The last time the Sooners played in Houston was also the lone time they played at NRG Stadium (then named Reliant Stadium). In 2002, No. 8 OU beat 12th-ranked Colorado 29-7 in the Big 12 Championship Game.

• No. 3/3 Oklahoma begins its 122nd season of varsity football when it faces No. 15/13 Houston on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT in the AdvoCare Texas Kickoff inside NRG Stadium (71,795). The game will mark the start of OU’s 18th season under head coach Bob Stoops.

• The Sooners are looking for their 14th season of at least 10 wins under Stoops. Oklahoma is the only FBS program to rack up 13 seasons of double-digit victories since 2000.

• Oklahoma is 93-22-6 all-time in season openers (15-2 under Stoops).

• OU has won six straight season openers, its longest streak since winning seven in a row from 1998 through 2004.

Source: Soonersports.com

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TWO former UFC\ heavyweight world champions will do battle in the main event at UFC Fight Night in Hamburg, Germany looking to make another run at championship gold in the autumn of their respective careers.

Andrei Arlovski (37) and Josh Barnett (38) have both held the UFC heavyweight title during their decorated mixed martial arts careers.

And despite having competed in 80 FIGHTS between them, the veteran duo remain dangerous contenders in the UFC’s heavyweight Top 10.

But while their credentials remain relevant, both men will step into the Octagon in Hamburg on Saturday night with a point to prove, with both men looking to return to winning ways after defeats in their most recent outings.

Barnett’s last outing saw him submitted by Ben Rothwell’s now infamous ‘gogo choke’ in New Jersey in January.

And Arlovski fell agonisingly short of earning another title shot when he was spectacularly finished by Alistair Overeem’s flying jump kick in Rotterdam in May.

Now, with the UFC heavyweight title picture looking as fluid as ever both fighters will be looking to make a statement and push themselves back into title contention once more.

Source: TheSun.co.uk

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Latvia and Luxembourg go head to head on Friday as two of FIFA’s lower-ranked nations face off in an international friendly at the Skonto Stadium.

This is the sixth meeting between the sides with the Latvians winning each of the previous five, scoring 17 goals along the way and conceding just three.

Therefore, Marians Pahars’ men should be confident of continuing their dominant record and building momentum ahead of their opening 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Andorra on Tuesday.

Pahars has named plenty of experience in his squad including three of Latvia’s 15 most-capped players in Kaspars Gorkss, Andris Vanins and Aleksejs Visnakovs, while he could also hand debuts to the uncapped trio of Kaspars Ikstens, Boriss Bogdaskins and Kristians Damians Torress.

The Sarkanbaltsarkanie, who are ranked 110 in the world, struggled at home during the qualifying phase of Euro 2016 – losing four of their five matches – but did stop the rot with a 2-1 victory over Lithuania in the Baltic Cup last time out.

Nevertheless, they will certainly be the favourites to get a win here against Luxembourg, who are seeking a first away win for nearly eight years.

Source: Football-news.com

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Monza is regarded by many as the embodiment of Formula One racing.

Not only is it a fantastic example of a track that combines speed with skill, it also has a heart and soul all of its own. It has seen some of the finest races of all time, but also some of the sport’s worst accidents. The names of great drivers and the sounds of engines from years gone by linger in the grand old trees surrounding the track in the royal park.

Source: formula1.com

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Nigel Clough’s Burton Albion host Derby County, a victory would see them leap frog his former club all at 6:30pm.