That game sets the tone for the whole season. Need a good night Saturday to iron out some problems. Then, we need to recognize OU for what it is, a very, very good team, but not a juggernaut. Need to be fired up and prepared, not overly worried. We certainly have the ability to beat that team, solidly if we play well at home at night. But we sure could lose.
Win that game convincingly (regardless of score), and you carry huge Mo into Rice/Purdue, and you're the instant favorite to win CUSA East, if not the conference. Lose it close, you probably lose Purdue but still have a shot at CUSA. Lose it badly...and it'll be hard to recover a great year to finish with more than 8 wins.
This game is HUGE, and I'll be there +3.