Game Primer: OU vs. Texas

Saturday, October 12

Dallas, Texas

11:00 AM

University of Oklahoma

Texas

October 11, 2019 | Football

Trailer Photo History Classic Games Gameday Central AT&T Red River Showdown

6/5 Oklahoma

11/11 Texas

Saturday, Oct. 12 / 11 a.m. CT / Cotton Bowl

FOX

OU Radio // TuneIn // SXM 200 // Español

Live Stats

Twitter // Instagram

Game Notes

OPENING KICK

• In a matchup of the Big 12's two most successful programs, No. 6/5 Oklahoma (5-0, 2-0) meets No. 11/11 Texas (4-1, 2-0) for the 115th time on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT. The AT&T Red River Showdown, played in Dallas for the 91st straight year, will be televised by FOX (Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt and Jenny Taft announcing) and FOX Deportes.

• Oklahoma has won 12 Big 12 titles in the first 23 years of the league, with no other program during that span winning more than three. All 12 of OU's Big 12 titles have come in the last 19 years, with no other program winning more than two during the span. Texas ranks second with three Big 12 titles (last one in 2009; OU has won six since then).

• This marks the second straight season both OU and Texas enter their October matchup ranked in the AP Top 25 (prior to 2018 it had not been done since 2012). The Sooners have been ranked in the AP poll at the time of the October game each of the last 14 years and in 19 of the last 20 seasons. Texas was unranked when playing the Sooners from 2013 to 2017.

• Texas is the only Big 12 program with a winning record against the Sooners. Oklahoma trails 62-47-5 in the series but owns a 26-20-3 advantage since 1971. In the Big 12 era, OU is 14-10 against the Longhorns. The Sooners have won seven of the last 10 meetings and 13 of the last 20.

• Dating back to the start of the 2012 season, the Sooners are 37-7 (.841) in regular season games away from home. In those 44 contests, Oklahoma has outscored its opponents 1,821-1,255 (41-29 average). OU has scored at least 30 points in 37 of those 44 games.

• OU has won 36 of its last 38 games (.947) against Big 12 opponents dating back to the 2015 season. The losses were to Iowa State in 2017 (38-31 in Norman) and to Texas last year (48-45 in Dallas). Twenty-one of those 36 victories have been by at least 15 points, and 10 by at least 30 points.

• The Sooners have scored at least 34 points in 15 straight games (longest streak in school history) and in 26 of the last 27. The 15-game streak is tied for the third longest nationally since at least 1980.

• Oklahoma has scored at least one touchdown in all 20 quarters, establishing a school record to start a season (previous record was first 15 quarters in its 2000 national championship season). Going back to last year, OU has scored a TD in each of its last 23 quarters.

• In a stat that speaks to OU's success on both sides of the ball, the Sooners have run only six more plays than their opponents this season (324-318) but have outgained them by a staggering 1,487 yards (3,219-1,732). OU leads the nation in total offense (643.8 ypg) despite ranking 111th in plays per game (just 64.8).

KEY STORYLINES

• Saturday's game will feature the Big 12's top two teams in terms of scoring offense. Oklahoma ranks second nationally with its 53.4 points per game while Texas is 13th at 41.8. Similarly, OU leads the nation with its 643.8 yards per contest while UT ranks 19th at 483.6 per game. Defensively, the Sooners are tied for second in the league and 25th nationally by allowing 19.0 points per game while the Longhorns rank seventh and 67th (26.6). An area to watch when OU has the ball is the passing game. The Sooners lead the nation with their 217.4 pass efficiency rating and are fifth with their 355.4 passing yards per game. Texas is last in the Big 12 in pass efficiency defense (145.0) and passing yards allowed (325.0).

