Week 10 Big 12 Previews
Sat., Nov. 6 @ 11:00 am CT
Kansas State Wildcats at Kansas Jayhawks
INSIDE THE SERIES
Overall …………………………… 49-64-5
In Manhattan ………………… 28-27-3
In Lawrence …………………… 21-37-2
Current Streak ………………… Won 12
Longest Win Streak … 12 (2009-20)
Most K-State Pts …………..64 (2002)
Most KU Pts…………………..55 (1947)
3 Points or Less …………………. 4-5-5
7 Points or Less ……………… 15-19-5
Biggest Win ……………… 64-0 (2002
Kansas State Wildcats
CATS TRAVEL TO LAWRENCE FOR 119TH SUNFLOWER SHOWDOWN
Coming off a convincing 31-12 win over TCU, Kansas State heads back on the road as it travels to Lawrence for the 119th edition of the Dillons Sunflower Showdown. The game against the Jayhawks, which kicks at 11 a.m., will be televised by FS1 with Adam Alexander (play-by-play) and Devin Gardner (analyst) on the call. The game can be heard across the 39-station K-State Sports Network with Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play), former K-State quarterback Stan Weber (analyst) and Matt Walters (sidelines) calling the action. Fans can also catch the game on SiriusXM (XM: 381; App: 951) in addition to The Varsity Network app.
A LOOK AT K-STATE
• K-State put together one of its best performances of the season in a 31-12 win over TCU last week.
• Deuce Vaughn totaled 158 yards from scrimmage (109 rush/49 receive), and Felix Anudike-Uzomah collected a school-record tying 4.0 sacks in a dominating defensive eff ort against the Horned Frogs.
• Quarterback Skylar Thompson has put together one of the best four-game passing stretches of his career against Oklahoma, Iowa State, Texas Tech and TCU. During that time, Thompson has thrown for 1,074 yards and seven touchdowns with just two interceptions on 81-of-115 (70.4%) aim.
• At Texas Tech, Thompson threw for 306 yards – the third 300- yard game of his career – and a touchdown on 24-of-30 aim to set a new career best in completion percentage (80.0%).
• During the second half, Thompson connected on 14-of-15 passes, the best percentage in a half by a K-State quarterback since 2006.
• Thompson’s favorite receiver this year has been Vaughn, who leads the team with 32 receptions for 351 yards and three scores.
• This year, Vaughn has totaled 1,055 scrimmage yards (704 rush/351 receive) and 12 total touchdowns. In his 18 career games, Vaughn has at least 100 scrimmage yards 13 times – including each of the last 10 games dating back to last year – and he ranks third nationally among active players in career all-purpose yards per game (126.44).
• Receivers Phillip Brooks, Malik Knowles and Landry Weber have combined for 61 receptions for 783 yards and four scores.
• The Wildcats, deploying a new 3-3-5 look and regularly rotating in over 25 players on defense, rank 26th in the nation and fourth in the Big 12 against the run (121.0 yds/gm). • Linebackers Daniel Green (49) and Cody Fletcher (44) lead the team in tackles, and each have at least four stops behind the line.
• Anudike-Uzomah ranks second in the nation in both sacks and forced fumbles, leading the Big 12 in both categories.
• He was named the Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week and the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week following his eff ort against TCU.
• Punter Ty Zentner ranks third in the Big 12 with a 46.9-yard average, while his 50.4-yard average in conference play is second in the league.
• Malik Knowles has returned two kickoff s for a touchdown, and he ranks third in the nation with a 31.2-yard average.
A K-STATE WIN WOULD…
• Give the Wildcats six on the year, marking the second time in Chris Klieman’s three seasons that the Wildcats won six or more games.
• Qualify the Wildcats for their 23rd bowl in school history.
• Be its 13th-straight in the series against KU and the 26th in the last 31 meetings.
• Move the Wildcats to 25-4 against KU since 1993, including a 12-3 mark in Lawrence.
• Be its seventh-straight in the series in games played in Lawrence.
A LONG-STANDING RIVALRY
• The Dillons Sunflower Showdown is not only one of the most played rivalries in FBS history but one of the longest uninterrupted series. Saturday’s matchup will be the 119th all-time meeting between the two schools, which will be tied for 10th all-time in FBS history.
• It will also be the 111th-straight season K-State and KU will meet on the gridiron, which will be the third longest uninterrupted series at the conclusion of the year.
ONE OF THE BIG 12’S BEST
• K-State ranks third in Big 12 wins since the league’s inception in 1996, trailing only Oklahoma and Texas.
• The Wildcats also rank third in the conference in winning percentage since round-robin play began in 2011. They sit at 57.9% (55-40), trailing only Oklahoma (83.2%; 79-16) and Oklahoma State (65.2%; 62-33).
LOOKING FOR BOWL ELIGIBILITY
• With a win over Kansas, K-State would move to 6-3 and will qualify for its 23rd bowl in school history.
• Since 1990, K-State has qualified for the postseason 22 times, with the latest being in 2019.
• Chris Klieman is trying to become the first coach in school history to send his team to a bowl twice in his first three seasons.
• In 2019, Klieman became the second coach in school history to take the Wildcats to a bowl in their first year as coach
OFFENSIVE NOTES
DOWN THE FIELD
• Traditionally a running-oriented offense, the Wildcats have been pushing the ball down the field more this year, as K-State is tied for 20th nationally with seven plays of 50 or more yards.
• K-State started the season with at least one 50-yard play from scrimmage in its first five games to become the first Wildcat team with a five-game streak since at least 1988.
• Of the seven total 50-yard plays by K-State this year, six have been passes, including scores by Daniel Imatorbhebhe against Nevada (68 yards) and TCU (73 yards) and Deuce Vaughn at Oklahoma State (55 yards). Vaughn has the lone rush of 50 or more yards, going for a 59-yard touchdown in the season opener against Stanford.
• Out of Vaughn’s 175 touches this year, 36 have gone for 10 or more yards to rank ninth in the nation and lead the Big 12.
RED ZONE SUCCESS
• In the first two-plus years under offensive coordinator Courtney Messingham, Kansas State has converted on 104-of-111 (93.7%) of its red zone opportunities, which includes 74 touchdowns.
• Included in that is a streak of 67-straight red zone conversions, as the Wildcats were true on their final 39 tries of 2019 and their first 24 opportunities of 2020.
• K-State’s 93.7% conversion rate since 2019 is the top mark in the Big 12.
• The Wildcats are the only team in the nation to rank in the top five in red zone offense each of the previous two years, leading the nation in 2019 (96.2%) and ranking fourth last year (93.9%).
AN EXPERIENCED SIGNAL CALLER
• Skylar Thompson has started each of the last four games after missing the previous two contests due to injury.
• Thompson has started 36 career games, the most by a Wildcat since at least 1990. Of those 36 starts, the Wildcats have 21 victories, as he is just one win shy of tying for first among K-State signal callers since 1990 (Ell Roberson, Collin Klein, Michael Bishop).
