Oklahoma Sooners have an even bigger reason to beat the Tennessee Volunteers that's not being mentioned enough

The Oklahoma Sooners and Tennessee Volunteers have been the talk of college football all week long, and rightfully so. There is a lot on the line for both teams in terms of staying in the hunt for the playoffs. However, the storyline is unlimited.

Whether you want to take the Tennessee route of the fact that Oklahoma is 3-1 against them all time, having won the last three in a row according to Winsipedia , you can do that. Or, you can take the Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel getting revenge on his former team as a player and former team as a coordinator, approach.

For Oklahoma, this is their first-ever SEC game, and it's at home in front of all of their fans on a primetime night. ESPN College Gameday is in town, and of course, the Josh Jeupel stuff is on their side as well.

Brent Venables has a dominant defense but wants to see where they stack against an explosive offense, which they haven't faced yet, or anything near it. And, he's looking to see how much his offense can improve, because it has struggled.

But, there's another element to this game too, for the Sooners, as to why they should want to win so badly that I feel isn't being talked about much, if at all.

According to Steve Wiltfong of On3, the Sooners are hosting visits during the Tennessee matchup , for five-star offensive tackle Michael Fasusi and four-star running back Kaydin Jones, and many others. So, it's safe to say they may want to show out a bit.

The Sooners are coming into this game with a lot to prove -- that they belong in the SEC. And, part of their now recruitment is telling recruits that they are an SEC team, because that label is enticing for young players, especially players who are talented enough to go to the pros.

Well, if you're going to tell recruits that, show them it on the field. Against a big team like Tennessee, who has a lot of relevance in the college football world, and is the No. 6 ranked team in the country, they have to put on a show.

Related: A former Vol and a Tennessee native have been named Oklahoma captains for Sooners' game against the Volunteers