Oklahoma vs. Kansas: Numbers to Know in Advance
By Chip Rouse
The last time Oklahoma vs. Kansas appeared on the Big 12 football schedule and the Jayhawks were the visiting team, Samaje Perine, then a freshman, delivered the numbers and the knockout punch for the Sooners, setting a new NCAA record in the process.
The date was Nov. 22, 2014. Perine toted the football 31 times on that rainy, late fall afternoon. The Sooners had played and won at Texas Tech the week before, as is the case this year, and Perine had run over, through and around the Red Raider defenders for 213 rushing yards.
As if the 213 yards on the ground against Texas Tech was merely a warm up Perine doubled that number at home the following week, gashing the Jayhawks for an NCAA single-game record of 427 yards.
The juniors and seniors on the Kansas football roster will grudgingly recall that day, and the good news is they won’t have to go through it again this time around – at least not from Perine – because the Sooners No. 1 running back is out nursing a slight hamstring injury and will not play this week.
All that means, though, is that the Jayhawk defense will have to contend with Joe Mixon, who a week ago ran for 263 yards, added 114 yards receiving and accounted for five of Oklahoma’s nine touchdowns against Texas Tech. Not much of a trade off if you’re Kansas.
The number 11 pops up a lot in the stats surrounding Saturday’s game between the Sooners and Jayhawks. Read on to find out why:
7.79 – Yards the Oklahoma offense is averaging per play this season, No. 2 nationally. That number is even higher in conference games only. The Sooners are averaging almost 8.5 yards in their four Big 12 wins.
8 – OU wide receiver Dede Westbrook has eight catches over 40 yards in the last four games. That is more than 52 teams have on the season.
11 – Bob Stoops and Oklahoma have won 11 consecutive games in football against Kansas.
11 – The Sooners have won 11 consecutive games against Big 12 opponents since losing to Texas last season.
11 – Quarterback Baker Mayfield leads the nation averaging just over 11 yards per pass attempt this season.
11 – Only two FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) players have more receiving touchdowns this season (11) than OU’s Dede Westbrook has in the last four games (10).
16 – Consecutive Big 12 games Kansas has lost, dating back to the 2014 season.
69.2 – Baker Mayfield’s career pass completion percentage at Oklahoma, best in school history.
89 – Where Kansas ranks nationally this season in total defense. Oklahoma ranks 116th in the same category.
107 – Number of consecutive home sellouts at Oklahoma since Bob Stoops became the Sooners head coach in 1999. Saturday’s game will be the 108th.
127 – Where Oklahoma ranks nationally among 128 FBS schools in pass defense in 2016
254.3 – Passing yards per game Kansas is averaging this season, 45th nationally.