Since moving to the Big XII Conference in 2012, the West Virginia Mountaineers haven’t been able to put together a consistent and complete season worthy of standing anywhere close to the title throne. While its high-flying offense is starting to show the flare associated with head coach Dana Holgerson’s flashy history at programs like Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, the WVU defense has crumbled in the last two campaigns. They failed to make a bowl game either season and brought the school its first losing season since 2001. Things are looking up a bit to start 2014, with former Florida State QB Clint Trickett guiding the offense to a shootout revenge victory over Maryland. But, uh… that defense.

Doubts about WVU rarely center on its offense, but the defense has yet to prove it can keep them in games.

No disrespect to Maryland, but if the Mountaineers can’t contain CJ Brown and company, things are about to get stressful in Morgantown this weekend when the No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners come to town. Not only can Trevor Knight attack the secondary through the air and on the ground, but Bob Stoops’ defense is capable of reversing the Mountaineer’s progress this season and grounding Holgo’s passing game without mercy.

Oklahoma didn't give Tennessee any chances to rest last week in Knoxville.

So far, the average price paid for a ticket on the secondary market to OU-WVU is $135, and the cheapest seat available is listed at $98. That makes this game the 4th-most in-demand game of the weekend in college football by average ticket price behind Florida-Alabama ($219), Miami-Nebraska ($196) and Auburn-Kansas State ($158).

West Virginia Mountaineers Football Tickets & Game Dates

Ticket Demand for Oklahoma – West Virginia Big XII Week Four Matchup

As far as where this game ranks in recent WVU history, it’s the 4th-hottest ticket we’ve seen since the start of the 2010 season and the most expensive since November 2012. The 2011 LSU game was the most expensive we’ve recorded ($221 average ticket price), and prices this year are actually down considerably (about 23%) from the 2012 game against Oklahoma, which ranks second ($176). The 2012 Kansas State game is third ($138).

Clint Trickett and WVU are going to need more time than this to threaten the Sooners downfield.

Right now, there are about 2,200 OU-WVU tickets left on the secondary market with a starting price of $98. Any lower-level ticket between the 20-yard lines is going for $220 and up. And as of Tuesday afternoon, there are still a handful of face-value tickets available from the university in the corners of the upper deck and behind the end zone for $80, plus a $4.50 fee.

To put the prices for this game in further perspective: Season tickets for WVU start at $365 per seat (with no annual donation necessary) and range up to $865 ($365 per seat, plus a $500 annual donation per seat… this is excluding the “Touchdown Terrace” club seats, which go for a flat $1,100). Therefore, a secondary market ticket to this game anywhere in the stadium is fetching more than 25% of the cost of a season ticket package.

Sooners – Mountaineers Preview

WVU Climbing the Big XII Ranks

Oklahoma Continues SEC Streak vs. Tennessee