Game Primer: OU vs. UCLA

⁷ Oklahoma

UCLA

Saturday, Sept. 8 / Noon CT / Owen Field

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Game Notes

OPENING KICK

• No. 6/5 Oklahoma plays its second home game to open 2018 when it hosts UCLA on Saturday at noon CT at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The contest will be televised nationally by FOX with Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt and Jenny Taft announcing.

• Saturday's game will mark the fifth meeting between Oklahoma and UCLA, with the Sooners leading the series 3-1 (2-0 in Norman). It's the first game of a two-year home-and-home series, with the Bruins scheduled to host OU at the Rose Bowl on Sept. 14, 2019.

• OU head coach Lincoln Riley turned 35 on Wednesday. He is the second-youngest head coach in the FBS.

• The Sooners are 31-4 overall and 20-2 at home as the No. 6 team in the AP poll. Their last game with a No. 6 ranking was a 24-19 home loss to No. 15 Kansas State in 2012. Against unranked opponents, OU is 23-1 (15-0 at home) as the AP's No. 6 squad.

• OU is coming off a 63-14 home win over Florida Atlantic on Saturday in a game that saw the Sooners lead 42-0 at halftime and 56-0 until the final minute of the third quarter. The victory snapped FAU's 10-game winning streak. In less than a half of play, quarterback Kyler Murray completed 9-of-11 passes for 209 yards and two TDs. The OU defense limited the Owls to 324 yards (4.4 per play) one year after FAU averaged 498.4 yards per game. The Sooners averaged 10.5 yards per play on the day.

• UCLA dropped its first game of the Chip Kelly head-coaching era with its 26-17 home defeat to Cincinnati on Saturday. The Bruins, who led 10-0 after the first quarter, lost starting quarterback and Michigan graduate transfer Wilton Speight to injury in the second quarter. UCLA held Cincinnati to 304 yards, but managed just 306 itself.

• The Bruins have started 0-2 just once in the past 20 years (2010).

• The Sooners have scored at least 30 points in 24 of their last 25 games (29 in the other). They have won 23 of those 25.

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 St. and Jenkins Ave. 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 be at approximately 10:30 a.m. with the team arriving at approximately 10:45 a.m. Fans are encouraged to cheer on the team upon arrival and watch as Coach Riley and the squad walk the final yards west along Lindsey St. to their locker room.

• Sooner Fan Fest will be held in the Rhyne Hall parking lot directly east of McCasland Field House. It opens at 8 a.m. off Jenkins Ave. and concludes at 11:30 a.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 the band ONE TWO TEN and a jumbotron. Food will be available from the following food trucks: Midway Deli, The Meating Place, Phill Me Up Cheesesteaks, That Pie Truck and Kona Ice. And the Sooner Radio Network (flagship 107.7 The Franchise) will be broadcasting live from Fan Fest from 10 to 11 a.m. with Toby Rowland, Merv Johnson, Chris Plank, Ted Lehman and Rufus Alexander.

FIVE KEY STORYLINES

• Oklahoma has consistently featured several Californians on its roster, and this season is no different. Eight Sooners on the 2018 roster hail from the Golden State. All eight saw action in Saturday's opener against Florida Atlantic, and four started the contest. The starters were senior right guard Dru Samia (Sacramento), sophomore tight end Grant Calcaterra (Rancho Santa Margarita), redshirt senior Curtis Bolton (Murrieta) and freshman defensive back Brendan Radley-Hiles (Inglewood). Players who also saw the field were freshman running back T.J. Pledger (Pacoima), redshirt junior defensive tackle Dillon Faamatau (Norwalk), junior linebacker Caleb Kelly (Fresno) and redshirt sophomore safety Jordan Parker (Pittsburg). Starting junior receiver Marquise Brown played one season of junior college ball at College of the Canyons (located in Santa Clarita) in 2016.

• Oklahoma holds a 65-32-3 (.665) all-time record against current members of the Pac-12 Conference. The bulk of the matchups occurred against former conference foe Colorado, against which the Sooners are 40-17-2 (.695) all-time.

