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By the Numbers: No. 13 Oklahoma Sooners vs. TCU Horned Frogs

A statistical look at how the Oklahoma Sooners and TCU Horned Frogs stack up heading into their Black Friday Showdown.

The Oklahoma Sooners vs. the TCU Horned Frogs may look like a mismatch based on their records coming into the game. However, the [autotag]TCU Horned Frogs[/autotag] are a bit reminiscent of the Sooners from 2022, who struggled in one-score games.

TCU was really good in one-score games a year ago, but haven’t been as fortunate this season. They’re a young team that has had some growing pains. In particular, they’ve gone as redshirt freshman [autotag]Josh Hoover[/autotag] has gone. When he’s protected the football, the Horned Frogs have been hard to beat.

The same can be said for the Sooners. In their two losses, Oklahoma turned the ball over six times. In their other nine games, the Sooners turned the ball over just six times.

The other big storyline in this game is the health of [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag]. Brent Venables said earlier in the week that he expects Gabriel to be available. But if he’s not, Jackson Arnold will get the first start of his career. We’ve seen some good things from the true freshman former five-star quarterback. But how will he respond to his first start on a short week?

This game has a chance to be a weird one given the early kickoff and coming on Black Friday. Will the home Sooners show up? Will they stay explosive in the passing game even if it is [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] at the helm?

Here’s a statistical look at the two sides for this Black Friday affair in this week’s By the Numbers.

By the numbers: Texas plays one final home game against Texas Tech

No. 7 Texas will host Texas Tech on Friday for the final regular season game of the year. Here’s a comparison of both teams so far this season.

It’s the final game of the regular season, and the No. 7 Texas Longhorns are playing at home under the lights in front of a passionate fanbase. Continue reading “By the numbers: Texas plays one final home game against Texas Tech”

By the Numbers: One ugly stat sums up the Lions 38-6 loss to the Ravens

Of all the ugly stats from the Lions’ 38-6 loss to the Ravens, one figure stands out above all the others

Normally we do a “By the Numbers” breakdown of all the key figures that led to the final score of the Lions game. Good or bad, the various numbers and statistical figures typically do a fine job of fleshing out how the game was played.

This week, in the 38-6 blowout loss to the Ravens, there was only one number that stood out as the most emblematic of the game. That number is one.

As in, 1 – the number of QB hits the Lions defense registered on Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.

That number could go up once the official statisticians review the game (adjustments on the next day are not uncommon). But the official game log on Sunday night recorded exactly one QB hit by Detroit, from EDGE Julian Okwara. It doesn’t count the Aidan Hutchinson hit on Jackson that was penalized on a very suspect roughing the passer foul.

The number zero was also prominent, including the related “number of sacks by the Lions defense.” That was also the number of Jackson passes that the Lions defense touched in the air.

One QB hit is not going to win many football games at any level. It’s not even giving your team a chance when it’s facing an MVP candidate like Lamar Jackson. By way of comparison, Baltimore’s defense hit Lions QB Jared Goff nine times, including four sacks.

By the Numbers: No. 7 Oklahoma Sooners vs. UCF Knights

The Oklahoma Sooners will take on the UCF Knights on Saturday and here is a By the Numbers look at the matchup.

The Oklahoma Sooners were put to the test in their Red River Rivalry win over the Texas Longhorns. It was the first one-score game of the season for Brent Venables’ bunch after playing in a number of tight games last season.

It could have gone either way at the end with the Sooners needing a last-minute drive to pull out the upset win over the Longhorns. Dillon Gabriel was masterful leading Oklahoma down the field in no time at all to get the go-ahead touchdown.

This week, against the [autotag]UCF Knights[/autotag], provides another challenge for the Sooners’ defense as they attempt to slow down one of the best rushing teams in the nation.

Where do the Oklahoma Sooners have an edge in their Big 12 showdown? Let’s take a look at this week’s By the Numbers!

By the numbers: Key figures from the Lions win over the Panthers

The Lions maintained the hot start to the 2023 NFL season with a commanding win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 5. The numbers that mattered the most were 42-24, the final score with Detroit coming out on top.

The path to that final score can be told in many other numbers and figures from the Lions win. Here are some of the key numbers that help tell the tale of the Week 5 matchup in Ford Field.

0 – giveaways by the Lions offense

0 – passes defended by Carolina’s defense

1 – 3-and-out series by Detroit’s offense

2 – sacks allowed by the Lions

3 – takeaways by the Lions defense

3.6 – average yards per carry by CAR on 1st-and-10 plays

4 – first downs for the Panthers offense attained via a Lions penalty

4 – touchdowns in 4 red zone possessions for the Lions offense

5 – different Lions players who scored touchdowns

8.1 – yards per carry by the Lions on 1st-and-10 plays

11 – tackles by Lions LB Alex Anzalone

14 – number of points the Lions scored in three separate quarters

23 – average yard line where the Panthers started their offensive drives

47 – average yard line where the Lions started their offensive drives (excluding end of 1st half and end of game drives)

132.4 – Jared Goff’s QB Rating for the game

By the Numbers: No. 14 Oklahoma Sooners vs. Iowa State Cyclones

Tale of the tape for Saturday’s matchup between the Oklahoma Sooners and Iowa State Cyclones.

The Oklahoma Sooners and [autotag]Iowa State Cyclones[/autotag] have battled in close contests over the last several years. Even last year, when the Sooners won by multiple scores, it was a tight contest in the first half.

