Today, Utah State gets its chance, minus two starters.
With defensive tackle Ben Childs out for the season with a broken leg and senior safety Antonio Taylor gone after being kicked off the team for an undisclosed rules violation, the Aggie defense has undergone a forced reorganization at precisely the wrong time.
Third-ranked Oklahoma scored 170 points in its first two games, behind the play of quarterback Sam Bradford, a redshirt freshman who did not win the No. 1 job until preseason camp.
So far, Bradford has completed 40 of 48 passes for 568 yards and eight touchdowns. He has not thrown an interception.
"First of all, they are doing a really good job schematically to help him," Utah State coach Brent Guy said. "He's in the gun, then he's under center. They spread you out, then they pack it in. They've done a nice job, and the guy hasn't made a mistake yet. That's probably the most impressive thing about a young quarterback like him."
Bradford has also been aided by a veteran offensive line, which is being billed as the biggest in Oklahoma history.
"I believe it," Guy said. "Miami hit [Bradford] once the whole game."
In one stretch over the Sooners' first two games, Bradford completed 22 straight passes - two shy of the NCAA record.
Clearly, the Aggies' new-look defense must play well to keep Utah State in this game.
"It's unfortunate in any instance when you've got to suspend a player," Guy said. "[But] I told our guys it's the same thing - whether somebody is suspended or somebody breaks his leg. Somebody else has to step up and pick up the slack."
Can the Aggies come together quickly enough to slow Oklahoma?
"We're comfortable with each other," cornerback Marquise Charles said. "We've been together a long time - some of us for three years. The chemistry is there."
After allowing over 400 yards in eight of their 12 games last year, the Aggies opened this season by limiting UNLV to 316 yards and Wyoming to 369 yards.
"You miss [Taylor's] production," secondary coach Jeff Copp said. "But mentally, these kids are not kids. They have to push through it. I would think, as a player, they would relish the opportunity to get more snaps on the football field and show what they can do."
luhm@sltrib.com
Utah State at Oklahoma
Kickoff: 1:30 MDT; TV: KJZZ; Radio: 610 AM, 95.9 FM, 1230 AM or 1320 AM
* Series history: Oklahoma, 3-0
* Last meeting: Oklahoma, 55-21 (1991)
* About the Aggies: They have lost 19 of their last 21 games, going back to 2005. . . . They haven't won a nonconference game since Sept. 24, 2005 at UNLV.
* About the Sooners: They beat North Texas (79-10) and Miami (51-13) by a combined margin of 130-23. . . . They rank second in the country in scoring (65.5) and sixth in total offense (539.5).
* Home-field advantage: A crowd of more than 82,000 is expected. Oklahoma is 49-2 at home under coach Bob Stoops. The Sooners have won 13 straight home games, and 33 of their last 34. Utah State has lost 18 of its last 19 games on the road, including eight in a row.
Control the ball. Somehow, Utah State must run the ball effectively and be more efficient than it has been on third down.
Key for OU
Stay focused. The Sooners believe they are playing for a national championship this season, and even a close game against Utah State could jeopardize their chances of getting into the title game.
