EUGENE, Ore. — The most important game is always the next one. We know, we know, we know. Yada, yada, yada.

Yet Bob Stoops, the Sooners themselves and the Sooner Nation are kidding themselves if they even consider believing what’s going on today at Autzen Stadium to be just another game they need to win.

It might be just another game they need to win, but only in retrospect. Like, say, if they lose. Or like, say, if they win and then lose to Middle Tennessee or to any Big 12 team they won’t be meeting on a neutral field.

Heck, if it was just another game they needed to win, then all the reasons for playing it are no better than all the reasons to play Nichols State, Montana State or Florida Atlantic.

Oklahoma schedules games like this for more than one reason.

One, it’s the right thing to do.

Two, the Sooners want to be able to look at themselves in the mirror.

Three, they want to project a position of strength, not weakness.

Four, if not as much as before, strength of schedule still matters.

Five, bigger games yield bigger wins and bigger rewards.

Last December, while the Ducks were quacking about being left out of the Bowl Championship Series, Oklahoma was only too happy to draw Oregon as its Holiday Bowl opponent. The Sooners had turned themselves into a completely different team after beginning the season 2-3 and wanted to prove it against somebody worthy.

The Ducks were worthy.

Now, less than 10 months later, it’s a similar, though not identical, deal.

Last time around, the Sooners wanted to prove to the nation just how far they had come. This time around, the opportunity is to prove themselves to … themselves.

Bob Stoops agrees, even if he thought he was answering another question.