A [autotag]Zach Schmit[/autotag] fake field goal run provided their first touchdown of the game.

This has the makings of a defensive battle, but the Oklahoma Sooners have the more talented offense. Can they execute better in the running game and take advantage of the Cyclones’ 3-3-5 look?

The Sooners will have to be patient in this one, but as heavy favorites at home, should come away with the win. However, Iowa State’s defense has a chance to keep this close.

Here’s a look at this week’s tale of the tape with a by the numbers look at Oklahoma vs. Iowa State.

By the Numbers: No. 16 Oklahoma takes on Golden Hurricane in Tulsa

A by the numbers look at the Oklahoma Sooners matchup with the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.

The Oklahoma Sooners enter their week three matchup with the Tulsa Golden Hurricane as one of two teams in the nation with a top 10 scoring offense and a top 10 scoring defense.

The Sooners have a chance to keep that going this weekend when they take on the Golden Hurricane in Tulsa.

Oklahoma had a solid, though uninspired, offensive effort a week ago, and the defense was really good against the SMU Mustangs. Though Tulsa will have some talented players on both sides of the ball, they don’t appear to be as talented as the Mustangs, especially on offense.

But that doesn’t mean the Sooners can take Tulsa lightly. They have a pair of athletic quarterbacks that will make them pay if the Sooners lose containment.

With kickoff just hours away, here’s a by the numbers look at Oklahoma vs. Tulsa.

By the Numbers: Breaking down the key stats and figures in the Lions Week 1 win

The most important set of numbers from the Week 1 matchup between the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs are 21 and 20. That’s the final score, with the Lions coming out on top on the road on Thursday night.

How the two teams arrived at those respective scores can be told by breaking down some other key numbers and figures from the game.

0 – Interceptions thrown by Jared Goff, now up to 359 straight passes without an INT, the 3rd-best streak in NFL history

0 – Successful third-down conversions in the second half by the Chiefs offense. They went 0-for-7 after being 5-for-7 in the first half

0 – Number of kick returns in the game by both teams

1 – Combined number of sacks for both teams. Chiefs DL Mike Danna got Goff for the only one.

1 – Lost fumble for Lions WR Marvin Jones, the first he’s lost in his 12-year NFL career

2.6 – Average yards per carry by the Chiefs on handoffs

3 – Dropped passes by Chiefs WR Kadarius Toney. Some outlets have him for just two but the NBC broadcast credited him for three.

4 – Passes defended by the Chiefs, all broken up at the line of scrimmage

4 – Enforced penalties against the Lions, costing them 63 yards

4.5 – Ending wager line favoring the Chiefs in the game

5 – Passes defended by the Lions coverage, all down the field

5.8 – Average yard per pass attempt for Patrick Mahomes

6.9 – Average yards per pass attempt for Jared Goff

16 – Ending number of the streak of Chiefs wins against NFC teams

20.5 – Aidan Hutchinson’s pressure rate on pass rushes, despite not getting a sack

25 – Total yards by the Chiefs in the fourth quarter, on 12 plays

41 – Fourth-quarter rushing yards for Lions RB David Montgomery, on 11 carries

94.1 – Jared Goff’s QB Rating, the seventh time in 10 games he’s topped 90.0

Nebraska & Minnesota by the numbers

On Thursday evening, the Nebraska Cornhuskers will kick off their 134th season.

On Thursday evening, the Nebraska Cornhuskers will kick off their 134th season. The Husker will travel to Minneapolis to face Big Ten Conference member Minnesota.

The season opener will also be the first game under new head coach Matt Rhule. He returns to college football after spending the last three seasons with the Carolina Panthers of the NFL.

Nebraska begins the season with back-to-back games on the road. The last time the Huskers started a season that way since 1995.

This game is also the fourth straight season that Nebraska will start with a conference game. They began with Ohio State in 2020, Illinois in 2021, and Northwestern in 2022.

Find more numbers as we move closer to Thursday and the start of the 2023 season.

Bedlam By the Numbers: Oklahoma Sooners vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys

Who has the statistical advantage heading into this year’s matchup between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State? Here’s this week’s By the Numbers. From @john9williams

Oklahoma and Oklahoma State come into this year’s version of Bedlam in two very different situations than they were a year ago.

This game had Big 12 title implications for both teams and with just one loss on either side, there was still a chance that either team could work their way into the College Football Playoff. In 2022, that’s not the case.

The Oklahoma Sooners are fighting for bowl eligibility with two games remaining, and Oklahoma State’s hoping to stay in the Big 12 title game hunt, though they’ll need a lot of help.

Offensively, the two sides are putting up a lot of yards and points this season, but both teams have had injuries to their quarterbacks. Spencer Sanders is still dealing with a shoulder issue but is expected to play. Dillon Gabriel is long past the concussion that forced him to miss the second half of the loss to TCU and all of the Red River Showdown loss to Texas.

The noticeable difference for Oklahoma State has been its defense. After producing one of the best defenses in the country under Jim Knowles, the Cowboys have dropped off some this season, allowing 30 points per game. Oklahoma’s defense hasn’t been any better, as the Sooners have allowed 29.1 points per game on the season.

It’s going to be a cold night in Norman for this year’s iteration of Bedlam, and it’s difficult to predict what’s going to happen given the inconsistencies from Oklahoma and the health of Spencer Sanders. What we can expect is another entertaining game in the in-state rivalry.