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Oklahoma will learn quickly whether it has what it takes to return to the College Football Playoff.The Sooners made a surprising run to win the Big 12 title last season before losing to Clemson in the national semifinals. Now, with much of the key talent returning from that 11-2 squad, Oklahoma is poised to finish the job.The Sooners will be tested immediately when they open with Houston at Reliant Stadium on Sept. 3. Two weeks later, they will host Ohio State in one of the seasons biggest games.Theres two of the teams in the top 12-13 in the country, and deservedly so, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said of Houston and Ohio State. Excellent football teams.In conference play, the Sooners will play at TCU on Oct. 1, then will play Texas in Dallas the following week. If the Sooners can get past the second weekend of October unscathed, theyll be in position to have some margin for error if they fall later in the season.Our season, the front part of it is very loaded up, quarterback Baker Mayfield said. We have been preparing to be ready for the season at the very beginning. We cant have any rust to knock off. We have to go in ready to play, and thats how were treating camp right now.Here are some things to watch for this season.HEISMAN HYPE: Mayfield, one of the nations most exciting and innovative players, finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy balloting last season after passing for 3,700 yards and 36 touchdowns.He is still striving for improvement.My work ethic has been the same, if not even harder, he said. Ive been pushing myself and I need those guys to see that, because if they were to see me taking a day off or just saying, `Oh, Ive got it figured out, that wouldnt be good for the program. So Ive been working hard and thats how I expect the other guys to do it, too.REPLACING STRIKER: Eric Striker was one of Oklahomas all-time leaders in sacks from the outside linebacker slot, but hes now in the NFL. Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, a 6-foot-2, 245-pound redshirt junior, is in line to fill the void.He is getting his opportunity, defensive coordinator Mike Stoops said. Hes played in certain situations the last two years. Hes very fast and explosive. Great rusher.RECEIVING THREATS: Sterling Shepard, one of the schools top three all-time receivers in most categories, has gone to the NFL.Dede Westbrook, last years No. 2 receiver, had 46 catches for 743 yards last season. Mark Andrews, an All-Big 12 selection last season, had 19 grabs, but seven touchdowns. They are the most likely players to receive an uptick in targets. Geno Lewis, a transfer from Penn State, should be a factor.JOE MIXON: The explosive running back burst onto the scene last season with 1,119 all-purpose yards last season. He was one of the conferences top all-around threats, and now that Shepard is gone, hell be expected to do more as a playmaker. Bob Stoops said Mixon could have a bigger role in the passing game.LINCOLN RILEY: The 32-year-old offensive coordinator was given a huge raise in the offseason for helping to make the Sooners one of the nations most productive and balanced offenses. Oklahoma struggled out of the gate last season as the team got used to his version of the Air Raid. Now, the Sooners are comfortable, and Riley has had time to tinker.SEASON OPENER: Sept. 3 vs. Houston at Reliant Stadium.PREDICTION: 12-0 regular season, Big 12 champion.---Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter (at)CliffBruntAP . Cheap NHL Jerseys Fast Shipping . 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"Were just throwing s--- at the wall hoping something sticks," said Tortorella about the possible line combinations for Fridays game against Columbus. The Canucks have lost five straight games and six of their last seven, leaving them in a logjam in the Pacific Division, currently sitting fifth - good for ninth in the Western Conference. The Carolina Hurricanes are taking a four-game winning streak built at home on the road Tuesday when they play the Toronto Maple Leafs.The road has been a challenge for the Hurricanes this season. They are 2-3-4 in away games while the Maple Leafs are 7-2-0 at Air Canada Centre.This game that were playing right now can go on the road and win, Hurricanes coach Bill Peters said. Its a good team game. Its four lines deep.Carolina will find out how much it has improved after starting the season slowly. The game against Toronto is the opener of a three-game trip and starts a stretch of nine games of its next 11 on the road.If we continue to play the way weve been playing, we all know we can play with anybody in this league, said defenseman Noah Hanifin, who scored a goal in the 3-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday.The Hurricanes lost the opener of a five-game homestand 4-2 to the Anaheim Ducks on Nov. 10 before defeating the Washington Capitals, the San Jose Sharks, the Montreal Canadiens and the Jets.Its fun to win, Hurricanes center Jeff Skinner said. Guys come to the rink, and everyone is contributing. You can take pride in that and build on the confidence in our game. Weve talked about it a lot, but this homestand was big for us. We wanted to pick up as many points as we could. We did a good job tonight closing it out, and now our job is to take it on the road and continue that brand of hockey weve been building towards.The Hurricanes will not catch the Maple Leafs by surprise.I dont need to be reminded, I watch the league pretty close, Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. I have a pretty good handle on that. I watched (Carolina) last night, too, and thought they were outstanding. It will be really tight tomorrow, they can really skate, they have a goood, young team, the back end moves and the goalie (Cam Ward) is playing well.dddddddddddd So well have our hands full.Ward had a 1.41 goals-against average on the five-game homestand and a .947 save percentage.But every team in the league is taking drastic steps so our guys have to take big steps and you have to have the youth growth as well, Babcock said. Not only do they have to be better structurally as a team, they have to get better as players.The Maple Leafs are coming off a 2-1 loss to the Canadiens in Montreal on Saturday and are expected to use the same lineup on Tuesday.I think were happy with the way we battled there at the end, Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly said. We were right there the whole game, one shot difference. To hang around that long and keep it that close is good, but at the end of the day you want to be able to get one at the end to tie it up and get the point, maybe two. Moving forward theres some positives we can take away from it, but that being said, after a loss, theres always stuff you can build off.Our young guys have got to figure out youre not scoring off the rush, youve got to score off the cycle, Babcock said. Its a harder game in the National Hockey League and youve got to dig in.Carolina assigned defenseman Ryan Murphy to the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League for a conditioning stint. Murphy, 23, has one assist in four games with the Hurricanes this season.Leafs left winger Josh Leivo was back with the Maple Leafs for Mondays practice after a conditioning stint with the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. Babcock said he is not quite ready to return from a lower body injury. ' ' '