Game Primer: OU at Kansas

Statement Made: Sooners Fight Past Frogs

November 17, 2017 | Football

By: Athletics Communications

⁴ Oklahoma

Kansas

Saturday, Nov. 18 / 2:30 p.m. CT / Lawrence, Kan. /

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Game Notes

OPENING KICK

• No. 4/3/5 Oklahoma (8-1, 5-1 Big 12) goes for its 16th consecutive true road win when it plays at Kansas (1-9, 0-7) Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT inside Memorial Stadium (capacity 50,071) in Lawrence. The game will be televised by ESPN with Dave Pasch, Greg McElroy and Tom Luginbill announcing.

• An OU win against Kansas would give the Sooners their 14th straight road win in Big 12 play, which would set the outright league record. Texas also won 13 consecutive Big 12 road games from 2003 to 2006.

• The Sooners will clinch a Big 12 Championship Game berth with a win against Kansas combined with a loss by Oklahoma State vs. Kansas State or a loss by West Virginia vs. Texas. OU can also clinch a spot with a win combined with a TCU win at Texas Tech and an Iowa State loss at Baylor.

• Oklahoma is 74-27-6 all-time against Kansas and has won 12 straight in the series. It is OU's longest active winning streak against an opponent.

• Each of the last 12 meetings in the series have been OU victories by at least 15 points. The Sooners have outscored the Jayhawks 507-143 in those contests (average of 42-13) and have outgained them 5,899 yards to 3,000 (average of 492-250). The last three games have seen OU win by a combined score of 162-17. KU has been held to seven or fewer points in four of the last five meetings.

• The Sooners have won their last six games in Lawrence and have outscored the Jayhawks 235-69 (39-12 average) during the stretch. OU's last loss at Kansas came in 1997, the second year of the Big 12 Conference

• OU has won 22 of its last 23 Big 12 games dating back to the 2015 season. Its only loss came at the hands of Iowa State on Oct. 7.

• With a win Saturday, Lincoln Riley would tie the Oklahoma record record for most wins in a debut season, joining Barry Switzer (1973) and Chuck Fairbanks (1967) with 10 wins apiece.

• Oklahoma leads all FBS programs with its 37 seasons of at least 10 wins. A victory over Kansas would extend that number to 38. It would also mark OU's nation-leading 15th season of double-digit wins since 2000.

• OU is 68-13-2 all-time as the No. 3 team in the AP Poll (28-5 on the road), but has lost three of its last four such games, including to Iowa State this season. OU is 45-6 as the No. 3 AP team against unranked opponents, 22-3 on the road.

• The Sooners have gained at least 500 yards of total offense in each of the last eight games. It is the nation's longest active streak and tied for the fifth-longest in the FBS over the last 10 years. The next longest streak this year is three games.

FIVE KEY STORYLINES

• Oklahoma's 15-game true road winning streak is the longest active streak in the country and is the second longest in school history (OU won 24 in a row from 1953 to 1958). Alabama (14) and Wisconsin (seven) are the only other programs that own an active streak longer than six games. The Sooners' last true road loss came more than three full years ago (37-33 at TCU on Oct. 4, 2014). During the 15-game streak, the Sooners have outscored opponents 743-433 (50-29 average) and have outgained them 8,798 yards to 6,456 (587-430 average). Seven of the 15 wins have come against top-25 teams.

• After finishing fourth in Heisman Trophy voting in 2015 and third in 2016, Baker Mayfield has been even better in 2017. Mayfield is 213-for-299 (71.2 percent) through the air with 31 touchdowns and five interceptions. He leads the country with his 202.1 pass efficiency rating (next best among Power 5 QBs is 174.2) after last year setting the FBS single-season record with a 196.4 mark. He also ranks first nationally in pass completion percentage, yards per pass attempt (11.9) and yards per completion (16.7; would be an FBS single-season record).

• In two games as a Sooner against Kansas, Mayfield has thrown for 619 yards on 43-of-56 passing (76.8 percent) with eight touchdowns and no interceptions (pass efficiency rating of 216.8). He only played one possession after halftime of OU's 62-7 win at KU in 2015, and only two possessions after half of the Sooners' 56-3 home win last year. Mayfield started at Kansas as a freshman for Texas Tech, going 33-for-51 for 368 yards and rushing for a TD before leaving late in the third quarter (injured) of a 56-14 win. He missed the next four games.

