@BPrzybylo - The Oklahoma defense gets a second chance at a first impression. If you thought the Sooners were embarrassed by what happened against physical teams like Army and Texas, well, OU gets one more chance to get it right against Kansas State.
OU has been bullied against physical teams this season, and there’s no doubt the Wildcats will do whatever they can to duplicate the success of what Army was able to accomplish last month.
What OU couldn’t do vs. the Black Knights is what it will do Saturday, and that’s put the separation on the scoreboard, so that Alex Barnes can’t be the workhorse he has been throughout this season.
KSU was able to keep the Oklahoma State game close and then pummel the Cowboys in the second half. If OU’s offense is what it always is combined with just a tad improvement from the defense, a score of 21-7 or 28-7 in the first half is incredibly realistic.
If you’ve been waiting for Kennedy Brooks, this will be your afternoon, too. Gut feeling is Trey Sermon isn’t in the lineup. And even if he is, he won’t be 100 percent and be the bulldozing back he has been known for.
But with Kyler Murray and his slew of receiver targets, the running game won’t have to be on-point 100 percent.
Murray accounts for at least four touchdowns, and OU puts some breathing room early to cruise late to set up the anticipated shootout at Texas Tech.
OU 48, KSU 17
@Eddie_Rado - Another Saturday, another opportunity. Oklahoma enters Saturdays American football contest in a little better shape than they did just seven days ago. This doesn't mean the Sooners defensive problems have been corrected in full. But it does mean there was progress in some areas.
Kansas State brings to Norman a much different challenge. In a way it's a challenge of manhood. Can Oklahoma match the physicality that's needed to win? They've seen the gameplan once already this season. Can adjustments be made? More four man front. More big bodies. Can this group be nasty? (Probably not).
It's not going to be the prettiest thing but Bill Snyder laid out the gameplan earlier this week.
“The key element is can you maintain possession of the ball for that long?," said Snyder. “They had the ball for as long as they did, because they were getting first downs. It’s interesting when you watch the game, because their gains are one yard, three yards, four yards, five yards, two yards. However many snaps they took, I would guess 95 percent of them, were five yards or less gains, but they were so consistent about it.”
Yikes. That makes first and second down important. It's imperative OU builds an early lead. And I think they will. This team is clicking on all cylinders and that's good news for you the Oklahoma fanatic.
Take Oklahoma and give the points. Sooners big.
Oklahoma 52
Kansas State 24
@Josh_M - The thing that's been interesting to me about this game is how much faith there is that Kansas State is not only going to fully run their version of Army's offense but how in a week they'll be that efficient with it.
I'm not denying that they have some background in it but it also says, to me, a lot about how many don't understand how difficult it is to run ANY offense with that level of precision.
It's not that I don't think Kansas State will come out and do quite well, I think for a quarter, maybe two, they'll do so but again at some point having heavy repetitions makes a difference. As will not doing so and I'd expect as the game goes on and more and more option style plays there is going to be more and more likelihood of some mistakes.
Additional good news for Oklahoma? Kansas State lacks both a quarterback who is highly qualified to throw the ball down field as well as big downfield threats of the type that Oklahoma has had so many issues with this year.
On the flip side, this is a good, but far from great, Kansas State defense that is going to end up as helpless against the duo of Kyler Murray and Lincoln Riley as everyone else has been.
This one may take a while for Oklahoma to get rolling, I wouldn't be shocked if it's 14-10 or something at the end of the first but I'd expect the second and third quarters to be big for the Sooners.
Oklahoma 56
Kansas State 20
OU has been bullied against physical teams this season, and there’s no doubt the Wildcats will do whatever they can to duplicate the success of what Army was able to accomplish last month.
What OU couldn’t do vs. the Black Knights is what it will do Saturday, and that’s put the separation on the scoreboard, so that Alex Barnes can’t be the workhorse he has been throughout this season.
KSU was able to keep the Oklahoma State game close and then pummel the Cowboys in the second half. If OU’s offense is what it always is combined with just a tad improvement from the defense, a score of 21-7 or 28-7 in the first half is incredibly realistic.
If you’ve been waiting for Kennedy Brooks, this will be your afternoon, too. Gut feeling is Trey Sermon isn’t in the lineup. And even if he is, he won’t be 100 percent and be the bulldozing back he has been known for.
But with Kyler Murray and his slew of receiver targets, the running game won’t have to be on-point 100 percent.
Murray accounts for at least four touchdowns, and OU puts some breathing room early to cruise late to set up the anticipated shootout at Texas Tech.
OU 48, KSU 17
@Eddie_Rado - Another Saturday, another opportunity. Oklahoma enters Saturdays American football contest in a little better shape than they did just seven days ago. This doesn't mean the Sooners defensive problems have been corrected in full. But it does mean there was progress in some areas.
Kansas State brings to Norman a much different challenge. In a way it's a challenge of manhood. Can Oklahoma match the physicality that's needed to win? They've seen the gameplan once already this season. Can adjustments be made? More four man front. More big bodies. Can this group be nasty? (Probably not).
It's not going to be the prettiest thing but Bill Snyder laid out the gameplan earlier this week.
“The key element is can you maintain possession of the ball for that long?," said Snyder. “They had the ball for as long as they did, because they were getting first downs. It’s interesting when you watch the game, because their gains are one yard, three yards, four yards, five yards, two yards. However many snaps they took, I would guess 95 percent of them, were five yards or less gains, but they were so consistent about it.”
Yikes. That makes first and second down important. It's imperative OU builds an early lead. And I think they will. This team is clicking on all cylinders and that's good news for you the Oklahoma fanatic.
Take Oklahoma and give the points. Sooners big.
Oklahoma 52
Kansas State 24
@Josh_M - The thing that's been interesting to me about this game is how much faith there is that Kansas State is not only going to fully run their version of Army's offense but how in a week they'll be that efficient with it.
I'm not denying that they have some background in it but it also says, to me, a lot about how many don't understand how difficult it is to run ANY offense with that level of precision.
It's not that I don't think Kansas State will come out and do quite well, I think for a quarter, maybe two, they'll do so but again at some point having heavy repetitions makes a difference. As will not doing so and I'd expect as the game goes on and more and more option style plays there is going to be more and more likelihood of some mistakes.
Additional good news for Oklahoma? Kansas State lacks both a quarterback who is highly qualified to throw the ball down field as well as big downfield threats of the type that Oklahoma has had so many issues with this year.
On the flip side, this is a good, but far from great, Kansas State defense that is going to end up as helpless against the duo of Kyler Murray and Lincoln Riley as everyone else has been.
This one may take a while for Oklahoma to get rolling, I wouldn't be shocked if it's 14-10 or something at the end of the first but I'd expect the second and third quarters to be big for the Sooners.
Oklahoma 56
Kansas State 20
