Game Primer: OU vs. TCU

Saturday, November 23

Norman

7 p.m.

University of Oklahoma

TCU

November 22, 2019 | Football

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⁹Oklahoma

TCU

Saturday, Nov. 23 / 7 p.m. CT / Owen Field

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OPENING KICK

• No. 9/8/7 Oklahoma (9-1, 6-1) goes for its 400th all-time win at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium when it hosts TCU (5-5, 3-4) on Saturday at 7 p.m. CT. The contest will be televised nationally by FOX with Joe Davis, Brock Huard and Bruce Feldman announcing.

• Saturday's game will mark the last at home in the careers of WR Nick Basquine, DL Dillon Faamatau, DL Neville Gallimore, QB Jalen Hurts, DL Kenneth Mann, QB Connor McGinnis, WR A.D. Miller, WR Lee Morris, CB Parnell Motley, DL Marquise Overton, OL R.J. Proctor and OL Clayton Woods. The seniors will be honored during a pregame ceremony on the field, as will junior TE Grant Calcaterra, who announced his retirement from football on Thursday.

• If it doesn't happen earlier in the day with an Oklahoma State loss at West Virginia (11 a.m. CT kick), the Sooners will clinch a Big 12 Championship Game berth Saturday with a win against TCU. It would mark OU's third Big 12 title game appearance in the three years since the championship game was reinstated.

• OU has won 19 straight November games (last loss on Nov. 8, 2014, vs. Baylor) and 22 of its last 23. Since the start of the 2000 season, it is 63-11 (.851) in the month.

• Oklahoma holds a 14-5 all-time series lead against TCU and has dominated the Horned Frogs since they joined the Big 12 Conference in 2012. OU is 7-1 against TCU in the Big 12 era and has averaged 36.3 points in those contests. The average score over the last three meetings is 44-21. Despite the Sooners' overall success against TCU, they are just 5-4 in the series at home (won the last four).

• OU is 17-1 at home under head coach Lincoln Riley, with the only defeat coming two years ago at the hands of Iowa State, 38-31.

• The Sooners have won 40 of their last 43 games (.930) against Big 12 opponents dating back to the 2015 season. Twenty-two of those 40 victories have been by at least 15 points and 11 by at least 30 points.

• In a stat that speaks to their success on both sides of the ball, the Sooners have run just 14 more plays than their opponents this season (664-650) but have outgained them by a staggering 2,317 yards (5,811-3,494). OU leads the nation in total offense (581.1 ypg) despite ranking 95th in plays per game (just 66.4).

• Oklahoma has scored at least 34 points in 20 straight games — good for the longest streak in school history — and in 31 of the last 32. The 20-game streak is the second longest nationally since at least 1980 (Oregon did it in 23 consecutive games in 2011 and '12).

• Saturday's game will mark OU's 200th in regular season Big 12 play (the league was formed prior to the 1996 season). It owns a 151-48 (.759) record and is followed by Texas (134-65 [.673]) and K-State (116-83 [.583]).

Lead, Team TCU

FOR THE FANS

• At approximately 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, 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. Fans are encouraged to cheer on the team upon arrival and watch as the squad walks the final yards west along Lindsey Street to their locker room.

• "Party at the Palace, Presented by Allstate" is OU's rebranded pregame event that is held on the lawn immediately north of Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. It will begin at 3 p.m. this week and will include many of the same fan-friendly activities and great food options the former "Sooner Fan Fest" did. Fans will have the opportunity to meet Boomer and Sooner and have their photo taken with the Sooner Schooner, the mascots and members of the OU spirit squads. The GoVision jumbotron, which shows other games across the country, will be on site, as will a photo booth, face painter, balloon artists and inflatable football toss. Food will be available from trucks representing Midway Deli, The Meating Place and Whole Latte Pie. And the Sooner Radio Network (flagship 107.7 The Franchise) will be broadcasting live from Fan Fest from 5 to 6 p.m. with crew members Toby Rowland, Merv Johnson, Teddy Lehman, Chris Plank, Gabe Ikard and Rufus Alexander on hand.

KEY STORYLINES

• Saturday's game will feature the Big 12's top offense against its top defense in terms of yards per game. Oklahoma leads the nation with its 581.1 yards of offense per outing, while TCU paces the league and ranks 26th nationally by allowing just 328.8 yards per contest. OU has gained at least 500 yards in eight of 10 games this season (497 and 499 in the other two), while the Horned Frogs have not surrendered more than 459 yards in a game and have held five opponents under 300 yards.

• Oklahoma is 7-1 against TCU since the Horned Frogs joined the Big 12 Conference prior to the 2012 season. The Sooners' lone loss was a 37-33 decision in 2014 in Fort Worth. Each of the first five meetings after TCU joined the league were decided by seven or fewer points, but OU has won the last three by 18, 24 and 25 points.

