By Tim Griffin, Special to CNNSI.com
Something has to give Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Oklahoma will put its nation-best 20-game winning streak against Nebraska's nation-best 19-game home winning streak. The winner will likely claim the top spot in the Bowl Championship Series poll and the inside track to the best record in the Big 12.
Two storied old rivals from the Big Eight Conference have carried their rivalry over to the Big 12. While they don't meet every year like they used to, their matchups still carry a little extra meaning because of its tradition.
It's the rivalry that's spawned memories like Johnny Rodgers' punt return, Keith Jackson's end-around, Elvis Peacock's hook-and-ladder and Steve Davis' 47-yard quarterback sneak for a touchdown. It's given us Dr. Tom and Barry, Sooner Magic versus Bugeaters and Blackshirts, and usually a postgame shower of oranges for the winning team as they prepared for a trip to the Orange Bowl on New Year's Day.
Saturday's game -- the 80th in the rivalry -- will mark the ninth time in the last 30 years that both teams have been ranked in the top five at kickoff.
With neither state having a major professional sports franchise, Saturday's game clearly will be among the biggest of the year in both states.
Nebraska defensive tackle Jeremy Slechta recalls watching previous Nebraska-Oklahoma games with his family as a youngster. Slechta used to rip up an old T-shirt and scribble the number of favorite players like former NU linebacker Mike Knox in bold red ink for his sandlot battles.
"I was probably not even 7 or 8 years old when I remembered watching them," said Slechta, who grew up in LaVista, Neb. "I can remember being all excited and could realize the significance back then. I always watched Nebraska football, but knew that the Oklahoma game would be tough, that it would be a four-quarter game to see who would win."
For the second straight season, the game will match the top two teams in the Bowl Championship Series ratings.
But both teams will enter Saturday's game nursing injuries that significantly affected them last week.
The Cornhuskers lost five starters in their victory against Texas Tech. Cornerback Keyuo Craver, offensive tackles Dan Vili-Waldrop and Dave Volk, fullback Judd Davies and wingback John Gibson all were injured during the game. All of the injuries except Volk (sprained right shoulder) were sprained right ankles. None practiced Monday.
Tight end Tracey Wistrom missed the entire game with a sprained knee suffered in practice last week and is also questionable against the Sooners.
"A lot of guys stepped up to the plate for us," Nebraska coach Frank Solich said. "All in all, it was a victory that was earned. I feel pretty good for our players in terms of how they responded."
Oklahoma tackle Wes Sims suffered a sprained knee against Baylor and will be replaced by 6-foot-7, 280-pound true freshman Jerod Fields, who will make his first career start against the Cornhuskers.
Freshman center Vince Carter missed most of practice last week with an undisclosed injury and attempted to play. He was replaced early in the second half after he was ineffective against Baylor's defensive front, but should be ready to play on Saturday.
The combined injuries and quarterback Jason White's inexperience allowed the Bears to rack up eight sacks -- one more than the Sooners allowed during their previous six games combined.
Both teams suffered defensive lapses in last week's game that gave them concern heading into this week.
Nebraska was singed for season-worst totals of 440 yards and 373 passing yards by Texas Tech. The Cornhuskers' defense stepped up after a 28-all halftime tie to claim a 41-31 victory.
"I don't think our execution was a sharp as we intended it to be," Nebraska defensive coordinator Craig Bohl said. "We're not going to be looking at this with rose-colored glasses. Anytime you give up 400 yards to a team, it's not a good sign. But we only gave up three points in the second half and made some plays when we needed to."
Oklahoma struggled in its 33-17 victory over Baylor, allowing the Bears to rush for 106 yards. The Bears averaged only 74.8 yards coming into the game.
The Sooners will be looking for their first victory in Lincoln since 1987 and have lost by a combined margin of 106-7 in their last two games there. But Coach Bob Stoops has carved out an impressive road record in his two-plus years as coach.
Half of the Sooners' 20 consecutive wins were claimed away from Norman. Stoops' teams are 10-1 against teams ranked at kickoff and have won an incredible eight straight games against Top 10 teams.
"It seems like in big games, everybody just seems to rise to the occasion," White said. "Coach Stoops always pushes us in practice, but it seems like everybody steps it up before big games."
Solich desperately needs a victory in a big game to help carve his identity. The Cornhuskers have claimed one North Division title and an impressive 39-7 record in his three-plus years, but have not played for a national championship since Osborne retired after the 1997 season.
Oklahoma rode emotion generated from last year's 31-14 victory over the Cornhuskers in Norman to a national championship. The Cornhuskers jumped to a quick 14-0 advantage after their first two possessions, but Oklahoma charged back to win a breakout game that pushed them to No. 1 for good for the rest of the season.
The Huskers lost their No. 1 ranking and never recovered in their shot at a national championship. They finished the season at the Alamo Bowl.
"There's a little more something for us since they beat us last year," Nebraska quarterback Eric Crouch said.
The biggest advantages for Nebraska could be Crouch, who has posted a 32-5 record as a starter, and the Nebraska fans. The Cornhuskers have lost once at home in the last nine years.
That will be matched against White, who will be making his second career start after taking over the starting position from Nate Hybl.
But Oklahoma's supreme confidence from last year's unexpected championship run should give them a boost.
"We went blow for blow with them last year, and I would anticipate another 12-round heavyweight boxing match," Oklahoma co-defensive coordinator Brent Venables told the Lincoln Journal-Star earlier this week. "It should be the last man standing [that wins]."
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Missouri wide receiver Justin Gage has found a circuitous route to the top of the Big 12's receiving lists.
Gage came to Missouri as a quarterback until he was switched to receiver last year. He also played basketball last winter with coach Quin Snyder's team, providing Missouri football coach Gary Pinkel with his first glimpse of Gage's athleticism.
