Game Primer: OU at Kansas

Saturday, October 28

Lawrence, Kan.

11 a.m.

University of Oklahoma

Kansas

Photo by: Morgan Givens, OU Athletics

October 26, 2023 | Football

Watch Listen Game Notes Live Stats

By: OU Athletics Communications

#6/6 Oklahoma

Kansas

Saturday, Oct. 28 / 11 a.m. CT / David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium / Lawrence, Kan.

FOX / Radio / Live Stats / Game Notes

OPENING KICK

• No. 6/6 Oklahoma (7-0, 4-0 Big 12) goes for its 19th straight victory over Kansas (5-2, 2-2) when it meets the Jayhawks on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kan. The game will be televised by FOX with Jason Benetti, Brock Huard and Allison Williams announcing.

• Oklahoma is 80-27-6 (.735) all-time vs. Kansas and has won 18 straight in the series. It is OU's longest active winning streak against an opponent. Eight of KU's wins came in the series' first eight meetings (1903-10) while 16 of its victories came before 1931. Since 1965, the Sooners are 45-6 (.882) vs. the Jayhawks.

• The Sooners have scored at least 34 points in each of their last 14 games against Kansas. It is the longest such streak in school history against a single opponent (next longest is 13 consecutive games [current] vs. Texas Tech) and is the second-longest streak nationally (longest current) against one opponent since 1996.

• A win on Saturday would give the Sooners just their second 8-0 start over the past 18 years (9-0 in 2021). OU started 8-0 or better four times from 2000-04 (7-0 in 2001).

• Oklahoma has posted a nation-leading eight winning streaks of at least seven games over the last nine seasons. Alabama and Ohio State rank second since the start of the 2015 season with seven seasons of a seven-plus game winning streak.

• Kansas' six wins last season were more than it totaled in any of its previous 13 campaigns. The Jayhawks appeared in the AP poll twice in 2022 (both No. 19 rankings), their first showings in that poll since the 2009 campaign, and have cracked the top 25 twice this season (No. 24 on Sept. 24 and No. 23 on Oct. 8).

• Oklahoma is 159-35 (.820) since the start of the 2000 season as an AP top-10 team. The Sooners' 629 all-time weeks in the AP's top 10 are the second most nationally (Ohio State; 694).

• OU's 13.9 improvement from last season in opponent points per game (30.0 to 16.1) is third best among Power Five teams (Arizona - 15.9; UCLA - 14.1).

• Oklahoma's 113 points allowed are its fewest over the first seven games of a season since 2009 (gave up 71).

• OU is one of four teams (Georgia, Michigan and Penn State are the others) that ranks in the top 13 nationally in both scoring offense (No. 4 at 43.1 ppg) and scoring defense (No. 13 at 16.1 ppg).

• The Sooners have trailed for just 33 minutes and 20 seconds out of 420 minutes this season (and in only three games). They have led for 333:37.

• OU is a league-best 173-58 (.749) in regular season Big 12 play since the conference began in 1996. The current Big 12 program with the next best winning percentage is Texas, almost 100 points behind (152-79; .658).

KEY STORYLINES

• Each of the last 18 meetings in the Oklahoma-Kansas series have been OU double-digit victories. The Sooners have outscored the Jayhawks 797-280 in those contests (average of 44-16) and have outgained them 9,118 yards to 5,127 (average of 507-285). OU has won the last nine meetings by a combined score of 452-154 (50-17 average). KU has scored single-digit points in five of the last nine matchups and six of the last 11.

• The Jayhawks have won 13 games in their first two-and-a-half seasons under head coach Lance Leipold. That's one more victory than the program totaled over the seven seasons prior to Leipold's arrival. KU hasn't finished with a winning record since 2008 (8-5) under former head coach (and former OU assistant coach; 1999-2001) Mark Mangino.

• Redshirt senior OU quarterback Dillon Gabriel is off to a pristine seven-game start and ranks in the top 10 nationally in many categories. The Mililani, Hawaii, product ranks fourth in points responsible for per game (20.6), fifth in total offense (337.3 ypg), sixth in passing touchdowns (19), seventh in passing efficiency rating (172.4) and ninth in passing offense (304.4 ypg) and pass completion percentage (.712; for perspective the OU single-season record is .709 by Baker Mayfield in 2016). He leads the Big 12 in all of those categories, as well as yards per pass attempt (9.1). Gabriel will face a Kansas squad that ranks eighth the Big 12 in passing defense (235.0 ypg) and last in opponent completion percentage (.661).

