Story Lines
Published: November 18, 2006
Can the Sooners keep their minds on the task at hand?
Searching for motivating factors, OU coaches spent the week pounding the point of how good the Bears have been at home.
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Who carries the rock for OU?
Another question: Does it matter?
Adrian Peterson (collarbone) is out at least another week. Allen Patrick (ankle) is questionable.
In all likelihood, neither is needed today anyway.
The Sooners did just fine with Chris Brown and Jacob Gutierrez in beating Texas Tech a week ago.
Brown, No. 4 on the depth chart before injuries shuffled things, ran for 84 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries.
The Brown-Gutierrez tandem should be plenty again.
"With our offensive line and the scheme that we're doing, it's easy," Gutierrez said.
Can the Bears put another of their scares into the Sooners?
Baylor took OU to two overtimes a year ago in Norman, before the Sooners prevailed 37-30.
And the Bears have hung tough at times.
They held OU to a season-low 56 rushing yards in 2003.
"If you look at the last few times we've played them, back to when Jason (White) was here, they've come after us," Thompson said. "It hasn't been a walk-through victory for us."
Still, it's always been a victory.
The Sooners are the only Big 12 team the Bears have never beaten.
OU is 15-0 all time against Baylor; 10-0 since the formation of the Big 12.
These Bears seem to be reeling, allowing 121 combined points in back-to-back losses at Texas Tech and Oklahoma State. They're also playing without injured quarterback Shawn Bell, whom their spread offense was built around, going now with redshirt freshman Blake Szymanski behind a struggling offensive line.
Can OU continue to play at a high level and finish this season strong?
The Sooners are surging, even without Peterson, their best offensive player.
It's a departure from some recent seasons, yet continues a trend initiated a year ago when OU built momentum late.
"Hopefully, that's the case," said Sooners coach Bob Stoops. "We still have two games to play. We still have to show we're peaking, or playing the best we can. And that's what we're pushing for.
"It is a factor. You need to be strong late. And that's what we're trying to do."
By John Helsley
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