Game Primer: OU at Kansas State

Saturday, October 26

Manhattan, KS

11:00 AM

University of Oklahoma

Kansas State

October 25, 2019 | Football

ABC OU Radio Live Stats Game Notes Trailer Gameday Central

^5/5Oklahoma

Kansas State

Saturday, Oct. 26 / 11 a.m. CT / Bill Snyder Family Stadium

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OPENING KICK

• No. 5/5 Oklahoma (7-0, 4-0) goes for its 23rd consecutive true road win when it plays at Kansas State (4-2, 1-2) on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT. The contest will be televised nationally by ABC with Bob Wischusen, Dan Orlovsky and Allison Williams announcing.

• Oklahoma's 22-game true road game winning streak is the longest in the nation (next longest is 10 by Clemson; third longest is six by Alabama). The Sooners haven't lost a true road contest in five years (Oct. 4, 2014). The true road winning streak represents the second longest nationally in the post-World War II era (the Sooners won 25 consecutive true road games from 1953-58 under Bud Wilkinson). Lincoln Riley is 11-0 in true road contests as OU head coach.

• OU is 7-0 for the first time since 2004. That Sooners team started 12-0 before losing to USC in the BCS Championship.

• Oklahoma (12) and Kansas State (two) have combined for 14 Big 12 championships in the league's first 23 years (they shared the 2012 crown).

• OU's 76 all-time wins against Kansas State are its third most among all opponents (88 vs. Oklahoma State and 77 vs. Kansas). The Sooners have won 10 of the last 12 matchups vs. K-State and 13 of the last 16.

• Oklahoma owns a 76-19-4 (.788) all-time record and a 13-5 (.722) Big 12-era mark against Kansas State, the highest winning percentages by a Wildcats' opponent among current Big 12 programs. In fact, no other current Big 12 program has a winning record against K-State since the league began in 1996.

• The road team has won six of the last eight meetings in the OU-Kansas State series. The two times the home team won in the last eight years were in 2016 and 2018 (OU won 38-17 and 51-14, respectively).

• OU is the nation's only team this year with at least 22 rushing touchdowns (22) and at least 22 passing TDs (23).

• In a stat that speaks to OU's success on both sides of the ball, the Sooners have run seven fewer plays than their opponents this season (449-456) but have outgained them by a staggering 2,006 yards (4,290-2,284). OU leads the nation in total offense (612.9 ypg) despite ranking 116th in plays per game (just 64.1).

• The Sooners have scored at least 34 points in 17 straight games (longest streak in school history) and in 28 of the last 29. The 17-game streak is the second longest nationally since at least 1980 (Oregon; 23 from 2011-12).

• OU is 28-4-1 overall and 9-3 in true road games as the AP's No. 5 team. Against unranked foes, it is 18-1 (7-0 on the road) as the No. 5 squad.

KEY STORYLINES

• Quarterback Jalen Hurts has recorded five passing efficiency ratings of at least 245.0 this year and is the only FBS player since at least 1996 to record more than three such outings (min. 15 attempts) in a season. He ranks first nationally with his 226.1 season pass efficiency rating and owns five of the nation's top 15 figures this year (national-best 308.5 vs. West Virginia, 253.6 vs. South Dakota, 251.3 vs. Houston, 249.0 vs. Texas Tech and 245.9 at UCLA). Hurts also averages 100.7 rushing yards per contest and ranks second in the country by averaging 8.4 yards per carry. His 397.0 yards of total offense per game are more than Kansas State averages (369.0).

• Saturday's game will pit the nation's top scoring offense (Oklahoma averages 50.4 points per game) against the Big 12's top scoring defense (Kansas State allows just 18.7 points per contest). The Wildcats rank fifth in the country by allowing just 152.5 passing yards per contest and are 18th in opponent completion percentage (54.4%). The Sooners lead the nation with their 12.6 yards per pass attempt (min. 12.0 attempts per game) but K-State ranks 19th by allowing only 6.1 yards per throw.

• Oklahoma is averaging a nation-leading 612.9 offensive yards per game, which is 59 yards more than the next highest average (553.9 by UCF). Making that even more impressive is the fact the Sooners rank 116th out of 130 teams by averaging just 64.1 plays per game. OU averages 9.6 yards per play, which is 1.7 yards more than the team with the second-highest average (7.9 by LSU). Last year, OU set the FBS single-season record by averaging 8.6 yards per play.

