The Oklahoma Sooners seem to be locks to be in the College Football Playoff once the 12-team bracket is revealed on Sunday, so now it's all about what puts the Sooners in the best position to actually make a run in the playoff and win their first national title since 2000.
There are three specific teams, whether because of matchup or situation, that Sooner Nation should hope ends up on the same side of the bracket as Oklahoma, including a squad that's already beaten the Sooners this season.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
What's been the most likely matchup for the Sooners in the 8-vs-9 pairing is also the best situation for the Sooners, especially if they're at home at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
Much can be said about Notre Dame being unproven after going through a lackluster schedule, but the committee mostly loves the Fighting Irish because of their offense that's led by freshman quarterback CJ Carr and star running back Jeremiyah Love. That should also be what Brent Venables and the Sooners love most about Notre Dame.
The Sooners' elite defensive front would have a hey day against the freshman who has been prone to make mistakes in the few challenges he's faced. That's usually not an issue for the Fighting Irish with Love in the backfield, though, but they haven't yet faced the Sooners, who have allowed just one 100-yard rusher all season, and even that was just because of one 75-yard sprint.
Love is a top-5 rusher in college football this season, but the Sooners already shut down Missouri's Ahmad Hardy to a season-low 57 yards while averaging 3.4 a carry. Even with that performance and throughout a tougher schedule, Hardy still averaged during the regular season nearly 16 more yards a game than Love, who wouldn't be a threat to the Sooners either.
Ohio State Buckeyes
Usually the nightmare of being stuck in the 8-vs-9 matchup is getting the top seed next. That will likely be Ohio State if the Buckeyes beat Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game, but among the top-4 seeds, they are still the best option for the Sooners despite the 1 next to their name.
Although he's much better, Ohio State also has a first-year starter at quarterback in Julian Sayin, who's a Heisman Trophy contender. Sayin has the benefit of maybe the best receiver group in the country to throw to. However, Sayin hasn't seen a defense like the Sooners have. The closest to it was Texas in Week 1, when Sayin had a season-low 126 passing yards and just one score. Sayin also isn't very mobile, which is the only type of QB that's given the Sooners any kind of issues this season, so he'll be a sitting duck for OU's pass rush.
This would be a game that many casual college football fans would consider ugly between two of the best defenses in the country, but Venables' grimy squad wins football games like that, not beauty pageants.
Ole Miss Rebels
This is an unlikely matchup for the Sooners, but CBS Sports' Bud Elliott this week projected OU and Ole Miss to meet again in an 8-vs-9 matchup in the first round in Oxford. This would be assuming the committee knocks the Rebels for losing head coach Lane Kiffin, which is also exactly why this is a dream matchup for the Sooners.
The Rebels had more offensive success against OU than anyone else this season. However, Kiffin was ultimately the mastermind behind it all and one of the only coaches in the country that can outsmart Venables head-to-head. He's out now, though, so the Sooners would have the motivation of revenge against a team without its powersource.