CUTTING IT LOOSE
• Skylar Thompson is in the midst of one of the better four-game passing stretches of his career, combining to go 81-of-115 (70.4%) for 1,074 yards with seven touchdowns and only two interceptions.
• It is the most passing yards by a K-State quarterback over a four-game stretch since the final four games of Jake Waters’ career in 2014 (1,332 yards).
• Against Oklahoma, Thompson set career highs in completions (29) and attempts (41), and he had the second-most yards in his career (320).
• Thompson’s 29 completions were the most by a Wildcat since Jake Waters had 31 in the 2015 Alamo Bowl (after the 2014 regular season).
• At Texas Tech, Thompson threw for 306 yards – the third 300-yard game of his career – and went 24-for-30, as his 80% completion mark against the Red Raiders was a career-best. His previous high was a 76.9% mark in 2017 against Iowa State and 2019 against Bowling Green.
• Thompson’s performance at Texas Tech included a 14-for-15 clip in the second half. His 93.3% completion rate in the final 30 minutes was highest in one half (minimum 15 attempts) by a K-State quarterback since Josh Freeman went 15-for-16 (93.75%) in the first half at Colorado in 2006.
ICE IN HIS VEINS
• Skylar Thompson has led the Wildcats on six career touchdown drives in the fourth quarter or later to either tie or take the lead.
• Those six drives – which are summarized below – are tied for the most among K-State quarterbacks since 1990 along with current quarterbacks coach Collin Klein.
• Klein’s six drives came in 2011 against Eastern Washington, Miami, Baylor, Texas A&M and Iowa State, and in 2012 at Oklahoma.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
RUN STOPPERS
• In eight games this season, K-State has allowed just 968 total yards rushing on 273 carries, as the Wildcats rank 26th nationally in rushing yards allowed per game (121.0) and 30th in yards allowed per rush (3.55).
• Stanford rushed for 39 yards in the 2021 opener, Southern Illinois had 100 yards on 40 carries, while Nevada had 25 yards.
• It was the first time the Wildcats allowed 100 or fewer rushing yards in three-straight games since the first three games of the 2007 season against Auburn (62), San Jose State (73) and Missouri State (69).
FEWER EXPLOSIVES
• One area of emphasis for the Wildcat defense in 2021 was to limit opponents’ explosive plays. Through the first eight games, K-State has allowed 31 plays of 20 or more yards to rank third in the Big 12.
• It is the Wildcats’ fewest 20-plus yard plays allowed through eight games since the 2014 team surrendered 22. In the first eight games last year, K-State conceded 44 plays of 20 or more yards.
• K-State has allowed eight runs this year of 20 or more yards, the fewest in the first eight games of a season since the 2017 allowed five.
BEHIND THE LINE
• Kansas State has tallied at least six tackles for loss in six of the first eight games this year, as 23 players have at least a half TFL.
• K-State is on pace for 78 tackles for loss in the regular season, which would be its highest mark since the 2007 team had 80 to tie for 10th in school history.
• The Wildcats tallied a season-high 10 TFLs against TCU, the most since they had 13 at Baylor last year.
MEET ME AT THE QB
• Through eight games in 2021, K-State is ranked first in the Big 12 at 2.75 sacks per game (22 total).
• Kansas State has at least one sack in 29 of the 31 games since Chris Klieman took over as head coach in 2019 with the lone non-sack games being the 2019 opener against Nicholls and this year against Iowa State.
• The 27-game sack streak that was snapped against Iowa State was the longest by the Wildcats since a 29-game streak that spanned the 1995 through 1997 seasons.
• Last season, K-State totaled 28 sacks in 10 games, which were the most for the Wildcats during an entire season since a 13-game 2016 campaign (30).
• K-State is on pace for 33 sacks in the regular season, which would be its highest mark since the 2015 team had 38.
STRONG AT THE START
• The K-State defense has been strong at the beginning of games
since the start of 2020 as 11 of the Wildcats’ last 18 opponents
have come up empty on their fi rst possession of the game.
• Over the last 18 games, K-State has allowed only 21 total fi rst
downs (1.3 per game), while drives have covered just 536 total
yards (30.8 yards).
• Included in that span is four three-and-outs and an interception this year against Nevada.
DEPTH IN THE SECONDARY
• Of the six defensive transfers K-State brought in prior to the 2021 season, four are in the secondary.
• Including the 2021 season, that group has combined for 96 career Division I starts by Julius Brents, Cincere Mason, Reggie Stubblefield and Russ Yeast.
• Prior to coming to K-State, Yeast started 29 games over four years at Louisville, Mason started 28 games over three seasons at Kennesaw State, Stubblefield started 18 games over four years at Prairie View A&M, and Brents started five games in 2018 at Iowa.
• Pairing the 96 starts from the transfers with the rest of the secondary, the Wildcats are currently at 169 combined career starts by defensive backs.
KING FELIX
• Defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah has broken out during his sophomore season as he ranks second in the nation in sacks and forced fumbles, and ranks 13th in tackles for loss. All three of those figures are a Big 12 best.
• A native of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, Anudike-Uzomah has 10.0 sacks this season, a half sack shy of entering the school’s top-10 list and 1.5 shy of tying the school record.
• He currently ranks third in school history in sacks among sophomores, just 1.5 shy of tying that record.
• Anudike-Uzomah has recorded at least 3.0 sacks in two games, the only player in the nation this year to accomplish that feat and the fi rst in school history with two 3.0-sack games in a season.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
SCORING IN THE THIRD PHASE
• One of the main reasons the Wildcats have been a successful program the last three decades is a knack for momentum-swinging plays in the return game.
• Since 2005 (17 seasons), the Wildcats have a combined 57 kickoff – and punt-return touchdowns, 20 more than second-place Alabama (37) and 26 more than the next closest Big 12 team (Oklahoma State: 31).
• Of the 57 total returns, a nation-leading 31 are on kickoff returns. The next closest team is San Diego State with 19
Kansas Jayhawks
JAYHAWKS SET TO HOST WILDCATS FOR 119TH EDITION OF THE DILLONS SUNFLOWER SHOWDOWN
The Kansas Jayhawks will kick off the month of November with a good old fashioned rivalry game with in-state foe Kansas State. The two teams will hook up for the 119th time Saturday at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium with the Jayhawks leading the overall series, 66-47-5. Kansas leads 37-21-2 all-time in Lawrence. The Wildcats enter the game with an overall record of 5-3 and a 2-3 mark in Big 12 play. Winners of two straight, K-State has knocked off Texas Tech and TCU the past two weeks. Offensively, the Wildcats are led by quarterback Skylar Thompson and running back Deuce Vaughn. Thompson is completing 70 percent of his passes and has thrown for 1,314 yards and seven touchdowns. Vaughn has rushed for 704 yards and nine touchdowns in eight games, while adding a team-best 32 catches for 351 yards and three touchdowns. Defensively, Felix Anudike-Uzomah had four sacks last time out against TCU and has 10 sacks on the season. Daniel Green leads the team with 49 tackles to go with six tackles-for-loss. Saturday’s game will be televised by FS1 with Adam Alexander and Devin Gardner on the call.
