Game Primer: OU vs. Texas Tech

6/4 Oklahoma

Texas Tech

Saturday, Sept. 28 / 11 a.m. CT / Owen Field

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Game Notes

OPENING KICK

• No. 6/4 Oklahoma (3-0, 0-0) looks to become the sixth FBS program to register 900 all-time wins (as recognized by the NCAA) when it hosts Texas Tech (2-1, 0-0) on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT. The contest will be televised nationally by FOX with Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt and Jenny Taft announcing.

• The Sooners and Red Raiders are both coming off bye weeks.

• OU has won six straight Big 12 openers and 10 of its last 11 (lost 24-19 to No. 15 Kansas State in Norman in 2012).

• Oklahoma owns a 20-6 record against Texas Tech (11-2 in Norman) and has won each of the last seven games in the series. OU is averaging 50.0 points, 599.1 yards and 307.7 rushing yards per contest during the streak.

• The Sooners have scored at least 38 points in each of their last nine games against the Red Raiders. It is the second-longest streak against an opponent in school history (OU scored at least 38 points in 11 straight games against Kingfisher College from 1908 through 1919).

• OU has won 34 of its last 36 games (.944) 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). Nineteen of those 34 victories have been by at least 15 points, and nine by at least 30 points.

• OU is the only program to win at least three straight Big 12 titles, and has done so twice (2006-08 and 2015-18). Its 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]).

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

• Oklahoma is 33-3 (.917) in regular season Big 12 play the last four years, which coincides with Lincoln Riley's arrival at OU. Oklahoma State and West Virginia rank second during that period (23-14; .622), TCU fourth (22-14; .611) and Texas fifth (20-17; .541).

• OU has scored at least 34 points in 13 straight games and 24 of the last 25.

• At UCLA on Sept. 14, the Sooners racked up 434 first-half yards in taking a 34-7 halftime lead before winning 48-14. OU outgained the Bruins 611 yards to 311 and registered two takeaways (interceptions) without a turnover. Jalen Hurts completed 15 of 20 passes for 289 yards and three touchdowns while rushing 14 times for 150 yards and a score.

• Texas Tech is coming off a 28-14 loss at Arizona two weeks ago after leading 14-13 after three quarters. The Red Raiders, who forced three turnovers while committing two, were outgained 499 yards to 411. QB Alan Bowman completed 30 of 55 pass attempts for 307 yards and a TD, but Arizona outgained Tech by 210 yards on the ground (314-104).

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 take place at approximately 8:30 a.m. with the team arriving at approximately 8:45. 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 Street to their locker room.

• "Party at the Palace, Presented by Allstate" is OU's rebranded pregame event that will be held on the lawn immediately north of Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. It will begin three-and-a-half hours prior to kickoff each week (7:30 a.m. for the Texas Tech game) 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 is back for 2019, as are the 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 9 to 10 a.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 an Oklahoma squad that ranks seventh nationally in passing offense (352.3 yards per game) and a Texas Tech team that ranks third nationally in passing defense (133.7 yards per game). OU leads the nation in passing efficiency rating (244.7; next highest is 213.6) while the Red Raiders rank 14th by allowing a 105.0 rating. Similarly, the Sooners have thrown 12 TD passes without an interception and are tied for the national lead with their 77.9 completion percentage, while Tech has surrendered two passing TDs (two interceptions) and has allowed just a 50.0-percent completion rate.

• OU quarterback Jalen Hurts is the only FBS player since at least 1996 to record three or more passing efficiency ratings of at least 245.0 (min. 18 attempts per game) in a season. He leads the nation with his 250.2 season rating (next highest is 225.6 by LSU's Joe Burrow) and owns the nation's sixth-, seventh- and ninth-best passing efficiency ratings this year (253.6 vs. South Dakota, 251.3 vs. Houston and 245.9 at UCLA). Hurts is also the only player in the country averaging more than 85 rushing yards (124.3) and at least 225 passing yards (293.3) per contest this season. He leads all quarterbacks in rushing yards per contest (next most among those who have played at least three games is 82.2 by Oklahoma State's Spencer Sanders).

• The 2019 Sooners are the only FBS team since at least the start of the 1996 campaign to average 7.5 yards or more per rush in each of its first three games of a season (min. 35 attempts per game). OU averaged 9.6 yards per carry vs. Houston, 7.9 vs. South Dakota and 7.5 at UCLA.

• 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 17 games (since the start of last season), and OU has accomplished the feat seven times in the last 10 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.

