Game Day Vitals: #21 OSU At #13 Oklahoma

Game Info

Oklahoma State (7-3, 5-2) at Oklahoma (8-2, 6-1)

Kickoff: 2:30 pm

Location: Oklahoma Memorial Stadium

Television: ESPN

Radio: Sooner Radio Network

Thanks to conference realignment, the Bedlam football game hasn't been played in Norman since 2009. Sooner fans will remember that game was a 27-0 blowout win but what also seems to be lost in the mix is that game was the only one hosted by Oklahoma in the last four years. Think about it for just a second, for guys like Kenny Stills and Trey Millard (both juniors) this is the first home Bedlam game of their careers.

OSU Scouting Report

Oklahoma's record over the last four years has been pretty solid at 4-1. In fact, last season's loss to the Cowboys snapped an eight game winning streak, and an 82-17-7 record overall in the series is just...wow!

All that said, this is an O-State team that shouldn't be underestimated. Despite losing their leading passer and receiver from last year, and experiencing multiple injuries to their quarterbacks this season, the Cowboys are still ranked 3rd in the nation in scoring offense (45.4 ppg), which also ranks them at the top of the Big 12 in scoring offense.

Balance is more of a staple in Stillwater this year with the Cowboys ranked fourth in the conference in passing offense and third in rushing. Freshman quarterback J.W. Walsh leads O-State in passing with a 66.5% completion rate and eleven touchdowns to three interceptions. Due to a rash of injuries, Walsh is one of three quarterbacks to have played for the Pokes this season.

Josh Steward is OSU's leading receiver, and its by a long stretch. His 73 receptions this season are almost 50 more than the next guy (Blake Jackson) on the list. He's averaging 11.7 yards per reception and has scored five touchdowns. Jackson, Charlie Moore, Isaiah Anderson, and Tracy Moore round out O-State's receiving targets and most of them can be a homerun threat at any given moment.

Running backs Joseph Randle and Jeremy Smith both average 5.2 yards per carry but Randle is the primary workhorse of the group. He's carried the ball 213 times this season (Smith 53 carries) for 1,099 yards and 10 touchdowns. With the recent struggles the Sooners have had in stopping the run, facing Randle should be a bit bothersome to OU fans.

Defensively the Cowboys are ranked 57th nationally in points allowed at 26.1 points per game. They are fifth in the Big 12 in scoring defense, sandwiched between TCU and Texas. The Cowboys are second in the conference in rush defense, holding opponents to just 3.4 yards per carry and 126.2 yards per game. Its the other side of the ball where the Cowboys have struggled a bit. Opposing quarterbacks are completing 60% of their passes for 262 yards per game.

Linebacker Alex Elkins leads the team in tackles with 58. Defensive tackle Calvin Barnett seems to live in the opponents backfield. He has recorded a team high seven tackles for loss and has a total of 24 take downs on the season. Nigel Nichols has a team high 3.5 sacks and safety Daytawion Lowe's two interceptions are the best on the team.

This is the first Bedlam game in a while where Oklahoma has an overall advantage in special teams but OSU's Quinn Sharp could be the best in the Big 12. He's 21-27 on field goal attempts (perfect from inside 40 yards), and perfect on all 55 extra points. In addition, he's averaging 45.1 yards per punt with a long of 74 yards.