• OU quarterback Jalen Hurts recorded a passing efficiency rating of at least 245.0 in each of his first four games this season and is the only FBS player since at least 1996 to record more than two such outings (min. 18 attempts) in a season. He leads the nation with his 231.3 season pass efficiency rating and owns four of the nation's top 13 figures this year (253.6 vs. South Dakota, 251.3 vs. Houston, 249.0 vs. Texas Tech and 245.9 at UCLA). Hurts also leads all quarterbacks with his 99.8 rushing yards per contest (next most among those who have played at least five games is 76.2 by Wyoming's Sean Chambers).

• Oklahoma is averaging a nation-leading 643.8 offensive yards per game, which is 73 yards more than the next highest average (571.0 by LSU). Making that even more impressive is the fact the Sooners rank 111th out of 130 teams by averaging just 64.8 plays per game. OU averages 9.9 yards per play, which is 1.6 yards more than the team with the second-highest average (8.3 by Alabama). Last year, OU set the FBS single-season record by averaging 8.6 yards per play.

• In their history, the Sooners have rushed for 300-plus yards and passed for 300-plus in a game 14 times. Amazingly, eight of those occasions have come in the last 19 games (since the start of last season), and OU has accomplished the feat seven times in the last 12 contests (including each of the first three games this season). Only three other programs (UCF [three times] and Cincinnati and Louisiana [twice each]) have registered more than one such performance since the start of the 2018 season.

• Under the direction of first-year defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, OU has forced six turnovers, seven turnovers on downs and 27 punts through five games, while registering 34 tackles for loss and 13 sacks. It has also forced 17 three-and-outs (12 before halftime).

• For the first time since 2006, Oklahoma has held four consecutive opponents (in the same season) to 20 points or less. OU has allowed only seven first-quarter points this year and has permitted just 34 first-half points (average of 6.8).

• After ranking 118th nationally last year in defensive third-down conversion percentage (46.4%), OU ranks fifth nationally this season (24.6%; 16 for 65). Conversely, the Sooners are 25 for 45 on the year offensively for 55.6% (fourth nationally). They are the only team in the country to rank in the top five in both categories.

• The Sooners led the nation last year in both yards per pass attempt (11.3) and yards per rush (6.6). So far this season, they are doing it again. OU ranks first nationally (among teams attempting at least 10 passes per game) with its 12.7 yards per pass attempt (next highest average is 11.3) and with its 7.8 yards per rush (next highest average is 7.3).

• OU boasts one of the nation's best 1-2 receiver punches in junior CeeDee Lamb and redshirt sophomore Charleston Rambo. Lamb ranks sixth nationally in yards per catch (24.4), seventh in touchdown receptions (seven) and 26th in receiving yards per game (87.8). Rambo ranks fourth in the nation with his 27.4 yards per grab and 45th by averaging 76.6 yards per contest (has four TD catches). The duo has combined for eight catches of at least 45 yards this season (Lamb has receptions of 45, 48, 65 and 71 yards while Rambo has grabs of 48 [two], 56 and 74 yards).

SCOUTING TEXAS

• Texas is 4-1 overall and 2-0 in Big 12 play, with victories over Oklahoma State at home (36-30) and West Virginia (42-31) on the road in their last two contests. The resume also includes wins over Louisiana Tech (45-15) and Rice (48-13) and a loss to LSU (45-38). Tom Herman, in his third season as UT head coach, has led the program to a 21-11 record.

• The Longhorns average 41.8 points and 483.6 total yards per game (175.6 rushing, 308.0 passing), and allow 26.6 points and 441.8 total yards per contest (116.8 rushing, 325.0 passing). UT is plus-five in turnover margin, having gained 10 takeaways, including nine interceptions this season.

• Quarterback Sam Ehlinger has completed 69.4% of his passes for 1,448 yards, 17 touchdowns and two interceptions, averaging 289.6 yards per game. He also averages 47.2 rushing yards and has scored three TDs. Keaontay Ingram leads the squad with 313 rushing yards (62.6 per game) and three TDs on 66 carries while Roschon Johsnon has rushed 55 times for 268 yards (53.6 per game) and a score. Devin Duvernay ranks second nationally with 45 receptions and ranks 18th with his 92.6 yards per game. Like Duvernay, Jake Smith (16 catches, 173 yards) and Brennan Eagles (11 catches, 279 yards) each have four receiving TDs.