• Sophomore running back Rodney Anderson registered 61 yards from scrimmage (12.2 per game) and one touchdown over OU's first five contests, but over the last five outings has racked up 855 yards from scrimmage (171.0 per game) and 10 TDs (six rushing, four receiving). He has rushed for at least 111 yards in each of the last four outings, and has totaled 845 all-purpose yards during that stretch (211.3 average). Anderson's freshman season of 2015 ended in the second game due to a broken leg, and his redshirt freshman season of 2016 ended during August camp due to a broken bone in his neck.

• After registering 230 receiving yards and one touchdown on 14 receptions over OU's first five games, first-year receiver Marquise Brown has tallied 569 yards and three TDs on 26 catches over the last five outings. The sophomore junior college transfer is averaging 124.0 receiving yards over the last four outings with three scores. On the season, he has three games of at least 126 receiving yards, including a school-record 265-yard performance two weeks ago at Oklahoma State. Brown leads the Sooners with 799 receiving yards and 88.8 yards per game (ranks 19th nationally).

SCOUTING KANSAS

• Coming off a 42-27 loss at Texas on Saturday in which it was outgained by just seven yards (371-364), Kansas is in search of its first Big 12 win. The Jayhawks have lost nine in a row since a 38-16 season-opening victory over Southeast Missouri.

• Kansas ranks 59th nationally in passing offense (240.4 ypg), 106th in total offense (359.5 ypg), 116th in rushing offense (119.1 ypg) and 120th in scoring offense (20.3 ppg).

• Sophomore quarterback Carter Stanley has started the last three games and is coming off a 268-yard, three-touchdown passing effort against Texas, while also running for 43 yards. On the year, he is 82-for-152 passing for 985 yards (123.1 average) with four touchdowns and six interceptions. Sophomore running back Khalil Herbert averages a team-high 68.9 rushing yards per game and has run for a team-high four scores.

• On the other side of the ball, KU ranks 54th in pass defense (219.8 ypg), 109th in total defense (456.2 ypg), 114th in scoring defense (37.3 ppg) and 114th in rushing defense (236.4 ypg). Junior linebacker Joe Dineen leads the country with his 8.0 solo tackles per game, and ranks third nationally and first in the Big 12 with his 11.9 total tackles and 2.1 tackles for loss per contest.

LAST YEAR VS. THE JAYHAWKS

• Oklahoma outscored Kansas 49-0 in the second and third quarters in posting a 56-3 home win on Oct. 29, 2016. The Sooners outgained KU 538 yards to 170 for the game (7.6 per play to 2.6).

• Baker Mayfield, who didn't play the final 23:50 of the contest, was 16-for-24 for 236 yards and tossed four TD passes to four different players.

• Dede Westbrook set a school record with his fifth straight 100-yard receiving game. Westbrook, who finished with five catches for 105 yards, returned a first-quarter punt 71 yards for a touchdown and caught a 41-yard second-quarter TD pass en route to 230 all-purpose yards.

• Running backs Joe Mixon and Abdul Adams combined for 165 rushing yards on 22 carries (7.5 average). Adams, a freshman, finished with a career-high 91 yards on 13 rushes (7.0 per carry) while Mixon tallied 74 yards on nine rushes (8.2 per carry) and a touchdown.

• Mark Andrews (15 yards), Dimitri Flowers (nine yards) and Penn State grad transfer Geno Lewis (seven yards) all caught touchdown passes.

• Senior linebacker Jordan Evans spearheaded a stellar defensive effort with a game-high 10 tackles and a 33-yard interception return for a touchdown that put OU up 49-3. Cornerback Jordan Thomas registered his first interception of the year at the OU 2-yard line late in the first quarter.

• The OU defense recorded season lows in points allowed, yards allowed (170), rushing yards allowed (49), passing yards allowed (121) and first downs allowed (11).

BAKER MAYFIELD: ROAD WARRIOR

• Playing away from home has not been an issue for Baker Mayfield, especially the last two seasons. In OU's 12 games away from Norman since the start of the 2016 season (eight true road contests, four at neutral sites), Mayfield has completed 262-of-465 passes (71.8 percent) for 4,304 yards (360.3 per game) and 37 touchdowns against just eight interceptions for a pass efficiency rating of 199.9. He has averaged 16.4 yards per completion and 11.8 yards per attempt. Mayfield has also rushed for six scores in those outings, helping OU to an 11-1 record (lone loss was to Houston in the 2016 opener at NRG Stadium in Houston).

