Oklahoma at Oklahoma State Line
The Big 12 may no longer have an official championship game, but Bedlam will erupt this week what amounts to a de facto title game. Saturday in Stillwater, Big 12 leader Oklahoma State will look to secure its first-ever outright league title when it hosts second-place Oklahoma in the annual Bedlam game. The league’s automatic BCS bowl berth is on the line, and for the Cowboys, a possible shot at the national title is at risk.
The Sooners have owned the Bedlam series in recent years, winning the last nine meetings with its in-state rival. The last OSU win in the series came at home in 2002.
The latest college football odds show Oklahoma State at -3.5, while the total is set for 72 points.
Oklahoma
The Sooners bounced back from their loss at Baylor to record a 26-6 home win over Iowa State last week, closing their home schedule with a 5-1 record. The Sooners are 4-1 away from home, which includes the Red River Rivalry game vs. Texas in Arlington, and are 3-1 against top-25 teams (the loss to Baylor).
The Sooners rank eighth nationally in scoring offense (43 ppg) while compiling 548 yards of offense per game (376 passing, 172 rushing). Landry Jones runs this offense by completing 64 percent of his passes for 4,052 yards and 28 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. The offensive line has allowed just six sacks.
The Sooners will be without top receiver Ryan Broyles (83 catches, 1,157 yards, 10 TDs) and top rusher Dominique Whaley (627 yards, nine TDs, 5.5 yards per carry), so the load may fall upon Kenny Stills and Jaz Reynolds (combined 91 catches, 1,447 yards, 13 TDs) in the passing game and Roy Finch (536 yards, 3 TDs, 5.6 ypc) in the run game.
Defensively, the Sooners rank 28th in points allowed (21 ppg), surrendering 373 yards per game (246 passing, 127 rushing) while recording 37 sacks and forcing 24 turnovers – four of which were returned for touchdowns (Jamell Fleming, David King and Tom Wort, fumbles; Demontre Hurst, interception).
Aaron Colvin leads the unit with 73 tackles with two fumble recoveries and a half-sack, while Travis Lewis has 70 stops, an interception and a forced fumble. Frank Alexander has 8.5 sacks, 51 tackles, three forced fumbles, a recovery and an interception, while Tony Jefferson has four picks, 58 tackles, 4.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
Oklahoma State
The Cowboys are coming off a bye week following their 37-31 upset road loss to Iowa State – a game that took place a day after the school lost its head and assistant women’s basketball coaches in a plane crash. The Cowboys are 5-0 at home this year, winning by an average of 27 points per game. They are also 4-0 against teams currently in the top-25.
The OSU offense ranks second in the country (behind only Houston) in points scored (50 ppg) while compiling 563 yards per game (402 passing, 161 rushing). Brandon Weeden has completed 73 percent of his passes for 4,111 yards and 34 TDs with 12 INTs. The offensive line has given up 11 sacks.
Justin Blackmon tops the receiving corps with 103 catches (43 more than anyone else) for 1,241 yards and 15 touchdowns, while Josh Cooper adds 60 grabs for 654 yards and three TDs. Joseph Randle anchors the running game with 1,042 yards and 21 TDs on 5.8 yards per carry.
The Cowboys rank just 64th nationally in points allowed (27 ppg), surrendering 454 yards per game (267 passing, 187 rushing) while recording 25 sacks and forcing 37 turnovers – two of which were converted to TDs (Josh Stewart, fumble; Shaun Lewis, interception).
Daytawion Lowe leads the defense with 79 tackles, three forced fumbles, two sacks, a fumble recovery and an interception, while Alex Elkins has 69 tackles, two fumble recoveries and an interception. Jamie Blatnick has seven sacks, 44 tackles, an interception, forced fumble and recovery, while Brodrick Brown and James Thomas each have four picks, a combined 77 tackles, three sacks, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.
