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University of Oklahoma Athletics
Game Primer: OU vs. Baylor
September 28, 2018 | Football
6 Oklahoma
Saturday, Sept. 29 / 2:30 p.m. CT / Owen Field
OPENING KICK
? No. 6/5 Oklahoma (4-0, 1-0) plays its fourth home game in five weeks when it hosts Baylor (3-1, 1-0) on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT at Gaylord Family ? Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The contest will be televised by ABC with Mark Jones, Dusty Dvoracek and Molly McGrath announcing.
? Oklahoma owns a 24-3 (.889) all-time record against Baylor and is 12-1 vs. the Bears in Norman. In the Big 12 era, the Sooners hold a 19-3 series advantage (9-1 at home).
? OU has won 26 of its last 27 games against Big 12 opponents dating back to the 2015 season, with its only loss coming at the hands of Iowa State on Oct. 7 last year (the Cyclones beat the No. 3 Sooners 38-31 in Norman). Fifteen of those 26 victories have been by at least 15 points, and seven by at least 35 points.
? The Sooners have been ranked in the AP's top 10 in 26 of the last 27 polls. The only time it wasn't during that stretch was following last year's loss to Iowa State (fell from third to 12th).
? OU is 32-4 overall and 21-2 at home as the No. 6 team in the AP poll. Against unranked opponents, the Sooners are 24-1 (16-0 at home) as the AP's No. 6 squad.
? The Sooners are coming off a 28-21 home overtime victory against Army West Point on Saturday. CeeDee Lamb's 10-yard touchdown catch on the first possession of overtime represented the only score of the extra period as Parnell Motley registered an interception on fourth-and-7 from the OU 22 to end the game. OU linebacker Kenneth Murray recorded a school-record 28 tackles in the game, which is also the most by an FBS player since at least 2000. Fellow linebacker Curtis Bolton added 23 tackles, the third most in OU history, as Army ran 87 plays to the Sooners' 40.
? Baylor rebounded from a 40-27 home loss to Duke by scoring the first 23 points in a 26-7 win over Kansas on Saturday in Waco. In the Big 12 opener for both teams, the Bears outgained the Jayhawks 447 yards to
? The Sooners have scored at least 30 points in 26 of their last 28 games (29 and 28 in the other two). They have won 26 of those 28 contests. OU's 26-2 record since Oct. 1, 2016, is the nation's
FOR THE FANS
? Approximately two hours before each home game, head coach Lincoln Riley and the Sooners will disembark the team buses immediately west of the intersection of Lindsey Street and Jenkins Avenue for the "Walk of Champions." A pep rally, conducted by OU Spirit, will be held 15 minutes prior to the team's arrival. This week's pep rally will take place at approximately noon with the team arriving at approximately 12:15 p.m. Fans are encouraged to cheer on the team upon arrival and watch as Coach Riley and the squad
? Sooner Fan Fest will be held in the Rhyne Hall parking lot directly east of McCasland Field House. It opens at 10:30 a.m. off Jenkins Avenue and concludes at 2 p.m. Fans will have the opportunity to meet Boomer and Sooner and have their photos taken with the Sooner Schooner, the mascots and members of the OU spirit squads at the OU Marketing trailer. Other elements at Fan Fest this week include a GoVision jumbotron showing other games across the country, a photo booth, an inflatable football toss and a 12:30-1:30 autograph session with Sooner great Ryan Broyles at the McAlister's Deli location. Food will be available from the following food trucks: Midway Deli, The
SPECIAL SPECTATORS BACK FOR 15TH SEASON
? For the 15th straight season, OU and Special Spectators have partnered to create and host all-access VIP experiences for seriously ill children and their families from the Jimmy Everest Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at OU Children's Hospital. The partnership was forged by retired head coach Bob Stoops (now a member of the Special Spectators Board) and enthusiastically carries on with head coach Lincoln Riley today. A group of Special Spectators will be granted behind-the-scenes access on Saturday and will be recognized on the field between the first and second quarters.
