Home sweet home
It’s probably not this simple, but Oklahoma can take solace in the fact that going into this matchup its true freshman starting quarterback has been marvelous in a pair of home starts.
In home wins over TCU and Texas Tech, Caleb Williams completed 41-of-53 passes for 697 yards and 10 touchdowns with no interceptions in the two games combined. He also ran in a 41-yard touchdown against the Horned Frogs.
Again, Iowa State defensively is a far cry from either TCU or Texas Tech, but there is a home track record for Williams that OU can feel comfortable about.
The Cyclones boast the nation’s No. 23 passing defense. It will be the highest-rated group that Williams has seen to date.
Williams had his worst start of the season this past Saturday against Baylor. The Bears forced Williams into a pair of interceptions and held him to just 9-of-18 passing for 142 yards.
Oklahoma head football coach Lincoln Riley said earlier this week that Williams’ confidence wasn’t shaken from his outing in Waco.
“I think if you’re confident in what you do, then just because you don’t get the result that you want one time, that doesn’t change that if you’re truly confident in who you are and you truly believe in what you do, the people around you, the way you work. Confidence can’t be circumstantial. You either believe or you don’t. I believe I’ve got a room of guys that believe in themselves and believe in what they’re doing,” Riley said.