• The Sooners' offense picked up Saturday where it left off last year when it set several single-season school records. Behind Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma led the nation in 2017 in total offense (579.6 ypg; school record), yards per play (8.3; school record), passing efficiency rating (202.7; FBS record) and completion percentage (.714). Against Florida Atlantic, OU exceeded all of those figures. It gained 650 yards, averaged 10.5 yards per play and registered a week-one-best 247.6 pass efficiency mark and a .826 completion percentage (19 of 23).

• Oklahoma has won more Big 12 championships over the last 19 years (11) than it has lost home games. OU is 107-10 (.915) at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium since the start of the 1999 season, with all 117 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 .882). OU has outscored its opponents by an average of 42-16 in those games.

• Saturday's game will mark the second of five OU contests in the month of September. The Sooners have played five September games in only one other season — 2007 (went 4-1). This year also marks just the third in school history in which OU has four September home games on its schedule (1995 [3-1] and 2000 [4-0]).

Brown

SCOUTING UCLA

• UCLA is led by first-year head coach Chip Kelly, who most recently served as the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers (2016) and the Philadelphia Eagles (2013-15). Kelly compiled a collegiate record of 46-7 in four years as head coach at Oregon (2009-12). He guided Oregon to four BCS bowl appearances, including the 2010 BCS National Championship Game, Rose Bowls in the 2009 and 2011 seasons, and the Fiesta Bowl in the 2012 season.

• The Bruins dropped their season opener on Saturday at home to Cincinnati, 26-17. UCLA totaled 306 yards of offense (144 rushing, 162 passing) while holding UC to 304 total yards. The Bruins converted 6-of-15 third downs while holding the Bearcats to 5-of-18 on third downs. Cincinnati held a 34:21-25:39 advantage in possession time.

• The Bruins were led by freshman running back Kazmeir Allen, who ran five times for 103 yards, including a 74-yard third-quarter touchdown. Freshman quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson replaced an injured Wilton Speight in the second quarter and completed 15-of-25 passes for 117 yards. Speight, a grad transfer from Michigan, was 8-for-12 passing for 45 yards before exiting. Ten Bruins caught a pass in the game, led by junior receiver Theo Howard's five catches for 52 yards. Safety Adarius Pickett led the team with 15 tackles.

• UCLA has one of the youngest teams in the country. According to the school, the Bruins' roster has the fourth-highest percentage of underclassmen in the country (71.7 percent) and the third-lowest number of upperclassmen (30).

• UCLA, which went 6-7 and lost to Kansas State in the Cactus Bowl last season, returned five starters on offense and seven starters on defense this year. The Bruins did return their top three rushers, six of their top nine receivers and three of their top five tacklers. Bolu Olorunfunmi, the team's leading returning rusher, ran for 565 yards and five touchdowns last season. Howard, who has a catch in 17 straight games dating back to the 2016 season, tallied 56 receptions, 594 yards and four TDs last year. Pickett led the team with 85 tackles and recorded an interception in 2017.

SERIES WITH THE BRUINS

• Oklahoma owns a 3-1 series lead against UCLA and is 2-0 in Norman. The Sooners have outscored the Bruins 97-27 in the two meetings at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, winning both games as the nation's No. 1-ranked team.

• In the 1986 season opener in Norman, Barry Switzer's defending national champions handed Terry Donahue and the No. 4 Bruins a 38-3 loss thanks to stellar defense. The Sooners intercepted quarterback Matt Stevens (now UCLA's game day radio analyst) a school-record-tying five times and permitted just 34 rushing yards on 24 carries. Behind QB Jamelle Holieway, OU's wishbone attack racked up 470 rushing yards. It was UCLA's worst season-opening loss in 56 years.

