The finale has arrived.
Oklahoma was the preseason pick to win the Big 12 for the sixth-straight year. Iowa State was picked to finish fourth. The Sooners ended up losing two games and Iowa State just one to end up with a rematch in the Big 12 Championship.
The Cyclones handed Oklahoma one of its two losses in the second Big 12 game of the season. The Sooners just lost an inexplicable heartbreaker to Kansas State after leading by three touchdowns with just over 15 minutes left in the game, too. Iowa State used a huge kickoff return and scored two touchdowns late to give Oklahoma back-to-back regular season losses for the first time since 1999.
Then, Lincoln Riley and the Sooners responded. They strung off six-straight wins, including a historic win over Texas in quadruple overtime to start it off and a Bedlam beatdown. Thanks to Kansas State falling off and Oklahoma State dropping games to Texas and TCU, Oklahoma avoided any and all disaster from a tiebreaker scenario to get back into the Big 12 Championship game.
The Sooners and Iowa State will kickoff at 11 a.m. CT from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Here are the three biggest matchups in the Big 12 Championship.
OKLAHOMA EDGE RUSHERS VS. IOWA STATE TACKLES
Brock Purdy isn’t very good when he’s getting pressure. Most quarterbacks aren’t. Oklahoma got after Iowa State the last game, making Purdy play flustered. It was Nik Bonitto off the edge that night. Ronnie Perkins is now back. Most pivotal matchup.
IOWA STATE SIZE VS. OKLAHOMA’S SECONDARY
Will ABC throw up the graphic of the difference in size between Oklahoma’s secondary and Iowa State’s tight ends?
They should. It’s important. One of the biggest mismatches in this game.
How the small Sooners secondary adjusts to how today’s game is played will be massive. The Cyclones will put all three of their tight ends on the field together, too.
This matchup will impact the running and passing game.
BREECE HALL VS. TACKLING BREECE HALL
This aspect of the game may be brought up in all my previews.
It’s one thing to be in position against Breece Hall. It’s another to bring him down.
Oklahoma struggled doing it in its loss to Iowa State. From the linebackers to the secondary. It allowed some negative plays to turn into positive plays and small plays turn into bigger ones.
The Sooners were in position a lot the first time around. Getting the job done is a different story.
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