At one point this season, Saturday night's game between the No. 12 Oklahoma Sooners (7-2, 5-1) and West Virginia Mountaineers (5-4, 2-4) looked like it would be one of the marquee matchups in a stacked November. Things look a bit different now, with Oklahoma all but eliminated from Big 12 title contention and the Mountaineers struggling to reach bowl elgibility.
Oklahoma vs. West Virginia 2012 viewing guide: Preview, TV schedule and more
The Sooners look to continue their climb up the polls, while West Virginia strives merely for bowl eligibility. All-day-long Saturday coverage right here. Follow @SBNationCFB
Brett Deering
That isn't to say, though, that the game has little meaning, even on a national level. The Sooners fell out of the top 10 after their loss to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, but can put themselves back in BCS bowl contention with two victories to end the season. Even the Mountaineers, who have lost four games in a row, can get back on the national radar with an upset of the Sooners.
For West Virginia to do that, their defense will have to return from the grave. In those last four losses, the Mountaineers have given up an average of 49.5 points per game, a total that even their prolific offense has struggled to keep up with. Oklahoma, on the other hand, has had little trouble with teams not named Notre Dame or Kansas State, and will enter the game as double-digit favorites.
Game time, TV channel: 7 p.m. ET, FOX
Point spread: Oklahoma favored by 11 points
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