By John Shinn

Transcript Sports Writer

GLENDALE, Ariz. — It would only scrawl across to the bottom tenth of a television screen, but to Oklahoma that one little line might as well have been as big as a neon billboard in Times Square.

Ever since the bowl season began, it’s been a constant on ESPN. Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma vs. West Virginia … OU 0-3 in last three BCS games.

Every day the Sooners have been in Arizona, they’ve turned on a television and seen it. Those who didn’t notice were quickly informed.

“It’s been talked about a few times,” Sooner quarterback Sam Bradford said.

More like etched into OU’s psyche like a tattoo. It’s been a while since the Sooners won a big bowl game.

For OU’s fifth-year seniors, tonight’s 7 p.m. game against No. 11 West Virginia (11-2) will be their fourth trip to a BCS bowl game.

They’ve yet to walk off the field with a victory in those games.

The 2003 and 2004 seasons started the string. OU’s national championship hopes were cremated by LSU in the Sugar Bowl to end to the ’03 season. USC ended plans for another the following year in the Orange Bowl.

Those games hurt because getting that close to college football’s biggest prize and coming home empty handed is frustrating.

Last season’s loss to Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl, however, was more irritating.

The Sooners have spent an entire year hearing about being on the losing end of the 43-42 thriller.

“It’s seems like every time there is something on about college games they always show Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl,” OU linebacker Curtis Lofton said. “I’m getting tired of seeing that. I can’t wait to play this game and get rid of that memory.”

To do that, OU must reverse the plague of miscues its created during its last three January games.