Oklahoma football: Bob Stoops, former assistant Kevin Sumlin to match wits in Cotton Bowl

Oklahoma's upcoming Cotton Bowl clash with Texas A&M marks the 18th time for Bob Stoops and one of his former assistants to match wits, and the first such battle with Kevin Sumlin.

By Jason Kersey | Published: December 23, 2012 Comment on this article

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Bo Pelini was Oklahoma's co-defensive coordinator for the 2004 season, then left to join Les Miles' LSU staff. After he became Nebraska's head coach in 2008, he met Stoops' Sooners three times, winning once and losing twice.

Pelini was the last former assistant to face Stoops. In the 2010 Big 12 championship game, Oklahoma rallied to beat Nebraska inside Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas — the same venue where Stoops and Sumlin will meet.

Sumlin coached under Stoops from 2003-07, leaving to become Houston's head coach. This is Sumlin's first season leading Texas A&M.

“Come Jan. 4, we're gonna go out there and go at it,” said OU assistant Bobby Jack Wright, who's been with Stoops since he arrived in Norman.

“It's not gonna change anything. We're gonna be friends at the end of the day, but for about four hours, we're gonna try to beat them, and for four hours they're gonna try to beat us.”

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