FIVE KEY STORYLINES
? Since Baylor won three of four meetings against Oklahoma ? in 2011, '13 and '14 for its only series victories ? the Sooners have won three straight against the Bears (have averaged 46.0 points). OU scored 44 points in 2015, 45 in 2016 and 49 last year. It has scored at least 30 points in 17 of the last 19 series games, and at least 40 in 11 of those.
? Oklahoma has won more Big 12 titles over the last 19 years (11) than it has lost home games. OU is 109-10 (.916) at Gaylord Family ? Oklahoma Memorial Stadium since the start of the 1999 season, with all 119 of those games sellouts. It is the best home winning percentage among Power Five schools over the last 19-plus seasons (Ohio State is next at .883; 121-16). OU has outscored its opponents by an average of 42-16 in those games.
? Oklahoma has outscored its four opponents 177-83 this year. In the first half, the margin is 118-31. The last time OU surrendered 31 or fewer combined first-half points through the first four games of a season was in 2013 (gave up 21). The defense has permitted scores on only five of 26 first-half opponent possessions this season (19 percent).
? In 11 games as a Sooner (five starts), quarterback Kyler Murray has completed 78 of his 109 pass attempts (.716) for 1,387 yards and 14 touchdowns with two interceptions, good for a 217.2 passing efficiency rating, 17.8 yards per completion and 12.7 yards per pass attempt. For perspective, Baker Mayfield's FBS-record single-season efficiency rating last year was 198.9. For more perspective, Murray's yardage total, efficiency rating, yards per completion and yards per pass attempt are better through 109 throws at OU than those of Mayfield, Sam Bradford
? The Sooners have been disruptive behind the line of scrimmage, recording 33 tackles for loss (8.3 average) to rank 18th nationally. Last year, OU averaged 5.4 TFLs per game. OU's nine sacks this season have come from seven players.
SCOUTING BAYLOR
? Baylor is 3-1 this season and 1-0 in Big 12 play after its 26-7 home victory over Kansas on Saturday. The Bears opened the season with a 55-27 defeat of Abilene Christian and a 37-20 win at UTSA, before falling 40-27 at home to Duke in their non-conference finale.
? Matt Rhule is in his second season as head coach at Baylor. He is 3-12 with the Bears and owns a 31-35 career record in five-plus seasons, including a 28-23 mark in four years at Temple (2013-16).
? Baylor has outgained each of its four opponents this season. The Bears average 486.8 total yards per game (310.2 passing and 176.5 rushing) while allowing 347.8 yards per contest (181.5 passing and 166.2 rushing).
? Quarterback Charlie Brewer is averaging 215.5 yards on through the air this season on 64-of-102 passing (62.7 percent) with six touchdowns and one interception. Jalen Hurd leads the Bears with 22 receptions for 311 yards and two touchdowns while Denzel Mims has 13 catches for 245 yards and one TD.
? John Lovett (35 carries, 197 yards) and JaMycal Hasty (29 carries, 182 yards) lead the Bears in rushing, averaging 49.2 and 45.5 yards per game, respectively. Each has scored three touchdowns. Brewer has run 29 times for 126 yards and two TDs, picking up 31.5 yards per contest.
? Baylor outgained Kansas 447-271 on Saturday (190-122 on the ground and 257-149 through the air). Brewer was 19 of 27 passing for 221 yards and three
LAST YEAR IN WACO
? Oklahoma jumped to a 28-10 lead early in the second quarter, then had to rally from behind to post a 49-41 win at Baylor on Sept. 23, 2017, in running its nation-leading winning streak to 14 games.
? OU gashed the Baylor defense for 625 yards on the night and outgained the Bears 10.6 yards per play to 6.2. The Sooners' 342 rushing yards were
? With OU clinging to a 49-41 lead after Baylor recovered an onside kick with 1:41 left in the game, the Sooners' Ogbonnia Okoronkwo sacked Bears quarterback Zach Smith near midfield on a third-down play and forced a fumble. OU's Caleb Kelly recovered it to seal the victory.
? One play after Baylor cut OU's lead to 14-7, running back Abdul Adams rushed for a 99-yard score late in the first quarter to set an outright OU record for longest play from scrimmage. Adams finished with a career-high 164 yards on 11 carries (14.9 average), while freshman Trey Sermon ran for 148 yards and two TDs on 12 carries (12.3 average), all in the fourth quarter, to earn Big 12 Newcomer of the Week honors. Sermon's 148 rushing yards set an OU record for a fourth quarter, and his scoring runs came from 34 yards (on a third-and-8 play) and nine yards.
