The Big XII 7s will kick off Saturday in Norman, Okla., with eight teams vying for a spot in USA Rugby’s College 7s National Championships. 

Leading the field is West Virginia, which shocked more than a few observers last year by winning the tournament. Head Coach Richard Glover and 7s Coach John Baker have been targeting this tournament since the winter break and they will bring a hard-running team.

The Mountaineers will likely see Oklahoma as their main competition, but OU has been playing 15s the last few weeks.

“We dedicated this week to 7s,” said Oklahoma Coach Doug Neubauer. “I know we didn’t cover everything, but we did the best we could.”

Still smarting from a loss to LSU, Oklahoma will be looking to the Big XII 7s to get a new confidence boost.

Ole Miss is a late addition to the tournament as is Oklahoma State, but that leaves the list at eight teams. WVU, Ole Miss, and Oklahoma State join Kansas in one pool. In the other, hosts Oklahoma, Iowa State, Kansas State, and North Texas form a very tough group.

Any thoughts that OU would do themselves any favors in the brackets should be dispelled, as UNT has some players - Michael Bliss perhaps the most dangerous of the lot - and K-State and Iowa State both have some high-flying offensive ability.

The teams will all play three pool games, with the top two from each pool going on to the semis, and the bottom two going on to the Bowl Semis. The consolation rounds are meaningful, as there is often a chance for a team to get an at-large bid to nationals with a good performance that doesn’t win. Should, for example, a team just get beat out for the semis by points difference, and rock on in the next two games, that team would have to get some at-large consideration.

Big XII 7s Schedule. All times Central Time.