QUICK HITS
• After allowing six sacks at Coastal Carolina, the Kansas offensive line has allowed just two sacks over the last six games and rank 13th in the country and second in the Big 12 in fewest sacks allowed.
• The Jayhawks have started the same combination each of the last six games: Earl Bostick Jr. (Left Tackle), Malik Clark (Left Guard), Mike Novitsky (Center), Michael Ford Jr. (Right Guard) and Bryce Cabeldue (Right Tackle). That group allowed just one sack against Oklahoma after the Sooners totaled nine last year. Scott Fuchs is in his first season coaching that group.
• Super senior defensive end Kyron Johnson surpassed 20 career tackles-for-loss against Oklahoma last month when he picked up a sack of Sooners quarterback Caleb Williams. Johnson leads Kansas this season in tackles-for-loss with 5 ½ and sacks at 3 ½.
• The Kansas defense has forced at least one fumble in all but one game this season, and had two apiece versus South Dakota and Baylor. The Jayhawks rank 14th in the country in forced fumbles per game at 1.13. Both super-senior defensive end Kyron Johnson and junior safety Kenny Logan Jr., have multiple forced fumbles this season. Linebacker Rich Miller forced his first fumble last month versus Oklahoma.
• True freshman running back Devin Neal is leading the team in rushing through eight games this season. Neal has started each of the past five games and has a pair of 100-yard efforts against Duke and Oklahoma.
• The Lawrence High product is averaging 4.4 yards per carry this season. Against Oklahoma, Neal had 100 rushing yards and two touchdowns, becoming just the third true freshman since 2000 to rush for at least 100 yards and multiple touchdowns against Oklahoma.
• Junior safety Kenny Logan Jr., is one of only two players in the country with 65+ tackles, at least six passes defended and multiple forced fumbles. The junior safety leads Kansas with 66 tackles and notched his first tackle-for-loss of the season last time out at Oklahoma State.
• Logan is averaging 5.6 solo tackles per game, which ranks top in the Big 12 Conference and 11th nationally. He also ranks 13th nationally and third in the Big 12 in kickoff returns at 26.9 yards per return.
• Kwamie Lassiter II had two catches last time out against Oklahoma State and is now ninth all-time in Kansas school history with 119 career receptions. He is three away from tying Clark Green for eighth at 122. Lassiter is up to 1,254 receiving yards for his career, which ranks 19th alltime. He passed Charles Gordon against Oklahoma State.
• Through eight games, the Kansas offense has had 25 plays go for 20 yards or more. In nine total games last year, the Jayhawk offense had just 16 total plays of 20 or more yards.
A KU WIN WOULD …
• Move Kansas to 590-664-58 all-time, including 2-7 in the Lance Leipold era.
• Improve head coach Lance Leipold’s career record to 148-46, including his first career win over a Big 12 opponent.
• End a 12-game losing streak to the Wildcats, marking Kansas’ first win in the Sunflower Showdown since November 1, 2008.
• Improve Kansas’ series record in the Dillons Sunflower Showdown to 66-48-5, including a 38-21-2 advantage in Lawrence.
• Be the 20th Governor’s Cup victory for the Jayhawks, since being introduced in 1969.
• Be Kansas’ first win over a conference opponent since Oct. 26, 2019, when the Jayhawks defeated Texas Tech, 37-34, at home.
THE O-LINE IS MORE THAN FINE
• Since allowing six sacks to Coastal Carolina in the second game of the season, the Kansas offensive line has allowed just two sacks since.
• The Jayhawks surrendered one sack against Oklahoma last month after the Sooners totaled nine sacks a year ago in a convincing win in Norman.
• Through eight games, the Jayhawks have allowed nine sacks and 13th in the country and second in the Big 12 in fewest sacks allowed at 1.12 per game. Through eight games last year, the Kansas offensive line had surrendered 43 sacks.
• The nine sacks allowed are the fewest allowed by Kansas through eight games since at least 2005. The previous low mark was 12.
• Kansas has started the same offensive line each of the last seven games with Earl Bostick at left tackle, Malik Clark at left guard, Mike Novitsky at center, Michael Ford Jr., at right guard and Bryce Cabeldue at right tackle.
• In addition to the pass protection, the Jayhawks have rushed for at least 145 yards as a team in four of the last five games after failing to reach that mark twice in the first three games
HOMETOWN HERO
• The No. 1 recruit in the state of Kansas for the Class of 2021, running back Devin Neal has had a strong start to his collegiate career with the Jayhawks.
• Neal, a native of Lawrence, and a product of Lawrence High School, rushed for 107 yards and a touchdown against Duke for the first 100-yard performance of his career. He then rushed for 83 yards on 15 carries against Iowa State, averaging 5.5 yards per carry against the No. 2 rush defense in the Big 12.
• The Lawrence native rushed 54 yards on 15 carries against Texas Tech, and also caught the first pass of his career when he hauled in a seven-yard catch from Jason Bean.
• Neal then collected his second 100-yard rushing game of the season when he rushed for exactly 100 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries. Neal became just the third true freshman since 2000 to rush for at least 100 yards and multiple touchdowns against Oklahoma.
• Neal is leading the team with 443 rushing yards through eight games. He’s averaging 4.4 yards per carry and has four rushing scores.
• The 17 carries and the 109 yards against Duke both established new career highs for Neal, who averaged 6.3 yards per carry against the Blue Devils.
• Neal’s 62-yard rush in the third quarter against Duke marked the longest run from scrimmage for the Jayhawks since 2019 when Pooka Williams (65) and Khalil Herbert (82) each had longer runs.
BATTLE FOR THE SUNFLOWER STATE
• The battle between Kansas and Kansas State is the 10th most played rivalry in FBS history, dating back to 1902 and has been played every year since 1911, making it the fourth-longest active series in NCAA football.
• Saturday’s Sunflower Showdown will be the 119th in the series history.
• Kansas owns the all-time series history between the two teams, 65-48-5, including a 37-21-2 mark in games played in Lawrence.
• Additionally, it is the second-longest rivalry between two public universities in the same state behind only Oregon vs. Oregon State (124 meetings).
BIG PLAY JAYS
• After having just 16 total offensive plays last season that went for 20 or more yards, Kansas has already totaled 25 such plays in just eight games so far this season and surpassed the 2020 total.
• The Jayhawks had seven plays of 20 or more yards against Coastal Carolina and then had six at Duke. Kansas again had six such plays last time out against Oklahoma.
