College football's unique in that a single loss could mean the difference between a conference championship (or the ultimate regular-season goal, a College Football Playoff spot) and becoming an also-ran in the FBS ranks. The Oklahoma Sooners have every expectation of returning to the playoff this season, so they absolutely can not afford to have any bad games. Here are OU's five toughest games heading into next year:
5) West Virginia Mountaineers - Nov. 25
With Florida transfer Will Grier set to take over as WVU's starting quarterback, the Mountaineers are expected to compete for the Big 12 title in 2017. Playing this game in Norman will give Oklahoma a huge advantage, but it will still be a tough test.
4) at Baylor Bears - Sept. 23
For the craziness off-the-field at Baylor, they're still a pretty team on it. They fell apart in the second half of the season, but new head coach Matt Rhule will have them playing at a high level again.
3) at Oklahoma State Cowboys - Nov. 4
The two in-state rivals have met with the Big 12 title on the line each of the last two years, and they could meet in the Big 12 title game again this year. Both Mason Rudolph and James Washington are back for the Cowboys and are hoping to end that two-game losing streak to the Sooners.
2) vs. Texas Longhorns - Oct. 14
With new head coach Tom Herman in tow and an abundance of young talent, Texas seems primed to have a breakout year in 2017. Oklahoma is a favorite to return to the College Football Playoff, but the Longhorns have played them well each of the last two years, upsetting them in 2015. You never know what can happen in a rivalry game.
1) at Ohio State Buckeyes - Sept. 9
The second of a home-and-home series between these two, Ohio State went to Norman and blew out the Sooners in 2016. Many believe that loss is what kept Oklahoma out of the playoff. Both teams should be ranked in the top five or 10 in the preseason, meaning this will likely have playoff implications again.
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