• Mayfield is 13-0 in true road games as a Sooner, completing 287-of-403 passes (71.2 percent) for 4,295 yards (330.4 per game) and 45 touchdowns against just eight interceptions (5.6-to-1 ratio) for a pass efficiency rating of 193.6. He has averaged 14.96 yards per completion and 10.7 yards per attempt. Mayfield has also rushed for 10 scores in those outings.

• Even better, Mayfield is 11-0 in Big 12 road games at OU. He's completed 241-of-329 passes (73.3 percent) for 3,722 yards (338.4 per game) and 39 touchdowns against just six interceptions (6.5-to-1 ratio) for a pass efficiency rating of 203.8. He has averaged 15.4 yards per completion and 11.3 yards per attempt, and has added nine rushing scores.

MORE MAYFIELD

• Baker Mayfield is the only player in FBS history to register at least 13,500 passing yards (1,392) and at least 1,000 rushing yards (1,003).

• Mayfield is 23-2 in Big 12 games as a Sooner, completing 499-of-706 passes (70.7 percent) for 7,716 yards (308.6 per game) and 77 touchdowns against just 14 interceptions (5.5-to-1 ratio) for a pass efficiency rating of 194.5. He has averaged 15.5 yards per completion and 10.9 yards per attempt, and has rushed for 14 scores in those outings.

• Mayfield has thrown a TD pass in a Big 12-record-tying 36 consecutive games (every contest of his OU career; shares the mark with Texas Tech's Graham Harrell [2006-08]). Only three players have longer streaks in FBS history (see charts to the right). Mayfield has thrown at least two TD passes in a Big 12-record 23 straight contests (71 TDs to 13 interceptions during the stretch). That is the second-longest FBS streak since at least 1996 (behind 26 by Boise State's Kellen Moore from 2010-11), and likely ever.

• Including his 2013 campaign at Texas Tech, Mayfield is averaging 9.73 yards per pass attempt for his career. Only two FBS players who have finished their career boast a higher average (9.90 by Boise State's Ryan Dinwiddie from 2000-03; 9.82 by BYU's Ty Detmer from 1988-91). At OU, Mayfield is averaging 10.67 yards per attempt.

• Mayfield ranks ninth in FBS history with 119 career TD passes (12 at Texas Tech, 107 at Oklahoma). He needs two TD pass to tie BYU's Ty Detmer (1988-91) and Georgia's Aaron Murray (2010-13) for seventh, and four to tie Oklahoma's Landry Jones (2009-12) ranks for sixth. The record is 155 by Houston's Case Keenum (2007-11).

• Mayfield owns a 174.3 career passing efficiency rating. Among FBS players who have finished their career, only OU's Sam Bradford (175.6 from 2007-09) owns a higher mark. Mayfield's efficiency rating as a Sooner is an astounding 189.4.

• If Mayfield finishes in the top four of Heisman Trophy voting this year, he'll become the fifth player and first since Georgia's Herschel Walker (1980-82) to accomplish the feat three times. The other three to do it were Glenn Davis (Army; 1944-46), Doc Blanchard (also Army; 1944-46) and Doak Walker (SMU; 1947-49). Mayfield finished fourth in 2015 and third last year.

OFFENSE EVEN BETTER AFTER LOSS OF KEY WEAPONS

• Despite losing three highly accomplished offensive skill players to the NFL Draft in the spring, OU leads the nation in yards per game (600.7; next most is 573.7 and third most is 546.5) and yards per play this year (8.5). The departed trio of Biletnikoff Award winner Dede Westbrook (1,524 receiving yards, 18 total TDs last year), Samaje Perine (OU's all-time rushing leader; 1,060 rushing yards, 12 rushing TDs last year) and Joe Mixon (single-season OU record of 2,331 all-purpose yards, 16 TDs last year) accounted for 5,447 all-purpose yards and 47 touchdowns last season.

• Last year the Sooners averaged 7.5 yards per play, the second-highest figure in school history (the 1971 team averaged 7.6), but this year's squad is averaging 1.0 more yard per play. OU's 600.7 yards per game this year are 45.9 more per contest than last season (554.8).

• OU has registered more than 500 yards in nine of its 10 games this year (490 at Ohio State in the other), and has racked up more than 600 yards in six contests. OU surpassed the 600-yard mark in four games all of last season.