• Quarterback Jason Bean has been involved in 21 of the 25 plays that have gone for 20 or more yards. Neal had a 62-yard rush in the third quarter against Duke, which was the first play to go for more than 20 or more yards this season that didn’t involve Bean. He had a 44-yard burst against the Sooners.
• The single-game high for plays of 20 or more yards last season for Kansas was three, set three separate times. Kansas has already surpassed that mark four times this year.
Sat., Nov. 6 @ 2:30 pm CT
Baylor Bears at TCU Horned Frogs
Baylor Bears
STORY LINES
• Baylor faces in-state rival TCU at 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday in Fort Worth. This is the 117th all-time meeting dating back to 1899, the most-played series for either school, and will be televised on FOX.
• BU trails 53-56-7 in the all-time series and 3-6 as Big 12 rivals. Six of the last eight meetings have been decided by 10 or fewer points, including each of the last three matchups.
• Baylor’s lone loss of the season was on the road at No. 19 Oklahoma State, where the Bears twice had possession down 3 points in the 4th quarter before eventually falling 24-14.
• BU has committed only one penalty over its last two games (defensive holding in 4th quarter vs. UT).
• BU scored 21 unanswered to overcome an 11-point 3rd-quarter deficit in a 31-24 win over Texas.
• BU had 534 yards of offense and played its first-ever penalty-free game in the win over No. 19 BYU.
• Baylor has 85 wins since 2011, 2nd-most in the state of Texas behind only Texas A&M (90).
• BU’s defense is holding opponents to 10.3 points/game below their scoring averages in all other games.
• BU leads the Big 12 in turnover margin (+0.9, 11th nationally) and interceptions (9, 22nd nationally).
• BU is 1 of 6 teams to hold every opponent below 30 points (BU, UGA, Cincy, Clemson, Iowa, OKST).
• Baylor is 1 of 4 Power-5 teams ranked top-25 nationally in scoring offense and scoring defense (BU, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State). BU is 17th in scoring offense (37.4) and 22nd in scoring defense (19.4).
• Baylor ranks 8th nationally with 14 fourth-down conversions, including 6 times in its own territory.
• BU’s offense ranks 5th nationally with 7.10 yards per play and 3rd nationally with 6.02 yards per rush.
• BU is 8th nationally with 237.8 rushing yards per game after ranking 123rd last season (90.3 ypg).
• Baylor’s O-Line has allowed 6 sacks, tied for 4th-fewest nationally, including none in the last 3 games.
• Baylor’s defense has forced a turnover in 16-consecutive games and the Bears have forced nearly twice as many turnovers (30) as they have allowed (16) in 17 games under Dave Aranda.
• BU is the only team with two players top-20 nationally in rushing yards per carry – Abram Smith (4th, 7.44) and Trestan Ebner (19th, 6.31). Smith is 8th in rushing yards per game (116.3) and 11th in rushing TDs (11).
• Jalen Pitre is the nation’s only player with 2+ forced fumbles, 2+ fumble recoveries and 2+ interceptions.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
• Baylor became bowl-eligible within the first 7 games of a season for the 6th time in the last 9 seasons. BU has been bowl-eligible 10 times in the last 12 seasons following a 15-season drought (1995-2009).
• BU has two wins against ranked opponents this season (No. 14 Iowa State and No. 19 BYU), marking the first time the Bears have beaten two ranked teams in a season’s first 7 games since 1985.
• Six different Baylor players have intercepted passes this season, accounting for a Big 12-best 9 INTs.
• Baylor returned 17 of 22 starters and 54 of 68 letterman from last season’s team.
• The Bears welcomed four new assistant coaches for 2021 – Jeff Grimes (Offensive Coordinator/TEs), Eric Mateos (Offensive Line), Chansi Stuckey (Wide Receivers) and Kevin Curtis (Cornerbacks).
• The Bears added a pair of experienced O-Line transfers with Jacob Gall (13 starts at Buffalo) and Grant Miller (16 starts at Vanderbilt). Four members of the O-Line now have a combined 107 career starts.
• BU returned 7 starters on offense, led by OL Connor Galvin and Xavier Newman-Johnson now with 31 starts apiece.
• Baylor’s defense returned 10 starters from a unit which allowed only 203.0 passing yards per game last season, second-best in the Big 12. BU has allowed 210.2 passing ypg in 8 games this year (3rd-fewest in Big 12).
• Baylor’s five starting defensive backs have a combined 215 career games played and 115 career starts. CB Raleigh Texada has a team-high 37 career starts, including each of the last 31 games.
• BU is playing its 120th season of football and holds a 616-585-44 (.512) all-time record. Baylor has scored in a school-record 182-straight games, doubling the previous record of 89 games from Dec. 31, 1979 – Oct. 23, 1987.
• The Bears are the only team ranked in the Big 12’s top-4 in scoring offense (3rd) and scoring defense (2nd).
• BU defeated No. 14 Iowa State on Sept. 25 for its first ranked win since 2015.
TCU SERIES HISTORY
• Baylor takes on TCU for the 117th time dating back to 1899 on Saturday, the most-played rivalry for both teams.
• TCU leads the series 56-53-7, including a 23-19-1 mark in Fort Worth, but the Bears won the most-recent meeting at Amon G. Carter Stadium with a 29-23 victory in three overtimes in 2019.
• Two of the last three meetings in Fort Worth have gone multiple OTs, with TCU prevailing 28-21 in 2OT in 2015.
• Three of the four matchups in Fort Worth as Big 12 rivals have been within 3 points at the end of regulation.
BEARS BECAME BOWL-ELIGIBLE ONLY 7 GAMES IN
• Baylor became bowl-eligible 7 games into a season for the 6th time in 9 years since 2013. The Bears accomplished that feat only four times from the end of World War II through 2012 (1949, 1956, 1980, 1985.
• Baylor is now 7-1 or better through its first 8 games for the 5th time in the last 9 seasons (2013, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2021). Prior to 2013, Baylor was 7-1 or better through 8 games only 5 times in the program’s first 111 seasons (1915, 1916, 1949, 1980, 1985) and went 27-consecutive seasons without doing so (1986-2012).
• Baylor has also started 4-1 or better in Big 12 play for the 5th time in the last 9 seasons. Prior to 2013, BU was 4-1 or better in Big 12 play only once in the league’s first 17 seasons (2010).
RANKED IN 9 OF LAST 12 SEASONS
• With its No. 21 ranking in the Sept. 26 AP Top 25, Baylor has now been ranked in the AP Top 25 in 9 of 12 seasons since 2010, after going 17 years between national rankings (1993-2010).
• The Bears climbed from receiving no votes in the AP poll in any of the first three weeks to No. 21 after their win over No. 14 Iowa State on Sept. 25. The win was Baylor’s first over a ranked opponent since 2015.
