EUGENE, Ore. — Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops tried to downplay the significance of today’s game at Oregon.

OU’s first road game? No big deal.

OU’s first game against a ranked team? Again, no big deal.

“It’s the third game of the year,” Stoops responded when quizzed about the importance of Saturday’s game. “We've got a long season in front of us. You guys can label it how you want. Our seasons are always built on progressing through the year trying to get better as we go, and that's what we're doing this year.

“It's no different than any other. We've had a lot of big games non-confernce over the years and it's just like all of those.”

Of course, it’s his job to steer the ship through the rough waters of a 12-game regular season.

The rest of the Sooners don’t have his view. They see the Oregon game as one that can change the complexion of the season.

Quarterback Paul Thompson had no problem laying the cards on the table.

“The team has some doubters out there,” Thompson said. “I think this will be one of those games that can step us up and put us up into the forefront more instead of, you know, an underdog as the season has started out.”

The 15th-ranked Sooners (2-0) are in a strange position. They’re undefeated, but they’ve also dropped five spots in the Associated Press Top 25 in the process.

OU started the season by slipping past UAB 24-17, then appeared to find their stride in the second half in last week’s 30-17 victory over Washington. But both games were tied at half-time.

It seems mere wins against teams the Sooners were supposed to beat doesn’t give a great impression.

Winning was overshadowed by lackluster play, particularly on defense.

But against the 18th-ranked Ducks (2-0), winning is the only thing that matters.

This is OU’s chance to prove it belongs among the nation’s elite. A victory would quiet the critics and the Sooners are well aware of it.