Oklahoma football: Five numbers that could make a difference in the Land of Corn

Last season’s Oklahoma football game against Nebraska in Norman ended in a surprising seven-point winning margin in favor of the home team.

What was surprising wasn’t that the No. 3-ranked Sooners won the game, but rather how close the game was throughout and the margin of victory. And it wasn’t just last year’s game. The Sooners and Cornhuskers have played three times since 2009. Oklahoma won two of the three, but all three games were decided by seven or fewer points.

Oklahoma is a 10.5-point favorite in the game on Saturday, but there are a number of experts who predict the game to be much closer, despite Nebraska’s struggles to start the 2022 season, losing two of its first three games

Oklahoma has not played in Lincoln since the 2009 season, and that was the last time the Cornhuskers defeated the Sooners, 10-3.

Here are five numbers to watch in Saturday’s Oklahoma-Nebraska game that could have a big impact on the outcome:

0 — Oklahoma is not beating itself. Through two games, OU is one of five Power 5 teams that have not committed a turnover.

1, 3 — Oklahoma has outscored opponents in the first and third quarters by a combined 59-0 (21-0 in the first quarter and 38-0 in the third quarter).

30 — The Sooners have been road warriors the past five years, winning 28 of their last 32 true road games, plus they’ve scored at least 30 points in 36 of the last 37 true road contests.

35 — Oklahoma is 82-5 since 2012 when scoring at least 35 points in a game.

60 — Through three games, the Nebraska offense is converting 60 percent of its third-down attempts (24 of 40). That is 8th best among FBS teams.