• In the 2003 meeting in Norman, Bob Stoops' Sooners only gained 354 yards offensively, but that's because they only ran 60 plays. They used an NCAA-record three punt return TDs by Antonio Perkins to register a 59-24 victory over the unranked Bruins, led by first-year head coach Karl Dorrell. Perkins, who scored on returns of 65, 74 and 84 yards, is still the outright FBS single-game record holder for punt return TDs and punt return yards (277).

• No. 23 Oklahoma also notched a 34-14 win at No. 19 UCLA in 1990 under head coach Gary Gibbs thanks to a suffocating defensive effort. The Sooners held the Bruins to just 203 yards, or 3.6 per play, while registering four interceptions and five sacks. On the ground alone, it limited UCLA to 28 yards on 27 rushes. The season-opening game marked the first in the career of OU quarterback Cale Gundy, a freshman who saw action in a reserve role. Gundy, who is OU's co-offensive coordinator, inside receivers coach and director of recruiting, is in his 20th season on the Sooners' coaching staff. He finished his playing career as the Sooners' all-time leading passer.

• UCLA's lone win in the series came in the most recent meeting, a 41-24 outcome in 2005 in Pasadena. The unranked Bruins turned three OU lost fumbles into 17 points, and held Adrian Peterson to 58 yards on 23 carries as the No. 21 Sooners fell to 1-2 on the year.

Perkins

LEAGUE-HIGH SEVEN SOONERS ON PRESEASON ALL-BIG 12 TEAM

• A league-high seven OU players, representing eight spots, were named to the 2018 Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team that was announced in July and chosen by media representatives who cover the league. The Sooners' eight overall selections were three more than the team with the next most (West Virginia). OU also boasted six offensive picks, twice as many the Mountaineers, who had the second most.

• Junior running back Rodney Anderson, junior wide receiver Marquise Brown, sophomore tight end Grant Calcaterra, junior offensive lineman Bobby Evans, senior offensive lineman Ben Powers and senior kicker/punter Austin Seibert were among the 29 players named to the all-league squad by position. Freshman defensive back Brendan Radley-Hiles was named Preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year.

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 turns 35 this Wednesday, needs nine wins in 2018 to tie the mark. He was the second-youngest FBS head coach entering this season.

OFFENSE HAS ROLLED UNDER RILEY

• Oklahoma has a legitimate claim as the nation's most productive offense since the start of the 2015 season, which was Lincoln Riley's first year as OU's offensive coordinator. Riley called plays as the program's offensive coordinator and continues to as head coach.

• The Sooners have posted a 35-6 (.854) record since Riley's OU debut (25-2 in Big 12 play). That record is fourth best in the country since the start of 2015. Only Alabama (42-3), Clemson (41-4) and Ohio State (36-5) have better records during that span.

• Since the start of the 2015 season, OU ranks first nationally in passing efficiency rating (188.8; next closest is 163.7), completion percentage (69.7), yards per pass attempt (10.6), points per game (44.7), total offense (557.8) and touchdowns from scrimmage (231), and is fifth in passing offense (330.2) and 17th in rushing offense (227.6; ninth in Power Five).

• In 41 games since the start of the 2015 season, OU has registered at least 500 yards of total offense 30 times, including in 20 of the last 25 outings, topped the 600-yard mark on 15 occasions and gone over 700 yards four times. Similarly, OU has scored at least 30 points in 36 of 41 games during the Riley regime, at least 40 points 27 times, at least 50 points 16 times and at least 60 points six times.

• Four of OU's top five single-game total offense figures since 2000, and six of the top nine have come over the last 39 games (1. 854 at Texas Tech in 2016; 2. 785 at Oklahoma State in 2017; 3. 773 vs. Tulsa in 2015; 5. 710 at Kansas in 2015; 7. 684 vs. Iowa State in 2015; 9. 676 vs. UTEP in 2017).

RARE SEVEN HOME GAMES

• Oklahoma will play seven home games this year for the first time since 2007, as all three of its non-conference contests are being held at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The Sooners have played six home games each of the past 10 years and in 13 of the last 14.

• OU will be the visiting team just four times in 2018, as it will be the designated home squad for the Red River Showdown against Texas at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Oct. 6..

