Game Primer: OU at Baylor

Saturday, November 16

Waco, TX

6:30 PM

University of Oklahoma

Baylor

November 15, 2019 | Football

Gameday Central OU on College Gameday Trailer

^10/10/8Oklahoma

^13/12/10Baylor

Saturday, Nov. 16 / 6:30 p.m. CT / McLane Stadium

Twitter | Instagram | Game Notes

OPENING KICK

• No. 10/10/8 Oklahoma (8-1, 5-1) goes for its 19th consecutive November win when it plays at No. 13/12/10 Baylor (9-0, 6-0) on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CT. The contest will be televised nationally by ABC with Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Maria Taylor announcing.

• Since 1980, the Sooners have played just six regular season games against teams 9-0 or better and are 2-4 in those contests. The most recent such meeting came in 2008 in Norman when fifth-ranked OU (8-1) beat No. 2 Texas Tech (9-0) 65-21. The other five games came against Nebraska (OU won in 1987 and lost in 1983, '93, '94 and '95).

• Oklahoma owns a 25-3 (.893) all-time record against Baylor and is 12-2 vs. the Bears in Waco. In the Big 12 era, the Sooners hold a 20-3 series advantage (10-2 on the road).

• OU has won each of its last six road games vs. teams ranked in the top 10 of the Coaches Poll (Oklahoma State and Ohio State in 2017, West Virginia in 2016, Oklahoma State and Baylor in 2015 and Oklahoma State in 2013).

• Oklahoma has won 39 of its last 42 games (.929) against Big 12 opponents dating back to the 2015 season. The losses were to Iowa State in 2017 (38-31 in Norman), to Texas last year (48-45 in Dallas) and at Kansas State three weeks ago (48-41). Twenty-two of those 39 victories have been by at least 15 points, and 11 by at least 30 points.

• In a stat that speaks to OU's success on both sides of the ball, the Sooners have run 29 fewer plays than their opponents this season (569-598) but have outgained them by a staggering 2,099 yards (5,286-3,187). OU leads the nation in total offense (598.4 ypg) despite ranking 118th in plays per game (just 63.2).

• The Sooners have scored at least 34 points in 19 straight games — good for the longest streak in school history — and in 30 of the last 31. The 19-game streak is the second longest nationally since at least 1980 (Oregon did it in 23 consecutive games in 2011 and '12).

• OU is 24-6 as the No. 10 team in the AP poll, but amazingly has only played one true road game under the circumstance (won 24-7 at Iowa State in 1993). Against ranked foes, the Sooners are 4-5 as the AP's No. 10 squad.

• "ESPN College GameDay" will air from Waco on Saturday, marking the 37th time the show will have been on hand for a game involving Oklahoma. Only Alabama (47 times), Ohio State (45) and Florida (41) have been featured more often than OU, and the Sooners are 23-13 in such games. This marks College GameDay's second appearance at an OU-Baylor contest (also in 2015 when No. 12 OU beat the No. 4 Bears 44-34 in Waco).

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 four straight against the Bears (have averaged 51.0 points). OU scored 44 points in 2015, 45 in 2016, 49 in 2017 and 66 last year. It has scored at least 30 points in 18 of the last 20 series games, and at least 40 in 12 of those.

• OU has won 18 straight November games (last loss on Nov. 8, 2014, vs. Baylor). Since the start of the 2000 season, it is 62-11 (.849) in the month.

• Saturday's game will feature the Big 12's top scoring offense in Oklahoma (48.4 ppg; No. 2 nationally) vs. the league's top scoring defense in Baylor (19.0 ppg; No. 17 nationally). OU also ranks first in the country in total offense (587.3 ypg) while Baylor ranks second in the Big 12 and 31st nationally in total defense (337.4 ypg). Similarly, the Sooners lead the nation in passing efficiency rating (210.2) while the Bears lead the Big 12 and rank 10th nationally in passing efficiency defense (109.4 rating).

• 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 219.7 season pass efficiency rating and owns five of the nation's top 21 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 96.6 rushing yards per contest and ranks fourth in the country by averaging 7.0 yards per carry. His 401.2 yards of total offense per game are more than 57 FBS teams and 27 Power Five squads average.

• Oklahoma is averaging a nation-leading 587.3 offensive yards per game, which is 41.5 yards more than the next highest average (545.8 by Clemson). Making that even more impressive is the fact the Sooners rank 118th out of 130 teams by averaging just 63.2 plays per game. OU averages 9.3 yards per play, which is 1.5 yards more than the team with the second-highest average (7.8 by Alabama). Last year, OU set the FBS single-season record by averaging 8.6 yards per play.