• Redshirt freshman receiver Nic Anderson leads the Big 12 with his eight touchdown receptions and ranks second nationally with his 24.2 yards per catch. His eight touchdowns have come on 16 receptions, giving him the nation's highest TD reception rate (50%) this season (min. 5 TD catches). Only one FBS player since the start of the 1996 season (Appalachian State tight end Barrett Burns in 2015; 53.3%) has gone an entire season with a higher TD reception rate (min. 8 TD catches).

• The Sooners rank second nationally with their 12 interceptions. They reached 12 by their sixth game, their most interceptions through the first six contests of a season since 2000. OU is the only Power Five team with at least four players with two or more interceptions this year (Gentry Williams has three while Billy Bowman, Kendel Dolby and Key Lawrence have two each). Kansas' three interceptions thrown are tied for the fewest in the Big 12 (with Oklahoma and Texas).

• OU is one of just five teams nationally that has allowed two or fewer rushing TDs. Kansas ranks second in the Big 12 in rushing TDs (16) and yards per carry (5.6), and fourth in rushing offense (212.0 ypg).

• After ranking 49th nationally last year in third-down conversion percentage (.405) and 87th in third-down conversion percentage defense (.409), OU has been much stronger in both categories in 2023. The Sooners have converted 49 of their 97 third downs through seven games, good for the nation's 11th-best percentage (.519) out of 130 teams. And OU has allowed foes to convert just 30 of their 105 combined third-down tries. The .286 opponent figure has the Sooners ranked sixth in the country. Kansas ranks fourth nationally in third-down conversion percentage (.534) and 107th in third-down conversion percentage defense (.444).

• The Sooners have allowed just 21 scores by opposing offenses (10 touchdowns and 11 field goals for 106 total points) on 85 possessions through seven contests. OU has also allowed an offensive touchdown in just six of 28 quarters. It has not permitted an offensive touchdown in the first or third quarter and has allowed just 39 points after halftime (5.6 points per second half).

• OU ranks second in the country with its +1.4 turnover margin per game. The Sooners rank eighth nationally with their 2.1 takeaways per contest and have committed just five turnovers (rank seventh with 0.7 per game). They also blocked a punt against SMU that led to a touchdown and one vs. Iowa State that resulted in a safety.

LAST YEAR VS. KANSAS

• Oklahoma snapped its first three-game losing streak since 1998 with a 52-42 home win over No. 19/20 Kansas on Oct. 15, 2022. OU never trailed in the contest and led by as many as 21 points (42-21 and 49-28).

• The Sooners' 701 yards of offense (403 passing, 298 rushing) were their most against a conference opponent since 2018. The effort marked OU's 14th of 700 yards or more in program history.

• OU ran 100 offensive plays, the 12th time in school history to run at least 100 plays and first since 2014 (102 in a 59-14 win at Iowa State).

• The Sooners converted 16 of 21 third-down attempts and their lone fourth-down try.

• OU's 487 first-half yards (304 passing, 183 rushing) were its second most ever in a half. The Sooners outgained KU by 256 yards in the first half (487-231) in taking a 35-21 lead.

• Quarterback Dillon Gabriel returned to action after missing the previous game and a half (injury) to complete 29 of 42 passes for 403 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed 10 times for 37 yards and a TD en route to being named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week. The 400-yard passing performance was the fifth of his career and first of the season.

• Gabriel completed 21 of 29 passes for 304 yards in the first half. It was OU's first 300-yard passing effort in a half since the 2019 season (Jalen Hurts vs. Texas Tech).

• Running backs Jovantae Barnes and Eric Gray each had two rushing touchdowns in the game. It was the first time OU had two players score multiple rushing TDs against an FBS opponent since 2015. Gray finished with 176 yards on 20 carries for an average of 8.8 per tote. Barnes carried 21 times for 69 yards.

• OU produced two 100-yard receivers in Marvin Mims (106 yards on a career-high nine catches) and Brayden Willis (career-high 102 yards on a career-high-tying five receptions).

• Redshirt senior defensive back C.J. Coldon registered his second interception in two games while super senior linebacker DaShaun White registered the first of his career.

HAVE CONFIDENCE, WILL TRAVEL

• Oklahoma has won 32 of its last 39 true road games (.821) going back to 2014, with five of the seven losses one-score outcomes.

