The Oklahoma Sooners are heading into arguably their toughest challenge of the season. The Sooners will take on the No. 1 Texas Longhorns in the Red River Rivalry on Saturday.
Oklahoma is off to a 2-2 start this season. So, while the season's vibe is low after the slow start, a win on Saturday could completely turn it around. If Oklahoma can fix some of its issues during the bye week, it could make a legit run here at the end. The Sooners have the talent to be competitive in the SEC.
However, ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) doesn't rate the Sooners as highly. The FPI measures team strength and is meant to be the best predictor of a team's performance for the rest of the season. It gives Oklahoma just a 0.1% chance to win every game to close
the season.
A 0.1% chance of winning out may make Oklahoma's path look nearly impossible on paper, but the Sooners don't have to worry about the FPI's projections. They have a chance to change that narrative themselves as the Red River Rivalry approaches. The game is set for Saturday at the Cotton Bowl at 2:30 p.m. CT, giving Oklahoma a major stage to show that the first four games don't define this team.
If the Sooners can turn their bye-week progress into better execution, especially on offense, a win over Texas could completely change the season's trajectory. Oklahoma may be a major underdog in the projections, but the Red River Rivalry gives the Sooners exactly the kind of opportunity they need to start proving the numbers wrong.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Can Oklahoma win out after the bye week?
