2008 Fiesta Bowl

[9][10][11][12] With the question at quarterback answered, some felt this team could be the best in the nation, but with an unexpected loss at Colorado, the chances were slim.

Back in the #3 spot, the Sooners traveled to Lubbock, Texas to take on the Red Raiders to clinch the Big 12 South Division title.

[17][18] The Mountaineers were led on offense by quarterback Pat White and running back Steve Slaton, both juniors and both on many preseason Heisman Trophy watchlists.

[16][19][20] West Virginia hit their first stumbling block against then-#18 South Florida in late September.

[24] By winning the conference but not finishing ranked in the top two, Oklahoma was automatically assigned to the Fiesta Bowl.

Per the BCS selection procedure, the bowl games that lost teams to the national championship get first picks for a replacement.

The Fiesta Bowl committee had a few teams to select from including Arizona State, Hawaiʻi, and Big East champion West Virginia.

[30] On December 16, 2007 Rich Rodriguez formally announced to his football team that he would be leaving, before the 2008 Fiesta Bowl, to succeed Lloyd Carr as the University of Michigan head coach.

Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe contacted BCS officials (which includes the 11 conference heads and the athletic director of Notre Dame) to see if this could be done.

Castiglione stated that he hopes "at some point in time we can hear an explanation of why this wasn't possible given the fact the rules provided the opportunity if it was in everybody's best interest."

Mandel said that two of his sources speculated that the commissioner "feared such a matchup might damage the legitimacy of the Ohio State-LSU title game."

[38][39] Sophomore defensive tacke DeMarcus Granger was sent home after being arrested on the suspicion of shoplifting from a local mall.

[40][41][42] On the day of the game, it was reported that wide receiver Malcolm Kelly was questionable due to a deep thigh bruise.

[43] Because of the losses in the secondary, West Virginia stated they would consider passing more to take advantage of the less experienced players filling those positions.

[1] West Virginia tailback Steve Slaton was taken out of the game early on with a hamstring injury, leaving the Mountaineers with freshman Noel Devine.

West Virginia scored early with two field goals by Pat McAfee to take the lead, 6–0, into the second quarter.

Sam Bradford was intercepted by Mountaineer safety Quinton Andrews early on, but the Sooners bounced back with a field goal to make it 6–3.

The Sooners scored early again, off of a Bradford pass to Quentin Chaney, but yet again failed a 2-point conversion attempt.

West Virginia continued to roll however, as White hooked up with receiver Tito Gonzales for a 79-yard touchdown pass to put the Mountaineers up 41–21.

The West Virginia Mountaineers totaled 349 rushing yards in the victory, the most ever allowed by an Oklahoma defense in a bowl game.

After the game, Stewart was rewarded by the WVU athletic department by being named the team's permanent head coach.