3-2-1 KICKOFF
Oklahoma faces its first road test when it battles Kansas State at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Manhattan, Kansas. The No. 6-ranked Sooners (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) are looking to jumpstart their offense after a 16-13 win over West Virginia in Week 4, while the Wildcats (3-1, 0-1 Big 12) are seeking a statement win following a 31-20 loss to Oklahoma State. Here's a look at some keys to watch when the two teams face off.
3 players to watch
OU quarterback Spencer Rattler:Rattler delivered down the stretch against West Virginia despiteute being booed by his own fans in the first half, and all eyes will be on him again this weekend. The offensive line needs to be better, but the Sooners' offense will go as far as Rattler takes it at the end of the day.
OU tight end Austin Stogner: Rattler hasn't been given enough time in the pocket to pull off deep bombs, but the short game is still there. Stogner made one five-yard catch for a touchdown against West Virginia, and he should be involved more this weekend. Kansas State's defense got torched for 344 passing yards against Oklahoma State, so opportunities will be there on Saturday for everyone to get involved.
OU linebacker Nik Bonitto: Kansas State will surely lean on star running back Deuce Vaughn this weekend amid its quarterback uncertainty, so it'll be up to Bonitto and company to contain him. The veteran linebacker boasts 3.5 tackles for loss and 21⁄
2 sacks so far this season.
2 big questions
Can OU's run game get going? The Sooners only ran for 57 yards against West Virginia last week, which is the lowest total since their 15-yard rushing performance against Notre Dame in 2012. Kansas State is only allowing 75.2 rushing yards per contest this season, but it'll be up to Eric Gray and Kennedy Brooks to make the most of whatever opportunities they get.
Can the Sooners continue their lategame success on the road? OU is 3-0 this season in games that have been decided by one possession, but all three victories came at home. This is the first road test of the year for the
Sooners, and it'll be much more difficult to deliver in key moments.
1 wild prediction
The Sooners will have a 100-yard receiver on Saturday. It's wild that this is considered a wild prediction, but OU's passing game hasn't been what it used to be. Marvin Mims' 117-yard performance against Tulane in Week 1 is the only time this season that a receiver reached triple digits, but Kansas State's pass defense looked vulnerable against Oklahoma State last week. Mims, Mario Williams and Jadon Haselwood are all candidates to have a breakout game.