"The first thing I noticed about him was that he was a remarkable competitor," Pinkel said. "Not only is he gifted as an athlete, but also he's a warrior from being a great competitor."
Gage concentrated on football this summer and the results have been seen with the Tigers on the field. He leads the team with 45 receptions for 518 yards and three touchdowns, including a career-high 148 yards on 11 catches in the Tigers' 38-34 comeback victory over Kansas last week.
His matchup with Texas All-American candidate Quentin Jammer will be a highlight of the Tigers' game this week against the Longhorns.
"I think he can get a lot better and he's only scratched the surface of what he's capable of doing," Pinkel said. "He's a playmaker, but some of the best corners in the country will be playing him this week. It will be a challenge, but he's looking forward to the opportunity."
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HOT:
Iowa State
Coach Dan McCarney's team has won eight of its last nine games including last season, giving them the best record for a nine-game period since going 9-0-1 from 1937-38.
NOT:
Kansas State
The reeling Wildcats have lost back-to-back home games for the first time since coach Bill Snyder's first season in 1989.
HOT:
Texas QB Chris Simms
Simms has recovered nicely from the Oklahoma loss, completing 60.3 percent of his passes, including eight TD passes and one interception his past two games.
NOT:
Oklahoma State's defense
Allowed touchdown drives of 80, 98, 80 and 86 yards by Iowa State as the Cyclones controlled the ball for more than 40 minutes.
HOT:
Missouri's special teams.
The Tigers have blocked six kicks this year -- including two field goals, three extra points and a punt.
NOT:
Oklahoma's offensive line
Allowed eight sacks against Baylor -- one more than it yielded in its previous six games.
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One of the few mistakes made during Texas' 41-7 triumph over Colorado came when Texas coaches instructed Dusty Mangum to pooch kick high into a stiff wind in hopes of creating a turnover late in the first quarter.
Instead, Mangum's kicked sailed out of bounds and Colorado took over on its 35. The Buffs marched 65 yards for their only touchdown.
Kicker Dan Smith had sent two previous kicks into the wind for the Longhorns.
"We thought we would sky-kick into the wind," Texas coach Mack Brown told reporters after the game. "We wanted to try a change-up. We purposely did that. You notice that we didn't do it again."
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 Iowa State RB Ennis Haywood
Rushed 39 times for 196 yards and three TDs in the Cyclones' victory over Oklahoma State.
Oklahoma QB Jason White
Made the most of his first college start by completing 32 of 44 passes for 343 yards and a touchdown in the Sooners' 33-17 triumph over Baylor. Most importantly, he played turnover-free.
Texas A&M's defense
The Aggies' "Wrecking Crew" defense provided three turnovers that were turned into points or scoring drives and delivered a pivotal goal-line stand in the final minute to seal the upset victory.
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All eyes will be focused on the pivotal Oklahoma-Nebraska in Lincoln that will match the top two teams in the first Bowl Championship Series poll.
But several other games promise to be intriguing across the conference.
Texas travels to Missouri, the Longhorns' first trip to Columbia since 1997. Coach Mack Brown has reminded reporters and players all week that Missouri fans punctuated that 37-29 triumph by pulling down the goal posts in celebration.
Texas Tech gave Nebraska a scare last week, but could be ripe for a letdown. Baylor has shown flashes, particularly on defense in the last several games, but is still in the throes of a 25-game conference losing streak.
Texas A&M coach R.C. Slocum says that the addition of QB Seneca Wallace makes the Cyclones better this year than their Insight.com Bowl team that won the first postseason game in school history. But the Aggies have never lost to ISU in five previous games and will have a huge home field advantage at Kyle Field.
Coach Terry Allen's tenuous job security took a hit last week after the Jayhawks squandered an early 14-0 advantage in a 38-34 loss to Missouri. He could make KU fans forget about those troubles with an upset at Manhattan, where the Jayhawks haven't won since 1989.
Colorado QB Craig Ochs is expected back in the Buffs' lineup at Oklahoma State. Colorado has dominated the series recently, claiming nine of the last 10 games over the Cowboys.
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Texas A&M officials are unhappy about the ESPN Sidelines show that was purported to give viewers a behind-the-scene view of the Aggies program. Among the lowlights that have disappointed A&M officials after only two shows include scenes of two women kissing outside of a Bryan, Texas, bar, and a main character -- not an A&M football player -- whose orange jumpsuit is emblazoned with "psychiatric ward" on his back. "I've spent a lifetime trying to project an image of what Texas A&M is all about," Texas A&M coach R.C. Slocum told the San Antonio Express-News. "And I wouldn't want it to be distorted on a national sports show -- or what was billed as a national sports show -- that shows us as something we're not. I don't think there's been a real balance." ... Texas Tech WR Wes Welker broke an 85-yard punt return for a touchdown against Nebraska and also had another 80-yard return for a score later in the game nullified by a penalty. Welker's return was only the seventh punt return in history for a touchdown against Nebraska. ... Colorado QB Craig Ochs should be ready to play Saturday against Oklahoma State after missing last week's game at Texas. Ochs was suffering lingering headaches from a concussion ... Texas A&M TE Michael de la Torre announced his retirement from football as a result of his second herniated disk in his back. He is the fourth scholarship player the Aggies have lost at that position since the start of two-a-day practices. True freshman Thomas Carriger is listed as the starter at the position with redshirt freshman walk-on Haven Massey as his backup. ... Iowa State QB Seneca Wallace is completing 66 percent of his passes and averaging more than 7 yards per carry in third-down situations, according to ISU coach Dan McCarney. ... Injuries in the offensive line left Kansas State playing freshman Jon Doty and junior-college transfer Dralinn Burks against Texas A&M. Neither player had seen college action before Saturday's game.
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