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Kansas Jayhawks: By the Numbers

Big Noon Kickoff will be on hand this Saturday in Lawrence for the last Big 12 meeting between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Kansas Jayhawks.
Ryan Chapman|
Kansas Jayhawks: By the Numbers
Kansas Jayhawks: By the Numbers

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Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma’s final Big 12 trip to Lawrence coincides with Big Noon Kickoff’s first ever appearance at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium this weekend.

The No. 6-ranked Sooners (7-0, 4-0 Big 12) hit the road to take on Lance Leipold’s resurgent Kansas Jayhawks (5-2, 2-2) in a contest that has garnered national attention.

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After another fast start to the season, Kansas has only dropped games to Texas and Oklahoma State, despite preseason Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year Jalon Daniels only appearing in three games.

Backup quarterback Jason Bean has stepped in to help guide a Jayhawk offense to the end zone on plenty of occasions, in thanks to one of the nation’s best rushing attacks.

The homecoming matchup is sold out, meaning Brent Venables’ last trip to Lawrence will be a challenging one as OU looks to move to 8-0 for just the second time in the last 18 years.

7.2

For the second consecutive week, the Oklahoma defense is matching up against a high-powered offense.

The Jayhawks average 7.2 yards per play this year, which is the sixth-best mark in in the Power 5 and second in the Big 12, only trailing UCF.

Three different Kansas running backs have rushed for over 100 yards this year in Devin Neal, Daniel Hishaw Jr. and Dylan McDuffie. Neal leads the way with 659 yards on the ground, but both Neal and Hishaw have run for six touchdowns each.

Bean has been good for the most part through the air as well.

He’s completed 65.3 percent of his passes, throwing for 913 yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions so far in 2023.

53.4

Part of the success of Leipold’s offense has come on key downs.

Kansas has converted 53.4 percent of the third downs the offense has faced this year with ranks No. 4-overall in the FBS.

As with any team that converts on third down at a high clip, the Jayhawks often set themselves up in favorable positions by staying ahead of the chains.

Neal averages 7.3 yards per carry this year, meaning Kansas can easily get back on track even if the Jayhawks’ first down play gets turned away and sets the offense back.

Kansas has an excellent punt returning unit, the best in the country in average return yardage, which often prevents the Jayhawks from having to be too conservative with play calls when backed up in the shadow of their own end zone.

Just as it was a week ago against UCF, stopping the run game will be essential for Oklahoma to have defensive success, but it’s a task much easier said than done.

107

While KU’s offense excels on third downs, the defense struggles.

So far this season, opponents are converting on 44.4 percent of third downs against Kansas, which ranks 107th in the country.

Part of the Jayhawks’ ongoing struggle to get off the field is due to their inability to bottle up the run.

Teams are rushing for 161.1 yards per game this year, which is 93rd overall and 12th in the Big 12.

Oklahoma finally got its rushing attack rolling in the fourth quarter against UCF thanks to running back Gavin Sawchuk, but the Sooners have struggled to carry any momentum on the ground week to week.

OU averages 168.3 yards per game on the ground, which is 51st in the country.

Despite the struggles on the ground, Kansas’ defense has been opportunistic through the air.

The Jayhawks have pulled down seven interceptions this season, which ranks fourth in the Big 12.

Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel has only thrown three interceptions this year, with last week’s pick popping up into the air off the usually reliable hands of Drake Stoops, but he’ll need to continue to take care of the football to limit the opportunities Kansas’ offense has to score with the Sooners at 11 a.m. on Saturday. 

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Ryan Chapman
RYAN CHAPMAN

Ryan is co-publisher at Sooners On SI and covers a number of sports in and around Norman and Oklahoma City. Working both as a journalist and a sports talk radio host, Ryan has covered the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the United States Men’s National Soccer Team, the Oklahoma City Energy and more. Since 2019, Ryan has simultaneously pursued a career as both a writer and a sports talk radio host, working for the Flagship for Oklahoma sports, 107.7 The Franchise, as well as AllSooners.com. Ryan serves as a contributor to The Franchise’s website, TheFranchiseOK.com, which was recognized as having the “Best Website” in 2022 by the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters. Ryan holds an associate’s degree in Journalism from Oklahoma City Community College in Oklahoma City, OK. 

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