• Defensive back Brandon Jones and linebacker Joseph Ossai lead Texas with 29 total tackles apiece. Jones has tallied 3.0 tackles for loss, three pass breakups and a fumble recovery, and Ossai has 5.0 TFLs, two sacks and two interceptions. Defensive lineman Ta'Quon Graham has also recorded 5.0 TFLs and a sack, and defensive back D'Shawn Jamison has notched two interceptions and 2.5 TFLs.

LAST YEAR VS. THE LONGHORNS

• Oklahoma and Texas split their two meetings last year, with UT winning 48-45 on Oct. 6 in Dallas and OU posting a 39-27 victory Dec. 1 in the Big 12 Championship in Arlington.

• In the first meeting, No. 7/5 Oklahoma scored 21 straight fourth-quarter points to tie the game at 45 with 2:38 remaining, but No. 19/20 Texas kicked a 40-yard field goal with nine seconds left to register a 48-45 win in the highest-scoring Red River Showdown ever. Texas led 24-17 at half and took a 45-24 lead with 56 seconds left in the third quarter. OU quarterback Kyler Murray hit Lee Morris for a 19-yard touchdown with 8:28 to go in the fourth, and then ran for a 67-yard score three minutes later. Trey Sermon's 7-yard TD run tied the game before Texas drove 52 yards to set up the game-winning field goal.

• OU averaged 2.5 more yards per play than Texas (9.2 to 6.7), outgaining the Longhorns 532 yards to 501 despite running 17 fewer plays.

• Murray finished with 304 passing yards and a game-high 92 rushing yards. He was 19 for 26 through the air with four TDs and an interception. Marquise Brown caught nine passes for 131 yards and two TDs, including a 77-yarder which was OU's longest-ever pass play in the series. CeeDee Lamb caught six passes for 75 yards and a score.

• Curtis Bolton (13) and Kenneth Murray (10) combined for 23 tackles.

• The December rematch represented the first-ever Big 12 Championship between the programs. Kyler Murray threw for 379 yards and three touchdowns without a turnover to help lead the Sooners their 12th Big 12 title in the 23-year history of the league. He was 25 for 34 through the air and added 39 rushing yards to earn Most Outstanding Player honors. He threw touchdown passes to Lamb (28 yards) and Grant Calcaterra (6 and 18 yards). Calcaterra's acrobatic one-handed second TD grab came with 2:00 left in the fourth quarter and represented the final points of the game. Lamb finished with six catches for a then-career-high 167 yards.

• Sermon, who scored OU's other touchdown with a six-yard run with 12:01 left in the third quarter to give the Sooners a 27-14 lead, rushed for a game-high 65 yards.

• Cornerback Tre Brown registered OU's first safety in five seasons with a sack of Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger with 8:27 to go that put the Sooners up 32-27. He was part of an OU defense that held the Longhorns to 88 rushing yards on 32 carries (2.8 average). The Sooners also logged three sacks.

• On Texas's three fourth-quarter possessions, OU forced a punt, recorded a safety and registered an interception.

MODEL OF EFFICIENCY

• The Sooners are averaging a staggering 0.80 points per offensive play this season. Going back to 1996, the highest end-of-season figure was 0.688 by OU last season (the previous high was 0.687 by Florida State in 2013).

• OU has averaged 4.48 points per offensive possession this season, putting points on the scoreboard on 69 percent of its drives and scoring touchdowns 60 percent of the time.

• Twenty-four of OU's 35 offensive TD drives (69 percent) have taken less than three minutes of game clock.