• The Sooners led the nation last year in both yards per pass attempt (11.3) and yards per rush (6.6), and so far this season they are doing it again. OU ranks first nationally (among teams attempting at least 12 passes per game) with its 12.6 yards per pass attempt (next highest average is 10.9) and with its 7.4 yards per rush (next highest average is 6.9).

• Under the direction of first-year defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, OU has forced six turnovers, eight turnovers on downs and 44 punts through seven games, while registering 58 tackles for loss and 22 sacks. It has also forced 27 three-and-outs (18 before halftime).

• After ranking 118th nationally last year in defensive third-down conversion percentage (46.4%), OU ranks seventh nationally this season (27.8%; 27 for 97).

• OU boasts one of the nation's best 1-2 receiver punches in junior CeeDee Lamb and redshirt sophomore Charleston Rambo. Lamb is tied the national lead in touchdown receptions (10) and ranks seventh in yards per catch (22.0) and 11th in receiving yards per game (97.3). Rambo ranks second in the nation with his 22.7 yards per grab and averages 68.1 yards per contest (has five TD catches). The duo has combined for nine catches of at least 45 yards this season (Lamb has receptions of 45, 48, 51, 65 and 71 yards while Rambo has grabs of 48 [two], 56 and 74 yards).

ROAD WARRIORS

• By the time Saturday arrives, Oklahoma's last true road loss will have occurred 1,848 days ago (five years and 22 days). The last time OU lost a true road game was Oct. 4, 2014, when the No. 4 Sooners dropped a 37-33 decision at No. 25 TCU. Eleven AP Top 25 teams lost that week, including four of the top six.

• OU's 22-game road winning streak is the second longest nationally since at least the end of World War II. The Sooners also won 25 straight from 1953 to 58.

• During the 22-game streak, the Sooners have outscored opponents 1,076-626 (49-28 average) and have outgained them 12,829 yards to 9,208 (583-419 average). OU has scored at least 31 points in all 22 games and at least 41 points in 18 of them. Eight of the wins have come against top-25 teams.

• The Sooners have outgained their opponent in 20 of the 22 road wins. West Virginia (in 2016 and 2018) is the only home team to outgain OU during the stretch.

• Fifteen of the 22 victories have been by double digits, nine by at least 25 points and five by at least 35.

Lead, Road Warriors

SCOUTING KANSAS STATE

• Kansas State enters the game 4-2 overall and 1-2 in Big 12 play after defeating TCU 24-17 last week. With that win, the Wildcats stopped a two-game slide in which they fell at Oklahoma State (26-13) and to Baylor (31-12). That followed three straight wins to begin the season. Head coach Chris Klieman is in his first year at KSU after leading North Dakota State to four NCAA FCS national championships in five seasons.

• The Wildcats average 30.2 points and 369.0 total yards per game (197.2 rushing, 171.8 passing). They pace the Big 12 in scoring defense (18.7 points per game) and passing defense (152.5 yards), and rank fourth in total defense (347.7 per game) and ninth in rushing yards allowed (195.2).

• Skylar Thompson averages 165.7 passing yards per game on a 60% completion rate with seven touchdowns and one interception, and adds 27.5 rushing yards per game (three TDs). Dalton Schoen is his top target with 18 catches for 254 yards and three TDs while Malik Knowles has caught 13 passes for 190 yards and two scores. James Gilbert leads the rushing attack with 87 carries for 453 yards (75.5 per game) and four scores while Jordon Brown averages 41.5 rushing yards per contest and has scored three TDs. Knowles leads the Big 12 by averaging 34.0 yards per kickoff return and has a 100-yard return to his credit.

• Defensive back AJ Parker leads the Wildcats with two interceptions and three pass breakups. Defensive end Wyatt Hubert has made 12 tackles, including five for loss and three sacks, while linebacker Daniel Green has tallied 22 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, 2.0 sacks, three pass breakups a forced fumble and recovered a fumble.

LAST YEAR VS. THE WILDCATS

• No. 8/8 Oklahoma recorded a season-high 702 yards of offense and scored on its first nine possessions in a 51-14 home win over Kansas State on Oct. 27 last year. OU outgained the Wildcats by 457 yards (10.3 yards per play to 4.6) and registered 22 plays of at least 10 yards. It threw for 380 yards and ran for 322.

