Advertisements
Kickoff: 11:00 AM CT
Location: Cotton Bowl (Dallas, TX)
Television: ABC
Notes & Storylines
- This will be a matchup of the Big 12’s only ranked teams.
- Texas and Oklahoma rank fifth and sixth, respectively, in all-time wins. OU is 939-338-53 (.726) while UT is 941-390-33 (.702).
- This marks the first season since 2011 (both teams were 4-0) in which Oklahoma and Texas are undefeated at the time of their October meeting.
- OU has won six of its last seven games against Texas and 12 of its last 16 when both teams are ranked in the AP poll.
- Texas’ No. 3 AP ranking is its highest when playing Oklahoma since 2009.
- OU has posted a 10-8 (.556) regular season record against AP top-5 teams since the start of the 2000 season.
- The last time OU held each of its first five opponents to 20 points or fewer was in the 2000 season.
- Oklahoma has won 14 Big 12 championships in the league’s first 27 years. Texas, Baylor and Kansas State are tied for second with three each.
- The Sooners are a league-best 171-58 (.747) in regular season Big 12 play since the conference began in 1996. The current Big 12 program with the next best winning percentage is Texas (151-78; .659).
- The Sooners’ 54 points allowed are their fewest over the first five games of a season since 2009 (gave up 42).
- Texas is the only Big 12 program with a winning record against the Sooners. Oklahoma trails 63-50-5 in the series but owns a 29-21-3 advantage since 1970. In the Big 12 era, OU is 17-11 against the Longhorns and has won 10 of the last 14 meetings (16 of the last 24).
- Oklahoma has allowed a total of 14 points (one touchdown) after halftime this season (eight by SMU and three each by Tulsa and Cincinnati) and just 612 total yards, for an average of 122.4 yards per second half.
- Dillon Gabriel ranks in the top 10 nationally in several categories. He ranks fourth in the country in passing touchdowns (15) and points responsible for per game (22.8), fifth in pass completion percentage (.752; for perspective the OU single-season record is .709 by Baker Mayfield in 2016), sixth in passing efficiency rating (189.4), seventh in total offense (337.6 ypg) and eighth in passing offense (318.6 ypg).
- The Sooners are tied for the national lead with their 10 interceptions. That’s their most through the first five games of a season since 2001. Texas is tied for fifth nationally by throwing just one interception.
- OU is one of two teams in the country that hasn’t allowed a rushing touchdown (Iowa is the other). Texas is tied for third in the Big 12 with 11 rushing TDs and is averaging 191.8 rushing yards per contest.
- 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 37 of their 67 third downs through four games, good for the nation’s sixth-best percentage (.552) out of 130 teams. And OU has allowed foes to convert just 21 of their 76 combined third-down tries.
- After ranking 98th in scoring defense (30.0 ppg) and 121st in total defense (461.0 ypg) last year, the Sooners rank second (10.8 ppg) and 30th (318.0 ypg), respectively, this season. OU is tied for first nationally with its 10 interceptions and ranks seventh in pass efficiency defense rating (102.7), No. 8 in tackles for loss per game (8.4) and No. 20 in yards per play allowed (4.6).
- The Sooners have allowed just 11 scores (five touchdowns and five field goals for 54 total points) on 61 possessions through five contests.
- OU ranks fifth nationally with its +1.6 turnover margin per game. The Sooners have registered 12 takeaways to rank third in the country and have committed just four turnovers.
- The Sooners rank in the top 10 nationally in a multitude of offensive categories through five games, including second in passing touchdowns (17), third in scoring offense (47.4 ppg), completion percentage (.762) and first downs per game (27.2), sixth in pass efficiency rating (192.5), third-down conversion percentage (.552) and fourth-down conversion percentage (.875), seventh in passing offense (352.4 ypg) and ninth in total offense (510.0 ypg). OU leads the Big 12 in each of those categories except total offense (ranks second).
Game Preview Posts
Predictions
Follow us on Twitter: @SportsHeartland