• The Sooners led the nation last season in both yards per pass attempt (11.3) and yards per rush (6.6). This year, OU ranks first nationally with its 12.6 yards per pass attempt (FBS record is 11.7 by OU in 2017) and ranks second with its 6.86 yards per rush (Clemson averages 6.87; OU school record is 7.1 in 1971).

• Junior receiver CeeDee Lamb has gained at least 135 receiving yards five times this season (135, 144, 167, 171 and 185), including in four of the last five games. Over the last four contests he is averaging 136.0 receiving yards and has scored six touchdowns. On the season, Lamb is tied for the national lead in TD receptions (13; only Power Five player) while ranking fifth in yards per catch (22.3) and ninth in receiving yards per game (109.2). Making his TD and yards-per-game numbers even more impressive is the fact that he ranks 68th nationally with just 4.9 catches per game.

Lead, Stevenson

ROAD WARRIORS

• Oklahoma has won 22 of its last 23 true road games, with the only loss during that stretch coming at Kansas State on Oct. 26. OU's 22-game true road winning streak (it hadn't lost since Oct 4, 2014) was 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, OU outscored opponents 1,076-626 (49-28 average) and outgained them 12,829 yards to 9,208 (583-419 average).

• Oklahoma has outgained its opponent in 21 of the 23 true road games.

• OU has scored at least 31 points in each of its last 28 true road games and at least 41 points in 21 of them.

SCOUTING BAYLOR

• Baylor is 9-0 overall and 6-0 in Big 12 play, and is coming off a 29-23 triple-overtime win at TCU last weekend. It was the second overtime win of the season for the Bears, who also defeated Texas Tech 33-30 in double OT at home on Oct. 12. Four of their wins have come by fewer than seven points, all in Big 12 play. Head coach Matt Rhule is in his third season in Waco, and has led BU to a 17-17 record with an increase in wins each season (1-11 in 2017, 7-6 in 2018).

• The Bears lead the Big 12 in scoring defense (19.0 ppg) and rank second in total defense (337.4), allowing 127.1 rushing yards and 210.3 passing yards per game. They are tied for the most takeaways in the league with 18 (eight fumbles, 10 interceptions) and carry a plus-six turnover margin. Offensively, the Bears average 35.3 points and 459.6 total yards per game (188.2 rushing, 271.3 passing).

• Quarterback Charlie Brewer has completed 67.3% of his passes for 2,338 yards (259.8 per game) and 16 TDs against four interceptions. He has rushed 95 times for 211 yards and a team-high seven scores. Denzel Mims leads the squad with 44 catches for 675 yards (75.0 per game) and eight TDs while Tyquan Thornton has 34 receptions for 612 yards and three scores. Running backs John Lovett and JaMychal Hasty have each rushed for four TDs. Lovett has collected 532 yards(averages of 6.3 per rush, 59.1 per game) and Hasty has 461 yards (5.8 per rush, 51.2 per game).

• Linebacker Terrel Bernard leads BU with 68 total tackles and has accounted for 5.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks and an interception. Defensive tackle James Lynch has collected a team-high 12.5 TFLs and 8.5 sacks among his 27 total stops to rank 20th and 10th nationally, respectively, and has added nine QB hurries. Cornerback Grayland Arnold has three of the team's 10 interceptions. Baylor averages 7.7 TFLs and 3.2 sacks per game and has five blocked kicks this season.

LAST YEAR VS. THE BEARS

• Sixth-ranked Oklahoma racked up 607 yards of offense and averaged 11.2 yards per play (tied for the third-highest figure in program history) in defeating Baylor 66-33 in Norman on Sept. 29, 2018. The Sooners, whose point total was tied for their second highest against a Big 12 opponent, were remarkably efficient on offense, registering 10 plays of more than 20 yards, eight of at least 30 yards and six of at least 40 yards.

• OU, which never trailed, set school records for yards per pass attempt (18.8), yards per completion (25.2) and pass efficiency rating (317.8). Quarterback Kyler Murray entered the game on OU's second possession and finished the day 17 for 21 for 432 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions while adding 45 rushing yards and a score. His 348.0 passing efficiency rating set school and Big 12 records (as did his 20.6 yards per pass attempt and 25.4 yards per completion) and was the highest in the FBS since at least 1996.

