The Sooners have to win.

And not for what it might do for them this season, but the next one and the one after that.

Remember, next season was always going to be OU’s turn to rebuild. But at least the Sooners would have Rhett Bomar beginning this third season behind center and a bunch of great receivers to throw to, too. There were always going to be question marks but an experienced, possibly all-conference quarterback with proven targets cures many ills.

Well, Paul Thompson’s great, but one thing he ain’t is a sophomore.

So this may be it Sooner Nation.

You’re about to say goodbye to your quarterback. Barring injury or Tonya Harding’s ex-husband stepping in, Adrian Peterson isn’t coming back to Norman. Your best defenders are leaving.

Three units will return basically intact: offensive line, secondary and receivers. But who’s that line going to block for and who’s going to get the ball in those receivers’ hands and just how strong will that secondary ever be, really?

Think about what Stoops said earlier in the week, comparing this year’s Sooners to last year’s Sooners heading into Dallas. Better offensive line, he said. Better quarterback play, he said. Better return game, healthy Peterson, more experienced receivers, stronger kicking game, he said.

But what if he had been willing to compare this year’s Sooners to next year’s Sooners?

Different story.

It’s just one more reason why today is so important.

Maybe the biggest one of all.

Because one win, against the right team, still can mean so much.

Say the Sooners win today and then go on to do whatever they do.

Good chance, they’d finish no worse than 10-2 with a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game where they’d be big favorite. So we’re talking BCS bowl.