When the season began, and even after the first three weeks, Saturday's battle between Oklahoma and TCU -- a rematch of last year's Big 12 championship game -- looked like it would be the first of maybe two big matchups this year between the programs that have become the conference's heavyweights and constant players on the national scene.

But that has all changed during the past three games as ninth-ranked Oklahoma and three-loss and scuffling TCU find themselves looking up at Texas in the conference standings.

Now Saturday's game at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth could be an elimination game in respect to securing a berth in the Big 12 title game, especially for TCU.