Sports

 
                === Baylor comes calling on No. 14 Oklahoma ===
 
 Norman, OK (Sports Network) - The Baylor Bears make the trek to Norman for
 this Saturday's Big 12 Conference showdown with the 14th-ranked Oklahoma
 Sooners.
 
 Talk about a team at polar opposites when it comes to performing in all phases
 of the game, the Bears are the most potent offensive club in the country,
 while at the same time ranking dead last in the FBS in total defense. The
 offense won out last weekend, as BU snapped a three-game losing streak by
 throttling the visiting Kansas Jayhawks in a 41-14 final. The win was the
 Bears' first in conference this season, while evening their overall record at
 4-4. Only 0-6 Kansas sits behind them in the Big 12 standings.
 
 Oklahoma is 6-2 on the year, and the team has won four of its five conference
 clashes, the most recent of which being a 35-20 decision at Iowa State last
 Saturday. The Sooners trail undefeated Kansas State in the race for the Big 12
 title, and their lone league loss came against the Wildcats (24-19) back on
 Sept. 22. OU is just 2-2 at home this season, with its last bout in Norman
 resulting in a 30-13 loss to Notre Dame two weeks ago.
 
 Oklahoma has dominated Baylor over the years, winning 20 of the previous 21
 meetings. The Bears' only win came last year when Heisman Trophy winner Robert
 Griffin III led BU to a dramatic 45-38 victory in Waco.
 
 With the nation's leader in total offense at the helm, Baylor averages a
 robust 581.5 ypg and puts up nearly 44 ppg as a result. Nick Florence accounts
 for 412.3 ypg all by himself, as he has amassed 3,019 passing yards and
 another 351 rushing. He has 25 TD passes against 11 interceptions, and
 Terrance Williams has clearly been his go-to guy, the 6-2 senior hauling in 71
 balls for 1,340 yards and 10 scores. The BU run game features four guys who
 have gained at least 279 yards and have combined for 15 TDs.
 
 The Baylor defense has been absolutely horrific this season, giving up just
 shy of 40 ppg with foes rolling up 200.6 ypg on the ground and 326.6 ypg via
 the pass. The Bears allow an average of three passing TDs per outing, and
 they've recorded only 10 sacks and 14 turnovers. Bryce Hager and Ahmad Dixon
 sit atop the team's tackles list with 73 each, while Terrance Lloyd and Chris
 McAllister have three sacks apiece.
 
 Florence is coming off another monster effort in last week's manhandling of
 Kansas, throwing for 367 yards and three TDs, while RB Lache Seastrunk
 generated 194 yards and a score and RB Glasco Martin became Baylor's first
 100-yard rusher of the season by tallying a career-high 157 yards on just 11
 carries. Florence added 32 yards and a TD on the ground for the Bears, while
 hitting Williams 11 times for 137 yards and a score. When the dust had
 settled, the Bears had accumulated 666 yards of total offense compared to 342
 for the Jayhawks, only 96 of which came by way of the pass.
 
 Sam Holl led the Baylor stand with 11 tackles, and collectively the team
 logged two sacks and came away with a pair of interceptions, all while
 permitting Kansas just 2-of-13 success on third-down conversion attempts and
 holding it scoreless on two trips to the red zone.
 
 The 96 passing yards allowed to the Jayhawks were the fewest for the BU
 defense since Colorado managed just 75 in a triple-overtime game played in
 Boulder back in 2006. It also marked the first time the Bears hadn't allowed a
 passing TD in 12 games.
 
 Baylor head coach Art Briles was happy his team was finally able to put it all
 together after what had seemed like an eternity since last doing so.
 
 "On behalf of the team and the coaching staff, what a relief. We feel like we
 have been carrying a burden the last three or four weeks, so its a relief to
 go out there and play well. Defensively, offensively, and special teams played
 well tonight."
 
 Putting points on the board hasn't been a problem for Oklahoma this season,
 the team currently ranking 15th in the nation with a scoring average of 39.5
 ppg. QB Landry Jones is a 65 percent passer who averages 301.8 ypg and has
 thrown for 16 TDs versus only six interceptions. Kenny Stills has been the
 Sooners' top weapon down the field, as he has caught 51 balls for 649 yards
 and six scores, while the OU run game features the talents of guys like Damien
 Williams (90 carries, 588 yards, seven TDs) and Brennan Clay (54 carries, 372
 yards, four TDs). Overall, the team produces 488.8 ypg, has turned the ball
 over only 11 times, and the offensive line has surrendered just a dozen sacks.
 
 Unfortunately, the defense hasn't made a ton of big plays in coming up with
 only 11 takeaways, including just two fumbles. Still, the Sooners are allowing
 a mere 17.8 ppg behind typical outputs of 142.9 ypg rushing and 170.0 ypg
 passing. They've notched just 37 TFL, but 17 of them have been sacks. Tony
 Jefferson is the leading tackler with 68, which is almost twice as many as his
 closest teammate -- Javon Harris (40 stops), who happens to lead the team with
 four picks.
 
 Iowa State stood its ground against the Sooners last week, playing to a
 standstill through the opening quarter. But Oklahoma would take a 14-6 lead
 into halftime and then open things up in the second half en route to a double-
 digit win on the road. Jones completed 32-of-45 passes for 405 yards with four
 TDs and two interceptions, as receivers Justin Brown, Stills, Sterling Shepard
 and Jalen Saunders combined for 22 grabs, 330 yards and all four scores.
 Brennan was OU's workhorse out of the backfield as he turned 24 carries into
 157 yards and a TD.
 
 The Sooners held strong against the run last week, permitting just 99 net
 rushing yards on 24 attempts. Their effort against the pass wasn't too bad
 either, with the Cyclones throwing for 191 yards with an interception. The
 Oklahoma defense was on the field for less than 24 minutes, sacked Iowa State
 QB Steele Jantz three times, and held the home team to 5-of-14 success on
 third-down conversion attempts. Jefferson finished with a team-high nine
 tackles.
 
 Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops had plenty of positives to draw from following
 the big win at Iowa State.
 
 "I thought Landry Jones was exceptional and had a huge day. Brennan Clay had a
 huge day as well. I thought our offensive line was really good and our
 protection was good. Defensively, I thought we were really good for most of
 the day."
 
 
 
 11/07 11:35:00 ET