• Baylor is up to No. 14 in this week’s AP Top 25, BU’s highest since ranking No. 13 in the final 2019 poll.
BEARS AMONG BIG 12’S BEST DEFENSES
• Baylor is 1 of 6 programs nationally to hold every opponent below 30 points this season – Baylor, Georgia, Cincinnati, Clemson, Iowa and Oklahoma State.
• Baylor ranks second in the Big 12 in scoring defense (19.4) and third in total defense (340.9 yards per game).
• Baylor’s pass defense leads the Big 12 in interceptions (9) and ranks second in completion percentage allowed (59.2) and pass efficiency defense (120.3) and third in fewest yards per game (210.3) and TDs allowed (8).
• Baylor’s defense has allowed only 206.4 passing yards per game in 17 games under head coach Dave Aranda.
• The Bears held Kansas to 57 passing yards, the 2nd-fewest by a BU defense in Big 12 play in the last 20 seasons, eclipsed only by the 54 passing yards allowed to Texas in the 2013 de-facto Big 12 Championship game.
BOWL ELIGIBLE FOR 10TH TIME SINCE 2010
• BU is bowl-eligible for the 10th time in 12 seasons since 2010.
• Baylor went 15 years without a bowl bid between the 1994 Alamo Bowl and the 2010 Texas Bowl.
• Baylor’s 10 bowls in 12 years is unprecedented in program history. Baylor’s first 10 bowl games were over a 33- year span (1948-1980) and its 10 most recent bowls prior to 2010 were over a 32-year span (1963-1994).
TCU Horned Frogs
ABOUT THE GAME
• TCU returns home Saturday to host No. 14 Baylor in a 2:30 p.m. game on FOX.
• The Horned Frogs have won five of the last six meetings with the Bears with the lone loss in that stretch coming in triple overtime in 2019.
MEET JERRY KILL
• Jerry Kill is TCU’s interim head coach. He joined the Horned Frogs in February 2020 as special assistant to the head coach in charge of offense.
• Before arriving at TCU, Kill served as special assistant to the head coach at Virginia Tech in 2019.
• Among his many coaching accolades, Kill was the consensus 2014 Big Ten Coach of the Year after leading Minnesota to the Citrus Bowl for its first New Year’s Day game since 1962. He was head coach of the Golden Gophers from 2011-15.
• While at Southern Illinois (2001-07), he was the FCS Eddie Robison National Coach of the Year in 2004 as well as the 2007 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year. He led the Salukis to five straight NCAA playoff appearances. He then served as head coach at Northern Illinois from 2008-10, earning the Grant Teaff FCA Coach of the Year Award in 2010 when he guided the Huskies to a 10-3 record and berth in the Mid-American Conference Championship Game.
SERIES HISTORY
• TCU has a 56-53-7 series lead over Baylor.
• With 116 games played, TCU has faced Baylor more than any opponent in its history.
• The Horned Frogs are 27-29-4 at home against the Bears and 29-24-1 on the road. Both neutral-site meetings saw TCU and Baylor play to a tie.
• The first game between TCU and Baylor was a scoreless tie in 1899.
• TCU is 9-4 against Baylor since the Southwest Conference dissolved after the 1995 season.
FORMER CROSSTOWN RIVALS
• After being founded in 1873 in Thorp Spring, Texas, as AddRan Male and Female College, TCU’s campus moved to Waco in 1895.
• The name was changed to AddRan Christian University in 1889 and Texas Christian University in 1902.
• TCU relocated to downtown Fort Worth in 1910 when the Waco facility burned down. The University then opened three new buildings on its present campus in 1911.
TCU NOTABLES
• Over the last seven seasons, TCU has the Big 12’s third-best conference record (39-29) and overall mark (61-35).
• TCU is one of just seven programs nationally to finish with an Associated Press Top-10 final ranking in at least three of the last seven seasons (2014, 2015, 2017). The others are Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Penn State.
HORNED FROGS TO WATCH
• Zach Evans became the first Horned Frog since 2002 with four consecutive 100-yard rushing games.
• With his team-best 648 yards rushing, Evans is 352 shy of becoming TCU’s first 1,000-yard rusher since Kyle Hicks ran for 1,042 in 2016.
• Kendre Miller (7.33) and Evans (7.28) rank second and third nationally in career yards per carry among active players.
• Miller had his second 100-yard game in the last four contests with 102 yards at Kansas State. With his scoring runs of 33, 75 and 45 yards at Texas Tech, as part of 185 yards in the game, he is the only player nationally this season with three touchdown carries of at least 33 yards in the same game.
Sat., Nov. 6 @ 3:30 pm ET
Oklahoma State Cowboys at West Virginia Mountaineers
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Game Notes
The Basics
The Oklahoma State football team (7-1 overall; 4-1 Big 12) travels to Morgantown to face West Virginia (4-4 overall; 2-3 Big 12) at 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, November 6, at Milan Puskar Stadium.
On the Air
The game will be televised by ESPN with Bob Wischusen, Dan Orlovsky and Kris Budden on the call. It will also be carried live on the Cowboy Radio Network, with Dave Hunziker handling play-by-play, John Holcomb providing analysis and Robert Allen reporting from the sideline. Fans outside of the Cowboy Radio Network can listen to the OSU broadcast for free through The Varsity Network app.
In the Rankings
Oklahoma State is No. 11 in this week’s edition of the AP Top 25, continuing a streak of 14 consecutive seasons in the poll. The streak, which began in 2008, is the 10th-longest active streak in the nation. Including this season, OSU has appeared in the top 15 of the AP poll in 12 of the past 14 seasons. It has also seen a top 10 ranking in the AP poll at some point in 10 of those 14 years. The Cowboys are also No. 11 in this week’s USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll. OSU has been included in the coaches poll in each week of the 2021 season. Although the first 2021 College Football Playoff rankings won’t be released until November 2, it’s worth noting that OSU has been part of the CFP rankings in five of the past six seasons entering 2021. West Virginia is not ranked.
The Series
Saturday’s game marks the 13th meeting between Oklahoma State and West Virginia in a series that began in 1928. The 2021 season also marks the 10th consecutive year the teams have met. The Cowboys own an 8-4 all-time series advantage, including a 3-2 edge in Morgantown. OSU has won six straight over the Mountaineers and has won each of the past three played in Morgantown. A win Saturday would extend the longest win streak for either team in the series. Mike Gundy is 7-2 in his career
against West Virginia, while WVU coach Neal Brown is 0-2 against the Cowboys.
