3 Can't-Miss Games for OU

Originally Published: Jul 30, 2010 6:42 PM CDT

More college football coverage on Oklahoma Sports
- 3 Can't Miss Games: OU | OSU | Tulsa
- Get ready for the season with Oklahoma Sports's Countdown to Kickoff.

David Goff
Oklahoma Sports Staff

NORMAN, Oklahoma -- The University of Oklahoma's championship hopes were severely crippled last season after the loss of two key players: quarterback Sam Bradford and tight end Jermaine Gresham. The Sooners lost Gresham to a knee injury during a preseason practice prior to their first game against Brigham Young University. Bradford would be lost during the first half of that game after falling on his throwing shoulder.

So early on, Landry Jones, the team’s starting quarterback going into the 2010 season, had to step in and take over for the former Heisman winner. The experience Jones gained last year will help mold him into the Sooners’ leader going into this season.

Along with Jones, a new group of stars look to lead OU back into the Big 12 limelight and to a national title. These leaders include WR Ryan Broyles, RB DeMarco Murray, DL Jeremy Beal and LB Travis Lewis in what some have called a potential title year for the crimson and cream. Here are three games you don’t want to miss this season:

BIGGEST NON-CONFERENCE GAME: Saturday, September 11 vs. Florida State, 2:30 p.m.

The last time these two teams faced each other was a decade ago in the BCS National Championship. The Sooners came out on top in the Orange Bowl 13-2. Ten years later, both teams are quite different and coming off of less-than-impressive seasons.

The Seminoles’ legendary head coach Bobby Bowden will not be commanding the sidelines after retiring last year. Bob Stoops returns for his 12th season as Oklahoma’s head honcho.

Both teams look to be evenly matched offensively, with big time play makers all over the field. Defense will likely be the key on the gridiron in this week two matchup. The Sooners seem to have the edge in that category. OU’s defense is returning most of its starters including Beal, Lewis and DB Quinton Carter. All three of them made the 2010 Preseason All Big 12 team.

BIGGEST CONFERENCE GAME: Saturday, October 2 vs. Texas, time TBA

Several obvious choices exist, but the best of these has to be the annual Red River Shootout versus Texas. The Longhorns have won four of the five meetings including last season’s 16-13 defensive struggle.

Despite OU’s struggles throughout the game, there was still a ray of hope late in the fourth quarter. Heisman hopeful Colt McCoy threw an interception, giving the Sooners one last shot. However, the Longhorns defense stood firm and denied a comeback by the Sooners.

Oklahoma will be looking for revenge as they come into this contest. Like every year, both teams will probably be competing for the right to represent the Big 12 South in the conference title game. This early October tilt should be a hard-fought game on both sides of the ball. OU would like nothing better than to get a win against Texas for the first time since 2007.

MOST EXCITING GAME: Saturday, November 6 at Texas A&M, time TBA

Excluding Bedlam, this early November matchup has all the ingredients to be the most exciting game of the year. It’s not short on star power. The Aggies counter Landry Jones with quarterback Jerrod Johnson, who was named the 2010 Preseason Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. Last season, he torched defenses for 3,217 yards and 28 touchdowns.

The Sooners defense would love to bottle Johnson up. Oklahoma will want show that it is a force to be reckoned with, even on the road at a stadium as tough as Kyle Field. Since 2006, the Sooners have been able to overpower the Aggies by not allowing A&M's offense to score more than 28 points. In three of those seasons, the Aggies did not manage to get over 17 points.

The Sooners will have a chance to prove their defensive dominance against A&M. OU should be able to handle the Aggies, even though the game is in hostile College Station. The Sooners have just as many threats on both sides of the ball as the Aggies do, if not more.