• Kyler Murray was 19 for 24 through the air for 352 yards and three TDs without an interception (243.6 rating), marking the seventh straight game he threw for at least three scores. He averaged 14.7 yards per pass attempt and 18.5 yards per completion. Murray, who also ran for 46 yards and a score, did not play the final 23:20 of the contest.

• CeeDee Lamb caught four passes for a then-career-high 160 yards (40.0 average) and touchdowns of 82 and 57 yards. It marked his seventh straight game with at least one TD catch. Grant Calcaterra registered OU's other receiving score, a 35-yarder on the game's opening possession. It was his second TD grab of the year.

• Kennedy Brooks only had five carries but gained 94 yards (18.8 average) and scored on runs of 3 and 86 yards. The 86-yarder on OU's second play of the third quarter was the team's longest rush of the season and tied for its longest play.

• Curtis Bolton and Kenneth Murray led the Sooners with seven tackles each. Bolton and freshman Jalen Redmond, playing in his second-career game, each registered 2.5 tackles for loss.

DEFENSE ON THE RISE

• Hired in January, coordinator and safeties coach Alex Grinch has overseen major improvement on the defensive side of the ball through six games this season.

• Oklahoma ranks seventh nationally in third-down conversion percentage (27.8; last year ranked 119th at 46.4), eighth in tackles for loss per game (8.3; last year ranked 57th at 5.6), 18th in sacks per game (3.1; last year ranked 49th at 2.1), 23rd in scoring defense (19.4 ppg; last year ranked 101st at 33.3), 28th in total defense (326.3 ypg; last year ranked 114th at 453.8); 37th in passing defense (198.6 ypg; last year ranked 130th at 294.0), and 38th in rushing defense (127.7 ypg; last year ranked 59th at 159.8).

• In Big 12 play, the OU ranks first in scoring defense (19.2 ppg) and pass defense efficiency (122.0), second in total defense (306.5 ypg), rushing defense (118.2 ypg) and sacks (3.3 per game) and third in passing defense (188.2 ypg).

• OU is one of five teams nationally that has not permitted a touchdown this season on the possession following a turnover. The Sooners have allowed two field goals following their six turnovers.

• Four Sooners rank in the top seven in sacks per game in Big 12 play.

• Eight of OU's top nine tacklers this season 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, and another (DB Brendan Radley-Hiles) has started six. Two redshirt freshmen (LB Nik Bonitto and DL Jalen Redmond) and two true freshmen (CB Jaden Davis and OLB David Ugwoegbu) have started one.

MODEL OF EFFICIENCY

• The Sooners are averaging a staggering 0.76 points per offensive play this season. Going back to 1996, the highest end-of-season figure was 0.688 by OU last year (the previous high was 0.687 by Florida State in 2013).

• OU has averaged 4.13 points per offensive possession this season, putting points on the scoreboard on 65 percent of its drives and scoring touchdowns 55 percent of the time.

• Thirty-one of OU's 45 offensive TD drives (69%) 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, (22.9; next most is 20.6), 20 yards (10.1; next most is 7.7), 30 yards (5.1) and 40 yards (2.7), despite ranking 116th nationally by averaging just 64.1 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 THRIVING IN OU STARTING ROLE

• A graduate transfer from Alabama who arrived at OU in January, quarterback Jalen Hurts ranks atop or near the top of several statistical categories nationally.

• Hurts has completed 114 of 154 passes (74.0%) for 2,074 yards (296.3 per game) and 20 touchdowns with three interceptions. He has also rushed 84 times for a team-high 705 yards (100.7 per game) and 10 TDs. Hurts leads the nation in yards per pass attempt (13.5; next highest is 11.4), yards per completion (18.2) and passing efficiency rating (226.1), is second in total offense (397.0 yards per game), yards per rush (8.4) and points responsible for per game (25.7) and ranks fourth in completion percentage.

• Hurts is averaging 397.0 yards of total offense per game. That's more yards than 43% of the other FBS teams (56 of 129) and more yards than 34% of other Power Five teams (22 of 64).

• Hurts has already posted five passing efficiency ratings over 245.0 this season. Since at least 1996, the most efficiency ratings over 245.0 recorded by an FBS player in a season (minimum 15 attempts) had been three (Mayfield in 2017).

• Hurts is the only player nationally with more than two games of two-plus rushing touchdowns and two-plus passing TDs (he has three such performances).

