KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- Kansas State coach Bill Snyder was at a loss for words.
Snyder faces the unenviable task of trying to slow down top-ranked Oklahoma in Saturday's Big 12 Conference championship game at Arrowhead Stadium. The Sooners are the lone unblemished team in college football this season and Snyder was asked if this Oklahoma squad is the best team he has ever had to prepare for.
"I can't think off the top of my head of one that was better," Snyder said after a long pause. "I'm hard pressed to come up with one."
Snyder knows that this Oklahoma team is a special one. The Sooners (12-0, 8-0 Big 12 South) have barely been tested this season, scoring 50 points or more on six occasions this season and holding opponents to single digits on five occasions.
In fact, Oklahoma is so far ahead of the pack that it could lose this week to Kansas State and still earn a berth in the Sugar Bowl when the final Bowl Championship Series standings are released on Sunday. But coach Bob Stoops is making sure that his team is not looking ahead.
"It's not going to affect us one way or another," Stoops said of his big lead in the BCS. "We're looking forward to the Big 12 championship game. Winning that is our first goal."
Saturday's meeting has striking similarities to the Big 12 championship game. That game also was staged in Kansas City, where Oklahoma, led by a Heisman Trophy candidate, knocked off Kansas State, 27-24, to officially earn a berth in the national title game.
Three years ago it was Josh Heupel at quarterback for the Sooners. Now it is Jason White, who has emerged as the clear frontrunner to win the Heisman Trophy when the coveted award is announced next week. White has thrown for 40 touchdowns with just six interceptions this season. His favorite target is Mark Clayton, who on Monday was selected as a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award as the best receiver in the country.
The most impressive win for the Sooners this season was a 65-13 win over Texas on October 11. That was a week after Texas had rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat Kansas State, 24-20.
"This is probably going to be the best team we play all year," Oklahoma defensive end Dan Cody said of Kansas State. "Seeing K-State on film, they've just gotten better and better every game."
Given up for dead after consecutive losses to Marshall, Texas and Oklahoma State, Kansas State (10-3, 6-2 Big 12 North) has rolled to six straight wins and is playing its best football of the season.
The Wildcats, who can clinch their first conference title since 1934 with a win, have benefited from the return of quarterback Ell Roberson, who missed time earlier this season with a hand injury. Roberson has thrown 20 touchdown passes and averaged 80.1 rushing yards per game.
The Sooners also must contend with Darren Sproles, who has rushed for over 100 yards in his last four games and is averaging 131.8 yards per contest.
A victory on Saturday would be Kansas State's first-ever against the top team in the nation.
Oklahoma has won the last three meetings with Kansas State, including a 38-37 decision in the last meeting in 2001.