BIG-PLAY SOONERS

• Despite ranking 104th out of 130 FBS teams last season in offensive plays per game (just 66.3), Oklahoma led the country in plays of at least 20 yards (111) and at least 30 yards (59), and ranked second in plays of at least 40 yards (34; Clemson had 35 in one more game).

• So far this season, the Sooners have picked up where they left off in 2018. They lead all teams in number of plays per game of at least 10 yards, (24.0; next most is 21.2), 20 yards (10.0; next most is 7.8), 30 yards (5.8; next most is 4.7) and 40 yards (3.2), despite ranking 111th nationally by averaging just 64.8 plays per contest.

RILEY'S FAST START

• The Football Bowl Subdivision's youngest head coach (33) at the time of his hiring, Lincoln Riley was named Oklahoma's 22nd head man on June 7, 2017, and quickly set school records for wins by a first-year head coach (12) and victories in his first two seasons (24). No one at any school in the last 125 years (since Penn's George Woodruff in 1892-93) won more games in his first two seasons as a college head coach. In addition to his 24-4 record, Riley won two Big 12 titles, participated in two College Football Playoffs and produced seven first-team All-Americans, two Heisman Trophy winners and two No. 1 overall NFL Draft picks in his first two years as OU's head coach. He turned 36 on Sept. 5 and is the FBS's fifth-youngest head coach.

HURTS SO GOOD

• After a competitive battle during August camp, head coach Lincoln Riley announced Aug. 19 that senior Jalen Hurts would be OU's starting quarterback to start the season, and that redshirt freshman Tanner Mordecai would be his backup, and freshman Spencer Rattler would be third on the depth chart.

• A graduate transfer from Alabama who arrived at OU in January, Hurts follows in the footsteps of OU Heisman Trophy winners Baker Mayfield (2017) and Kyler Murray (2018). Through five games, he ranks atop or near the top of several statistical categories nationally.

• Hurts has completed 82 of 109 passes (75.2%) for 1,523 yards (304.6 per game) and 14 touchdowns with two interceptions. He has also rushed 57 times for a team-high 499 yards (99.8 per game) and seven TDs. Hurts leads the nation in passing efficiency rating (231.3), yards per completion (18.6) and yards per pass attempt (14.0; next highest is 12.0), ranks second in total offense (404.0 yards per game) and yards per rush (8.8), fifth in completion percentage and points responsible for per game (25.2).

• Hurts is averaging 404.4 yards of total offense per game. That's more yards than 44% of the other 129 FBS teams (57 of 129) and more yards than 36% of other Power Five teams (23 of 64).

• Hurts has already posted four passing efficiency ratings over 245.0 this season. Since at least 1996, the most efficiency ratings over 245.0 recorded by an FSB player in a season (minimum 18 attempts) had been two. If the minimum is lowered to 15 attempts per contest, only one other player since at least 1996 has posted three efficiency ratings over 245.0 in a season: Mayfield in 2017.

• Behind Hurts, OU has rushed for more than 300 yards and passed for more than 300 yards in three of five games.

OFFENSE HAS ROLLED UNDER RILEY

• Oklahoma owns 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 continues to call plays as head coach.

• Since the start of the 2015 season, OU ranks first nationally in points per game (46.0; next most is 41.7), total offense (566.5; next most is 522.7), touchdowns from scrimmage (343; next most is 311), pass efficiency rating (191.6; next best is 165.5), completion percentage (69.5) and yards per pass attempt (10.9), and is fourth in passing offense (330.5) and 10th in rushing offense (235.9).

• Since Lincoln Riley arrived at OU ahead of the 2015 season, the Sooners have registered 500-plus yards of offense in an incredible 76.3% of their games (45 of 59). The program with the next highest percentage of 500-yard performances during the period is Texas Tech (56.3%; 31 of 55). Only nine programs have a rate of at least 45%.

