come away with a win.