#16 Kansas v #4 Oklahoma football preview

There really can’t be a hangover from the Texas game. Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops is very well aware of the ramifications.

The No. 4 Sooners have half of their season remaining and plenty to play for. The question is what exactly they will be playing for.

The Sooners play host to No. 16 Kansas Saturday at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. As disappointing at the loss was to Texas a week ago, the idea is to get ready for the Jayhakwks.

“It is just a must,’’ junior running back Chris Brown said. “You have to because Texas is gone, and we have another great team in Kansas coming in. If we don’t get our act together, the same thing will happen because they are a great team as well.’’

And with a sense of urgency, the Sooners can take nothing for granted. They have the advantage over the Jayhawks. But to be sure, their running game is operating in quicksand.

DeMarco Murray rushed for only seven yards against the Longhorns. But for the most part, there just hasn’t been a consistency to it throughout the season.

“It’s an issue,’’ Stoops said. “Some games we have been able to run it and run it well. But there have been two games where we haven’t.’’

Quarterback Sam Bradford took his share of beatings from the Longhorns, but is ready to go. And he should be. After all, he did throw for 387 yards and five touchdowns.
However, it’s been a little coy with the middle linebacker position. Stoops has not publicly endorsed one player of the other after junior middle linebacker Ryan Reynolds was lost for the season with a torn right ACL. He was only the previous OU player who came into the season with starting position at linebacker.

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But the Sooners know they will be dealing with a Kansas team that has been playing very good football. The Jayhawks started their conference season with wins over Iowa State and Colorado.

Quarterback Todd Reesing is 17-2 as a starter for the Jayhawks and has been extraordinary in those starts with 48 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions.

The question will be how quickly Kansas can get going and hold the explosive OU passing game in check. If it can, then the Jayhawks can hang around for a ltitle bit. If they can’t, it will be a blowout.

Prediction: Oklahoma 31 - Kansas 21

No. 16 Kansas (5-1, 2-0) @ No. 4 Oklahoma (5-1, 1-1)
Time: 2:30 p.m. CDT
Site: Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
TV: ABC
Series: 100th meeting. Oklahoma leads, 66-27-6

By Kevin Lonnquist
Big 12 Fans Staff Writer

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