• The Sooners have registered at least 700 yards of offense 13 times in their history, and seven of those occasions have come since the start of the 2015 season: 854 at Texas Tech in 2016, 785 at Oklahoma State in 2017, 773 vs. Tulsa in 2015, 733 vs. South Dakota in 2019, 710 at Kansas in 2015, 702 vs. Kansas State in 2018 and 702 vs. Oklahoma State in 2018.

GOING FOR BIG 12 FIVE-PEAT

• If Oklahoma wins the 2019 Big 12 title, it will mark the program's fifth straight league crown. The last time the Sooners won at least five consecutive conference championships was 1972-80 under head coaches Chuck Fairbanks (1972) and Barry Switzer.

• OU 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.

• OU's current streak of four straight outright league championships is the longest among Power Five programs since Alabama won five in a row from 1971 to '75 (Clemson is also riding a four-game outright streak [ACC]).

BIG 12'S BELL COW

• Since the first year of the Big 12 in 1996, OU has claimed 12 league titles and is followed by Texas (three), Baylor, Kansas State and Nebraska (two each), and Colorado, Oklahoma State, TCU and Texas A&M (one each). All 12 of the Sooners' titles have come since the start of the 2000 campaign, with no other program during that span winning more than two. OU is 134-28 (.827) in regular season Big 12 play since the start of the 2000 season. That's 22 more wins than the program with the next most victories during that period (Texas; 112-50) and 44 more than the program with the third most (Oklahoma State; 90-73).

Lead, Big 12 Champs 18

EXTRA POINTS

• Oklahoma is the only team in the country this season to score 45 or more points in at least five games.

• OU has 45 players on its team who hail from the state of Texas (most of any state).

• The Sooners are 38-4 overall and 2-1 in neutral site games as the No. 6 team in the AP poll. Against ranked opponents, OU is 9-3 (1-0 at neutral site) as the AP's No. 6 squad. All of OU's neutral site contests as the AP's No. 6-ranked team have come in the regular season against Texas.

• Six of OU's top seven tacklers this season and seven of its top 10 are freshmen or sophomores. Four sophomore defenders (S Pat Fields, DL Ronnie Perkins, S Delarrin Turner-Yell and LB DaShaun White) have started every game. One redshirt freshman (DL Jalen Redmond) and one true freshman (OLB David Ugwoegbu) have started one.

• Seventeen true freshmen and 12 redshirt freshmen have played for Oklahoma this season.

• Since the start of his sophomore season at Alabama, Hurts has posted a 7.8-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio (39 TDs to five INTs).

• The Sooners have been ranked in the AP's top 10 in 44 of the last 45 polls. The only time it wasn't during that stretch was following its 2017 loss to Iowa State (fell from third to 12th).

• Oklahoma has outscored opponents 62-7 in the first quarter this season and 138-34 in the first half.

• OU committed 13 turnovers in its 14 games each of the last two years. That's the second-lowest total in school history (11 in 2008). It has committed four through five games this season (two fumbles lost and two interceptions).

• The Sooners won more Big 12 titles the last four seasons (four) than they lost games against Big 12 opponents (35-3 record; includes two Big 12 Championship games).

• Oklahoma ranked fourth nationally last year by converting 52% of its third-down plays and is 25 for 45 this season (56%; ranks fourth). The Sooners ranked 11th last year by converting 66.8% (9 of 14) of their fourth-down plays and is 3 for 3 in 2019, including a fourth-and-11 against Texas Tech.

• Oklahoma is 35-3 (.921) in regular season Big 12 play since the start of the 2015 season, which coincides with Riley's arrival at OU. Oklahoma State ranks second during that period (24-15; .615), TCU and West Virginia fourth (23-15; .605) and Texas fifth (21-17; .553).

• Oklahoma has scored at least 50 points 24 times since the start of the 2015 season, most in the nation.

• OU has scored at least 30 points in 41 of its last 43 games (29 and 28 in the other two). It has won 39 of those 43.