by Jeff Martin, Special to FOXSports.com

Which isn't to suggest there is any animosity between the Sooners and the Red Raiders. There isn't — or there shouldn't be. Under the current set of coaches, the schools have basically held serve at home in the series, which is to be expected.

And the relationship between Bob Stoops and Mike Leach, by all appearances, doesn't seem contentious.

Nevertheless, even in a game brimming with national championship implications, it's become personal because there's history between the coaches, and that dynamic is always tricky.

Plus, let's not forget this is all new to Tech, which is struggling to capture respect nationally. At Oklahoma, it's a birthright.

Saturday night is about acceptance, and the Red Raiders have been in a similar spot for virtually the past month.

There was a chance they might be exposed on the road Oct. 25 at Kansas, but they embarrassed the Jayhawks, 63-21.

They were supposed to be exposed against Texas a week later, but Tech prevailed in a 39-33 thriller.

And then they were supposed to be caught looking ahead to this week when facing dangerous Oklahoma State, but the Cowboys left Lubbock on their severely beaten horses, falling 56-20.

Fittingly, there's one more "huge game," as Stoops hailed this matchup this week, and it pits Leach, with his passing pyrotechnics, against Stoops, whose lofty reputation was built on defense. The potential of such minds coming together was what led Stoops to give Leach, then the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator at Kentucky, a call upon being named the coach at OU in 1999.

"I was pretty surprised," Leach said. "It all happened pretty fast, though, because he got the job pretty quickly. I didn't have any idea that he'd call me, but I knew him a little."

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Bowl recaps and analysis:

EagleBank: Wake 29, Navy 19 | CFN
New Mexico: Colo. St. 40, Fresno St. 35
St. Petersburg: S. Florida 41, Memphis 14
Las Vegas: Arizona 31, BYU 21 | CFN
New Orleans: SMU 30, Troy 27 (OT) | CFN
Poinsettia: TCU 17, Boise St. 16 | CFN
Hawaii: Notre Dame 49, Hawaii 21 | CFN
Motor City: FAU 24, Cen. Mich. 21 | CFN
Meineke: W. Virginia 31, UNC 30 | CFN
Champs Sports: Fla. St. 42, Wis. 13 | CFN
Emerald: Cal 24, Miami 17 | CFN
Independence: La. Tech 17, NIU 10 | CFN
Papajohns.com: Rutgers 29, N.C. St. 23
Alamo: Mizzou 30, N'west. 23 (OT) | CFN
Humanitarian: Maryland 42, Nevada 35
Texas: Rice 38, W. Michigan 14
Holiday: Oregon 42, Oklahoma St. 31 | CFN
Armed Forces: Houston 34, Air Force 28
Sun: Oregon St. 3, Pittsburgh 0 | CFN
Music City: Vandy 16, BC 14 | CFN
Insight: Kansas 42, Minnesota 21
Chick-fil-A: LSU 38, Georgia Tech 3
Outback: Iowa 31, South Carolina 10 | CFN
Capital One: Georgia 24, MSU 12 | CFN
Gator: Nebraska 26, Clemson 21
Rose: USC 38, Penn St. 24 | Analysis
Orange: Va. Tech 20, Cincinnati 7
Cotton: Ole Miss 47, Texas Tech 34
Liberty: Kentucky 25, East Carolina 19
Sugar: Utah 31, Alabama 17
International: UConn 38, Buffalo 20
Fiesta: Texas 24, Ohio St. 21 | Analysis
GMAC: Tulsa 45, Ball St. 13
BCS title: Florida 24, Oklahoma 14
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The foundation of the resurgent Sooner program was in place, but Leach left for Tech after one season.

While it's not exactly a teacher-student relationship, it's still a fascinating connection — if only because Leach might not be where he is if not for Stoops, and extending the logic even farther, Leach might go where he's striving to go because of Stoops.

"What I really appreciated with Mike is he does what he does and he does it well," Stoops said. "He's always been very emphatic to be very excellent and good at what you do. Not that he doesn't look for different wrinkles, because he always has added little things. But the meat and potatoes of what he does is still there (now) that was here when we started in 1999."

In four tries, Leach has never beaten Stoops in Norman, where the Sooners are 59-2 in the OU coach's 10-year tenure.

But the Red Raiders have also won two of the last three against the Sooners, so it can be done.

"We've got to finish," Tech quarterback Graham Harrell said.

If Tech does, Harrell will have likely bolstered his credentials for the Heisman Trophy, for which he is already viewed by many as the front-runner. OU is 93rd in the country in pass defense, which means the Sooners will likely dial up a series of blitzes to try to harass Harrell, but — here's a news flash — that's been the opposition's game plan every week against the Red Raiders. But Tech's massive offensive line keeps Harrell upright and clean, having allowed just five sacks in 10 games.

Of course, with Sam Bradford at quarterback, the Sooners are going to score points, especially at home.

But enough to maintain pace with the Red Raiders?

We're skeptical, especially with Leach having a little something extra to prove Saturday.

Jeffrey Martin is a frequent contributor to foxsports.com. He also writes for the Kansas City Star and the Wichita Eagle. He can be reached at reyheath@gmail.com.