Oklahoma football: How Oklahoma and UCF stack up statistically

Sep 30, 2023; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown during the first half against the Iowa State Cyclones at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 30, 2023; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown during the first half against the Iowa State Cyclones at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Oklahoma football matchup on Saturday against the University of Central Florida, which prefers to go by the shorter version UCF, features the country’s 4th and 6th best college offenses.

Spoiler alert: The Sooners aren’t the better of the two — not statistically anyway. The Knights of UCF come to Norman with the fourth best offense among FBS teams, averaging 516.7 yards per game. The difference between the two offenses, however, is a mere 10 yards a game. The Sooners are averaging 506 yards through six games,

What’s different, though, is the manner in which the two teams get to their offensive totals. UCF ranks third nationally in rushing yards, averaging 246.3 a game. The Sooners like to take their game to the air, with 341.2 passing yards per game.

This has all the makings of a high-scoring offensive shootout except that Oklahoma is allowing just 14.0 points per game and UCF 27.8. Oklahoma’s 45.2 scoring average ranks No. 4 in college football and it’s 14.0 points allowed is No. 7.

Another polarizing nature of this matchup is won-lost contrast between the two teams. OU leads the conference with a 3-0 league mark and 6-0 overall, one of 11 undefeated teams left in college football this season. UCF is 0-3 and still looking for its first Big 12 win to go with a 3-3 record overall.

How Oklahoma and UCF compare in major statistical categories

(National ranking in parentheses)

OU                    UCF

Scoring offense                                                 45.2 (4)            34.7 (27)

Scoring defense                                                14.0 (7)            27.8 (82)

Rushing offense                                             164.8 (54)       246.3 (3)

Rushing defense                                            113.7 (29)       197.2 (121)

Passing offense                                             341.2 (4)          270.3 (37)

Passing defense                                            239.2 (85)       190.0 (27)

Total offense                                                   506.0 (6)         516.7 (4)

Total defense                                                  352.8 (52)      387.2 (79)

3rd down offense %                                        51.9 (10)         50.0 (13)

3rd down defense %                                       28.9 (11)         45.9 (114)

Red zone offense %                                        90.9 (24)         76.0 (107)

Red zone defense %                                       63.6 (3)           45.9 (63)

Turnover margin                                           +11                     -5