Oklahoma vs. Iowa State: Notable Numbers From OU’s Flower(s) Show
By Chip Rouse
The number that stands out most from the Oklahoma vs. Iowa State Big 12 battle on Thursday night was serendipitous in result but extremely savvy in design.
We’re speaking of the 115 rushing yards amassed by Sooner fullback Dimitri Flowers, who had not toted the ball once from scrimmage in six previous games this season. In fact, it was the first time he had taken a handoff an run with the ball since his high school days three years ago.
The junior from San Antonio stepped up when the Sooners needed it most. With neither Samaje Perine nor Joe Mixon available for this game, Oklahoma was left with only one scholarship player at the running back position, and that was true freshman Abdul Adams.
Flowers gained eight yards on the second OU offensive play of the game, and at that point in became fairly clear how the Sooners planned to adjust their offense in the absence of their two big earth movers. All told, the big-bodied Flowers, who ordinarily serves as a blocking back, carried the ball 22 times, averaging over five yards every time he ran with the ball.
Needless to say, it was a career game for Flowers, and it couldn’t have come at a better time for the Sooners, ranked 14th in the first College Football Playoff standings, who with the win improved to a Big 12-best 6-0 in conference play.
Here are a dozen more numbers of note from the Oklahoma victory over Iowa State.
.968 – OU’s winning percentage in its last 47 games with Iowa State. The Sooners record in those games is 45-1-1.
4 – Number of touchdowns of 65 yards are longer by Dede Westbrook this season. That is more than 112 FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) teams have in 2016.
6 – Receptions by Geno Lewis in the Sooners’ win over Iowa State. That is his biggest receiving game since the 2014 season in terms of passes caught.
8 – Dimitri Flowers’ touchdown catch just before halftime at Iowa State was the eighth of his career in 27 total pass receptions.
13 – Oklahoma’s 13-game winning streak against Big 12 opponents is tied as the second longest in Sooner football history. OU won 17 straight conference games between 2003 and 2005 and 13 straight between 1999 and 2001.
14 – Career rushing yards for Dimitri Flowers coming into Thursday’s game at Iowa State. That was accomplished two years ago, in Flowers’ freshman season, ironically in a game at Iowa State.
18 – Oklahoma’s 18-game winning streak against Iowa State is its longest active streak against any opponent.
22 – Baker Mayfield had four more touchdown passes at Iowa State, the fourth straight game in which he has done so. He now has 22 consecutive games with a TD pass, the second longest active streak in the FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision).
30 – Junior Jeffery Mead’s 30-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter of the Iowa State game was the longest reception of his career.
63 – Dede Westbrook doesn’t just catch 60-plus-yard passes, he had a career-long kickoff return of 63 yards against Iowa State. The senior wide receiver had a 71-yard punt return last weekend to open the Sooner scoring against Kansas.
129 – Scoring margin in Oklahoma’s last four games against Iowa State (193-64).
160 – The Oklahoma defense allowed 160 passing yards against Iowa State. This is the second straight week the Sooners have held an opponent under 200 yards passing.