More important than Texas?

By Jake Trotter

Published: September 8, 2007

NORMAN — The most important game on Oklahoma's schedule this year isn't Miami.

It's Texas.

Miami isn't ranked.

Texas is.

Miami isn't in the Big 12.

Texas is.

And Miami isn't OU's most-hated rival.

Well, that's debatable.

Still, history shows that OU won't beat Texas unless it enters the game undefeated.

That means beating Miami today.

In Stoops' eight seasons as OU coach, the Sooners are 5-3 against Texas. In all of those five wins, OU entered the Cotton Bowl undefeated.

But in all three losses, OU rolled into Dallas with a blemish on its record.

In 1999, the Sooners stumbled in South Bend before blowing a lead and losing to the Longhorns.

In 2005, OU fell against Texas Christian, then at UCLA, before suffering a pounding to UT.

And last season, the Sooners got robbed in Oregon — Remember the Replay — and eventually blown out by the Longhorns, even though OU would go on to finish as the Big 12 champion.

The trend dates even further back than Stoops — all the way to the last time OU played Miami.

In 1986, the Hurricanes beat OU 28-16. Two weeks later, OU hammered Texas 47-12.

But since then, only one time has OU defeated Texas when coming in with a loss — in 1996, John Blake's first season when the Sooners won 30-27 despite starting the year 0-4.

That hasn't happened since.

On the other side, OU — when undefeated heading into Dallas — hasn't lost to Texas since 1991, when the Sooners were tripped up 10-7 by the Longhorns after starting 4-0.

Sure, Miami means a lot to fans who remember the debacles of the 1980s.

And sure, beating Miami would give young quarterback Sam Bradford even more confidence coming off his record-setting debut last weekend against lowly North Texas.

But getting past Miami is a crucial precursor for propelling OU into the Cotton Bowl with swagger.

Without it, the Sooners haven't done well in Dallas.

With it, they've been nearly unbeatable.

History shows it.

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