OU Looks For 14th Straight Big 12 Win Against Baylor

OPENING KICK

• No. 11/9/9 Oklahoma (7-2, 6-0) tries for its 14th straight Big 12 win when it hosts No. NR/25/25 Baylor (6-2, 3-2) on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The game will be televised by ABC or ESPN2 with Mike Patrick, Ed Cunningham and Dr. Jerry Punch announcing.

• OU owns a 22-3 (.880) all-time record against Baylor and is 11-1 vs. the Bears in Norman. In the Big 12 era, the Sooners hold a 17-3 series advantage (8-1 at home).

• Bob Stoops is 14-3 vs. Baylor as OU’s coach (the 14 wins are his most against any foe) and 7-1 at home. The average score in the 17 meetings has been 39-21.

• The Sooners are 132-78-5 (.626) all-time in AP Top-25 matchups, including 50-25 (.667) under Stoops. When OU is ranked higher in such matchups, it is 99-38-3 (.718) all-time and 39-13 (.750) under Stoops.

• OU is 382-71-6 (.839) all-time as a top-10 team, 107-25 [.811] under Stoops.

• Oklahoma is coming off a 34-24 Thursday road win over Iowa State in which the Sooners outgained ISU 477-290 in total yards. Playing without standout running backs Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon, OU got 328 passing yards and four TDs from Baker Mayfield, 115 rushing yards from Dimitri Flowers (usually plays fullback; had no career carries entering the game) and 233 all-purpose yards (131 receiving) from Dede Westbrook in posting its 10th straight true road win.

• Baylor, which started the season 6-0 and climbed to No. 8 in the AP poll, has lost back-to-back games (35-34 at Texas and 62-22 vs. TCU). In the 40-point home loss to the Horned Frogs on Saturday, BU gained 415 yards but gave up 688 (444 on the ground). The Bears were outscored in each quarter.

• The Sooners are looking for their 100th home win under Stoops. OU is 99-9 (.917) in Norman under Stoops, with all 108 of those games sellouts. It is the best home winning percentage among Power Five schools during the time period (Ohio State is next at .881). OU has outscored its opponents by an average of 42-16 in those games.

FOR THE FANS

• Two hours before each home game, head coach Bob Stoops and the Sooners will disembark from the team buses at the intersection of Lindsey St. and Jenkins Ave 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 be at 8:45 a.m. with the team arriving at 9 a.m. Fans are encouraged to cheer on the team upon arrival and watch as Coach Stoops and the squad walk the final yards to their temporary locker room facilities. Fans may

• Saturday’s game will feature two of the nation’s top six teams in terms of total offense. Oklahoma ranks third nationally with its 557.9 yards per game while Baylor ranks sixth with its 541.8. In Big 12 play, OU is averaging a league-high 597.5 yards per contest to BU's 532.4. The Sooners also rank third nationally in passing efficiency rating (191.58), fourth in yards per play (7.60), seventh in scoring offense (44.1) and eighth in passing offense (342.3) and third-down conversion percentage (.496). Baylor's 278.5 rushing yards per game rank sixth in the country.

• An Oklahoma victory over Baylor would give the Sooners 14 straight Big 12 Conference wins, which would mark the second longest streak in program history. They won 17 straight Big 12 games between 2003 and 2005.

• In Big 12 play, OU ranks first in the league in pass completion percentage (73.0; next highest is 66.2) and second in pass completion percentage defense (56.4; best is 56.3). The Sooners have completed better than 70 percent of their passes in five of six conference games (60.6 in the other), and have held all six league opponents to under 60-percent passing. On the year, Baylor is completing 54.4 percent of it pass attempts.

• OU's Dede Westbrook will be looking to continue the most impressive string of receiving production in school history. Over the last six contests, the senior has 1,012 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns, both program records for a six-game stretch (the next highest yardage total is 862). His 12 receiving TDs have averaged 47.8 yards (nine have been 40 yards or longer). Only three FBS players have more receiving TDs on the entire season than Westbrook has in the last six outings. His 10 catches of at least 40 yards (all in the last six games) are more than 97 teams have on the season. And his six straight games of at least 100 yards receiving represent the longest active streak in the country.

• Ten defensive players who were on OU's week 1 depth chart have combined to miss 35 games due to injury this season. Twenty-two Sooners have started on that side of the ball in 2016.

FIVE KEY STORYLINES

• Saturday’s game will feature two of the nation’s top six teams in terms of total offense. Oklahoma ranks third nationally with its 557.9 yards per game while Baylor ranks sixth with its 541.8. In Big 12 play, OU is averaging a league-high 597.5 yards per contest to BU's 532.4. The Sooners also rank third nationally in passing efficiency rating (191.58), fourth in yards per play (7.60), seventh in scoring offense (44.1) and eighth in passing offense (342.3) and third-down conversion percentage (.496). Baylor's 278.5 rushing yards per game rank sixth in the country.

