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MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) Oklahoma has been nearly unbeatable at home under Bob Stoops. The program has rarely lost a Big 12 game in the frenzied, friendly confines of Memorial Stadium.
In fact, only once have the Sooners lost to a ranked conference team at home.
That was Kansas State. That was two years ago.
Now, the No. 14 Wildcats are preparing to head back to Norman, Oklahoma, to face the 11th-ranked Sooners on Saturday. And while the faces on the team have largely changed, the players on the Kansas State roster firmly believe they can repeat the feat.
''We can play with anyone and we know that,'' said quarterback Jake Waters, who has never played at Oklahoma. ''It takes great practice today, great preparation today and tomorrow, Thursday, and going in and executing during the game. We know that anyone can beat anyone. It all depends on how you execute and if you see things and eliminate the mistakes.''
Oklahoma (5-1, 2-1 Big 12) has 14 wins and just one loss to ranked conference foes since Stoops took over the program, and that one loss was a 24-19 setback to Kansas State on Sept. 22, 2012.
Yet both teams are dramatically difference, the Wildcats (4-1, 2-0) especially.
Senior quarterback Collin Klein had his sights set on a potential Heisman Trophy that season. Middle linebacker Arthur Brown was capping a career that would get him selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL draft. And several other critical players were seniors.
Now, the Wildcats are led by Waters and a collection of walk-ons, transfers and youthful contributors whose only loss this season came against sixth-ranked Auburn.
Jonathan Truman, who leads the Wildcats with 43 tackles, played special teams during that 2012 trip to Oklahoma. But he still has memories of that victory, which helped to keep the Wildcats undefeated and on course for a Big 12 championship.
''It was pretty exciting,'' Truman said. ''It was a pretty early game (that year) and that set the tone for the rest of the season.''
If Kansas State can win again on Saturday, it would be the first time that any team has beaten Oklahoma in consecutive trips to Norman during Stoops's 16-year tenure. His home record? A sparkling 89-5.
While the Wildcats played well against Auburn, they ultimately lost. So with wins against Stephen F. Austin, Iowa State, UTEP and Texas Tech, they are still in search of a marquee victory - the kind of win that might raise eyebrows on the college football playoff committee.
''There are a lot of guys who have been on the road and have seen every place and were there when we've won and when we've lost,'' Kansas State linebacker Will Davis said. ''They know what it takes and they've seen the guys before them who've won and done all those great things. They've learned from them.''
Oklahoma is coming off a victory over Texas in the annual Red River Rivalry, and hasn't played at home in more than a month. The Wildcats are coming off a bye week.
''They are physical and they are tough, and they have a tradition of winning at home all of the time,'' Kansas State fullback Glenn Gronkowski said. ''It is definitely going to be a tough game, we know that and we are preparing for that.''