Lead, Hurts

NO LITTLE LAMB

• Consensus first-team midseason All-American CeeDee Lamb is continuing his rapid ascent on OU's charts this season. The junior wide receiver from Richmond, Texas, ranks 11th in school history in receptions (142), fifth in receiving yards (2,646) and third in receiving touchdowns (28) despite playing just two-and-a-half seasons. He needs three more receiving TDs to tie Mark Clayton for second place at 31 while Ryan Broyles holds the school record with 45 (both Clayton and Broyles played four seasons).

• Through seven games this year, Lamb has posted team highs of 31 catches, 681 receiving yards and a nation-leading 10 receiving TDs. He ranks seventh nationally in yards per reception (22.0) and 11th in receiving yards per game (97.3).

• Lamb caught at least one touchdown pass in each of OU's first six games this season, running his streak going back to last year to eight contests. He has seven TD receptions over the last four outings. Amazingly, he also registered a seven-game TD streak last season from the second through eighth contests. He was named Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week and Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week after catching a career-high 10 passes for 171 yards and three TDs vs. Texas on two games ago.

• Lamb ranks No. 3 among active FBS players (and No. 1 among non-seniors) in career receiving TDs (28). The non-senior with the next-highest total is Alabama junior Jerry Jeudy (22). Lamb ranks sixth among active FBS players with 2,646 career receiving yards, and again is No. 1 among non-seniors.

MURRAY LIVING UP TO PRESEASON ACCOLADES

• Junior linebacker Kenneth Murray, who ranked second in the Big 12 and 13th nationally last season with his 155 total tackles (most by a Sooner since Curtis Lofton had 157 in 2007), was named 2019 Preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year by media who cover the league. He's off to a strong start this season, registering team highs of 51 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss, including 2.5 sacks and two pass breakups and earning first-team midseason All-America honors from ESPN. He was named the Lott IMPACT Player of the Week after the season-opening win over Houston (13 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, 1 breakup and 1 QB hurry).

• Murray registered nine games of double-digit tackles last season as a second-team All-Big 12 performer, including three contests of at least 15 stops (28 vs. Army [most by an FBS player since at least 2000], 17 vs. Baylor and 15 vs. Alabama in CFP Semifinal at the Orange Bowl).

• Murray, who has started all 35 games since the start of 2017, has 27.5 career tackles for loss and 8.0 sacks. His fumble recovery against Oklahoma State last season with the game tied at 41 helped OU post a 48-47 win.

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 (45.9; next most is 41.6), total offense (565.5; next most is 520.5), touchdowns from scrimmage (353; next most is 322), pass efficiency rating (192.1; next best is 165.4), yards per pass attempt (10.9) and completion percentage (69.5), fourth in passing offense (329.5) and 10th in rushing offense (236.0).

• In 61 games since the start of the 2015 season, OU has registered at least 500 yards of total offense 47 times, including in 37 of the last 45 outings, topped the 600-yard mark on 24 occasions and gone over 700 yards seven times. Similarly, OU has scored at least 30 points in 55 of 61 games since Riley's arrival, at least 40 points 42 times, at least 50 points 25 times and at least 60 points eight times.

• 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.

Lead, Riley

GOING FOR BIG 12 FIVE-PEAT

• 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]).

EXTRA POINTS

• Oklahoma has won 38 of its last 40 games (.950) 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-two of those 38 victories have been by at least 15 points, and 11 by at least 30 points.

• The Sooners have made 417 all-time appearances in the AP poll's top five, more than any other program (Alabama is next with 406 and Ohio State third with 379). That means OU has been in the top five in 36 percent of all AP polls (1,161 total polls), which started in 1936. OU has made 22 AP top-5 appearances since the start of 2017.

• Oklahoma has scored at least one touchdown in 26 of its 28 quarters this season.

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

• The Sooners have won 48 straight games when leading after the third quarter. The last such loss came on Dec. 6, 2014, when they led Oklahoma State 28-14 entering the fourth quarter but lost 38-35 in overtime.

• Since the start of his sophomore season at Alabama, Jalen Hurts has posted a 7.5-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio (45 TDs to 6 INTs).

• Oklahoma has outscored its opponents 83-7 in the first quarter this season (average of 12-1) and 176-51 in the first half (average of 25-7).

• Oklahoma is 37-3 (.925) 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 (24-16; .600), TCU third (23-16; .590), West Virginia fourth (23-17; .575) and Texas fifth (22-18; .550).

• 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 43 of its last 45 games (29 and 28 in the other two). It has won 41 of those 45.