? Quarterback Baker Mayfield finished 13 for 19 for 283 yards and three touchdowns, tying Sam Bradford's Big 12 record by throwing for at least two TDs in his 17th consecutive game. His TD passes went for 24 yards to Mark Andrews, 52 yards to Dimitri Flowers and 48 yards to Jeff Badet.
MURRAY ANOTHER OU HEISMAN HOPEFUL
? After a competitive battle during August camp, head coach Lincoln Riley announced Aug. 22 that redshirt junior Kyler Murray would be OU's starting quarterback for the season opener against Florida Atlantic and that redshirt sophomore Austin Kendall would be his backup. Through four games, Riley's decision has proved fruitful, with Murray ranking 16th nationally in total offense per game (317.0 yards; didn't play in second half vs. Florida Atlantic, OU only ran 40 plays vs. Army), third in yards per pass attempt (11.7), fourth in yards per completion (17.1), fifth in passing efficiency rating (203.0), sixth in points responsible for (84), seventh in yards per play (10.1) and 10th in passing TDs (11).
? A 5-10, 195-pounder from Allen, Texas, Murray is looking to become OU's fourth Heisman Trophy finalist in the last three years (Baker Mayfield in 2016 and '17 and Dede Westbrook in 2016), and its second straight winner (Mayfield). He has completed 60 of 88 passes for 1,028 yards (257.0 per game) and 11 touchdowns with just two interceptions. He also ranks second on the team with 240 rushing yards (60.0 per game and 6.7 per
? Murray was the backup last season to Mayfield, who won OU's sixth Heisman Trophy as the Sooners claimed their third straight Big 12 title and made the College Football Playoff for the second time in three years.
? Only six times since the start of the Big 12 Conference in 1996 has a Sooner thrown for at least 300 yards and rushed for at least 65 in a game, and Murray has done it twice (vs. UCLA and Iowa State). He passed for 306 yards and ran for 69 against UCLA before throwing for a career-high 348 and rushing for 77 at Iowa State. For his effort against UCLA, Murray was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week, Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week and the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback of the Week.
HOORAY FOR "HOLLYWOOD"
? Marquise Brown, who hails from Hollywood, Fla., was one of the country's most explosive receivers last year, and 2018 is no different. Brown ranks 10th nationally in receiving yards per game (103.0) this
? Brown is tied for first nationally this season with his four catches of at least 40 yards, his three receptions of at least 50 yards and his two grabs of at least 60 yards. His long receiving plays this season have gone for 75 yards (TD), 65 yards (TD), 58 yards (TD) and 48 yards.
? Since the start of the 2017 season, Brown leads the nation with his 10 catches of at least 50 yards. The next highest total among active players is seven (Missouri's Emanuel Hall and SMU's James Proche). The 10 grabs for Brown have gone for 87, 84, 77, 75, 66, 65, 58, 56, 52 and 50 yards. Seven of those 10 receptions have resulted in a touchdown.
? Brown has started his OU career by registering 76 catches for 1,507 yards (19.8 average) and 10 touchdowns. His 1,507 receiving yards are 247 more than the Sooner with the second most yards in the first 17 games of a career (Jalen Saunders tallied 1,260 in 2012 and '13 as a junior and senior). Brown's 10 receiving TDs are the third most in school history through 17 games (Ryan Broyles had 13 and Mark Andrews 11).
HERE'S THE KICKER
? Senior kicker/punter Austin Seibert ranks second in OU career scoring with 393 points and needs 57 points to tie kicker Michael Hunnicutt (2011-14) for the school record of 450. He ranks ninth in all-time Big 12 scoring and needs four points to tie Nebraska's Alex Henery (2007-10) for eighth place, and 11 points to tie Texas running backs Cedric Benson (2001-04) and Ricky Williams (1996-98) for sixth place. Seibert needs 58 points to tie the Big 12 career scoring record, held by Baylor's Aaron Jones (2010-13) and TCU's Jaden Oberkrom (2012-15).
