PLAYERS TO WATCH
–WR Steven Sims had 113 yards on five receptions in the 21-17 loss at Kansas State, the eighth 100-yard game for the senior but just his first this season. Although Sims is adept at using his speed and broken-field instincts to gain yards after the catch, especially on short routes, his production this season has been spotty, especially when paired with QB Peyton Bender.
–QB Peyton Bender did connect with Sims for a 65-yard touchdown, the longest pass of the season for both players. Bender threw for 232 yards and two touchdowns while confronting a stiff south wind. While Bender was effective at times and managed a decent game, an unforced fumble he committed when the ball slipped from his hands ended a late fourth quarter drive in Kansas State territory.
–S Mike Lee was active in run support, recording a season-high 10 tackles against Kansas State while playing injury-free and aggressive. Lee is best in that role since he sometimes can get caught out of position in pass coverage, in part because of his instinctive nature of going for the big stick.
–LB Joe Dineen was solid again, getting in on two tackles for loss against Kansas State. He recorded one sack after racing in untouched on a blitz and finished eight solo stops among his nine tackles. Dineen leads the FBS with 87 solo tackles and leads the Big 12 in overall tackles.
SERIES HISTORY: Oklahoma leads Kansas 75-27-6. The Sooners have won 13 straight dating to 2000. The 41-3 victory for Oklahoma last season was considered immaterial because of a pre-game incident in which three Kansas captains did not shake hands with eventual Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield, and Mayfield then had various behavioral outbursts during the game. Two of those captains, LB Joe Dineen and DT Daniel Wise, remain key players for the Jayhawks.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “It was a good game (against Kansas State). It was entertaining until the very end. But from our standpoint, we’ve got to win games man, and that’s why what happened, happened. You’ve got to produce. That’s the way it works.” — Kansas WR David Beaty