OKLAHOMA CITY — Texas and Oklahoma, two ancient rivals linked at the hip in the wave of conference realignments that have shaken up the NCAA in recent years, have been on a championship collision course all season. The two teams, who will both leave the Big 12 for the SEC on July 1, have topped the national polls throughout the season. Texas claimed the top spot after handing Oklahoma its first Big 12 series loss in 13 years in April. The Longhorns went on to win the Big 12 regular-season title, snapping OU's streak of 11 consecutive championships.

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The Sooners garnered some vengeance while winning the Big 12 tournament, but Texas claimed the top overall seed during the unveiling of the NCAA’s tournament selection with Oklahoma No. 2.

So who’s better? We’ll find out in the best-of-three championship series that begins Wednesday at Devon Park.

Let’s take a look at the matchup.

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About the Longhorns: Pitching is on fire at WCWS

Texas (55-8) has been absolutely dominant at the Women’s College World Series, winning all three of its games by a combined score of 15-0. Teagan Kavan threw two complete-game shutouts while outdueling Stanford All-American NiJaree Canady 4-0 and 1-0, and Mac Morgan quieted the Florida bats in a 10-0 complete-game win. Neither pitcher allowed more than one hit in any of those games. … Texas ranks third nationally in runs per game with 7.94, just ahead of OU's 7.87 per game. Catcher Reese Atwood, a finalist for the USA Softball player of the year award won by Canady, leads the nation in RBIs with 90 and set single-season school records for both RBIs and home runs (23). … Although Texas won two of the three games during the regular season, Oklahoma has still won 32 of the past 35 games between the rivals. That stretch includes both games in the 2022 WCWS championship series, which Texas reached as an unseeded team. ... Texas is seeking its first national title.

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About the Sooners: OU trying to make softball history

Oklahoma (57-7) can become the first team in history to win four consecutive national titles, but the Sooners seem to have lost the air of invincibility that usually surrounds them at Devon Park. They had a 71-game winning streak snapped by Louisiana earlier this season, a 20-game winning streak in the NCAA Tournament broken by Florida on Monday, and they have survived four games decided by two runs or less in the NCAA Tournament, including Tuesday’s 6-5 win in extra innings over Florida that secured a spot in the championship series. … Unlike most previous seasons under 30-year coach and seven-time national champion Patty Gasso, Oklahoma leaned heavily this season on one pitcher — Kelly Maxwell, who made waves last offseason after transferring from Bedlam rival Oklahoma State. She has thrown 147 innings, which is 53 more than any other OU pitcher. She also has 22 wins, s eight more than any other Sooner. … Oklahoma had four players named All-Americans by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, including a four-time first-team selection in shortstop Tiare Jennings. Atwood was the only UT selection.

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Texas vs Oklahoma prediction in WCWS

Texas in three. On paper, the Longhorns seem to have more pitching depth and a more diverse lineup that can beat you in myriad ways. But that Sooners magic, especially just 20 miles up the road from Norman, feels as tangible as the prairie wind that seems to always whip through Devon Park.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas softball vs. Oklahoma: A preview, prediction for WCWS final