• An Oklahoma victory over Baylor would give the Sooners 14 straight Big 12 Conference wins, which would mark the second-longest streak in program history. They won 17 straight Big 12 games between 2003 and 2005.

• In Big 12 play, OU ranks first in the league in pass completion percentage (73.0; next highest is 66.2) and second in pass completion percentage defense (56.4; best is 56.3). The Sooners have completed better than 70 percent of their passes in five of six conference games (60.6 in the other), and have held all six league opponents to under 60-percent passing. On the year, Baylor is completing 54.4 percent of it pass attempts.

• OU's Dede Westbrook will be looking to continue the most impressive string of receiving production in school history. Over the last six contests, the senior has 1,012 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns, both program records for a six-game stretch (the next highest yardage total is 862). His 12 receiving TDs have averaged 47.8 yards (nine have been 40 yards or longer). Only three FBS players have more receiving TDs on the entire season than Westbrook has in the last six outings. His 10 catches of at least 40 yards (all in the last six games) are more than 97 teams have on the season. And his six straight games of at least 100 yards receiving represent the longest active streak in the country.

• Ten defensive players who were on OU's week 1 depth chart have combined to miss 35 games due to injury this season. Twenty-two Sooners have started on that side of the ball in 2016.

SCOUTING BAYLOR

• No. 25/25 Baylor comes to Norman with a 6-2 overall record and is in fourth place in the Big 12 with a 3-2 league mark. The Bears will be the Sooners' first ranked opponent since winning at No. 21 TCU on Oct. 1. BU started 6-0 and rose as high as No. 8 and No. 6 in the AP and Coaches polls, but has dropped back-to-back games at Texas (35-34) and at home against TCU (62-22).

• The Bears have continued a strong offensive attack under first-year BU head coach Jim Grobe. They rank sixth in the nation in total offense at 541.8 yards per game (third in Big 12) and 16th nationally with 39.8 points per contest (fourth in Big 12). One of the best rushing teams in the country this year, Baylor ranks sixth nationally with its 278.5 ground yards per game (first in Big 12). Through the air, it ranks 37th in the country by averaging 263.3 yards per game (ranks sixth in Big 12).

• Senior quarterback Seth Russell averages 247.3 passing yards per game to rank seventh in the league and has thrown 19 touchdowns to six interceptions on the year while completing 55.1 percent of his passes. Sophomore running back Terrance Williams paces the Bears' potent ground game with 121 carries for 691 yards (5.7 per rush) and eight scores, while Russell has rushed 82 times for 436 yards (5.3 average) and eight TDs of his own.

• The Bears lead the Big 12 in total defense (394.8 yards per game) and scoring defense (25.0 ppg), but have yet to play OU, Texas Tech or West Virginia, who rank first, second and fourth in the league in total offense, respectively. Baylor, which has forced 16 turnovers to rank second in the Big 12, surrenders an average of 205.6 rushing yards per game (seventh most in the Big 12), but that number the last two games is 344.0 (257 by Texas and 431 by TCU). Baylor ranks first in the league by allowing just 189.1 passing yards per game.

• Senior safety Orion Stewart has logged four pass breakups and ranks second in the Big 12 with his four interceptions. Senior linebacker Aiavion Edwards leads the team with 62 tackles, while junior linebacker Taylor Young has 61 tackles and team highs of 4.5 sacks and 9.0 tackles for loss.

LAST YEAR VS. THE BEARS

• Playing its first AP top-five opponent since the 2014 Sugar Bowl, Oklahoma handled previously unbeaten Baylor 44-34 on the road last season (Nov. 14). Continuing a month-long trend, the Sooners were dominant on both sides of the ball, racking up 511 yards of offense and holding the No. 4 Bears to 416, which was 250 less than their nation-leading average of 666.

• Baylor entered the game averaging 2.6 punts and 1.5 three-and-out possessions per game on the season, but OU forced the Bears to punt six times and into five three-and-outs. The Sooners also registered two interceptions and a fumble recovery.

• Quarterback Baker Mayfield was 24-for-34 through the air for 270 yards and three TDs, and ran for 76 more yards and another score. His scrambling 7-yard TD pass on third down with 4:47 left marked the game’s final points. Mayfield connected with receiver Sterling Shepard for 14 completions (one shy of Shepard’s school-record-sharing 15) for 177 yards and two TDs.

• Running back Samaje Perine produced 166 of OU’s 241 rushing yards on 28 carries (5.9 average) and scored on runs of 6 and 55 yards.

