BAYLOR VS. OKLAHOMA
Records: Baylor 0-3, Oklahoma 3-0 Series history: Oklahoma leads 23-3
Key players: Key players: Baylor — QB Zach Smith, RB John Lovett, WR Chris Platt; Oklahoma — QB Baker Mayfield, RB Abdul Adams, DE/LB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo.
Who has the edge
Offense – Oklahoma. The Bears were 6-2 and averaging 39.8 points and 541.8 yards per game going into last season’s meeting with Oklahoma. They ended up with 504 yards in a 45-24 setback. Going into this year’s matchup, the woeful Bears offense is producing 25 points and 375.3 yards per game. The Sooners’ production, on the other hand, is up to 599 yards per game, which ranks fourth in the FBS.
Defense – Oklahoma. The Sooners rank seventh against the pass, allowing 110.3 yards per contest, and they’re 13th in scoring defense (12.3). Hybrid end Okoronkwo paces their efforts, with 19 tackles, 6.5 for loss, 3.5 sacks and one forced fumble. The Bears are surrendering 466.3 yards and staying on the field way too long — more than 38 minutes per game. Their opponents are converting on third down nearly 50 percent of the time (26-of58). Special teams – Baylor. The Bears are punting a lot, and P Drew Galitz is up the task, averaging 45.7 yards on 17 punts, with five inside the 20 and four of 50-plus yards. Baylor K Connor Martin is 2-for-2 with makes of 39 and 20 yards. Oklahoma P Austin Siebert averages just 37.5 yards per effort — but he’s punted only four times. Siebert also split a pair of field goals against Ohio State, missing from 37 and making from 35. Notable: The Bears claimed three of four meetings during the Art Briles heyday, winning in 2011, 2013 and 2014. But that’s their only wins in the series, and the Sooners, who won the first 20 matchups, are back on track, with victories the last two years. Mayfield passed for 300 yards and two TDs and ran for another score in last year’s game.
About Baylor: The Bears are 0-3 for the first time since starting 0-4 in 1999, but those losses were to Boston College, UNLV, Oklahoma and Texas. This year’s group is winless against Liberty (48-45), Texas-San Antonio (17-10) and Duke (34-20) — with the Sooners up next. The Bears managed only nine first downs and 2.1 yards per rush with four turnovers last week.
About Oklahoma: The Sooners (3-0) surrendered 14 points in the first quarter and went to the second quarter tied with Tulane. Then they settled down, outscoring the Green Wave 42-0 the rest of the way. Mayfield was marvelous again, throwing for 331 yards and four TDs — two of which went to WR CeeDee Lamb, a true freshman from Foster, who racked up 131 yards on four receptions. Lamb has 12 grabs for 213 yards and a team-high 3 TDs on the season.