OU-Kansas State: Three Keys to the Game

Win the Turnover Battle

Oklahoma has given the football away just one time this year, and that was a botched handoff/read between the backup quarterback and a backup running back late in the Nebraska game.

That trend has to continue if OU is going to beat Kansas State.

The Wildcats are tied for ninth nationally in turnover margin (plus 1.67 per game, same as OU) and rank 17th in the nation with seven takeaways in three games (OU is tied for 26th with six).

Players like Billy Bowman, Key Lawrence and Danny Stutsman have the ability to rip the football out and make plays on the ball in the air for Oklahoma, and they might be required to do so, as K-State QB Adrian Martinez has a history of being sloppy with the football.

K-State is a program that wins in the margins — special teams yardage, penalties, turnovers — so Oklahoma needs to continue being sharp with the football and opportunistic on defense.

Protect Gabriel

Kansas State defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah is a legitimate All-America candidate and a likely first-round draft pick.

At 6-foot-4, 255 pounds, he’s quick, powerful, explosive, smart, instinctive and ferocious at the point of attack. He already has 2.5 quarterback sacks this season, and racked up 11 last year — now at 14.5 in his career. He also forced an eye-popping six fumbles last season and already has one in 2022. He’s a force of nature, and Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel must avoid meeting him at all costs.

That puts a lot of responsibility on offensive tackles Anton Harrison, Wanya Morris and Tyler Guyton to be better than ever in pass pro.

The Sooners’ pass protection has been good but not great this year, and Gabriel has gotten himself sacked a few times as well. Cleaning up that element of the pass game is paramount to OU avoiding an upset.

Third Downs, Red Zone

Scoring will be at a premium. Through three games, Kansas State has put together one of college football’s stingiest defenses.

Not that Sooner Nation should become accustomed to missed kicks, but new kicker Zach Schmit misfired on a 39-yard field goal last week at Nebraska, so the Oklahoma offense absolutely must cash in on third-down conversions and red zone opportunities.

Kansas State held Tulane to 1-for-12 on third down last week, and the Wildcats rank 15th in the nation in third-down conversion defense.

Oklahoma, meanwhile, has been middling on third down, ranking 47th nationally at just 44.4 percent, and converting just nine touchdowns (and two field goals) on 12 red zone trips (38th nationally).

The Sooners can’t count on a bunch of field goals to win their first Big 12 game of Brent Venables’ career.