• Marquise Brown (132 yards, TDs of 24 and 50 yards), CeeDee Lamb (101 yards, 86-yard TD) and Lee Morris (61 yards, TDs of 9 and 43 yards) led OU's receivers, while running back Kennedy Brooks ran for team- and then-career-highs of 107 yards on eight carries (13.4 average) and two scores (34 and 49 yards).

• One week after registering 28 tackles against Army, linebacker Kenneth Murray posted a team-high 17 against the Bears and was followed by linebacker Curtis Bolton (16) and safety Kahlil Haughton (11). Freshman defensive end Ronnie Perkins (three quarterback hurries) and linebacker Caleb Kelly each had two of OU's six sacks, while cornerback Tre Brown tallied an OU-season-high four pass breakups.

• OU was without three of its five team captains. Running back Rodney Anderson was out for the year with a leg injury, and guard Ben Powers and defensive end Kenneth Mann also missed the game due to injury.

Lead, Perkins 18 Baylor

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 nine games this season.

• Oklahoma ranks 13th nationally in opponent third-down conversion percentage (30.6; last year ranked 119th at 46.4), 14th in tackles for loss per game (7.6; last year ranked 57th at 5.6), 37th in sacks per game (2.6; last year ranked 49th at 2.1), 41st in total defense (354.1 ypg; last year ranked 114th at 453.8); 43rd in passing defense (209.4 ypg; last year ranked 130th at 294.0), 48th in scoring defense (25.0 ppg; last year ranked 101st at 33.3) and 51st in rushing defense (144.7 ypg; last year ranked 59th at 159.8).

• In Big 12 play, OU ranks second in total defense (354.8 ypg) and passing defense (208.0 ypg), third in rushing defense (146.8 ypg), pass defense efficiency (134.5 rating) and sacks (2.3 per game) and fourth in scoring defense (27.7 ppg).

• OU has forced a punt on its opponent's first possession in all nine games this season.

• Oklahoma has allowed more than 6.0 yards per play once in its nine games this season (6.9 by Iowa State). In the 41 games from 2016-18, OU allowed at least 6.0 yards per play 20 times.

• Seven of OU's top eight 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 eight. Two redshirt freshmen (LB Nik Bonitto [three] and DL Jalen Redmond) and two true freshmen (CB Jaden Davis and OLB David Ugwoegbu) have each started at least one.

"AIR RAID" A MISNOMER

• Fans and media have often referred to Oklahoma's offense under Lincoln Riley as the "Air Raid." The label is not exactly accurate, however, as the Sooners have rushed more than they've thrown in each of the five years since Riley arrived in Norman, and that's counting plays in which the quarterback was sacked as pass plays (officially they are recorded as rushes). OU's rushing play percentage was 52.6 in 2015, 57.7 in 2016, 53.1 in 2017 and 54.7 in 2018. Through nine games this season, 55.7% of the Sooners' plays have been rushes.

MODEL OF EFFICIENCY

• The Sooners are averaging a staggering 0.74 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 3.98 points per offensive possession this season, putting points on the scoreboard on 63 percent of its drives and scoring touchdowns 52 percent of the time.

• Thirty-seven of OU's 55 offensive TD drives (67%) 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, (21.7) and 20 yards (9.3), and rank second in plays of at least 30 yards (4.9) and 40 yards (2.7), despite ranking 118th nationally by averaging just 63.2 plays per contest.

Lead, Brooks

HURTS: SO GOOD

• Through eight games, quarterback Jalen Hurts ranks atop or near the top of several statistical categories nationally.

• Hurts has completed 151 of 206 passes (73.3%) for 2,742 yards (304.7 per game) and 24 touchdowns with just four interceptions. He has also rushed 125 times for a team-high 869 yards (96.6 per game) and 15 TDs. Hurts leads the country in passing efficiency rating (219.7; FBS single-season record is 199.4), yards per pass attempt (13.3; FBS single-season record is 11.6), yards per completion (18.2; FBS single-season record is 17.5) and points responsible for per game (26.2). He ranks second nationally in total offense (401.2 yards per game), third in completion percentage (73.3), fourth in yards per rush (7.0), fifth in rushing touchdowns (15) and ninth in passing touchdowns (24).

• Hurts is averaging 401.2 yards of total offense per game. That's more yards than 44% of the other FBS teams (57 of 129) and more yards than 42% of other Power Five teams (27 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 (Baker Mayfield in 2017).

