LJWorld.com

Here’s a quick glance at the Oklahoma Sooners scoring output in the last four games: 62 points, 66, 65 and 61.

So the question to Missouri before Saturday’s Big 12 Championship game in Kansas City, Mo., is: How in the heck do you stop this juggernaut?

“Well, if I had an answer for that, I’d be solving a lot of problems,” Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said on Monday’s Big 12 teleconference. “I’d be sitting in a high rise somewhere taking phone calls.”

Instead of a high-rise office building, Pinkel will be several stories below, roaming the Arrowhead Stadium sidelines trying to stop an OU offense that averages 53.33 points per game, tops in the nation.

The Sooners proficient offense is the main reason they’re 17-point favorites and involved in an over-under set at 79 points.

“I think it begins with Sam Bradford and his ability to throw the football at any time,” OU coach Bob Stoops said of his quarterback. “The offensive line has done a great job, and our tight ends and fullbacks also get involved with protection and running the football. Then you have the skill guys spread out along the field.”

Mix those weapons in a blender and you get off-balance defenses that don’t know whether to key on the run or the pass. Bradford may lead the nation with 46 touchdown passes, but DeMarco Murray (1,002 rushing yards, 14 TD’s) and Chris Brown (988 rushing yards, 17 TD’s) also play key roles out of the backfield. Pick your poison.

MU’s no slouch on offense, either. The Tigers (9-3) are averaging 45 points per game, fourth in the nation. The game has shootout written all over it.

Conventional thinking suggests Oklahoma (11-1) will prevail and play for the BCS Championship on Jan. 8 in Miami. Crazier things have happened, but the Sooners have represented the South in seven of the last nine Big 12 Championships. They’ve won five of them, including a 38-17 triumph over Missouri last year. This year would make six Big 12 titles.

This is the fifth year in Big 12 history the conference title game will be played at Arrowhead Stadium. For the next two years, the Big 12 title game will move to the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Here’s a look at past Big 12 title games at Arrowhead:

2006: Oklahoma 21, Nebraska 7

Briefly: Statistically, both teams were relatively even. The difference? Five Nebraska turnovers. Malcolm Kelly had a standout performance for OU with 10 catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns.

What came next: Oklahoma lost to Boise State, 43-42 (OT), in the Fiesta Bowl; Nebraska lost to Auburn, 17-14, in the Cotton Bowl.

2004: Oklahoma 42, Colorado 3

Briefly: Total yards said it all in this one: Oklahoma 498, Colorado 46. Former OU running back Adrian Peterson gashed the Buffaloes defense for 172 yards and three scores.

What came next: Oklahoma lost to USC, 55-19, in the Orange Bowl, which served as the national championship that year; Colorado defeated Texas El-Paso, 33-28, in the Houston Bowl.

2003: Kansas State 35, Oklahoma 7

Briefly: Remember the Darren Sproles show? The former KSU running back ran for 235 yards and caught three passes for 88 yards and a score.

What came next: K-State lost to Ohio State, 35-28, in the Fiesta Bowl; Oklahoma lost to LSU, 21-14, in the Sugar Bowl (national championship).

2000: Oklahoma 27, Kansas State 24

Briefly: Josh Heupel threw for 220 yards and two touchdowns for the Sooners.

What came next: Oklahoma defeated Florida State, 13-2, in the Orange Bowl (national championship); Kansas State defeated Tennessee, 35-21, in the Cotton Bowl.