Oklahoma-Baylor: Three Keys to the Game

If the Sooners are going to extend their win streak to three games, they'll need to be the more physical team in the trenches and exploit their advantage on special teams.

NORMAN — After falling to 0-3 in Big 12 Conference play for the first time in 24 years, Oklahoma is riding a two-game winning streak.

Keeping that positive momentum going on Saturday against Baylor is paramount to the Sooners enjoying a moderately successful season in Brent Venables’ rookie year. It also could be significant to several recruits who will be at this week’s game and/or the home finale against Oklahoma State.

Here are three keys that will help the Sooners come away with a victory over the Bears and keep the positive momentum going:

Run the Football

In three games against Baylor head coach Dave Aranda — the first one when he was still LSU’s defensive coordinator — the Sooners have failed to average more than 3.5 yards per rush.

That’ll be huge this week as well, as Baylor’s defense leads the Big 12 in rushing defense, yielding just 113 yards per game on the ground.

Siaki Ika and Jaxson Player are huge run stoppers in the middle of the Baylor defense, but Aranda’s brand of football — punishing, physical, swarming — permeates to just about every position.

Brent Venables said the Sooners will need to play their most physical game of the season, and he wasn’t even slightly exaggerating. Baylor’s defense brings the fight on every play.

OU’s offensive line needs to be precise and aggressive, the receivers and backs need to be strong both blocking and with the football, and QB Dillon Gabriel, who has thrown just one interception this year, needs to continue valuing the ball.

Eric Gray was banged up last week, Marcus Major was coming off an injury, and Jovantae Barnes missed the Iowa State game entirely.

On the season, the Sooners rank third in the Big 12 in rushing offense at 217.5 yards per game.

Regardless of who’s healthy, OU needs to find a way to run the ball against one of college football’s best run defenses — and that could mean more wildcat action.

Stop the Run

It almost sounds cliche, but Oklahoma can win the game by owning the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.

Baylor comes into Saturday fourth in the conference in rushing offense at 201.5 yards per game. Half of that comes from freshman Richard Reese, who has been excellent this season and leads the Big 12 with 12 rushing touchdowns.

The fact is, in both run offense and run defense, the Sooners seem to be at a disadvantage in this game.

Can the Oklahoma defensive line have by far its best game of the season and push an experienced Baylor offensive line? Can the OU linebackers read their keys and stay in their run fits all afternoon? Can the Sooner secondary come up with consistent run support?

If the answer is yes to those, OU can beat Baylor. If not, the Sooner defense will be in for a long day.

Special Delivery

Once again, Oklahoma seems to have a decided advantage on special teams.

Knowing the Sooners may be behind the curve both offensively and defensively, they’ll need to exploit that advantage to the fullest like they did last week at Iowa State.

Baylor ranks third in the Big 12 in punt returns, but OU ranks second.

Baylor is last in the conference in kickoff returns at just 16.7 yards per runback. OU is seventh at 19.2.

Baylor is next-to-last in the league with just five made field goals (5-of-6), while Oklahoma ranks slightly better with eight (8-of-9).

Zach Schmit hasn’t missed an extra point yet (34-of-34), while Baylor leads the league with three missed PATs (38-of-41).

Michael Turk puts OU on top of the Big 12’s net punting chart (42.1 yards per punt), while Baylor ranks sixth (38.3).

And Baylor has allowed 323 yards on kickoff returns this season, compared to Oklahoma’s Big 12 leading 168.

Brent Venables calls it “hidden yardage,” but OU’s edge across the board on special teams needs to be out in the open if the Sooners can’t win the matchups on offense or defense.