• The 2019 defeat at K-State snapped OU's 22-game true road winning streak (it hadn't lost since Oct 4, 2014, at TCU), which was the second longest such streak nationally since at least the end of World War II. During the 22-game streak, OU outscored foes 1,076-626 (49-28 average) and outgained them by 3,621 yards (583-419 average).

• The Sooners have outgained their opponent in 31 of their last 39 true road games.

• OU has scored at least 30 points in 39 of its last 44 true road games (school-record 35-game streak was stopped in 2021 at Baylor). The next highest team total over its last 44 true road contests is 32 (Ohio State).

GABRIEL A TD MACHINE

• Redshirt senior quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who has started 44 of his 45 career games between UCF (2019-21) and OU (2022-23), including each of his last 44, leads all FBS players since the start of 2019 with his 114 touchdown passes despite missing 11 games during the span due to injury.

• Gabriel also ranks first nationally since the start of 2019 with his 13,331 passing yards. Oregon's Bo Nix (in nine more games) is second.

• Gabriel is tied with former Florida QB Danny Wuerffel for 15th on the FBS career chart for passing touchdowns (114). He needs seven TD passes to move into the top 10 and 17 to move into the top five.

• If Gabriel continues to average 2.5 TD passes per contest like he did in his first 38 games entering this season (he is averaging 2.7 this season), he would finish with 127 career TDs in a 13-game 2023 campaign, which he would accomplish in a 51-game career. The 127 passing touchdowns would rank eighth in FBS history. Landry Jones is the OU record-holder for career passing TDs with 123 in 52 games (Baker Mayfield passed for 131 career TDs, but 12 of those were as a Texas Tech Red Raider).

• Through seven games this season, Gabriel has accounted for 24 touchdowns and four turnovers (three interceptions and one fumble). He ranks seventh nationally with his 172.4 pass efficiency rating and ninth with his .712 completion percentage, going 166 for 233 for 2,131 yards (304.4 average) and 19 TDs. He has also rushed for 230 yards and five TDs.

MORE ON THE OFFENSE

• The Sooners rank in the top 10 nationally in a multitude of categories through seven games, including first in first downs per game (27.7). The also rank fourth in scoring offense (45.2 ppg) and passing touchdowns (21), sixth in completion percentage (.722) and pass efficiency rating (175.6), seventh in total offense (496.9 ypg), passing offense (328.6 ypg) and fourth-down conversion percentage (.800).

• Fourteen Sooners have scored at least one offensive touchdown this season. Only Georgia, Notre Dame, SMU and USC have more (15 players each).

• Oklahoma is one of only three teams in the country to score at least 60 points twice this season (LSU and Penn State are the others).

• OU ranks third nationally with its 1.6 pass plays per game of 40+ yards (11 plays in seven games).

• Two Sooners rank in the top 22 nationally in yards per catch: Nic Anderson (No. 2 at 24.2) and Jalil Farooq (No. 22 at 19.0).

• Since Sept. 16, Anderson is tied for the national lead with his eight touchdown catches and has amassed that total in just five games.

• Quarterback Dillon Gabriel leads the Big 12 in total offense (337.3 ypg; next most is 309.0), passing offense (304.4 ypg; next most is 282.7), total touchdowns (24; next most is 20), passing TDs (19; next most is 16), completion percentage (.712), passing efficiency rating (172.4; next best is 163.7), points responsible for per game (20.6; next most is 17.1) and passing yards per pass attempt (9.1).

MORE ON THE DEFENSE

• With 19 returning defensive letterwinners (26 total returning defensive players) and 32 total newcomers (nine transfers, 22 freshmen and one junior college transfer), the Sooners have a deeper group of players on that side of the ball in 2023.

• After ranking 98th in scoring defense (30.0 ppg) and 121st in total defense (461.0 ypg) last year, OU ranks 13th (16.1 ppg) and 54th (359.1 ypg), respectively, this season. It also ranks first in tackles for loss per game (9.3), second in interceptions (12), sixth in third-down conversion percentage defense (.286), seventh in defensive touchdowns (two), 22nd in pass efficiency defense rating (117.4) and 33rd in opponent yards per play (5.1).

• Oklahoma has allowed a total of 39 points and just 1,076 total yards after halftime this season for averages of 5.6 points and 153.7 yards per second half. OU has limited two opponents (Tulsa [92] and Iowa State [82]) to fewer than 100 total yards in the second half. The Sooners have allowed just 15 points in the third quarter (five field goals).

