3-2-1 KICKOFF 2 big questions
NORMAN — Oklahoma begins Big 12 Conference play on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. with a home game against West Virginia. The No.3-ranked Sooners (3-0) escaped Week 3 with a 23-16 win over Nebraska , while the Mountaineers (2-1) are on a high after a 27-21 win over Virginia Tech. Here’s a look at some keys to watch when the two teams face off.
3 players to watch
Sophomore center Andrew Raym: OU’s offensive line remains a concern, and it begins at center. Raym has yet to snatch the top spot from redshirt senior Robert Congel due, in part, to health issues. It appears to only be a matter of time until that happens, though, and the change could come this Saturday.
Sophomore wide receiver Marvin Mims: The Sooners’
top wideout from last season has been quiet so far in 2021. Excluding a free play that turned into a 50-yard reception against Tulane, Mims has only made seven catches for 118 yards through the first
three games.
Senior defensive lineman Perrion Winfrey: Halting West
Virginia’s run game is the key for OU’s defense. Nik Bonitto and Isaiah Thomas should do their thing on the edge, but Winfrey’s interior pressure is an X-Factor. If the veteran lineman can cause some chaos on the inside, the Sooners will be in great shape.
Will Spencer Rattler turn it up in conference play? The red
shirt sophomore hasn’t played poorly so far this season, but he hasn’t played like the Heisman Trophy frontrunner that many people expected him to be either. There’s a lot of pressure on Rattler to be great, and he has a chance to make a statement on Saturday against a great West Virginia defense.
Can OU show why it’s the clear favorite in the Big 12?
The Sooners entered the season as the undisputed top team in the conference, but their shaky start to the campaign has raised some concerns. West Virginia is no slouch, so a convincing win by OU on Saturday will help put some of those worries to rest.
1 wild prediction Drake Stoops will lead the Sooners in receiving yards.
The last and only time that happened was when Stoops racked up 93 yards and a touchdown on three receptions against Kansas State last season. West Virginia should follow Nebraska’s strategy of taking away the deep bombs, and its pressure at the line will also make things difficult for OU’s run game. That could free up some short-yardage passes, leaving Stoops as one of the main beneficiaries.