Time for the contenders to step forward

The run for the Rose Bowl is still in its early stages, but look for a lead pack to develop after several key conference games today.

Big games are everywhere. There's the Big 12 showdown of No. 5 Texas-No. 3 Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl, No. 2 Florida at No. 18 LSU in the Southeastern Conference, No. 14 Northwestern's visit to Ohio State in the Big Ten and No. 7 Oregon's trip to play Arizona in the Pac-10.

Let's also include a surprising first-place showdown in the ACC -- Virginia at No. 25 Maryland.

Start with Texas-Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout. The Longhorns (4-0) are out to avenge last year's 63-14 loss to the Sooners (4-0) in their quest for a first national title since 1969. The defending national champions, meanwhile, put their 17-game winning streak on the line.

It's the first time since 1984 that both teams are in the top 5, and the first time since '85 that both are undefeated. How important is this game?

Barry Switzer, who led the Sooners to three national titles, including the one in '85, put it like this: "If you lose this, you won't be in the (conference) championship game, you're out of the BCS and you won't have a chance to win the national championship."

Fast forward to third-year OU coach Bob Stoops.

"There's no question, they're fired up for this game," Stoops said of the Longhorns. "It gets the hair up on the back of your neck and it's hard to wait for. It's hard to wait for Saturday."

In other Top 25 games, it's Troy State at No. 1 Miami, Iowa State at No. 4 Nebraska, Georgia at No. 6 Tennessee, No. 8 Virginia Tech at West Virginia, USC at No. 11 Washington, Colorado at No. 12 Kansas State, Kentucky at No. 13 South Carolina, No. 15 Michigan at Penn State, No. 17 Georgia Tech at Duke, Iowa at No. 21 Purdue, No. 23 Toledo at Ohio and Baylor at No. 24 Texas A&M.

On Friday night, it's Utah State at No. 20 BYU.

Texas' hopes rest with quarterback Chris Simms, coming off a superb effort in a 42-7 win over Texas Tech. He hit 21 of 26 passes for 224 yards, threw for one TD and ran for two others.

The Sooners, led on defense by linebacker Rocky Calmus, will try to shut down the run and take aim at Simms. Last year, Simms replaced Major Applewhite with OU already ahead 28-0. Simms' third pass was intercepted by Calmus and returned 41 yards for a TD.

Nate Hybl, who watched Josh Heupel toy with Texas' secondary last year, gets his chance Saturday. He stood in against a fierce pass rush in last week's 38-37 win over Kansas State, and expects more of the same from the Longhorns. He can also hand off to Quentin Griffin, who ran for six TDs in last year's game.

Texas guard Antwan Kirk-Hughes knows beating OU is important, but he's also thinking big picture.

"We can't put all our emotions in this game," he said. "The national championship is played in January. If we did beat OU and lose to somebody else down the line, what was the point?"