OU OWNS NATION'S LONGEST ROAD WINNING STREAK

• Oklahoma's game next week will be at Iowa State. The Sooners have won 16 straight true road games, good for the longest active streak in the country and the second longest in school history (OU won 24 in a row from 1953 to 1958). Wisconsin (nine) is the only other program that owns an active streak longer than six games.

• The Sooners' last true road loss came more than three years ago (37-33 at TCU on Oct. 4, 2014). During the 16-game streak, the Sooners have outscored opponents 784-436 (49-27 average) and have outgained them 9,267 yards to 6,611 (587-413 average). Seven of the 16 wins have come against top-25 teams.

• OU has also won a record 14 straight Big 12 road games, breaking the previous league mark of 13 consecutive road wins by Texas from 2003 to 2006. Since Lincoln Riley's arrival in Norman prior to the 2015 season, the Sooners are 14-0 in true road games (12-0 in true Big 12 road contests).

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 449 fewer games) during that span than OU (.766).

• OU is the highest-scoring program in college football history with 35,179 points (in 1,261 games).

• No program has more all-time 10-win seasons than Oklahoma, which has 38. In addition, OU's 24 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 Five conference programs in wins (203) and points scored (9,600).

• Only Ohio State (105) has been ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll more weeks than Oklahoma (101). OU's 406 weeks in the AP's top five are most of any school (Alabama next with 382 and Ohio State third with 363). The AP Poll was introduced in 1936.

• Only Ohio State (608) has more all-time top-10 AP poll appearances than OU (573).

• Only Alabama (10) and Notre Dame (8) have earned more all-time AP national championships than Oklahoma (7).

EXTRA POINTS

• In eight games as a Sooner (two starts), quarterback Kyler Murray has completed 27 of his 32 pass attempts for 568 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions, good for a 285.0 passing efficiency rating. For perspective, Baker Mayfield's FBS single-season efficiency rating last year was 198.9.

• Receiver Lee Morris, who blocked OU's first punt in five years on Saturday before registering a 65-yard touchdown reception, was put on scholarship Monday by head coach Lincoln Riley. All three of Morris's career catches have been touchdowns, and two of them were thrown by Murray, his high school teammate.

• Receiver Drake Stoops, son of OU's all-time wins leader (190) Bob Stoops, made two catches for 16 yards last week against Florida Atlantic. He is believed to be the first true freshman walk-on in program history to register a catch in a season-opening game.

• OU was one of just four Power Five teams on opening week to register at least 300 passing yards (334) and at least 300 rushing yards (316). It was the sixth time it accomplished the feat since Lincoln Riley arrived in Norman in 2015 as the Sooners' play caller.

• Oklahoma 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 OU history (11 in 2008). It had no turnovers Saturday vs. Florida Atlantic.

• Since the start of the 2017 season, OU is averaging 27.7 points in the first half. It has scored at least 20 first-half points in 13 of 15 games, and at least 28 points in nine of those contests.

• Oklahoma, Alabama and Clemson have all finished in the final AP top 5 each of the past three seasons.

OPENING KICK

FOR THE FANS

FIVE KEY STORYLINES

SCOUTING UCLA

SERIES WITH THE BRUINS

LEAGUE-HIGH SEVEN SOONERS ON PRESEASON ALL-BIG 12 TEAM

RILEY'S FAST START

OFFENSE HAS ROLLED UNDER RILEY

RARE SEVEN HOME GAMES

OU OWNS NATION'S LONGEST ROAD WINNING STREAK

COLLEGE FOOTBALL'S BEST

EXTRA POINTS

Players Mentioned

Rodney Anderson

Curtis Bolton

Marquise Brown

Grant Calcaterra

Bobby Evans

Dillon Faamatau

Caleb Kelly

Baker Mayfield

Lee Morris

Kyler Murray

Jordan Parker

T.J. Pledger

Ben Powers

Brendan Radley-Hiles

Dru Samia

Austin Seibert

Drake Stoops

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