KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A pristine field in a climate-controlled domed facility just would not seem right for this one.

Although the Big 12 championship game has been recently played in indoor venues in San Antonio and Houston, tonight’s edition between No. 8 Oklahoma and No. 19 Nebraska will be played at Arrowhead Stadium with a projected game time temperature of 26 degrees.

Barry Switzer, Tom Osborne and the other names who have helped shape the now 83-game “Battle of the Big Reds” would probably want it that way as the two programs battle in a championship game for the first time in 18 years.

On Friday, OU coach Bob Stoops was asked if he and his team were ready to deal with the potential sloppy conditions that comes standard with a few inches of snow two nights before.

“Absolutely,” Stoops said. “I can’t wait. We’re playing on the same field. So you manage it, play the best you can and work through it.”

His counterpart, Nebraska coach Bill Callahan, said he has no problems with the probable frigid and wet track either.

“I’m glad the weather held up nicely for us,” he said. “This is northern weather at its best.

“We’ll do the best we can. I don’t think there will be a wind factor. I think it’s just cold. And this time of year I think everybody expected it to be cold on Dec. 2.”

At the top of the list of the most unexpected occurrences may be the Sooners themselves, a team that has managed to produce seven consecutive victories to make a most improbable run at a fourth conference crown. It started last Friday when Texas A&M; took down Texas in Austin. It became a reality last Saturday when OU managed to hold off Oklahoma State for a 27-21 victory in Stillwater.

“I remember when it happened Friday afternoon,” Stoops said of the Aggies’ 12-7 victory. “I was excited for the feeling again. I felt that feeling of the stakes are high again.”

In contrast, the Cornhuskers took a more premeditated approach that began by having members of the team visit Arrowhead during the squad’s media days in July as the future victors of the Big 12 North attempted to make it back to the title game after a six-year hiatus.

“I thought it was important for our team to come down to visit Arrowhead and to see exactly what the scenario, what the atmosphere and climate was in terms of playing a championship game,” Callahan said. “Really try to build a mindset and create the mindset of a championship team and a championship game... It was a great opportunity for the kids to really visualize what it would be like to finalize our goals and complete their goals in order to get there.”

When breaking down both squads, it’s not hard to see a string of statistical similarities.

The most striking tidbit is the fact both teams tied for the best red zone conversion percentage in the conference. During 24 trips to the red zone — a fitting term for the combatants — the Sooners and Cornhuskers both produced points 23 times.

Nebraska (9-3, 6-2) features the nation’s fifth-ranked offense with enough balance to have the 18th best running game (183.25 yards per contest) and 18th best passing game (258.8 yards).

NU quarterback Zac Taylor, a Norman native, had the ninth-best quarterback rating in the nation during the regular season after passing for 2,789 yards with 24 touchdowns and four touchdowns on his way to be named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.

Oklahoma (10-2, 7-1) has been lauded for its newfound balance as well, by consistently intertwining a 14th-ranked running game (188.67 yards a contest) with an efficient passing attack led by Paul Thompson and his 2,169 passing yards and 18 touchdowns to go with seven interceptions.

The anticipated blustery weather, though, could force the game to be won on the ground.

The Sooners will count on the punishing running style of Allen Patrick, who finished second in the Big 12 in rushing by averaging 102 yards per conference test. Nebraska running back Brandon Jackson finished third in that category with an average of 94.4 yards a game.

Although Nebraska features the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year in end Adam Carriker, it is Oklahoma who has the 14th best defense in the country, holding opponents to 99 rushing yards and 174.08 passing yards per game. The Sooners also can rely on the ability of the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in linebacker Rufus Alexander and his team-best 95 tackles. In addition, OU had five other players finish on the all-Big 12 first or second team after its defense led the conference in scoring defense, passing defense and total defense.

“I look at the down and distance summaries, the breakdowns, and they’re comfortable being in any down and distance, on offense, defense,” Callahan said of the opposition. “When you have a team like that that’s comfortable playing in any situation that they get themselves into, that speaks to their coaching staff. It speaks to their team confidence.”

Winning three out of four games at Arrowhead Stadium, including three Big 12 titles, probably does not hurt the team’s confidence either.

The game’s winner will most likely play Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1 in Glendale, Ariz., as part of the Bowl Championship Series. The loser will play in Dallas on the same day in the Cotton Bowl against an SEC opponent.