SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Put aside, if possible, the Mountaineers' depth of despair that followed the Pitt fall and the emotional jet stream in the wake of Rich Rodriguez's flight to Michigan.

Judge this bowl challenge on the merits of West Virginia's opponent alone, and it is indeed a trial no matter the prior tribulations.

In other words, this is no Georgia.

Oklahoma is better. Oklahoma is harder.

"Yes. Yes," all-Big East safety Eric Wicks said simply and matter of factly yesterday amid No. 11 West Virginia's (10-2) preparation for the Jan. 2 Fiesta Bowl against these Big 12 Conference Sooners (11-2). "I think this is definitely a team that should have been playing for the national championship."

"This is the best team we've played since I've been at West Virginia," added receiver Darius Reynaud.

"I'd say so," continued cornerback Antonio Lewis, another starter on the Mountaineers' team that upset Southeastern Conference champ Georgia in the Georgia Dome in the Jan. 2, 2006 Sugar Bowl, 38-35. "I'd definitely say so. Not to take anything from Georgia, they're a great team, in a BCS game every year. But this a great team."

Oklahoma is a 75-foot yacht that rammed then-No. 1 Missouri in the conference championship game, that sailed to victory in its final two games by a cumulative 87-34, that coasted 7-1 down the stretch while winning six games against bowl teams. Its only two losses? By a last-second field goal after three second-half turnovers at Colorado. By a touchdown at Texas Tech after losing quarterback Sam Bradford to injury.

Oklahoma is no Sugar substitute. It's a more vexing opponent on a bigger stage, this Fiesta being both the lone bowl Wednesday and in the same University of Phoenix Stadium where upstart Boise State shocked these Sooners in overtime one year ago.

Contrast these two Mountaineers BCS foes:

• Georgia scored 29.5 points per game, tallied 45 touchdowns, played seven ranked foes (and beat four), played in the regular season against six bowl teams (that went 2-4 in the postseason).

• Oklahoma scored two touchdowns more per game at 43.4 points, tallied nearly 75 percent more touchdowns at 77, played only three ranked foes (and beat them all), played eight games against bowl teams.

• Georgia had senior quarterback D.J. Shockley, a decent offensive cast around him highlighted by future-Arizona Cardinals tight end Leonard Pope and a purportedly stingy defense, all of which faltered while the Mountaineers built a 28-0 lead 40 seconds into the second quarter.

• Oklahoma has redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Bradford of the 34 touchdowns and seven interceptions ("he's perfect," Mountaineers defensive end Johnny Dingle marveled), three "crazy-good" receivers in Lewis' words, a pro-prospect tight end in 6-foot-6, 250-pound sophomore Jermaine Gresham with 34 catches and 11 touchdowns, an offensive line highlighted by 6-5, 330-pound All-American guard Duke Robinson and even larger 6-8, 350-pound tackle Phil Loadholt.

Now compare the BCS plans: Underdog West Virginia, ranked No. 11 then as now, understands it must break out its speed, squeeze tight the football, minimize miscues and maximize this rare opportunity -- the program has played just three Sugars and one other Fiesta among the Big Four bowls in 115 years.

"There are going to be a lot of similarities to Georgia two years ago," Reynaud said.

"Going into that game, I don't think they respected what we did," nose guard Keilen Dykes added. "They came out a little flat, thought we were going to be a pushover. I expect the same thing from Oklahoma."

"I think," concluded Wicks, "this will be one of the best bowl games."

NOTES -- West Virginia University first-year President Mike Garrison spoke to a few Morgantown-area media outlets Friday about the lawsuit filed against Rich Rodriguez and the coaching search. He was quoted as telling the Dominion-Post newspaper: "... More than expediency, I'm most concerned about making sure this [search] is a process I can stand up afterward and say we spoke with every interested and qualified candidates on a national basis. We're a national program. We've had a lot of national interest in this position. We want to make sure we talk to every candidate who has an interest. We would like to get it resolved before the bowl game, but I can't say we will."