• Three of the Sooners' top six single-game yards-per-play figures have come this season (4th – 10.6 at Baylor; 5th – 10.3 at Oklahoma State; and 6th – 10.2 vs. Tulane).

• Fourteen Sooners have scored at least one offensive touchdown this year, two more players than all of last season. Eleven Sooners have made at least one TD catch this year, two more than in 2016.

GETTING DEFENSIVE

• Senior defensive end/linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo leads the Big 12 and is tied for 11th nationally with 8.0 sacks (0.8 per game), is tied for the Big 12 lead and tied for seventh nationally with three forced fumbles, and ranks second in the league and seventh nationally with 16.0 tackles for loss (1.6 per game). He has 21.0 career sacks to rank second at OU among linebackers and tied for seventh with Jonathan Jackson among all players.

• Okoronkwo has recorded at least half a sack in eight of 10 games and at least one full sack in seven contests. He has at least 1.0 tackle for loss in every outing and at least 2.0 TFLs in five games.

• Sophomore defensive lineman Kenneth Mann ranks fourth in the Big 12 with his 5.0 sacks while senior defensive end D.J. Ward is tied for seventh with 4.5 sacks. Parnell Motley is tied for seventh in the league with two interceptions (returned one 77 yards for a TD against Tulane).

NO PASSING FANCY

• Oklahoma has held 16 of its last 20 opponents to under a 60 percent pass completion rate. Over the last 15 games, OU opponents have combined to complete just 54.8 percent of their passes (264-for-482), ranking the Sooners second in the Big 12 and 29th nationally out of 129 teams. Six of those 15 have been held to a mark below 50 percent.

• By comparison, OU has completed at least 60 percent of its passes in each of its last 20 games, and at least 70 percent in 10 of those.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL'S BEST

• During the modern era of college football (since the end of World War II), the Sooners are the nation's No. 1 team with more wins (641) than any other program. Only Boise State owns a better winning percentage (.772; played 459 fewer games) during that span than OU (.763).

• OU is the highest-scoring program in college football history with 34,930 points (in 1,256 games).

• No program has more all-time 10-win seasons than Oklahoma, which has 37. In addition, OU's 22 seasons with at least 11 wins are the most in college football history.

• Since former head coach Bob Stoops arrived in Norman in 1999, OU leads all Power 5 conference programs in wins (199) and points scored (9,358).

• Only Ohio State (105) has been ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll more weeks than Oklahoma (102). OU's 402 weeks in the AP's top five are most of any school (Alabama next with 377 and Ohio State third with 360). The AP Poll was introduced in 1936.

EXTRA POINTS

• Oklahoma has three Kansas natives on its roster in defensive lineman Amani Bledsoe (Lawrence; Lawrence HS) and offensive linemen Quinn Mittermeier (Topeka; Washburn Rural HS) and Ben Powers (Wichita; Kapaun Mt. Carmel HS).

• Sooners defensive ends coach Calvin Thibodeaux served the 2015 season as Kansas' defensive line coach. Second-year Kansas quarterbacks coach Garrett Riley is the younger brother of OU head coach Lincoln Riley.

• The Sooners have won 22 of their last 23 Big 12 Conference games. Six of those 19 victories have been by a touchdown or less, four by 8-14 points, four by 15-21 points and the other eight by at least 22 points (six by at least 35 points).

• Oklahoma has scored at least 30 points in 19 of its last 20 games (its school-record streak of 15 games was halted Oct. 14 in a 29-24 win over Texas).

• OU has won its last 11 games in the month of November (last loss won Nov. 8, 2014, to Baylor).

• Junior kicker/punter Austin Seibert ranks fifth nationally by registering touchbacks on 78.2 percent of his kickoffs (61 of 78). The junior is 10-for-12 on field goal attempts on the season (8-for-8 the last five games) and has made all 57 point-after attempts.

• Senior fullback Dimitri Flowers has scored a team-high eight touchdowns on his 33 touches this season (one every 4.1 touches). He is one of three players in the country to have at least four rushing touchdowns and four receiving scores, joining teammate Rodney Anderson and North Carolina State's Jaylen Samuels.

• Junior Mark Andrews leads the nation's tight ends with his 39 receptions, 701 receiving yards and 19.0 yards per catch this season. He has also caught four touchdown passes this year.