Game Primer: OU Vs. OSU

OPENING KICK

• Oklahoma (8-1, 5-1 Big 12) looks for its 14th home Big 12 win in the last 15 such contests when it hosts Oklahoma State (5-4, 2-4) Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT. The game will be televised nationally by ABC with Steve Levy, Brian Griese and Todd McShay announcing.

• The game will mark OU's 113th all-time meeting against OSU, tying the 113 games against Texas for the Sooners' most versus any program.

• Oklahoma's 87 wins against Oklahoma State are its most against one opponent (next most is 76) and the second most in FBS history against one program (Nebraska has 91 wins vs. Kansas).

• Oklahoma has won 30 of its last 32 games (.938) against Big 12 opponents dating back to the 2015 season. Its only two losses during that span came at the hands of Iowa State on Oct. 7 last year (38-31 in Norman) and Texas this season (48-45 in Dallas). Eighteen of those 30 victories have been by at least 15 points, and nine by at least 30 points.

• OU has won 14 straight November games (last loss on Nov. 8, 2014). Since the start of the 2000 season, the Sooners are 58-11 (.841) in the month.

• For just the second time in the last 10 seasons, OU has scored at least 50 points in three straight games. It reached the 50-point mark in four straight contests in 2015.

• The Sooners have won more Big 12 championships over the last 19 years (11) than they have lost home games. OU is 111-10 (.917) at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium since the start of the 1999 season, with all 121 of those games sellouts. This week's game marks the Sooners' 122nd straight home sellout.

• Oklahoma is coming off a 51-46 win at Texas Tech, its nation-leading 19th consecutive true road game victory. Kyler Murray became the first player in school history to throw for at least 300 yards (360) and rush for at least 100 (100) in a game. He accounted for four touchdowns (three passing), while Trey Sermon registered career highs of 206 rushing yards and three rushing TDs. Lee Morris caught four passes for a career-high 101 yards and two TDs. OU outgained Tech by 210 yards (683-473).

• Oklahoma State dropped a heart-breaking 35-31 contest at Baylor on Saturday after leading 31-21 with less than 6 minutes remaining. The Bears scored two touchdowns in the final 5:43, including the game-winner with 7 seconds left. The Cowboys outgained Baylor 523 yards to 402, but were hurt by 12 penalties for 133 yards. Running back Justice Hill rushed for a game-high 119 yards and a touchdown, while quarterback Taylor Cornelius threw for 287 yards and a score.

FOR THE FANS

• Approximately two hours before each home game, head coach Lincoln Riley and the Sooners will disembark the team buses immediately west of the intersection of Lindsey Street and Jenkins Avenue for the "Walk of Champions." A pep rally, conducted by OU Spirit, will be held 15 minutes prior to the team's arrival. This week's pep rally will take place at approximately noon with the team arriving at approximately 12:15 p.m. Fans are encouraged to cheer on the team upon arrival and watch as Coach Riley and the squad walk the final yards west along Lindsey Street to their locker room.

• Sooner Fan Fest will be held in the Rhyne Hall parking lot directly east of McCasland Field House, opening at 10:30 a.m. and concluding at 2 p.m. Fans will have the opportunity to meet Boomer and Sooner, and have their photos taken with the Bedlam trophy, Sooner Schooner, the mascots and members of the OU spirit squads. Other elements at Fan Fest this week include a GoVision jumbotron showing other games across the country, a photo booth, an inflatable football toss and an autograph sessions with the OU men's gymnastics team (12:30-1:30). Food will be available from the following food trucks: The Meating Place, Midway Deli and Phill Me Up Cheesesteaks. And the Sooner Radio Network (flagship 107.7 The Franchise) will be broadcasting live from Fan Fest from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. with Toby Rowland, Merv Johnson, Chris Plank, Teddy Lehman and Rufus Alexander.

• The Nissan Heisman House will also visit Sooner Fan Fest this weekend. 2003 Heisman Trophy winner Jason White (11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.) and 1978 winner Billy Sims (12:30-2) will participate in "chalk talk" interviews with ESPN's Ryen Russillo, as well as autograph sessions. Fans will also have the opportunity to register for Heisman House credentials, take a 360-degree picture with the Heisman Trophy, capture a GIF in a Nissan Rogue SL with a Heisman winner and win Heisman-themed prizes by participating in interactive games.

KEY STORYLINES

• Oklahoma has dominated the Bedlam Series, owning an 87-18-7 (.808) all-time record against Oklahoma State and is 41-9-2 (.808) in the series in Norman. OU has won 13 of the last 15 meetings and is 11-2 against OSU with Mike Gundy as the Cowboys' head coach.

• During its three-game winning streak against OSU, the Sooners are averaging 52.7 points. They have scored at least 33 points against the Cowboys in each of the last six meetings, averaging 46.2 points during the stretch.

• Oklahoma senior kicker Austin Seibert needs just four points to tie the school career scoring record of 450 points, held by kicker Michael Hunnicutt (2011-14). Seibert needs just five points to tie the Big 12 career scoring record of 451 points, shared by Baylor's Aaron Jones (2010-13) and TCU's Jaden Oberkrom (2012-15).

• OU has held its last three opponents to an average of 101.3 yards below their season averages entering their games against the Sooners. TCU was averaging 413 yards per game but managed just 275 against OU (-138). Kansas State was averaging 356 yards but gained just 245 in Norman (-111). And Texas Tech entered Saturday's game averaging 528 yards per contest but finished with 473 on the night (-55).

• In Big 12 play, Oklahoma leads the conference with its 596.5 yards of offense per game, which is 125.5 more yards per outing than the team with the second-best average (Texas Tech; 471.0) and 145.7 more yards than Oklahoma State averages. Saturday's game will feature the Big 12's leaders in total offense per conference game, as OU's Kyler Murray averages 403.3 yards per contest and OSU's Taylor Cornelius averages 302.0.

• Oklahoma ranks 125th out of 130 FBS teams with just 63.4 offensive plays per game, but it ranks second nationally with its 563.2 yards per contest. That's because the Sooners lead the nation with a staggering 8.9 yards per play, a figure that would shatter the FBS single-season record of 8.6 by Hawaii in 2006. The OU single-season record of 8.3 yards per play was set last year, and the program's second-best figure is 7.6 in 1971. Alabama ranks second this year with its 8.2 yards per play, and Memphis third at 7.7. OU also leads the nation by gaining at least 10 yards on 32.2 percent of its plays (184 of 571). Alabama ranks second at 29.5 percent.

• Despite losing preseason All-Big 12 running back Rodney Anderson for the season due to an injury against UCLA in the second game of the year, Oklahoma leads the Big 12 and ranks 12th nationally with its 246.8 rushing yards per game (Oklahoma State ranks second in the league at 200.1). More impressively, OU ranks second nationally with its 6.7 yards per rush, which is almost two full yards more than the next highest teams in the league (OSU and West Virginia average 4.8). Sophomore running back Trey Sermon (80.2), redshirt freshman running back Kennedy Brooks (67.9) and redshirt junior quarterback Kyler Murray (62.8), rank fifth, sixth and seventh in the league in rushing yards per game.