? Seibert ranks first at OU and second in the Big 12 in career extra points made (246
? For the third straight season, Seibert is handling OU's placekicking, punting and kickoff duties. He is one of just three players nationally this season to lead his team in each (San Jose State's Bryce Crawford and Rice's Jack Fox).
? Seibert also ranks second in at OU in career field goals made (49) and PAT percentage (.984; 246-250), fourth in career field goal percentage (.754; 49-65) and fifth in career punting average (41.8).
ISN'T THAT SPECIAL
? Special teams have been a major positive for the Sooners through four games. Among teams with at least five kickoff returns this season, OU ranks third nationally with its 31.8 average on the strength of Tre Brown. The sophomore cornerback ranks third in the country with his 41.3-yard average. He has compiled 165 yards on four returns, including an 86-yarder in the first quarter vs. UCLA that set up the tying touchdown after OU fell behind 7-0.
? Among teams with at least eight punt returns, OU ranks 14th nationally with its 14.5 average. Sophomore receiver CeeDee Lamb is averaging 12.6 yards on his seven returns, thanks largely to a 66-yard runback vs. UCLA. Redshirt junior receiver Lee Morris has one return for 28 yards.
? Last year, OU ranked 98th nationally in kick return average (19.3 yards) and 97th in punt return average (5.6).
? Opponents have only returned two punts this season and they have gone for a combined -1 yard. The Sooners also registered their first blocked punt since 2013 in the opener against Florida Atlantic, and it resulted in their first blocked punt TD since 2002. Morris registered the block and Curtis Bolton fell on the ball in the end zone.
? Senior kicker/punter Austin Seibert is 23-for-23 on PATs this season after going 81-for-81 last year. His streak of 116 makes going back to 2016 is the third longest in the nation. Twenty-four of his 26 kickoffs this season have also resulted in touchbacks (his 92.3 percent rate is third best in the nation).
RILEY'S FAST START
? The Football Bowl Subdivision's youngest head coach (33) at the time of his hiring, Lincoln Riley became just the fifth mentor in FBS history with no previous head-coaching experience at a four-year college to win at least 12 games in his debut season. The previous record for wins by a first-year OU head coach was 10 by Chuck Fairbanks in 1967 and Barry Switzer in 1973. Switzer holds the Sooners' record for most wins in his first two seasons as head coach (21 in 1973-74). Riley, who turned 35 on Sept. 5, needs five more wins in 2018 to tie the mark. He was the second-youngest FBS head coach entering this season.
GOING FOR BIG 12 FOUR-PEAT
? If Oklahoma wins the 2018 Big 12 title, it will mark the program's fourth straight league crown. The last time the Sooners won four consecutive conference championships was 1984-87 under head coach Barry Switzer.
? Oklahoma is the only program to win three straight Big 12 titles, and it has done so twice (also from 2006-08). Baylor (2013-14) is the only other program to win two Big 12 championships in a row.
? The last Power Five program to win four straight outright league titles was Florida from 1993 through 1996.
EXTRA POINTS
? OU ranks second nationally (and tied for first among Power Five teams) with its four plays of at least 60 yards this season. It leads the Big 12 in plays of at least 40 yards (eight) and is tied for the lead in plays of at least 50 yards (five).
? Since the start of the 2017 season, OU is averaging 26.8 points in the first half. It has scored at least 20 first-half points in 16 of 18 games, and at least 28 points in nine of those contests. Over the last 11 contests, the Sooners are averaging 30.3 first-half points. Four of those 11 opponents were ranked in the top 12 of the AP poll at the time of competition.
? Eighteen of OU's 40 plays (45 percent) against Army last week went for at least 10 yards. Nine of Army's 87 plays (10 percent) went 10-plus yards.
? OU committed just 13 turnovers last year (six interceptions and seven fumbles lost), or less than one per game. That marked the second-lowest total in school history (11 in 2008). It has three total turnovers in four games this season.
? Oklahoma is looking to register its 16th season of at least 10 wins since the start of the 2000 campaign. The Sooners are the only FBS program to rack up 15 seasons of double-digit victories since 2000.
? Oklahoma, Alabama
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