Fiesta Bowl looks like high-scoring collision

Oklahoma is averaging 43.8 points a game while West Virginia puts up 38.9.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Fiesta Bowl has a long history of offensive fireworks.

It started with Arizona State’s 45-38 victory over Florida State in the inaugural Fiesta in 1971 and held true in Boise State’s 43-42 overtime victory over Oklahoma last January.

This year’s match-up between No. 3 Oklahoma and 11th-ranked West Virginia could uphold the tradition. The Sooners average 43.8 points, third in the country, and West Virginia puts up 38.9 points per game, 11th nationally.

But the Sooners and Mountaineers use very different methods to light up the scoreboard. Oklahoma features a balanced attack, using a bruising running game to set up long passes by quarterback Sam Bradford, the nation’s most efficient passer. The Mountaineers like to spread the field to create gaps for fleet quarterback Pat White and tailback Steve Slaton.

West Virginia defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel has to face the Mountaineers’ attack every day in practice. He’s not sure how much that will help him as he tries to stop the Sooners.

“[The Mountaineers] have got a few great kids out there that have the ability to make you miss and the speed to put it in the end zone on you. That’s the biggest factor with ours,” Casteel said Saturday. “With Oklahoma’s, it’s their balance.

“That’s a tough challenge from a defensive standpoint because they have the weapons really to pound you with that big offensive line, and their backs run physical. And then they have the wideouts that can go deep and their quarterback throws the ball very, very well and very efficiently.”

The Sooners rushed for 191.8 yards per game and passed for 259.5.

“With us being able to do both, you kind of have to pick your poison,” said OU wide receiver Malcolm Kelly, who averages a touchdown every 5.4 receptions.

The Mountaineers say they want to attack Bradford and hope the redshirt freshman from Oklahoma City will make mistakes.

“We’re going to have to get to him to make him feel our presence so he doesn’t pick us apart,” Mountaineers linebacker Marc Magro said.

In his first season as a starter, Bradford led the nation in passing efficiency, completing 70.1 percent of his passes for 2,879 yards. His 34 touchdowns set an NCAA freshman record. Bradford threw seven interceptions.

Statistically, at least, Bradford had a better season than OU’s Jason White did when he won the Heisman Trophy in 2003.

Bradford said he’s still learning. Asked how he could improve, Bradford said, “Probably getting myself into the game and not forcing things.”

The Mountaineers rushed for 292.9 yards per game this year, more than everyone but Navy, Air Force and Arkansas. West Virginia averaged only 157.6 passing yards, 113th in the nation.