In a game that is basically a warm up for the Big 12 title game, No. 6 TCU travels to Norman to take on No. 5 Oklahoma. All that's on the line is the top seed in the conference's first ever championship game, as well as staying alive in the race for a College Football Playoff berth.
Oklahoma (8-1, 5-1) leads the nation in total offense, the only team in America averaging over 600 yards per contest. The Sooners are fueled by quarterback Baker Mayfield, the country's leading passer and favorite for the Heisman Trophy.
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"Obviously one of the best football teams in the country right now," Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley said. "In my opinion, probably the most complete team we've played to this point. They're really tremendous."
The Horned Frogs lead the nation in rushing defense, allowing just 70 yards per contest. While Mayfield and the passing game have gotten the headlines, it's the Sooners running game that has made a lot of the offensive production possible. Oklahoma has scored three rushing touchdowns in each of the last three games, and averaged over 6.0 yards per carry in those contests.
Rodney Anderson has been the standout, averaging over six yards per carry and scoring five touchdowns, while freshman Trey Sermon has come on to become the team's leading rusher with 568 yards and four scores.
TCU plays a unique 4-2-5 set, which has been a staple of Gary Patterson coached teams through the years.
It has proven effective, and Riley knows his team will need to be firing on all cylinders.
"They're unique," he said. "You don't play a lot of people like them. I don't know that I'd compare it to playing the wishbone, but you just don't see something like them every week. So that makes it a little more difficult to prepare for."
TCU isn't nearly as prolific with the football as Oklahoma is, but the Horned Frogs have been able to put up points -- eclipsing 40 four times this season -- due in large part to an efficient ground game and a matured Kenny Hill at quarterback. After tossing 13 interceptions a year ago, Hill has just five this year. He also has 15 touchdown passes, though has gone without one in three of the last four games.
Darius Anderson does most the damage running the ball for TCU, amassing 726 yards and scoring seven touchdowns. Sewo Olonilua has added six scores and Kyle Hicks also gets his share of carries. The Horned Frogs will look to make plays against an Oklahoma defense ranked 87th nationally, and which has allowed over 200 rushing yards three times this season -- twice in the last three games.
TCU has victories against three top 10 offenses, holding each well below its season total, and have shown people that defense isn't a dirty word in Big 12 circles.
The Sooners aren't totally devoid of star power on defense, thanks to Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and his eight sacks. TCU counters with Ben Banogu, who has 6.5 sacks on the season. Both teams have been good protecting their quarterbacks, TCU allowing just 11 sacks and Oklahoma allowing 18.
Patterson knows that this challenge could be his team's toughest, and it will have to have laser-focus to stop the Sooners diverse attack.
"You can't let Oklahoma big-play you, and that's hard to do because they have a lot of people," Patterson said. "You've got to be able to give them different looks and you've got to have a group smart enough to do that and still play within the structure of the defense. Because any time you put the quarterback in play, it makes it harder."
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There is some history with "the quarterback" and Patterson, as Mayfield -- a Texas native -- claims TCU slow-played him in recruiting before deciding against taking him. He wasn't happy about it, and his father had harsh words for Patterson's program in a later magazine interview.
But the two have mended fences, with Mayfield saying of Patterson, "he's one of the best defensive minds in the game."
Patterson has reciprocated respect, saying what many non-Sooners fans feel.
"Baker's really done a great job," Patterson said. "He's one of those guys, if you're playing against him you probably don't like him. ... If you love competitors, you've got to admire the things he's been able to do. He keeps plays alive. He's tough to tackle."
Oklahoma won a 52-46 shootout last year in Fort Worth, and has taken five of the last six meetings.
As far as being a an appetizer for a Big 12 championship game main course, neither coach is thinking that far ahead.
"We've got a lot of work to do," Patterson said.
Riley, the youngest head coach in the FBS, knows that looking ahead could prove lethal to his team.
"We'll worry about it when we get there," he said. "It'll take all we've got to play well and give ourselves a chance to beat these guys. We'll throw everything we can at 'em, and I'm sure coach Patterson would probably tell you the same thing."
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