• One year after leading the Big 12 in tackles, junior linebacker Danny Stutsman ranks second this season with his 10.0 stops per game (the leader averages 10.1). The AP, The Athletic, CBS Sports, ESPN, FOX Sports and USA Today midseason All-American has led OU in tackles in six of seven games and against SMU in week two was named Walter Camp National FBS Defensive Player of the Week after logging 17 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, a QB hurry and a fumble recovery. Stutsman also ranks second in the league and sixth nationally with his 1.6 TFLs per game (11.5 total) and returned an interception for a touchdown at Tulsa.

• OU's lone preseason All-Big 12 selection, junior defensive end Ethan Downs has a team-high 4.5 sacks, ranks second on the squad with his 6.0 tackles for loss and is tied with sophomore linebacker Jaren Kanak for the team lead with four QB hurries. Downs earned second-team All-Big 12 honors last season when he started all 13 games and led the team (ranked fourth in Big 12) with his 13.5 TFLs. He tied for the team lead with 4.5 sacks and paced the Sooners with nine QB hurries.

• OU signed nine defensive scholarship transfers in the offseason, six of them defensive linemen in redshirt seniors Rondell Bothroyd (Wake Forest), Trace Ford (Oklahoma State), Jacob Lacey (Notre Dame), Phil Paea (Utah State), Davon Sears (Texas State) and Da'Jon Terry (Tennessee). The sextet combined for 185 games played, 58 starts, 62 tackles for loss and 33.5 sacks. Bothroyd has started all seven games this season, while Lacey has started six, Terry two and Ford one.

• Defensive back Peyton Bowen, a five-star player last year at Guyer High School in Denton, Texas, has made an early impact with his 25 tackles, team-high four pass breakups (one on fourth down late vs. SMU) and blocked punts vs. SMU and Iowa State (the latter for a safety). The midseason true freshman All-American (by On3) is one of just two players nationally with two blocked punts this season. Bowen made his first career start in week three at Tulsa, getting the nod at OU's "Cheetah" position.

FIRST-TIME STARTERS

Forty-seven players have made their first appearance in an Oklahoma uniform this season, and 18 players (10 defensive, eight offensive) have made their first OU starts this year. The first-time OU starters have been redshirt senior DE Rondell Bothroyd, super senior OL Walter Rouse, sophomore LB Jaren Kanak and sophomore DB Gentry Williams (seven starts each), redshirt senior DL Jacob Lacey and junior WR Andrel Anthony (six starts each), sophomore LB Dasan McCullough (four starts), redshirt senior DB Reggie Pearson and redshirt sophomore OL Troy Everett (three starts each), redshirt senior DB Justin Harrington and redshirt senior DL Da'Jon Terry (two starts each), and redshirt senior DE Trace Ford, redshirt senior OL Caleb Shaffer, junior RB Tawee Walker, redshirt freshman WR Nic Anderson, redshirt freshman RB Gavin Sawchuk, freshman DB Peyton Bowen and freshman OL Cayden Green (one start each).

OU'S BIG 12 DOMINATION

• OU's 14 Big 12 titles are 11 more than the program with the next most. Baylor, Kansas State and Texas have each won three Big 12 championships and are followed by Nebraska (two) and Colorado, Oklahoma State, TCU and Texas A&M (one each). Colorado and Nebraska left the Big 12 after the 2010 season and Texas A&M departed after 2011.

• Oklahoma's win over Iowa State in the 2020 Big 12 Championship resulted in the Sooners' sixth straight Big 12 title and 14th since 2000 (no other program has won more than two during the span). For perspective, the two Power Five programs with the next most conference titles this millennium are Ohio State (11 in Big Ten) and Oregon (eight in Pac-10/Pac-12).

• Since 2010, OU has won eight Big 12 titles and is followed by Baylor (three), Kansas State (two), Oklahoma State and TCU (one each).

• Since 2000, OU has won more Big 12 championships (14) than it has lost home games (13).

• Oklahoma is 61-14 (.813) in regular season Big 12 play since the start of the 2015 season. Oklahoma State ranks second during that period (49-27; .645), TCU third (44-33; .571), Texas fourth (41-34; .547) and Kansas State fifth (40-36; .526).