Oklahoma State from a Distance
Oklahoma State has established itself as a top-tier program in the nation in recent history, ranking among the top 11 programs nationally in wins since 2010. The Cowboys have won 72.5% of their games (108-41) during that timeframe and have school-record streaks of 15 consecutive bowl bids and 15 consecutive winning seasons. In 2021, the Cowboys are 7-1 and coming off a 55-3 win over Kansas. It was OSU’s most dominant performance on both sides of the ball this year and the win marked OSU’s largest margin of victory since a 54 point win over Southeastern Louisiana in 2016. More importantly, the win kept OSU in the top two of the league standings and kept the Cowboys in control of their own destiny in the Big 12. Led by 10 senior starters, the Oklahoma State defense is outstanding. The Cowboys lead the Big 12 in scoring defense, rushing defense, pass efficiency defense, first downs defense, third down conversion percentage defense, fourth down conversion percentage defense and defensive touchdowns. They also rank among the national leaders in each of those categories, including No. 3 in third down defense, No. 7 in total defense, No. 8 in first downs defense and No. 9 in rushing defense. The leader of the group is Butkus Award semifinalist and All-America candidate linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez, who is the Big 12 leader in tackles and ranks No. 4 among all active FBS players with 218 career solo stops. He’s joined by several playmakers in the starting lineup, notably two-time all-conference safety Kolby Harvell-Peel and safety Jason Taylor II, who each had an interception vs. KU. Although the numbers don’t reflect his impact due to the starters being relieved before halftime, quarterback Spencer Sanders had one of his most impressive showings last week as well. The junior passed for 157 yards and two touchdowns and added 53 rushing yards and a touchdown on seven carries. He also threw a key block (and one that drew national attention) on a reverse that paved the way for Brennan Presley to score in the second quarter. That play was also notable because it marked the fourth touchdown in the past two games for the sophomore wide receiver. He and leading receiver Tay Martin have led the way in the pass-catching department for a receiver group that includes six freshmen on the two-deep. The star of the offense to this point in the season though has been running back Jaylen Warren, who has averaged 134.0 rushing yards in his first six starts as a Cowboy and ranks among the FBS top 15 in rushing yards. On special teams, punter Tom Hutton has helped OSU rank No. 4 nationally in punt return defense, pinning opponents inside their own 20-yard line 16 times this year. Placekicker Tanner Brown is 6-for-8 on field goal attempts.
An Oklahoma State Win Would …
• Keep the Cowboys in the top two of the 2021 Big 12 standings.
• Make it 8-1 or better for the first time since 2015 and for the fifth time in the Mike Gundy era.
• Make it 4-1 in its past five away games.
• Give it seven straight wins vs. the Mountaineers and four straight wins in Morgantown.
• Make the Cowboys 9-4 all-time vs. West Virginia and 4-2 vs. WVU in Morgantown.
• Improve Mike Gundy’s career record vs. West Virginia to 8-2.
• Improve Mike Gundy’s record in Big 12 games to 88-56.
• Give it wins in 10 of its past 11 games and 16 of its past 20 games, dating back to the 2020 season.
• Make it 144-67 in its history when playing as an AP-ranked team.
• Make it 132-38 in its history when playing as a higher AP-ranked team than its opponent.
• Make it 79-17 in its past 96 games vs. opponents outside of the AP Top 25, dating back to 2010. Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Game
• OSU has gone back-to-back games without turning the ball over.
• OSU’s defense has allowed fewer than 100 yards of offense in a half in six of its past seven games. The Cowboys limited Baylor to 99 yards in the first, Tulsa to 89 yards in the first, Boise State to 64 yards in the second, K- State to 84 yards in the second, Texas to 92 yards in the second and Kansas to 49 yards in the first and 94 yards in the second.
• OSU has held 17 of its past 19 Big 12 opponents under their season scoring average.
• OSU has won 76 consecutive games when holding its opponent to fewer than 20 points, dating back to Sept. 13, 2003 – the longest active stretch of time in the FBS and longest since at least 1980.
• OSU has held its opponent scoreless on its game-opening drive in 20 of the past 25 games.
• OSU has held its opponent to less than a 50 percent third down conversion rate in 19 straight games.
• OSU has held its opponent to fewer than 20 first downs in seven straight games.
• According to ESPN, Spencer Sanders’ QBR in the last two games (83.4 at Iowa State and 79.4 vs Kansas) both rank among the top five single-game performances of his career.
• Malcolm Rodriguez has recorded at least five tackles in 16 straight games.
• Jaylen Warren has more than 100 yards rushing in four of his past six games.
• OSU is 30-11 in its past 41 games decided by fewer than 10 points.
• OSU is 36-6 in its past 42 games when leading at halftime, dating back to Sept. 17, 2016.
• Dating back to 2005, OSU is 42-4 when not committing a turnover.
• Dating back to 2008, OSU is 68-8 when winning the turnover battle.
• OSU has won three of its last four overtime games.
• OSU has forced 21 turnovers in its past 12 games.
Defensive Tidbits
• Oklahoma State held Kansas to 0-for-13 on third down attempts and did not allow the Jayhawks to record a first down until the 9:16 mark of the third quarter, after OSU’s starters exited the game in the second quarter.
• Iowa State running back Breece Hall entered the Oklahoma State game averaging 124.7 rushing yards per game. The Cowboys limited him to 70 on 21 carries (3.3 yards per carry).
• Iowa State entered the game averaging 42.3 points and 488.5 yards of total offense in its previous four games. The Cowboys held the Cyclones to 24 points and 374 yards. In its three games prior to playing Oklahoma State, Iowa State rushed for 216 yards against Baylor, 290 against Kansas and 210 against Kansas State. Against the Cowboys, the Cyclones had 67.
• With Oklahoma State trailing, 24-16, entering the fourth quarter at Texas, the defense suffocated the Longhorns, allowing only one yard of offense in the final stanza to set the stage for a 16-0 run that gave OSU a 32-24 victory. Texas entered the game scoring 44.5 points per game and converting on 51.9 percent of its third-down opportunities. The Cowboy defense held the Longhorns to 24 points and 4-of-14 on third down (28.6 pct.)