• In Big 12 play, OU leads the league in total offense (540.1 ypg) and total defense (348.0 ypg). TCU ranks sixth (437.4) and second (351.9), respectively.

• Oklahoma is averaging a nation-leading 581.1 offensive yards per game, which is 25.1 yards more than the next highest average (556.0 by LSU). Making that even more impressive is the fact the Sooners rank 95th out of 130 teams by averaging just 66.4 plays per game. OU averages 8.8 yards per play, which is 1.0 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 11.7 yards per pass attempt (FBS record is 11.7 by OU in 2017) and ranks third with its 6.5 yards per rush (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 his last five games. Over his last four contests (he missed last game vs. Baylor due to a medical issue) he is averaging 136.0 receiving yards and has scored six touchdowns. On the season, Lamb is tied for second nationally in TD receptions (13) while ranking fourth 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 75th nationally with just 4.9 catches per game.

• Lou Groza Award semifinalist Gabe Brkich is one of five placekickers nationally who have made all of their field goal attempts this season and is one of just two who have made all of their field goal AND extra point tries (the other is Wake Forest's Nick Sciba). The redshirt freshman, who didn't take over OU's placekicking duties until the season's fourth game (vs. Texas Tech), is 12 for 12 on field goals and 37 for 37 on PATs. His streak of 12 made field goals is the longest in school history at the start of a career, and the longest ever by an OU freshman.

HOME IS WHERE THE "W" IS

• Oklahoma has won two more Big 12 championships over the last 20 years (12) than it has lost home games. OU is 118-10 (.922) at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium since the start of the 1999 season, with all 128 of those games sellouts. It is the best home winning percentage among Power Five schools over the last 20 seasons (Ohio State is next at .891). OU has outscored opponents by an average of 43-17 in those games. No school has won more than two Big 12 titles since the Sooners won their first in 2000.

SCOUTING TCU

• TCU enters Saturday's game 5-5 overall and 3-4 in Big 12 play. The Horned Frogs, led by 19th-year head coach Gary Patterson, are coming off of a 33-31 win at Texas Tech last weekend. Patterson is the winningest coach in TCU history with a 172-68 record.

• The Horned Frogs lead the Big 12 in total defense (328.8 yards per game) and rushing defense (119.5 yards per game) while ranking just behind OU at third in passing defense (209.3 yards per game) and fifth in scoring defense (26.9 points per game). Offensively, TCU averages 32.3 points per game (sixth in Big 12), 439.1 total yards per game (seventh), 215.6 rushing yards (third) and 223.5 passing yards (ninth). The Frogs are minus-three in turnover margin with 14 takeaways (12 interceptions, two fumbles) and 17 turnovers (nine fumbles, eight interceptions).

• Quarterback Max Duggan has completed 159 of 228 passes (56.4%) for 1,868 yards and 15 touchdowns (seven interceptions), and has rushed 110 times for 440 net yards and five scores. Running back Darius Anderson leads the Frogs with 785 yards (78.5 per game) and six TDs on 136 carries while Sewo Olonilua has tallied 115 carries for 488 yards (48.8 per game) and six scores.

• Jalen Reagor is TCU's leading receiver, notching 36 receptions for 545 yards (54.5 per game) and five TDs while Taye Barber has 25 catches for 342 yards. Tight end Pro Wells has scored five TDs on 16 receptions, gaining 189 yards. Kicker Jonathan Song, a Lou Groza Award semifinalist, has converted 21 of 22 field goals and all 34 PATs attempted.

• Linebacker Garrett Wallow leads TCU defensively with 97 total tackles (63 solo, 34 assists) and 13.0 tackles for loss (2.5 sacks). Safety Trevon Moehrig has a team-high four interceptions, along with nine pass breakups and 51 tackles while safety Ar'Darius Washington has picked off three passes and recorded 28 stops. Defensive tackle Ross Blacklock has a team-high 3.5 sacks and 9.0 TFLs to go with his 35 total tackles.

MUCH IMPROVE'D'

• Hired in January, coordinator and safeties coach Alex Grinch, who is a 2019 Broyles Award nominee, has overseen major improvement on the defensive side of the ball through 10 games this season.

• Oklahoma ranks 17th nationally in opponent third-down conversion percentage (31.5; last year ranked 119th at 46.4), 18th in tackles for loss per game (7.4; last year ranked 57th at 5.6), 35th in sacks per game (2.6; last year ranked 49th at 2.1), 36th in total defense (349.4 ypg; last year ranked 114th at 453.8); 42nd in passing defense (207.9 ypg; last year ranked 130th at 294.0), 47th in rushing defense (141.5 ypg; last year ranked 59th at 159.8) and 51st in scoring defense (25.6 ppg; last year ranked 101st at 33.3).