• Oklahoma is the only program to win at least three straight Big 12 titles, and it has done so twice (2006-08 and 2015-20). Baylor (2013-14) is the only other program to win two Big 12 championships in a row.

• Every OU freshman class from 1999-2020 has won at least one Big 12 title and all but the 2011 and 2020-22 freshman classes have won at least two. The 2015, 2016 and 2017 freshman classes each won four Big 12 titles.

HEISMAN U

• Quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray became Oklahoma's sixth and seventh Heisman Trophy winners in 2017 and '18, respectively, moving the Sooners into a tie with Notre Dame and Ohio State for the most Heisman winners (USC now has seven as well). Other OU winners were QBs Sam Bradford (2008) and Jason White (2003), and RBs Billy Sims (1978), Steve Owens (1969) and Billy Vessels (1952).

• Quarterback Jalen Hurts was the 2019 Heisman Trophy runner-up and became Oklahoma's 11th Heisman finalist, tied with Alabama for most of any school (finalists were first named in 1982). Miami (Fla.) and Ohio State rank third with nine finalists and Florida ranks fifth with eight.

• OU boasts a nation-leading 10 Heisman finalists in the last 23 years (since 2000). Alabama ranks second with nine, Ohio State ranks third with six and Stanford is fourth with five.

• Oklahoma is the only program to ever produce five Heisman finalists in a four-year period (Hurts in 2019 [runner-up], Murray in 2018 [won], Mayfield in 2017 [won] and Mayfield [finished third] and receiver Dede Westbrook [finished fourth] in 2016). With Mayfield's and Murray's wins, OU is the only program to produce different quarterback winners in consecutive seasons.

• Oklahoma has produced four Heisman Trophy winners in the last 20 years. Only four other programs have produced four winners ever (Notre Dame, Ohio State and USC [seven each] and Alabama [four]).

• An OU quarterback finished in the top four of Heisman voting five consecutive years (Mayfield fourth in 2015, third in 2016 and first in 2017; Murray first in 2018; Hurts second in 2019).

COLLEGE FOOTBALL'S BEST

• During the modern era of college football (since the end of World War II), the Sooners are the nation's No. 1 team with more wins (697) than any other program (next most is 664 by Alabama).

• Oklahoma has finished in the top 5 of the AP poll a nation-leading 33 times (Ohio State is second with 30).

• OU leads all FBS programs with 50 all-time conference championships. The rest of the top five includes Nebraska (46), Michigan (44), Ohio State (39) and USC (37). The Sooners' 14 league titles since 2000 are the most among Power Five programs (Ohio State ranks second with 11).

• No program has more all-time 11-win seasons than Oklahoma's 27. And since the start of the 2000 season, OU and Ohio State have produced a nation-leading 18 campaigns of at least 10 wins.

• Since former head coach Bob Stoops arrived in Norman in 1999, OU leads the country with its 12,538 points scored, which is 587 more than second-place Boise State (11,925) and 938 more than third-place Oregon (11,600).

• OU's 80 consensus All-Americans since 1950 are the most nationally (Alabama ranks second with 75 and Ohio State third with 72). Since 2000, the Sooners have produced 30 consensus All-Americans, second only to Alabama.

• OU is the only program that has produced at least four NFL Draft picks each of the last 16 years.

EXTRA POINTS

• Oklahoma's 39 total touchdowns are most in the Big 12 and four more than the league team with the next most (Kansas State has 35).

• The Sooners are 44-5 all-time as the No. 6-ranked team in the AP poll (15-1 on the road). Oklahoma's lone road loss as the AP's No. 6 team was in 1963 at No. 10 Nebraska (lost 29-20). OU's last road contest as the AP's sixth-ranked team was a 37-31 victory at Kansas State in 2021. The Sooners are 3-0 at Kansas while ranked sixth in the AP poll (won 42-20 at No. 8 KU in 1952; won 28-10 at No. 15 KU in 1976; won 45-40 at KU in 2019).

• Since the start of the 2014 season, Oklahoma leads the nation with its 5.5 yards per rush and ranks fifth nationally (second in Power Five) with its 314 rushing TDs.

• Since the start of the 2012 season, OU is 87-7 when scoring at least 35 points and 76-4 when scoring at least 40. The Sooners are 185-0 all-time when scoring at least 50 points.

• OU has won 87 of its last 88 games when holding opponents to 23 or fewer points. The one exception was a 23-20 loss at West Virginia last season.