Chester Playing in Shrine Game

Oklahoma offensive lineman Chris Chester will play in the East-West Shrine Game this Saturday. After 80 years in San Francisco, the game will be played this year at the Alamodome in San Antonio. Kickoff is slated for 3 p.m. CST, and the game will be televised by ESPN2.
OU linebacker Clint Ingram was originally scheduled to play in the Shrine Game as well, but has since decided to bypass the game. He is a candidate to play in the Senior Bowl. The rosters for that game will be announced Jan. 22.
Chester, who fought through a knee injury and broken hand during the season, started all eight games in which he played for Oklahoma in the 2005 season. He started five games at right guard and three at center. Prior to the 2005 season, Chester was listed as a tight end, although in 2004 he was used primarily as a blocker in jumbo formations. He caught two passes as a tight end, both in 2002. One of those came on a fake field goal at Missouri when he hauled in a 14-yard pass from holder Matt McCoy to give the Sooners a 31-24 come-from-behind victory at Missouri. Chester’s West squad coach is Texas A&M’s Dennis Franchione, a fellow competitor in the Big 12 Conference’s South Division. Eighteen of Chester’s teammates are from schools that played against Oklahoma during the 2005 season.
Oklahoma finished 8-4 overall and 6-2 in the Big 12 while playing against the nation’s toughest schedule according to the NCAA (OU opponents were 84-48 overall and 6-1 in bowl play). The Sooners knocked off No. 6 Oregon in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl, 17-14, and finished with a No. 22 ranking in both final polls.
The East West Shrine Game has been played annually since 1923 for the benefit of the 22 Shriners Hospitals for Children. To date, more the game $14 million has been raised through the game.