Oklahoma vs. Nebraska Football 2009
Cornhuskers Need Win Over Sooners To Keep Pace in Big 12 North
Oklahoma will gun for its fifth consecutive victory over Nebraska when the Sooners take on the Cornhuskers in a Big 12 football game at Lincoln, Neb.
The Sooners, ranked No. 24 in the Bowl Championship Series standings, haven't lost to Nebraska since dropping a 20-10 decision at Lincoln in 2001. Last year, coach Bob Stoops' team rolled past Nebraska 63-28 in Norman, Okla.
Such a scoring outburst seems unlikely this weekend, as Nebraska boasts one of the top defenses in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision. But Oklahoma's defense is also one of the best, and the Cornhuskers happen to be in a bit of an offensive funk.
So coach Bo Pelini's team will likely need to create some type of spark if it wants to keep pace in the Big 12 North Division. Nebraska (5-3 overall, 2-2 Big 12) is a half-game behind first-place Kansas State (5-4, 3-2).
Oklahoma (5-3, 3-1) is tied for second place in the Big 12 South with Oklahoma State (5-3, 3-1). Both teams are 1 1/2 games behind Texas (8-0, 5-0).
Saturday's game is scheduled for 8 p.m. EST and will be telecast by ABC. It will mark the 85th meeting between the schools. Oklahoma leads the series 44-37-3.
Nebraska Offense Lacking Punch
Since erupting for 27 fourth-quarter points in its 27-12 triumph over Missouri on Oct. 8, the Cornhuskers offense hasn't done a heck of a lot.
In its last three games, Nebraska's managed only 37 points. More than half of those came in last week's 20-10 win over Baylor, but the Cornhuskers gained just 273 yards against a less-than-stellar defense. And the offense scored only one touchdown.
Pelini started freshman quarterback Cody Green over slumping junior Zac Lee, with mixed results. Green led three early scoring drives, but the Corhuskers did not score in the second half. Green went 12-for-21 passing for 128 yards with one interception.
On the season, Green is 31-for-54 for 313 yards, with two TDs and two interceptions. Lee has passed for 1,461 yards, completing 59.9 percent of his passes for 10 touchdowns with six interceptions.
Freshman Running Back Boosts Cornhuskers
Nebraska is tallying 27.6 points and 367.9 yards per game. But take away the Cornhuskers' runaway victories over Florida Atlantic, Arkansas State and Louisiana-Lafayette, and the averages fall dramatically.
Running back Roy Helu Jr. leads Nebraska with 668 rushing yards and six touchdowns, and junior also has 16 receptions for 134 yards. But Helu's been slowed by a shoulder injury, and his production has dropped considerably over the past two games.
Freshman Dontrayevous Robinson paced the Cornhuskers in those contests, managing 77 yards vs. Iowa State and 61 vs. Baylor.
Niles Paul remains Nebraska's top receiviing threat, with 25 catches for 413 yards and three TDs.
Nebraska Fourth in Scoring Defense
The Cornhuskers are yielding only 11.2 points per game — fourth best in the FBS. They rank ninth in total defense (267.6 yards), ninth in sacks (3.13 per game) and 10th in rushing defense (96.25 yards).
The defensive line is responsible for much of the success, with the exploits of Ndamukong Suh drawing national attention. The senior shares the team lead with 49 tackles, and has 13 tackles for loss, fie sacks, seven pass breakups, two blocked kicks, an interception, and 14 quarterback hurries.
Another tackle is actually tied with Suh for the team lead in tackles. Jared Crick has also made 49 stops, including 13.5 for losses. The sophomore has 8.5 sacks, and a school-record five came vs. Baylor.
Safety Larry Asante and cornerback Prince Amukamara have 41 tackles apiece, with Amukamara recording two interceptions. Linebacker Phillip Dillard, who didn't play in the first two games, ranks fifth on the team with 40 tackles. Ends Pierre Allen (9 tackles for loss, 3 sacks) and Barry Turner (8 tackles for loss) have also made big plays.
Oklahoma Defense Vulnerable vs. Kansas State
Oklahoma is fifth in the FBS in scoring defense (12.63 points per game), 11th in total defense (277.25 yards), third in rushing defense (80.0 yards) and fifth in sacks (3.38 per game).
But the Sooners were actually moved around a bit by Kansas State last week, giving up 364 yards in a 42-30 win. The yardage and points were both season highs for Oklahoma, which nearly blew a 28-6 second quarter lead.
Still, it's hard to look the OU defense and see anything but an immensely talented group. Like Nebraska, the Sooners have a sterling defensive line. It includes tackle Gerald McCoy (12 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks), and ends Jeremy Beal (42 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks) and Auston English (6.5 tackles for loss, 4 sacks).
The linebacking corps features Travis Lewis (team-high 71 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss) and Ryan Reynolds (57 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks). Quinton Carter (55 tackles, 3 interceptions) and Brian Jackson (34 tackles, 4 interceptions) are standouts in the secondary. Oklahoma ranks ninth in the FBS with 13 interceptions.
Freshman QB Jones Performing Well for Sooners
Oklahoma has for the most part been a sharp offensive team, averaging 33.1 points and 423.9 yards per game. Freshman Landry Jones has settled in well as a replacement for injured Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford, completing 62.4 percent of his passes for 1,657 yards and 17 TDs, with six interceptions.
Jones does have some strong weapons with which to work. Chris Brown (510 yards, 5 TDs) and DeMarco Murray (465 yards, 5 TDs) form an impressive tandem at running back, and Murray is also a formidable receiving threat (23 catches, 289 yards, 2 TDs).
The most explosive weapon, however, has been Ryan Broyles, who's made 44 catches for 591 yards and 10 TDs in seven games. No. 2 receiver Brandon Caleb (26 catches, 408 yards, 2 TDs) is recovering from an ankle injury he suffered early in the Kansas State.
But sophomore Dejuan Miller stepped up, and made nine receptions for 94 yards. He has 20 catches for 203 yards on the season.
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