• Linebacker Jordan Evans logged a team-high nine tackles (one for loss) and forced a fumble that was recovered by Devante Bond. Zack Sanchez’s third-quarter interception led to a field goal, and Ahmad Thomas’ pick late in the fourth sealed the win.

• The Sooners improved to 11-2 all-time in Waco.

JUST CALL HIM "TD" WESTBROOK

• Senior Dede Westbrook is on a remarkable six-game tear, amassing 40 catches for 1,012 yards and 12 touchdowns since the start of Big 12 play Oct. 1. He also returned a punt 71 yards for a score two weeks ago against Kansas. The 1,012 yards are the most ever by a Sooner in a six-game stretch, as are the 12 receiving TDs.

• Westbrook's 13 total TDs over the last six games are nine more than he had in the first 16 games of his career. His 12 receiving scores (two at TCU; three vs. Texas; three vs. K-State; two at Texas Tech; one vs. Kansas, one at Iowa State) came (in order) from 67, 40, 71, 42, 47, 26, 8, 88, 49, 23, 41 and 65 yards (an average of 47.8 yards).

• Westbrook's 12 TD catches over the last six games are more than 39 teams (20 Power Five teams) have on the season. Only 10 teams have more receptions of at least 60 yards this year than Westbrook's four.

• Westbrook is the only player in school history to score more than five TDs (rushing or receiving) of 40-plus yards in one season. He has nine. He is also the only Sooner to record six straight 100-yard receiving games in one year (no one had ever strung together more than four in one season).

• Only three FBS players have more receiving TDs this season than Westbrook's 12 in the last six games, and only eight FBS players have more receiving yards on the year than Westbrook has in the past six outings. Westbrook has more receiving yards in the last six games than Army, Navy, New Mexico and Tulane each have on the season.

• Only two FBS players scored double-digit receiving touchdowns in the month of October: Westbrook (12) and Western Michigan's Corey Davis (11).

• In Big 12 play, Westbrook ranks first in the conference in receptions (7.8 per game), receiving yards (168.7 per game), points (13.3 per game), and all-purpose yards (214.2 per game).

• Westbrook's 168.7 receiving yards per Big 12 game are 62 more than the next closest player (Texas Tech's Jonathan Giles; 106.0).

• Westbrook's 1,909 career receiving yards are the most ever by an OU player in their first 22 games. The second-year Sooner already ranks eighth in school history in receiving yards (needs 100 to tie Antwone Savage [1999-02] for seventh).

MAYFIELD BACK IN HEISMAN CONVERSATION

• Junior quarterback Baker Mayfield has been as effective in 2016 – if not more – as he was in 2015 when he finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting and was named national player of the year by Sporting News. Mayfield, who completed 68.1 percent of his passes for 3,700 yards and 36 touchdowns against only seven interceptions (5.1 ratio) last year, is 193-for-271 (career-high 71.2 percent) this season with 31 TDs and six picks (5.2 ratio). He ranks first nationally in yards per pass attempt (10.8; only three other players are above 10.0), second in passing efficiency rating (194.8; NCAA single-season record is 191.8), third in passing TDs (31) and completion percentage, and fifth in yards per completion (15.1).

• Mayfield has been especially effective in Big 12 play, leading the league in passing TDs (24; Texas Tech's Patrick Mahomes ranks second with 17), completion percentage (.743; Oklahoma State's Mason Rudolph is next at .665) and pass efficency rating (208.2; Rudolph ranks second at 165.3). He has thrown for 353.2 yards per league contest and has also run for 115 yards and three scores during the stretch.

• Mayfield and Toledo's Logan Woodside lead the nation with their 10 completions of at least 50 yards (Mayfield has 25 fewer pass attempts on the season).

• Mayfield's 19 TD passes the last four outings are the most ever by a Sooner in a four-game stretch. He has thrown two interceptions during the span (one came on a ricochet and the other was caught by a lineman after Mayfield was hit while throwing).

• Mayfield is the only player in OU history to register at least 5,000 passing yards (6,612) and at least 500 rushing yards (524) in a career.

• Mayfield has accounted for 77 touchdowns as a Sooner, the most by a player in the first 22 games of an OU career. His 67 TD passes are also a record for the first 22 games.

• Mayfield ranks first at OU in career completion percentage (.694; Sam Bradford ranks second at .676) and career passing efficiency (182.06; Bradford ranks second at 175.62).

• Mayfield owns a 5.2 touchdown-to-interception ratio as a Sooner (67 to 13).

NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE

• For his career, redshirt sophomore running back Joe Mixon is averaging 6.75 yards per carry, most in the 18-year Bob Stoops era among players with at least 100 attempts.

