KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A pristine field in a climate-controlled domed facility just would not seem right for this one.

Although the Big 12 championship game has been recently played in indoor venues in San Antonio and Houston, tonight’s edition between No. 8 Oklahoma and No. 19 Nebraska will be played at Arrowhead Stadium with a projected game time temperature of 26 degrees.

Barry Switzer, Tom Osborne and the other names who have helped shape the now 83-game “Battle of the Big Reds” would probably want it that way as the two programs battle in a championship game for the first time in 18 years.

On Friday, OU coach Bob Stoops was asked if he and his team were ready to deal with the potential sloppy conditions that comes standard with a few inches of snow two nights before.

“Absolutely,” Stoops said. “I can’t wait. We’re playing on the same field. So you manage it, play the best you can and work through it.”

His counterpart, Nebraska coach Bill Callahan, said he has no problems with the probable frigid and wet track either.

“I’m glad the weather held up nicely for us,” he said. “This is northern weather at its best.

“We’ll do the best we can. I don’t think there will be a wind factor. I think it’s just cold. And this time of year I think everybody expected it to be cold on Dec. 2.”

At the top of the list of the most unexpected occurrences may be the Sooners themselves, a team that has managed to produce seven consecutive victories to make a most improbable run at a fourth conference crown. It started last Friday when Texas A&M took down Texas in Austin. It became a reality last Saturday when OU managed to hold off Oklahoma State for a 27-21 victory in Stillwater.

“I remember when it happened Friday afternoon,” Stoops said of the Aggies’ 12-7 victory. “I was excited for the feeling again. I felt that feeling of the stakes are high again.”

In contrast, the Cornhuskers took a more premeditated approach that began by having members of the team visit Arrowhead during the squad’s media days in July as the future victors of the Big 12 North attempted to make it back to the title game after a six-year hiatus.

“I thought it was important for our team to come down to visit Arrowhead and to see exactly what the scenario, what the atmosphere and climate was in terms of playing a championship game,” Callahan said. “Really try to build a mindset and create the mindset of a championship team and a championship game... It was a great opportunity for the kids to really visualize what it would be like to finalize our goals and complete their goals in order to get there.”

When breaking down both squads, it’s not hard to see a string of statistical similarities.

The most striking tidbit is the fact both teams tied for the best red zone conversion percentage in the conference. During 24 trips to the red zone — a fitting term for the combatants — the Sooners and Cornhuskers both produced points 23 times.

Nebraska (9-3, 6-2) features the nation’s fifth-ranked offense with enough balance to have the 18th best running game (183.25 yards per contest) and 18th best passing game (258.8 yards).