• In Big 12 play, OU leads the league in total defense (348.0 ypg) and passing defense (206.0 ypg), and ranks third in rushing defense (142.0 ypg) and sacks (2.4 per game) and fourth in pass defense efficiency (134.5 rating) and scoring defense (28.1 ppg).

• OU has forced a punt on its opponent's first possession in all 10 games this season.

• Oklahoma has allowed more than 6.0 yards per play once in its 10 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 nine. Two redshirt freshmen (LB Nik Bonitto [four] 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 10 games this season, 55.0% of the Sooners' plays have been rushes.

Lead, Lincoln Jalen

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 (21.8) and 20 yards (8.7), and rank second in plays of at least 30 yards (4.5) and 40 yards (2.4), despite ranking 95th nationally by averaging just 66.4 plays per contest.

HURTS: SO GOOD

• Through 10 games, senior quarterback Jalen Hurts has completed 181 of 248 passes (73.0%) for 3,039 yards (303.9 per game) and 28 touchdowns with five interceptions. He has also rushed 152 times for a team-high 983 yards (98.3 per game) and 15 TDs. Hurts leads the nation in passing efficiency rating (209.1; the single-season FBS record is 199.4), yards per pass attempt (12.3; FBS record is 11.6), yards per completion (16.8) and points responsible for per game (26.0), while ranking second in total offense (402.2 ypg) and third in completion percentage (73.0). He also averages 98.3 rushing yards per contest and ranks ninth in the country by averaging 6.5 yards per carry.

• Hurts is a semifinalist for the Walter Camp, Maxwell, Davey O'Brien and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose awards.

• Hurts' 402.2 yards of total offense per game are more than 50% of the other FBS teams (64 of 129) and more than 50% of other Power Five teams (32 of 64).

• Hurts has already posted five passing efficiency ratings over 245.0 this season, including a national-best 308.5 vs. West Virginia. 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 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

• A consensus first-team midseason All-American and Walter Camp, Maxwell, Biletnikoff and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose awards 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.

• In nine games this year (he missed last Saturday's game at Baylor due to medical reasons), Lamb has posted team highs of 44 catches, 983 receiving yards and 13 receiving touchdowns. He's tied for second nationally in receiving TDs and ranks fourth in yards per reception (22.3) and ninth in receiving yards per game (109.2).

• Lamb has caught at least one touchdown pass in eight of his nine contests this season and has 10 TD receptions over his last six outings.

• 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 sixth 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).

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 Award, Bednarik Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy, as well as an ESPN midseason All-American. He has registered team highs of 70 tackles and 9.5 tackles for loss, including 2.5 sacks, three pass breakups and three QB hurries. He was named the Lott IMPACT Player of the Week after the season-opening win over Houston and last week's win at Baylor, and was Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in a win over Texas.

• Murray, who has started all 38 games since the start of 2017, has 29.5 career tackles for loss and 8.0 sacks.

lead, Murray

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 (45.6; next most is 41.8), total offense (562.7; next most is 517.2), touchdowns from scrimmage (367; next most is 352), pass efficiency rating (192.1; next best is 166.4), yards per pass attempt (10.9) and completion percentage (69.5; tied), third in passing offense (329.1) and 11th in rushing offense (233.6).

• In 64 games since the start of the 2015 season, OU has registered at least 500 yards of total offense 48 times, including in 38 of the last 47 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 58 of 64 games since Riley's arrival, at least 40 points 44 times, at least 50 points 25 times and at least 60 points eight times.

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 138-29 (.826) in regular season Big 12 play since the start of the 2000 season. That's 24 more wins than the program with the next most victories during that period (Texas; 114-53) and 45 more than the program with the third most (Oklahoma State; 93-74).

EXTRA POINTS

• Oklahoma is 28-5-2 overall and 9-1 at home as the No. 8 team in the AP poll. The only home loss as the No. 8 team came in 2012 versus No. 5 Notre Dame (30-13). Against unranked opponents, the Sooners are 16-0-1 (7-0 at home) as the AP's No. 8 squad.

• OU has been ranked in the AP's top 10 in 50 of the last 51 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 (kicker Gabe Brkic is second at 10.4, receiver CeeDee Lamb is third at 10.3 and quarterback Jalen Hurts is fourth at 9.4).

• Oklahoma has outscored its opponents 117-35 in the first quarter this season (average of 12-4).

• Since the start of his sophomore season at Alabama, Hurts has posted a 6.6-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio (53 TDs to 8 INTs).

• 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).

• Oklahoma has scored at least 50 points 25 times since the start of the 2015 season, most in the nation.