• 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 with its 13.7 yards per pass attempt (next highest average is 11.5) and with its 8.3 yards per rush (next highest average is 7.5).

• Under the direction of first-year defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, OU has forced five turnovers, three turnovers on downs and 16 punts through three games, while registering 22 tackles for loss and nine sacks. After ranking 118th nationally last year in defensive third-down conversion percentage (46.4%), OU ranks seventh nationally this season (24.3%). Houston (5 for 13), South Dakota (1 for 11) and UCLA (3 for 13) combined to convert 9 of 37 (24%) third-down attempts. Conversely, the Sooners are 16 for 27 on the year offensively for 59% (tied for second nationally).

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 115-10 (.920) at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium since the start of the 1999 season, with all 125 of those games sellouts (Saturday's game versus Texas Tech is also a sellout). It is the best home winning percentage among Power Five schools over the last 20 seasons (Ohio State is next at .889). OU has outscored its 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.
Lead, Motley

SCOUTING TEXAS TECH

• Texas Tech is in its first season under head coach Matt Wells. From Sallisaw, Okla., Wells spent the previous six years at his alma mater of Utah State where he compiled a 44-34 record and led the Aggies to five bowl appearances.

• The Red Raiders are 2-1 this season with wins over Montana State (45-10) and UTEP (38-3) that preceded a loss at Arizona (28-14) two weeks ago.

• Texas Tech averages 32.3 points and 508.7 total yards per game (167.3 rushing, 341.3 passing) while allowing 13.7 points and 306.3 total yards per contest (172.7 rushing, 133.7 passing). Tech is minus-1 in turnover margin and has converted 50% of its third downs while allowing opponents a 37% third-down conversion rate.

• Armand Shyne leads the Red Raiders in rushing with 238 yards (79.3 per game) and two touchdowns on 32 carries, and is followed by Ta'Zhawn Henry's 104 yards and one score on 23 rushes and SaRodoric Thompson's 94 yards and three TDs on 23 carries. T.J. Vasher sets the pace with 246 receiving yards (82.0 per game) and two TDs on 18 receptions. McLane Mannix has collected 137 yards and two TDs on 10 receptions, Dalton Rigdon has 164 yards and a touchdown on 14 catches and Xavier White had 138 yards and a score on nine grabs.

• The TTU defense has accounted for six sacks, 23 tackles for loss, two interceptions and one fumble recovery. Linebacker Jordyn Brooks paces the unit with 35 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, a fumble recovery and four QB hurries. Safety Douglas Coleman has two interceptions and a pass breakup to go along with 20 tackles.

• Texas Tech quarterback Alan Bowman leads the Big 12 with his 340.0 passing yards per game and ranks second nationally with his 33.7 completions per contest, but Wells announced last week that Bowman will miss several weeks due to a shoulder injury sustained at Arizona. Backup QBs Jett Duffey and Jackson Tyner have combined to complete one pass on four attempts this season. Last year against the Sooners, Duffey replaced an injured Bowman and completed 9 of 17 passes for 139 yards and two TDs while rushing 13 times for 47 yards and a score.

LAST YEAR VS. THE RED RAIDERS

• No. 7/7/7 Oklahoma fell behind 14-0 midway through the first quarter but outscored Texas Tech 51-32 the rest of the way in a 51-46 win in Lubbock last November. It was OU's nation-leading 19th consecutive true road victory.

• The Sooners outgained the Red Raiders by 210 yards (683-473) and averaged 8.6 yards per play to Tech's 6.7. OU held the Raiders to a 3-for-13 performance on third downs (23 percent).

• Kyler Murray became the first Sooner to ever pass for at least 300 yards and rush for at least 100 in a game, as he was 20 for 35 through the air for 360 yards and three TDs, and ran for 100 yards and a score on 11 carries (9.1 average).

• Trey Sermon ran for career highs of 206 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 7.9 yards per rush. Twenty-five of his 26 carries went for positive yards (seven went for at least 10 yards), while the other was for no gain. The 206 yards were the most by a Sooner in two seasons and the second most by a Big 12 player on the year. The sophomore rushed for 98 yards in the fourth quarter alone (on 10 carries), scoring on runs of 20 and 30 yards to help ice the victory.

• Lee Morris caught four passes for a career-high 101 yards and a pair of touchdowns (16 and 46 yards).

