Sea Of Orange

Stillwater, Oklahoma.  It has been a long week, Bedlam is finally here.  Statistically, how do the teams match up and how is it going to end?  Oklahoma State leads the Big12 in points scored, with 45.4 points, OU is 4th with 40.8, so close, nod to the Cowboys.  On total yards, OSU is 2nd in the Big 12 with 553.7, OU is 4th with 503.2, so about 10% more, nod to the Pokes.  Passing yards, almost identical at 3,370 OSU versus 3,340 for OU at 4th and 5th, very slight nod to the Pokes.  Rushing Yards?  The pokes are 3rd with 2,167 versus OU at 7th at 1,692, so a significant edge to OSU.  On the defensive side, OU is 2nd with only 22.5 points allowed, versus OSU at 5th with 26.1, so nod to OU.  Fairly close with yards allowed, OU in 3rd at 370.5 yards versus #5 OSU at 388.2, so nod to OU.  Wins in Norman?  Sorry, big time nod to the Sooners.  How do the gamblers handicap the game?  OU by a touchdown.  So, OSU is the underdogs, have better offensive stats, OU has better defensive stats.  I think some of the experts, who say the game could come down to turnovers and special teams, have it right.  My forecast? Pokes win 35, Sooners 28 in a stressful, exciting game.

Stillwater, Oklahoma.  The defense showed up again against Texas Tech, limiting the Red Raiders to 21 points and 383 total yards.  Texas Tech, in their wins this year, have scored close to 50 points in those games where they were victorious.  The defense has also returned to their turnover ways of last year, there were two interceptions and one fumble recovery.  The most telling play was the brilliant call to have a defensive lineman fall away from the line and back in coverage, the QB for Tech threw the ball straight into the defenders hands for an interception.  James Castleman, the 300 pound, 6-2 defensive tackle, grabbed the ball and ran for 14 yards.  It was the end of momentum for Tech and the Pokes go on to win in convincing fashion.

Stillwater, Oklahoma.  Iowa State scored 10 points against the Cowboys on Saturday.  They had 341 total yards, only 101 yards rushing.  Iowa State, by comparison, scored 21 points against Kansas State the week earlier.  So, the Pokes are showing some game on Defense!  One significant statistic which bears repeating, the Iowa State team could only convert 4 of 17 third downs.  They spent the entire game punting, a very good thing for the Cowboys.  And that bodes well for the game coming up on Saturday against TCU.  The pokes have shown that the defense is getting better every week, both the defensive line as well as the linebackers and the defensive backfield.

Brett Derring/Getty Images

Stillwater, Oklahoma.  A week off, to recover from the very exciting but un-satisfying game last week in Stillwater against Texas.  Under the heading of “coulda, woulda, shoulda”, perhaps the Big 12 will apologize again about the blown fumble call.  Oh, Ok, I feel better already….sigh…

Too late to cry over the milk all over the counter, so lets take a breather, and look at next week.  The Pokes play at Kansas at 2:30 against the struggling Jayhawks.  The offensive stats could not be more different, the pokes average 659 offensive yards per game and 55.8 points, both stats are #1 in the Big 12.  Kansas has averaged 370 yards per game and 21 points per games, both at the bottom of the Big 12.

For both JW Walsh and the young Mr. Lunt, either QB will run up some points against Kansas.  And, I suspect, the team is going to be amped up to make a statement about the season, so expect a lot of offensive firepower.