• Hurts is the only player nationally with four games of two-plus rushing touchdowns and two-plus passing TDs (Louisiana-Monroe's Caleb Evans [three] is the only other player with more than two).

NO LITTLE LAMB

• Consensus first-team midseason All-American and Maxwell Award semifinalist CeeDee Lamb is continuing his rapid ascent on OU's charts this season. The junior wide receiver from Richmond, Texas, ranks 10th in school history in receptions (155), fourth in receiving yards (2,948) and tied for second in receiving touchdowns (31) despite playing less than three seasons.

• Through nine games this year, Lamb has posted team highs of 44 catches, 983 receiving yards and 13 receiving touchdowns. He's tied for the national lead in receiving TDs and ranks fifth in yards per reception (22.3) and ninth in receiving yards per game (109.2).

• 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 caught at least one touchdown pass in eight of nine contests this season and has 10 TD receptions over the last six 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 Oct. 12.

• Lamb ranks No. 3 among active FBS players (and No. 1 among non-seniors) in career receiving TDs (31). The non-senior with the next-highest total is Alabama junior Jerry Jeudy (25). Lamb ranks fifth among active FBS players with 2,948 career receiving yards, and again is No. 1 among non-seniors.

• A starter in 35 of his 37 career games, Lamb is tied for the OU all-time lead in games of at least 160 receiving yards with five (Ryan Broyles and Sterling Shepard). Lamb also ranks second in school history with his 22 career receptions of at least 40 yards (Broyles had 23 in his four-year career).

• Also a 2019 preseason AP second-team All-American as an all-purpose player, Lamb ranked eighth nationally in 2018 with his 8.2 yards per punt return. He ranks 29th this season by averaging 8.3 yards on 20 returns.

MURRAY A SEMIFINALIST FOR BUTKUS AND BEDNARIK AWARDS

• 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, being named a semifinalist for the Butkus and Bednarik Awards, as well as an ESPN midseason All-American. He has registered team highs of 62 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss, including 2.5 sacks and three pass breakups. 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 37 games since the start of 2017, has 27.5 career tackles for loss and 8.0 sacks.

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 still calls plays as head coach.

• Since the start of the 2015 season, OU ranks first nationally in points per game (45.7; next most is 41.8), total offense (563.3; next most is 519.2), touchdowns from scrimmage (363; next most is 345), pass efficiency rating (192.1; next best is 165.9), yards per pass attempt (10.9) and completion percentage (69.5), third in passing offense (329.7) and 11th in rushing offense (233.7).

• In 63 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 46 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 57 of 63 games since Riley's arrival, at least 40 points 44 times, at least 50 points 25 times and at least 60 points eight times.

Lead, Riley

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 137-29 (.825) in regular season Big 12 play since the start of the 2000 season. That's 23 more wins than the program with the next most victories during that period (Texas; 114-52) and 45 more than the program with the third most (Oklahoma State; 92-74).

EXTRA POINTS

• The Sooners are looking to make their fourth College Football Playoff appearance in the last five seasons, and were No. 9 in last week's initial CFP rankings. OU's initial rankings in the three years it has made the playoff were No. 15 in 2015, No. 5 in 2017 and No. 7 last year. It is ranked No. 10 this week.

• OU has been ranked in the AP's top 10 in 49 of the last 50 polls. The only time it wasn't during that stretch was following its 2017 loss to Iowa State (fell from third to 12th).

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

• The Sooners have won 49 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.

• In Big 12 play, three Sooners rank in the top four in points per game (quarterback Jalen Hurts is second at 11.0, kicker Gabe Brkic is third at 10.5 and receiver CeeDee Lamb in fourth at 10.3).

• Brkic (10 for 10) is one of five placekickers nationally who are perfect on field goals this season, and the only freshman. The redshirt frosh, who is a Lou Groza Award semifinalist, has also made all 33 of his extra-point attempts.

• Since the start of his sophomore season at Alabama, Hurts has posted a 7-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio (49 TDs to 7 INTs).

• Oklahoma has outscored its opponents 114-21 in the first quarter this season (average of 13-2).

• 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 nine through nine games this season (four fumbles lost and five interceptions).

• Oklahoma is 38-4 (.905) 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 (26-16; .619), TCU third (24-18; .571), West Virginia fourth (23-18; .561) and Texas fifth (23-19; .548).

• 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).