• Linebacker Kenneth Murray led the Sooners with 11 tackles, his sixth double-digit effort in seven games. He also finished with 1.5 tackles for loss. Safety Robert Barnes logged five tackles and returned an intercepted two-point conversion attempt 100 yards for two points as Tech was attempting to tie the game at 42 with 6:54 remaining.
Lead, Sermon 18 vs. Tech

MODEL OF EFFICIENCY

• The Sooners are averaging a staggering 0.82 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).

• Oklahoma has averaged 4.57 points per offensive possession this season, putting points on the scoreboard on 69 percent of its drives and scoring touchdowns 63 percent of the time.

• Fourteen of OU's 22 offensive TD drives (64 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, (24.3), 20 yards (10.7; next most is 8.8), 30 yards (7.3; next most is 5.5) and 40 yards (3.7), despite running just 194 plays (64.7 per game; only 22 teams average fewer plays per game).

RILEY'S FAST START

• The Football Bowl Subdivision's youngest head coach (33) at the time of his hiring, Lincoln Riley was named the 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 in his first two years, 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 two years as OU's head coach. He turned 36 on Sept. 5.

• Since the start of the 2015 season, OU ranks first nationally in points per game (45.8; next most is 41.6), total offense (565.5; next most is 525.5), touchdowns from scrimmage (330; next most is 308), pass efficiency rating (191.9; next best is 164.3), completion percentage (69.6; tied) and yards per pass attempt (10.8), and is fourth in passing offense (329.5) and 10th in rushing offense (236.0).

HURTS THRIVING IN OU STARTING ROLE

• After a competitive battle during August camp, head coach Lincoln Riley announced Aug. 19 that senior Jalen Hurts will 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 three games, he has performed as one of the best players in the country.

• Hurts has completed 49 of 61 passes (80.3%) for 880 yards (293.3 per game) and nine touchdowns without an interception. He has also rushed 38 times for 373 yards (124.3 per game) and four TDs. Hurts leads the nation in passing efficiency rating (250.2), yards per completion (18.0) and yards per pass attempt (14.4), ranks second in completion percentage, total offense (417.7 yards per game) and yards per rush (9.8), and fifth in points responsible for per game (26.0).

• Hurts has already posted more passing efficiency ratings over 245.0 this season (three) than any FBS player has recorded in a season going back to at least 1996 (minimum 18 attempts per game). 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 for a season: Mayfield in 2017.

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

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.

• The last Power Five program to win five straight outright league titles was Alabama (SEC) from 1971 through 1975.

EXTRA POINTS

• Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley turned 36 on Sept. 5. He is the fifth-youngest FBS head coach. He is 20-1 against unranked opponents as OU's head coach (lost 38-31 to Iowa State on Oct. 7, 2017).

• The Sooners are 36-4 overall and 22-2 in home games as the No. 6 team in the AP poll. Against unranked opponents, OU is 27-1 (19-0 at home) as the AP's No. 6 squad.

• OU has run one fewer play than its opponents this season (195-194), but has outgained its foes by 972 yards (2,030-1,058).

• Junior receiver CeeDee Lamb ranks fourth nationally by averaging 25.4 yards per catch and has scored three TDs.

• Since the start of his sophomore season at Alabama, OU quarterback Jalen Hurts has posted an 11.3-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio (34 TDs to three INTs).

• The Sooners have been ranked in the AP's top 10 in 42 of the last 43 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 38-0 in the first quarter this season and 83-17 in the first half.

• OU ranked fourth nationally last year by converting 51.7 percent of its third-down plays and is 16 for 27 this season (59.3%; ranks second). The Sooners ranked 11th last year by converting 66.8% (9 of 14) of its fourth-down plays and is 2 for 2 in 2019.

• OU committed 13 turnovers each of the last two years. That's the second-lowest total in school history (11 in 2008). It has committed two this season (fumbles vs. Houston).

OPENING KICK

FOR THE FANS

KEY STORYLINES

HOME IS WHERE THE "W" IS

SCOUTING TEXAS TECH

LAST YEAR VS. THE RED RAIDERS

MODEL OF EFFICIENCY

BIG-PLAY SOONERS

RILEY'S FAST START

HURTS THRIVING IN OU STARTING ROLE

GOING FOR BIG 12 FIVE-PEAT

EXTRA POINTS

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Robert Barnes

Jalen Hurts

CeeDee Lamb

Tanner Mordecai

Lee Morris

Kenneth Murray

Kyler Murray

Spencer Rattler

Trey Sermon

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