Oklahoma-Baylor GameDay: X-Factors

John Hoover: Sooner Nation

Baylor will try to run the football, and part of the reason is to slow the game, control the clock and silence the crowd. The Bears also know if they can shut down the Oklahoma running game and make the Sooner offense one-dimensional, the denizens of Memorial Stadium will fall quiet. In a game where the margins are expected to be razor-thin, OU fans have an opportunity to get throaty, stay loud and affect the outcome of the game. Consider this: two of the wildest crowds Baylor has played against this season — 63,470 in Provo, UT, and 45,293 in Morgantown, WV — were close losses in which Baylor was beaten in the second half. The Bears lost 26-20 in double OT at BYU and 43-40 at West Virginia and were outscored 42-30 after halftime. The home crowd can make a huge difference on Saturday.

Ryan Chapman: Forcing Turnovers

Baylor will bring a Top 25 rushing offense to Norman that will be prepared to throw haymakers at an Oklahoma rushing defense that ranks No. 114 overall in the country. Asking the Sooners to bottle up running back Richard Reese will be a tall task. But the defense can still play a role in a big victory by turning the Bears over and handing the ball back to the offense. OU intercepted Iowa State quarterback Hunter Dekkers three times last week, two of which came in the fourth quarter to help seal the win. Safety Key Lawrence also forced a fumble, though he punched the ball out and it bounced onto the sideline, allowing Iowa State to retain possession. Oklahoma has forced two or more turnovers in back-to-back games, and they’ll need to force quarterback Blake Shapen into a mistake or two if the Sooners are to string together their second three-game winning streak of the season.

Josh Callaway: Running Back Depth

Oklahoma has been running the ball at a tremendous clip as of late with Eric Gray obviously receiving the lion's share of that. But in this game, running back depth could become an issue for the Sooners against a Baylor defense that prides itself on stopping the run. Gray finished last week's game against Iowa State, but was hampered throughout, spending an extended stretch in the medical tent. Jovantae Barnes missed the game completely with a hamstring issue, and his status for Saturday is unknown. Marcus Major is back into the fold but hasn't been overly effective since missing time with an injury of his own. All of this adds up to some serious question marks for the Oklahoma running game on Saturday in a contest where they are going to want to pound the rock to set up some big plays over the top. If Gray is good to go and stays healthy throughout along with Barnes potentially returning to action, it's likely a non-issue. But if those things go the other way, running back depth could become a major concern quickly for Jeff Lebby and the OU offense.

Ross Lovelace: The Deep Ball

Baylor’s defense has been a well-oiled machine during the Dave Aranda era. But both of the Bears’ conference losses came by way of high-scoring shootouts, as Oklahoma State scored 36 points while West Virginia hung 43. Outside of those two contests, though, Baylor’s defense has been able to control most games. If the Sooners want to win, they can’t waste any more big-play opportunities. It seems like Dillon Gabriel and Marvin Mims have been close for weeks now, but the deep ball connection hasn’t quite shown up. Oklahoma will have to put up points to beat Baylor, and the Bears’ defense is unforgiving. Gabriel needs to connect deep downfield when he has the chance.