Stormin in Norman
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Oklahoma football: Definitive guide to Oklahoma vs. Iowa State

By Christopher Dukes

NORMAN, OK - SEPTEMBER 01: Linebacker Bryan Mead #38 and defensive back Caleb Murphy #26 congratulate linebacker Curtis Bolton #18 of the Oklahoma Sooners who recovered a blocked punt to score against the Florida Atlantic Owls at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 1, 2018 in Norman, Oklahoma. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK - SEPTEMBER 01: Linebacker Bryan Mead #38 and defensive back Caleb Murphy #26 congratulate linebacker Curtis Bolton #18 of the Oklahoma Sooners who recovered a blocked punt to score against the Florida Atlantic Owls at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 1, 2018 in Norman, Oklahoma. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /
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NORMAN, OK – SEPTEMBER 01: Wide receiver Lee Morris #84 of the Oklahoma Sooners blocks a punt by punter Sebastian Riella #96 of the Florida Atlantic Owls at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 1, 2018 in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners defeated the Owls 63-14. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK – SEPTEMBER 01: Wide receiver Lee Morris #84 of the Oklahoma Sooners blocks a punt by punter Sebastian Riella #96 of the Florida Atlantic Owls at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 1, 2018 in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners defeated the Owls 63-14. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /

X-factors

Going for the throat: There’s really no easy way to say it, the Sooners let the Cyclones off the hook last year. Twice they had two-score leads and a chance to put the game to bed, but instead allowed Iowa State to get up off the mat and come back.

A drive-extending personal foul in the red zone on defense and a costly fumble inside the 10-yard line on offense ended up amounting to an 11-point swing in the wrong direction for Oklahoma.

“We had a couple opportunities to put the game away and we couldn’t (last year),” RIley told John Hoover. “When you let a good team hang around, every now and then you are going to get beat and we did.”

Mistakes could prove even more costly this season with the game being on the road in front of what is sure to be an energized Cyclone fan base.

The Sooners have been good so far in 2018 at putting the game away and removing all doubt, but this will be the biggest challenge yet.

Special teams: One way to energize your team and demoralize your opponent is special teams plays and so far this year the Sooners have been making them.

Oklahoma has a blocked punt, a long punt return and a lengthy kickoff return already under its belt this season. The blocked punt put the Sooners up 14-0 over FAU and the kickoff return set up a game-tying touchdown against UCLA after the Bruins had wrestled away some early momentum.

Many have attributed the newfound special teams prowess to the arrival of assistant coach Shane Beamer, but there is more to it than just that. Riley has gone on record saying that he took more personal interest in the special teams this season, helping out Jay Boulware who had to split time between that unit and the running backs a year ago.

Next. Oklahoma football: How have previous revenge games gone for the Sooners?. dark

So what else is in store for the Oklahoma special teams? One has to think there are a few new wrinkles when it comes to fake punts and field goals in the playbook. Could we see one of them make its way out if the Sooners are in need on the road?

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