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Stunned, angry Oklahoma takes on Middle Tennessee

Sep 19, 2006 - 9:33 PM Middle Tenn (2-1) at No. 17 Oklahoma (2-1), 7:00 pm EDT

NORMAN, Oklahoma (Ticker) - Middle Tennessee will be facing an angry Oklahoma team this weekend.

After absorbing a controversial loss, the 17th-ranked Sooners hosts the Blue Raiders on Saturday.

Last week, the Sooners (2-1) gave up two touchdowns in the final 72 seconds and Garrett Hartley had a go-ahead 44-yard field-goal attempt blocked in a 34-33 defeat at Oregon.

However, the second touchdown came after Oregon recovered an onside kick that did not travel the requisite 10 yards. Oklahoma challenged the call, but it was upheld following a video review.

On Monday, the Pac-10 Conference suspended the officiating crew and video reviewers one game for their actions. That did not satisfy Sooners coach Bob Stoops, whose team's BCS bowl aspirations took a hit.

"I find it still absolutely inexcusable and unacceptable, in particular (the) people who had an opportunity to review it all and look at it and get it right," Stoops said. "They chose not to. You discern whether a one-game suspension is appropriate for those individuals.

"I'm not talking about people in the heat of the moment out there in the middle of the chaos. I'm talking about people who, like every viewer at home, had an opportunity to see it. It's not for me to decide what is appropriate, but I think it's fair to say that a one-game suspension compared to the way our season now is altered, I don't know if that fits the situation."

In the defeat, Sooners Heisman Trophy candidate Adrian Peterson rushed for 211 yards, including 145 in the fourth quarter.

Sun Belt Conference squad Middle Tennessee (2-1) is coming off a 44-0 victory over Division I-AA Tennessee Tech last weekend. Clint Marks threw a pair of touchdowns for the Blue Raiders, who held just a 3-0 lead at the break.

The teams will be meeting for the first time. Oklahoma is 8-0 all-time against Sun Belt opponents.