• OSU held Boise State to negative-two rushing yards in the second half of a narrow 21-20 win
West Virginia Mountaineers
NOTING THE MOUNTAINEERS
The 2021 season marks West Virginia’s 129th season of football. The Mountaineers are the 15th winningest program in college football
• The 2021 year marks the 42nd season of competition for West Virginia at Milan Puskar Stadium. WVU has a 188-71-4 (.722) all-time mark at the facility, which opened in 1980
• Since 1980, West Virginia is 258-119-4 in games played on artificial turf surfaces. WVU was 57-29 on turf in the 1990s, 66-21 on turf in the 2000s and 62-40 during the 2010s. In the 2020s, the Mountaineers are 8-6 on turf
• WVU is 13-3-2 in games played on Nov. 6, including 7-1-1 at home. The last time WVU played on that date was in 2004 (Temple/W 42-21)
• The Mountaineer defense is ranked No. 12 nationally in red zone defense (.714), No. 29 in third-down defense (.342), No. 31 in rushing defense (124.8) and No. 32 in first-down defense (144)
• The Mountaineers are 93-14 since 2020 when winning the turnover battle
• The WVU defense has registered 58 tackles for loss, averaging 7.2 tackles for loss per game. The defense is ranked No. 1 in the Big 12 and No. 4 nationally in the category
• The Mountaineer defense also has registered 20 sacks this season, averaging 2.5 per game. That number is No. 3 in the Big 12
• The WVU offense is ranked No. 26 in passing offense (277.9) and No. 14 nationally in fourth-down conversions (.500)
• WVU is ranked No. 8 nationally in kickoff returns (28.59) and No. 28 in punt return defense (4.38)
• Junior receiver Winston Wright Jr. is ranked No. 5 in the nation in kickoff returns, averaging 29.7 yards per return. He scored a touchdown on a 90-yard return vs. LIU (9/4) and had a season-long, 98-yard return at Maryland. He is No. 7 in the Big 12 and No. 31 nationally in all-purpose yardage, averaging 124.5 yards per game
• Redshirt senior quarterback Jarret Doege is ranked No. No. 21 nationally in completions per game (21.12), No. 25 in passing yards per game (258.9) and No. 31 in completion percentage (.663)
• Senior running back Leddie Brown is No. 11 nationally in rushing touchdowns (11), No. 14 in total touchdowns (12), No. 23 in scoring (9.0) and No. 24 in total points scored (72)
• Senior linebacker Josh Chandler-Semedo is No. 2 in the Big 12 in tackles (9.0) and No. 25 in the nation, and redshirt senior safety Sean Mahone is No. 9 (6.9) in the Big 12. Chandler-Semedo is No. 1 in the Big 12 and No. 11 in the nation in solo tackles (5.6)
• Senior defensive lineman Dante Stills is ranked No. 3 in the Big 12 and No. 21 nationally in sacks (0.75). He is No. 1 in the Big 12 and No. 13 nationally in tackles for loss
• Redshirt junior kicker Casey Legg is ranked No. 8 nationally in field goals made per game (1.75) and No. 9 in field goal percentage (.933). Redshirt senior punter Tyler Sumpter is No. 1 in the Big 12 and No. 26 nationally in punting average (44.8)
SERIES HISTORY WITH OKLAHOMA STATE
• The series between West Virginia and Oklaho- ma State started in 1928 with a 32-6 WVU win in Morgantown.
• The last meeting took place in Stillwater with Oklahoma State winning 27-13 in 2020. The Cowboys lead the series, 8-4, including six straight wins. OSU has a 3-2 series lead in games played in Morgantown. 2020, away, Oklahoma State, 27-13 2019, home, Oklahoma State, 20-13 2018, away, Oklahoma State, 45-41 2017, home, Oklahoma State, 50-39 2016, away, Oklahoma State, 37-20 2015, home, Oklahoma State, 33-26, OT 2014, away, West Virginia, 34-10 2013, home, West Virginia, 30-21
2012, away, Oklahoma State, 55-34 1987, Sun Bowl, Oklahoma State, 35-33 1929, away, West Virginia, 9-6 1928, home, West Virginia, 32-6
AT HOME
• The 2021 season marks the 42nd season of competition for West Virginia at Milan Puskar Stadium. WVU holds a 188-71-4 (.722) all-time mark at the facility, which opened in 1980.
• The Mountaineers finished with a 5-0 home mark in 2020, the first time since 2009 that WVU finished without losing any home games. It was the sixth time that West Virginia finished with a perfect home slate and fifth time that WVU had an unbeaten and untied season at home.
Sat., Nov. 6 @ 6:30 pm CT
Texas Longhorns at Iowa State Cyclones
Texas Longhorns
GAME NOTES
THE OPENING KICKOFF
• The University of Texas continues its 129th season of football on Saturday when the Longhorns face Iowa State for the 19th all-time meeting.
• Texas (4-4, 2-3) heads to Iowa after falling to Baylor, 31-24 in Waco, Texas.
• Iowa State heads into Saturday’s game with a 5-3 record and a 3-2 mark in Big 12 Conference play following a 38-31 loss to West Virginia in Morgantown last week.
• Saturday’s matchup will be Texas’ third night game of the season following five consecutive 11 a.m. kickoffs. The Longhorns are 1-1 this season in their previous
two evening matchups.
• UT has scored 32 or more points in five of eight games this season and in seven of the last 10 games overall.
• Texas currently boasts 927 all-time wins, the fourth-most in college football history. UT holds an all-time record of 927-382-33 (.703).
SERIES HISTORY VS. IOWA STATE
• Texas is set to face off with Iowa State for the 19th time in program history on Saturday, and for the ninth time in Ames.
• The Longhorns are 14-4 all-time against the Cyclones, and 6-2 at Jack Trice Stadium.
• Texas has outscored Iowa State by 85 points in eight all-time meetings in Ames, a margin of 10.6 points per game.
• UT’s 0.818 winning percentage against Iowa State is its second-best mark against any current or former member of the Big 12 Conference.
VS. IOWA STATE (ALL-TIME)
Year Location Result Score
1979 ……….Austin……………………………..W…………..17-9
1998 ……….Austin……………………………..W…………54-33
1999 ……….Ames ………………………………W…………44-41
2002 ……….Austin……………………………..W…………21-10
2003 ……….Ames ………………………………W…………40-19
2006 ……….Austin……………………………..W…………37-14
2007 ……….Ames ………………………………W…………..56-3
2010 ……….Austin………………………………L …………21-28
2011 ……….Ames ………………………………W…………37-14
2012 ……….Austin……………………………..W…………..33-7
2013 ……….Ames ………………………………W…………31-30
2014 ……….Austin……………………………..W…………48-45
2015 ……….Ames ……………………………….L …………..0-24
2016 ……….Austin……………………………..W…………..27-6
2017 ……….Ames ………………………………W…………..17-7
2018 ……….Austin……………………………..W…………24-10
2019 ……….Ames ……………………………….L …………21-23
2020 ……….Austin………………………………L …………20-23
FULL STEAM AHEAD
• The running backs ran wild in Texas’ 58-0 win over Rice with three Longhorns breaking runs for over 60 yards, the first time in program history that three different players have registered rushes of over 60 yards in the same game.
• Junior Roschon Johnson started things off with a 72-yard jaunt for a score in the first quarter and sophomore Bijan Robinson followed with a 62-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Not to be out done, sophomore Keilan Robinson added a 65-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
• Texas finished the game with a program-single-game record 10.4 yards per carry (41 carries for 427 yards).
• The last time Texas had three different players with a run of 60 yards or more in a season was 2004. Romance Taylor had a 74-yard touchdown run in the season opener against North Texas and Cedric Benson busted a 60-yard run at Arkansas the following week Vince Young added one of his own with a 60-yard run in the Rose Bowl against Michigan.
