OU Football: Numbers to Know for Bedlam Title Tilt
By Chip Rouse
Bedlam means many things to many people, but this year, the OU football battle with its in-state rival up the road in Stillwater on Saturday night has more than usual on the line – this time for both teams.
For the second time in three weeks, the ESPN “College GameDay” crew will be at an important game involving the resurgent Sooners, who come into this year’s Bedlam game as the No. 5 team in both the Associated Press Top 25 and the Coaches’ Poll.
OU jumped ahead of Oklahoma State, now in the No. 9 position in the AP poll after falling from No. 4 as a result of losing for the first time this season, to Baylor, last Saturday.
Nov 21, 2015; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during the game against the TCU Horned Frogs at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
The most significant number to come out of this weekend’s Bedlam gridiron battle is the No. 1, as in the Big 12 Conference championship, which is what is awaiting Oklahoma with a win or Oklahoma State with a victory and a Baylor loss on Friday night to TCU.
Here are some other meaningful numbers reflective of this longtime rivalry to take note of and get you what you need to know and all prepared in advance of Saturday night’s Oklahoma-Oklahoma State prime-time kickoff:
1 – Position in the conference standings that likely goes to the winner of the Oklahoma-Oklahoma State game. If Oklahoma wins, the Sooners will claim the league crown outright, their ninth since the Big 12 was formed in 1996. An Oklahoma State victory and a loss by Baylor to either TCU or Texas earns the Cowboys a second Big 12 football championship.
6 – Oklahoma’s national ranking in total offensive yards per game (544.6).
6 – Offensive categories in which quarterback Baker Mayfield ranks in the top-10 nationally: passing efficiency (1st), pass yards per attempt (9.8, 1st), passing TDs per game (3.0, 4th), points accounted for per game (21.3, 5th), completion percentage (68.7, 7th), pass yards per completion (14.2, 9th).
17 – The Cowboys rank 17th in the country in total offense (492.5).
24 – The Sooners are 24th in the country in total defense, allowing opponents (341.0). By contrast, Oklahoma State ranks 84th in the nation in this category (420.9).
Nov 21, 2015; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners head coach Bob Stoops (left) and TCU Horned Frogs head coach (right) Gary Patterson shake hands before the game at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
36-7-5 – Oklahoma’s record in games played in Stillwater. The Sooners are 12-4 under Bob Stoops against Oklahoma State and 6-2 under Stoops at OSU’s Boone Pickens Stadium.
84 – Games OU has won over Oklahoma State in football to go with 18 losses and seven ties. The 84 wins (an .803 winning percentage) are the most by the Sooners against any opponent all-time
110 – This will be the 110th football game in this continuous rivalry series.
148 – Average rushing yards by OU’s Samaje Perine in his last five games. He is averaging 7.3 yards per carry over that time.
360 – Average passing yards per game by the Oklahoma State offense. Oklahoma has held six of its 11 opponents this season under 200 yards passing and three teams under 100 yards.
1939 – The last time Baylor won a football game in Stillwater before beating Oklahoma State 45-35 last weekend.