Oklahoma’s quest for an unprecedented fifth Big 12 Championship – and a possible return to the College Football Playoff – begins at 11 a.m. Saturday as the Sooners host Texas Tech.

No. 11 Texas and West Virginia got early Big 12 wins Saturday and Oklahoma State and Kansas opened 0-1 in conference play.

Oklahoma, No. 4 in the AP poll three weeks ago, dropped to No. 6 this week even though the Sooners are undefeated and have crushed all three nonconference opponents. (By the way, 1-2 UCLA upset Washington State Saturday night, 67-63. The Bruins, who lost to OU two weeks ago, overcame a 32-point deficit in the second half to upend then-No. 19 Washington State.)

Oklahoma is a 24-point favorite to beat the Red Raiders Saturday.

Texas Tech quarterback Alan Bowman injured his shoulder and won’t play against the Sooners. Both teams were idle last week. Bowman got hurt in a loss against Arizona. He has completed 65 percent of his passes this season for 1,020 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions.

The Red Raiders will start either Jett Duffey, who started three games last season, or Jackson Tyner, a graduate transfer from Rice. Duffey went 1-2 as a starter and Tyner has only three career starts plus his passing completion rate is under 50 percent.

“The quarterback situation is obviously up in the air with Alan (Bowman) being hurt,” said OU coach Lincoln Riley. “I hope the best for him. He certainly had some real bright moments with some tough breaks early in his career, But he’s a heck of a player. … I know they got a couple capable guys with the transfer they brought in and obviously (Jett) Duffey. They got guys who can play.”

As a freshman, Bowman hit almost 70 percent of his passes (69.4 percent) for 2,638 yards and 17 touchdowns. He broke a Big 12 freshman singe-game record when he passed for 605 yards in a victory over Houston. He suffered a collapsed lung and missed some action last year.

In contrast, Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts, a graduate transfer from Alabama, has nine touchdown passes, no interceptions, has rushed 36 times for 390 yards and is 49-for-61 (80 percent) passing (880 yards).

Some think Hurts is the current favorite to win the Heisman Trophy – an astonishing feat since the last two Heisman winners – Baker Mayfield (2017) and Kyler Murray (2018) – were graduate transfers who starred at OU.

Oklahoma is second in the nation in scoring average (55.7 points a game). LSU is No. 1, averaging 57.8 points per game. Texas Tech is averaging 32.3 points per game.

The Sooner offense is averaging 677 yards per game – 352 yards passing and 324 yards rushing. Texas Tech’s offense is averaging 509 yards per game, 341 yards passing and 167 yards rushing.

On defense, OU is much improved this season. OU is giving up 352 yards per game (212 passing, 140 rushing). Texas Tech is surrendering only an average of 306 yards per game (133 passing, 172 rushing).

Kicker arrested

Oklahoma kicker Calum Sutherland was arrested and released Saturday morning on a public intoxication charge, according to the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office.

OU officials haven’t said what disciplinary actions might be taken with Sutherland, a sophomore walk-on from Keller Texas. This is the first year he has been a started. He has hit 2 of 4 field goal attempts and all his extra-point attempts.

“I’m disappointed by it,” Riley said. “There will be consequences. I’m never one to air out dirty laundry in front of everybody, so I’m not going to go into what that is going to be. But it’ll be handled in an appropriate matter.”

Big 12 Championship

The Big 12 Football Championship game will kick off at 11 a.m. on December 7 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and will be televised by ABC/ESPN.