Stormin in Norman
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Oklahoma football: Storylines surrounding regular-season finale at Texas Tech

By Chip Rouse

Oct 31, 2020; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Oklahoma Sooners tight end Austin Stogner (18) prepares to catch a pass against Texas Tech Red Raiders defensive back Colin Schooler (17) in the first half at Jones AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 31, 2020; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Oklahoma Sooners tight end Austin Stogner (18) prepares to catch a pass against Texas Tech Red Raiders defensive back Colin Schooler (17) in the first half at Jones AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /
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In the early days of the Big 12, Oklahoma football regularly closed out the regular season playing Texas Tech. I was that way for three consecutive seasons (1996-98), but the two teams haven’t met in the regular-season finale since 1998, which was also the last time OU had a losing season.

The Sooners and Red Raiders square off in Lubbock, Texas, on Saturday night (6:30 p.m. CT) in the regular-season finale for both teams.

Oklahoma owns a commanding 23-6 record in the all-time series with Texas Tech but are just 9-4 in games played in Lubbock.

Texas Tech is tied for fourth in the Big 12 standings with a 4-4 conference record and a 6-5 record overall. Oklahoma comes into Saturday’s game with a 3-5 conference record, just a game back of the Red Raiders, and a matching 6-5 record in all games. Both teams earned bowl eligibility with wins last weekend.

The Sooners have won the last 10 games with Texas Tech, including each of the last five in Lubbock. Oklahoma has averaged 51.9 and 593.8 yards of offense during the 10-game win streak.

815. FS1. 6:30 p.m. CT. 6-4, 3-5. Saturday, Nov. 26. 6-5, 4-4. 874. Sooners -2.5

A win over the Red Raiders on Saturday night would be the difference between finishing with a 7-5 season record or 6-6 and fourth or fifth place in the final Big 12 standings.

Here are some more storylines surrounding OU’s road visit to Texas Tech this weekend.

  • This will be Brent Venables’ first game against Texas Tech as a head coach. He was involved in 13 games against the Red Raiders as an assistant and defensive coordinator on Bob Stoops staff from 1999 to 2011. Oklahoma’s record against Texas Tech during Venables first go-around in Norman was 8-5.
  • Oklahoma is 9-0 in Lubbock when it scores at least 30 points. When the Sooners score fewer than 30 points in games at Texas Tech they are 0-4.
  • Matt Wells, the head coach at Texas Tech for three seasons before being fired late in the 2021 season, is now an offensive analyst on Brent Venables’ staff. Wells was 0-3 in games with Oklahoma.He knows Texas Tech well. On Saturday we’ll find out what kind of impact that might have.
  • The last time Oklahoma went to Texas Tech as an unranked team, in 2914, the Sooner fell behind 21-7 early in the contest against Patrick Mahomes and the Red Raiders. OU, with Cody Thomas at quarterback in place of the injured Trevor Knight, outscored Tech 35-3 in the second half to pull off a 42-30 come-from-behind victory. Texas Tech scored a touchdown on the very last play of the game to make the score closer.
  • Oklahoma has won 25 of its last 29 November games. So far this season, OU is1-2 in November.
  • The Sooners rank first in the Big 12 in rushing and 13th in the country (seventh among FBS teams), averaging 217.2 rushing yards per game. Texas Tech ranks seventh in the Big 12 and 82nd nationally, giving up162.4 rushing yards per game.
  • OU has won 82 of its last 83 games when the opponent scores 23 or fewer points.
  • This is the first time in a dozen seasons that the Red Raiders will face an unranked Oklahoma team. Texas Tech is 3-3 against unranked Sooner teams.
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