STILLWATER (AP) — With all the public opinion and computer calculations that go into deciding whether No. 3 Oklahoma might play for the Big 12 and national championships, there’s one surefire way the Sooners can make all that moot.

It was a hard lesson learned seven years ago, when an Oklahoma team that was also third in the BCS standings had its chances of repeating as national champion dashed in the final week of the regular season by in-state rival Oklahoma State.

This year’s Bedlam rivalry game finds the Sooners (10-1, 6-1 Big 12) facing what figures to be an even greater challenge than in 2001. Not only does Bob Stoops have to take Oklahoma on the road to Stillwater, but the Sooners must face a much-improved team in the 11th-ranked Cowboys (9-2, 5-2).

Oklahoma State has little to gain except a more prestigious bowl bid and some bragging rights for the next year.

“A lot of people are talking about being a spoiler,” Cowboys linebacker Seb Clements said. “It never hurts to have that in your mind, but really we’re just trying to take care of us and get win No. 10. We’ve got to take care of what we’ve got to do.”

The Sooners are the ones with all the pressure. Rival Texas, which sits just ahead of Oklahoma in the coveted second spot in the BCS standings, already took care of business with a 49-9 rout of Texas A&M that was the most lopsided win in that in-state rivalry in 110 years.

There’s no telling exactly what the Sooners need to do to ensure they get the bump they need in the BCS and don’t lose the momentum they gained with a 65-21 rout of formerly No. 2 Texas Tech last week. That leads into a discussion of style points, and Stoops doesn’t go there.

“We never worry about it,” Stoops said. “Didn’t last week, don’t this week.”

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy expects Kendall Hunter to play after missing practice last week with a leg injury.

“These guys, you’ve really got to stop the run. They’re a lot like our offense in the balance that they have,” Sooners linebacker Travis Lewis said. “When they run, they get the play-action off of it. You shut down the run, and it shuts down a couple things that they do.”

Whereas the Cowboys’ production has tapered off lately following the first stretch of four consecutive 50-point games in school history, Oklahoma has scored at least 58 points in its last four games and hasn’t been held below 35 this season. Of course, that low came in the 45-35 loss to Texas that had Longhorns fans holding up signs with the score for their Thanksgiving Day game against Texas A&M to remind everyone of their best case to stay ahead of the Sooners in the BCS standings.