• Mixon ranks second nationally and first among Power Five players with his 195.4 all-purpose yards per game this season. He is averaging a team-high 101.6 rushing yards per game (ranks second in Big 12), 44.6 receiving yards per contest (ranks second on team), 25.9 yards per kickoff return (ranks second in Big 12) and 6.2 yards per punt return.

• On Oct. 22 at Texas Tech, Mixon become one of only two FBS players since 1996 to register three receiving TDs and two rushing TDs in one game.

• Mixon has accounted for 10 touchdowns on the season in four different fashions. His scoring pass to Dede Westbrook Oct. 15 vs. Kansas State made him the first player in school history and only FBS player this year to register TDs via pass, rush, reception and kickoff return in the same season.

• Mixon is one of just six players in OU history to record at least 1,000 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in a career, and it took him only 17 games to do it (reached both marks Oct. 1 at TCU). Only Quentin Griffin (1999-02; 16 games) reached the 1,000/500 mark faster. Others to do it were DeMarco Murray (2007-10; 26 games), De'Mond Parker (1996-98; 30 games), Steve Sewell (1981-84; 36 games) and James Allen (1993-96; 40 games).

NOTING OU'S DEFENSE

• Oklahoma ranks 80th out of 128 teams in total defense by allowing 421.2 yards per contest, but it has faced five of the nation's top offenses in its nine games. Texas Tech ranks second nationally in total offense at 587.1 yards per game, TCU ranks 11th at 510.0 yards, Texas 14th at 505.4, Ohio State 15th at 503.7 and Houston 33rd at 470.8. The Sooners held three of those five teams to yardage totals below their current average. All three of OU's final foes also rank in the top 30 in total offense (Baylor is No. 6, West Virginia No. 10 and Oklahoma State No. 28).

• Due mainly to injuries, 22 different Sooners have started on defense through nine games. Seven of those players are freshmen (five) or first-year junior college transfers (two). Ten defensive players who were on OU's opening-week depth chart have missed a combined 35 games due to injury this season.

• Despite giving up 854 yards to Texas Tech on Oct. 22, OU ranks third in Big 12 play in total defense by giving up 431.3 yards per game. The Sooners have surrendered an average of just 346.8 yards in their other five league contests.

• OU, which ranks second in the Big 12 and 25th nationally in rushing defense (123.6 yards per game), has held seven of its nine opponents to 130 or fewer yards on the ground (89 by Houston, 78 by ULM, 65 by TCU, 110 by Texas, 120 by Texas Tech, 49 by Kansas and 130 by Iowa State).

• Cornerback Jordan Thomas ranks second in the nation with his 1.7 passes defended per game. Eleven of his 15 passes defended on the year have come in the last five games and 13 have come in the last six outings.

• Outside linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo ranks third in the Big 12 and 20th nationally with his 0.9 sacks per game. He has registered 5.0 sacks over his last five games (did not play vs. Kansas). His 7.0 sacks are fourth most in a season by an OU linebacker.

• Inside linebacker Jordan Evans ranks seventh in the Big 12 with his 7.4 tackles per contest.

EXTRA POINTS

• Oklahoma wide receiver Dede Westbrook (214.2) and running back Joe Mixon (202.6) rank first and second in the Big 12 in all-purpose yards per conference game. Only one other player (Texas' D'Onta Foreman at 200.3) averages more than 131.0 yards per contest.

• In Big 12 play, OU leads the league in scoring offense (48.5), total offense (597.5), pass efficiency (204.4), sacks allowed per game (1.2) and punt return average (13.7). It ranks second in passing offense (363.3), rushing offense (252.2), first downs per game (26.7), third-down conversion percentage (51.9), rushing defense (109.0), time of possession (32.35) and penalty yards (49.8).

• Oklahoma is 16-3 (.842) all-time against Baylor when ranked and 12-3 (.800) in the series when ranked under Bob Stoops. OU is only 1-3 all-time vs. Baylor when both teams are ranked.

• The Sooners' .880 win percentage against Baylor is their second highest among FBS teams they have played at least 10 times (.926 vs. Iowa State).

• Oklahoma is 17-4 (.810) all-time as the No. 9 team in the AP poll, including 6-1 (.857) under Stoops.

• OU leads the nation with its 2.6 plays from scrimmage of least 40 yards per game and with its 15 offensive TDs of at least 40 yards.

• OU is 54-12 (.818) under Stoops in November games and has won seven straight such contests (and 10 of the last 11).

• Of all active FBS players with at least 11 career TD receptions, Mark Andrews has the best TD-to-catch ratio at 31.0 percent (13 TDs on 42 catches). The next closest players are Toledo's Michael Roberts (16 TDs on 60 catches; 26.7%), North Carolina's Mack Hollins (20 on 81; 24.7%), Washington’s John Ross (19 on 77; 24.7%) and Clemson’s Deon Cain (13 on 56; 23.2%).