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Kickoff: 6:00 PM CT
Location: Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
Television: FS1
Notes & Storylines
- Oklahoma owns a 79-7-2 all-time record against Iowa State and is 18-2 in the series in the Big 12 era.
- The Sooners’ .909 series winning percentage against ISU is the best by one Power Five program against another (minimum of 50 games played).
- Iowa State only has seven wins in 88 all-time meetings against Oklahoma, but two of the victories have come over the last six seasons.
- OU has won the last three matchups.
- OU is 75-10 (.882) in September games since the start of the 1999 season, which was Bob Stoops’ first as head coach.
- The Sooners’ 34 points allowed are their fewest over the first four games of a season since 1992 (gave up 32).
- Oklahoma ranks in the top four nationally in both scoring offense (No. 4 at 46.8 ppg) and scoring defense (No. 2 at 8.5 ppg).
- The only time the Sooners trailed this season was for a 7:05 stretch in the first quarter at Cincinnati (3-0), and the only times they’ve been tied were at 0-0. They have led for 217:17 out of 240 minutes on the year.
- With Brent Venables on staff, Oklahoma is 8-0 against Iowa State (the second-year head coach was the Sooners’ co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach from 1999-2003 and associate head coach, defensive coordinator and linebackers coach from 2004-11). OU has held the Cyclones to 50 total points in those eight contests (average of 6.3 and a high of 13). ISU’s point totals were 0, 3, 3, 6, 7, 7, 10 and 13 (last year).
- Dillon Gabriel ranks in the top 12 nationally in several categories. He ranks third in the country in pass completion percentage, fifth in passing efficiency rating, passing touchdowns (12) and points responsible for per game (21.0), eighth in passing offense (306.8 ypg), and 12th in total offense (321.2 ypg) and yards per pass attempt (10.4). Gabriel has played in 13 of Oklahoma’s 16 quarters this season.
- The Sooners rank eighth nationally by allowing just 0.8 sacks per contest. Iowa State leads the country by allowing just one sack on the season.
- After ranking 49th nationally last year in third-down conversion percentage (.405) and 87th in third-down conversion percentage defense (.409). The Sooners have converted 31 of their 53 third downs through four games in 2023. That’s good for the nation’s fourth-best percentage (.585) out of 130 teams. And OU has allowed foes to convert just 17 of their 61 combined third-down tries. The .279 opponent conversion figure has the Sooners ranked 11th in the country.
- The Sooners rank second nationally in scoring defense (8.5 ppg) and interceptions (eight), eighth in takeaways (10), 11th in third-down conversion defense (28.0%) and tackles for loss (8.2 per game), 13th in pass efficiency defense (102.4 rating), 17th in yards per play (4.4), 25th in red zone defense (71.4%), 26th in rushing defense (94.0 ypg) and 32nd in total defense (309.5). For perspective, last year OU ranked 82nd in yards per play allowed (5.8), 98th in scoring defense (30.0 ppg), 105th in rushing defense (187.5 ypg) and 121st in total defense (461.0 ypg).
- The Sooners have allowed just seven scores (three touchdowns and four field goals for 34 total points) on 48 possessions through four contests. They didn’t permit a touchdown until the fourth quarter by SMU in the second game. OU has allowed a touchdown in just two of 16 quarters played this season.
- OU ranks fourth nationally with its +1.8 turnover margin per game. The Sooners have registered 10 takeaways to rank eighth in the country and have committed three turnovers.
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