Oklahoma football: Numbers to know about and before Bedlam

For Oklahoma football fans, the word “Bedlam” says it all.

It’s Oklahoma State week on the gridiron, and that means all-out Bedlam, as in any athletic engagement between the Sooners and their in-state rivals from Stillwater. The Sooners and Cowboys meet for the 113th time in their continuous series on Saturday at OU’s Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

The dictionary defines “Bedlam” as a place, scene or state of uproar and confusion. Although football and basketball are considered the marquee athletic events in the annual rivalry referred to as the Bedlam Series, the term actually started with the classic battles between the two schools’ nationally acclaimed wrestling programs, describing the raucous crowds on both sides that attended the wrestling matches.

A better term, though, to describe the football rivalry between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State might be “Domination.” The Sooners have come out on top in 87 of the 112 games in the series, for an 81 percent success rating. Moreover, OU is 13-2 against the Cowboys in the last 15 games between the two bitter rivals.

Oklahoma’s Big Three of Bud Wilkinson, Barry Switzer and Bob Stoops lost just five times in 51 games facing Oklahoma State. Ironically Stoops, the winningest head coach in OU’s proud football history had the worst record of the three against the Cowboys. Stoops was 14-4 against OSU. Wilkinson was a perfect 17-0, and Switzer compiled a 15-1 record in Bedlam games.

Here are some other numbers to get you ready for Oklahoma-Oklahoma State football this weekend:

3.7 — Average sacks per game by the Oklahoma State defense. That is the best in the nation.

8.8 – Yards per play averaged by the Sooners through nine games this season. That ranks No. 1 in the national.

14 — The Sooners have won 14 consecutive games in November, frequently referred to as Championship Month. The last time Oklahoma lost a football game in November was a 48-14 loss at home to Baylor on Nov. 8, 2014. The Sooners are 58-11 all-time in the month of November.

17.5 — Points Oklahoma is favored by against OSU on Saturday, according to Sportsbookreview.com.

52.3 — The Oklahoma scoring average in the last three games against Oklahoma State, all wins.

87 — Oklahoma’s 87 wins against Oklahoma State are its most against any one opponent and the second most in FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) history. (Nebraska has 91 versus Kansas.)

93 — Oklahoma football wins since 2010, fourth best among FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) schools. Oklahoma State ranks 14th on that list with 83 victories.

94.7 — The Sooners’ success rate of scoring in the Red Zone this season, seventh best among FBS teams.

101.3 — The Oklahoma defense has held its last three opponents to an average of 101.3 yards below their season average.

122 — Saturday’s game with Oklahoma State will mark the `121st consecutive sellout at Gaylord Family — Memorial Stadium. That dates back to the opening game of the 1999 season, Bob Stoops’ first season at OU.

442 – Points scored by Oklahoma through nine games this season. That ranks third nationally. In this decade (2010-present), Oklahoma State is second in the country in scoring offense, averaging 40.8 points per game in 113 games (OU is fourth in the decade with a scoring average of 40.3 in 115 games).