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Oklahoma will learn quickly whether it has what it takes to return to the College Football Playoff.The Sooners made a surprising run to win the Big 12 title last season before losing to Clemson in the national semifinals. Now, with much of the key talent returning from that 11-2 squad, Oklahoma is poised to finish the job.The Sooners will be tested immediately when they open with Houston at Reliant Stadium on Sept. 3. Two weeks later, they will host Ohio State in one of the seasons biggest games.Theres two of the teams in the top 12-13 in the country, and deservedly so, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said of Houston and Ohio State. Excellent football teams.In conference play, the Sooners will play at TCU on Oct. 1, then will play Texas in Dallas the following week. If the Sooners can get past the second weekend of October unscathed, theyll be in position to have some margin for error if they fall later in the season.Our season, the front part of it is very loaded up, quarterback Baker Mayfield said. We have been preparing to be ready for the season at the very beginning. We cant have any rust to knock off. We have to go in ready to play, and thats how were treating camp right now.Here are some things to watch for this season.HEISMAN HYPE: Mayfield, one of the nations most exciting and innovative players, finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy balloting last season after passing for 3,700 yards and 36 touchdowns.He is still striving for improvement.My work ethic has been the same, if not even harder, he said. Ive been pushing myself and I need those guys to see that, because if they were to see me taking a day off or just saying, `Oh, Ive got it figured out, that wouldnt be good for the program. So Ive been working hard and thats how I expect the other guys to do it, too.REPLACING STRIKER: Eric Striker was one of Oklahomas all-time leaders in sacks from the outside linebacker slot, but hes now in the NFL. Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, a 6-foot-2, 245-pound redshirt junior, is in line to fill the void.He is getting his opportunity, defensive coordinator Mike Stoops said. Hes played in certain situations the last two years. Hes very fast and explosive. Great rusher.RECEIVING THREATS: Sterling Shepard, one of the schools top three all-time receivers in most categories, has gone to the NFL.Dede Westbrook, last years No. 2 receiver, had 46 catches for 743 yards last season. Mark Andrews, an All-Big 12 selection last season, had 19 grabs, but seven touchdowns. They are the most likely players to receive an uptick in targets. Geno Lewis, a transfer from Penn State, should be a factor.JOE MIXON: The explosive running back burst onto the scene last season with 1,119 all-purpose yards last season. He was one of the conferences top all-around threats, and now that Shepard is gone, hell be expected to do more as a playmaker. Bob Stoops said Mixon could have a bigger role in the passing game.LINCOLN RILEY: The 32-year-old offensive coordinator was given a huge raise in the offseason for helping to make the Sooners one of the nations most productive and balanced offenses. Oklahoma struggled out of the gate last season as the team got used to his version of the Air Raid. Now, the Sooners are comfortable, and Riley has had time to tinker.SEASON OPENER: Sept. 3 vs. Houston at Reliant Stadium.PREDICTION: 12-0 regular season, Big 12 champion.---Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter (at)CliffBruntAP .John Gibson Ducks Jersey .Y. -- Jayna Hefford scored the winning goal Friday as Canada survived a scare with a 4-3 win over Sweden at the Four Nations womens hockey tournament. Adam Henrique Ducks Jersey . Zvonareva, who won the tournament in 2009 and 10, couldnt handle her opponents big groundstrokes in only her third event back after 17 months out with a shoulder injury. Zvonareva made her comeback in January in Shenzhen and played in the Australian Open but lost her first matches at both tournaments. http://www.authenticduckspro.com/Nick-ritchie-ducks-jersey/ . Giroud, who wasnt in the starting lineup for two matches after allegations about his private life and a decline in form, scored twice in the first half. Tomas Rosickys chip made it 3-0 before half time at Emirates Stadium, while defender Laurent Koscielny scored an unmarked header in the second half. Paul Kariya Ducks Jersey . After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91. John Gibson Jersey . With their top three point guards and Kobe Bryant all sidelined by injury, the Lakers signed Marshall out of the D-League on Friday before their home game against Minnesota.BATON ROUGE, La. - Mizzou Volleyball (13-3, 4-0 SEC) extended its winning streak to eight matches following a 3-0 (25-17, 25-14, 25-23) sweep at LSU on Sunday afternoon. The Tigers have claimed impressive sweeps in five consecutive matches and have yet to drop a set in Southeastern Conference play.Sophomore Alyssa Munlyn (Suwanee, Ga.) boasted outstanding offensive numbers for the second straight match, recording eight kills on .800 hitting. Munlyns standout hitting percentage marked the sixth-highest single-match individual hitting performance in Mizzou Volleyball history.Senior Carly Kan (Honolulu) paced the Tigers with 11 kills inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Redshirt junior Melanie Crow (Wildwood, Mo.) also finished with double-digit kills, marking her 12th 10-plus kill match of the season. Junior Courtney Eckenrode (The Woodlands, Texas) produced 30-plus assists for the eighth consecutive match, keying Mizzous .302 overall hitting performance on Sunday. The Tigers have surpassed .300 hitting five times during their current winning streak.Six different Tigers posted multiple blocks against LSU, aiding their first double-digit block effort since Sept. 17 against Miami (Fla.). Munlyns six total blocks led Mizzous stellar defense at the net, while senior Emily Thater (Springfield, Mo.) placed second with five total stops. Senior Alexa Ethridge (Lees Summit, Mo.) paced Mizzou in digs for a team-high 12th time this year.Mizzouss efficient offense arrived in the opening set, recording 17 kills on .dddddddddddd.412 hitting en route to a 25-17 first set triumph. Crow and Kan each produced a team-leading five kills in the first set. Kan and Munlyn each recorded .800 or higher hitting percentages against the host Tigers defense.The visiting Tigers defense stole the show in the second set, claiming seven total blocks and forcing 10 LSU attack errors (-.027 hitting). Through two sets played, Mizzou tallied 10.0 total blocks, marking its seventh match with double-digit blocks this season. Following a quiet offensive first set, Thater rebounded with a team-high three kills in the second set. The Springfield, Mo., native and redshirt junior Kira Larson (Fargo, N.D.) led Mizzous blocking with three total stops apiece.Mizzou and LSU battled back and forth in the third set, highlighted by 10 ties and three lead changes. With the set tied at 23 apiece, Crow tallied her 10th kill and later joined Munlyn for a dual block to clinch the teams victorious afternoon in Baton Rouge, La.UP NEXTMizzou concludes its three-match road trip on Friday, Oct. 7, at Auburn. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. (CT). The Tigers return to the Hearnes Center on Sunday, Oct. 9, against Arkansas. First serve between Mizzou and the Razorbacks is set for 1:30 p.m. (CT). ' ' '