• Texas’ previous season with at least three runs of 60 yards took place in 2015, when D’Onta Foreman had three (Kansas – 93 yards, Oklahoma – 81 yards, West Virginia – 65 yards) and Chris Warren III had one (Texas Tech – 91 yards).
• The last time there were three plays of 60 or more yards in a single game occurred against Oklahoma in 2005 when Jamaal Charles ran 80 yards for a touchdown, Rodrique Wright scored on a 67-yard fumble return and Vince Young connected with Billy Pittman for a 64-yard touchdown pass.
• In addition to three players busting 60-plus yard runs in a single game, four different players rushed for touchdowns against Rice, with freshman Jonathon Brooks joining the trio with a 17-yard score in the fourth quarter.
BIG PLAY BIJAN
• Sophomore RB Bijan Robinson has a history of not only making people miss and getting the tough yards, but also breaking big plays as both a rusher and receiver. For his career, Robinson has 25 plays (18 rushes/7 receptions) of 20-plus yards and that includes six of 50 or more (all runs). Over his last 10 games, his ratio of long plays is even more impressive. During that time, he has 20 plays (15 rushes/5 receptions) of 20-or-more yards, including four runs of 50-plus. He’s accomplished that in just 202 plays (182 rushes/20 receptions) in that 10-game span, or a play of 20-plus yards on average about every eight plays. In eight games this season, he has 11 plays (9 rushes/2 receptions) of 20-or-more yards, including two of 50-plus, with four touchdowns.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT BIJAN
• “I think he’s unique. The ball skills, the illusiveness, the power, the acceleration, the balance, the football IQ, he’s a very well-rounded player.” – Steve Sarkisian
• “This kid may be the best player in the sport. This kid is big-time.” – Kirk Herbstreit
• “Bijan Robinson is the best running back in the country. He’s turning into the most dynamic offensive player in the country. He catches it well out of the backfield, they can get it to him in several different ways, he can affect the game at any moment, from anywhere and because of that, I feel very comfortable saying if I had to vote for a Heisman winner today, it would be Bijan Robinson. I think he’s the most dynamic player in the country.” – Joel Klatt
BIJAN BRINGS THE NOISE
• Bijan Robinson has been on a roll this season, racking up yards at an astonishing rate. In seven games, he has 967 yards on 163 carries (5.9 ypc) and 11 touchdowns to go along with 15 receptions for 211 yards and three more scores. In 178 plays he has 1,178 yards for 6.6 yards per play and 14 touchdowns.
• The sophomore’s hot start earned him nods on five midseason All-America teams, garnering accolades from the Associated Press, CBS Sports, ESPN, The Athletic and The Sporting News.
• Robinson currently leads the Big 12 in total touchdowns (14) and scoring (10.5 points per game), while ranking seventh and 10th nationally in each respective category. He ranks second in the conference and seventh in the nation in rushing yards (967) and rushing yards per game (120.9), second in the Big 12 and ninth in FBS in all-purpose yards (147.25) and total points scored (84). His 11 rushing touchdowns are also second among those in the Big 12 and rank 11th in nation.
• Over his last 12 games, Robinson has totaled 1,489 rushing yards on 210 carries (7.1 ypc) with 15 touchdowns, while hauling in 23 receptions for 340 yards (14.8 ypr) and scoring five touchdowns. All told, he has 1,829 yards on 233 plays for 7.8 yards per play and 20 touchdowns.
• He has scored 20 touchdowns (15 rushing and five receiving) in his last 10 games with at least one score in 10-straight games.
• His 10-game touchdown scoring streak equals the longest stretch for a Longhorn since Jordan Shipley scored in 10 consecutive games in 2008. It is the longest streak for a UT running back since Cedric Benson in 2003-04, when he matched Ricky Williams’ UT record of 11 consecutive games in 1998-99.
• Against Oklahoma State, Robinson had 135 yards rushing on 21 carries with two touchdowns, while also hauling in three receptions for 38 yards and one touchdown.
• He has six games of 100 rushing yards this season,
tied with Cedric Benson for 11th-most by a Longhorn
in a season.
• The sophomore has surpassed 100 yards rushing in eight of the last 10 games and nine of the last 12.
• Against Oklahoma, Robinson carried the ball 20 times for 137 yards, including runs of 50 and 33 yards, with one rushing touchdown.
• He earned Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Player of the Week honors following the Longhorns win at TCU after establishing career highs with 35 carries and 216 yards (6.2 ypc), scoring two touchdowns and catching two passes for 22 yards. He also set a personal-best with 238 all-purpose yards.
• Robinson’s 216 yards on the ground are the 21stmost in UT history and was the 37th time a Longhorn had surpassed the 200-yard mark. He was the 13th individual to accomplish the feat and first since D’Onta Foreman against Texas Tech in 2016.
• He carried the ball 18 times for 137 yards against Texas Tech and had two receptions for 54 yards and one touchdown. He had a career-long 38-yard touchdown reception and runs of 33 and 22 yards, giving him.
• Robinson rushed for 127 yards on 13 carries (9.8 ypc) and scored three touchdowns against Rice to earn an Honorable Mention Player of the Week nod from The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award.
• Robinson opened the 2021 campaign in style, earning Walter Camp Football Foundation (WCFF) National Offensive Player of the Week honors after racking up 176 all- purpose yards and two touchdowns, including 103 on the ground and a touchdown on 20 carries, along with four receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown in leading the
Longhorns to an opening week win over No. 23 Louisiana.
• Had seven touchdowns through the first four games this year, surpassing the six he scored as a freshman in five fewer games played.
• Surpassed 1,000 career rushing yards in the Texas’ 58-0 victory over Rice, becoming the 55th Longhorn to reach the mark.
• He reached 1,000 yards on his 138th career carry, the fastest Longhorn to reach the mark since Jamaal Charles accomplished it on his 138th career carry. Vince Young was the fastest to the mark in recent UT history, reaching 1,000 rushing yards on his 136th attempt.
ROBINSON BREAKING THROUGH
• Last season, Robinson appeared in nine games and made six-straight starts to close out his first season of college football. He led the Longhorns with 703 rushing yards on 86 carries (8.2 ypc) and scored four touchdowns. Robinson was also the team’s fifth-leading receiver with 15 catches for 196 and two more touchdowns as a receiver.
• His standout performances over the second half of last season have put him front and center and many preseason watch lists, including the Doak Walker Award, the Maxwell Award and the Walter Camp Football Foundation Player of the Year lists.
• Robinson was a big-play machine for the Longhorns in 2020, logging a team-high 14 explosive plays (20- plus yards) last year. Ten were as a runner and four as a receiver. Five of those came in the Alamo Bowl as he logged runs of 27, 50, 66 and 21 yards, as well as catching a 23-yard touchdown pass.
• His 66-yard run is the second-longest by a Longhorn in a bowl game, while his 50-yarder is tied for the fifth-longest in a bowl game on school record.
• He saved his best game for last earning Offensive MVP honors of the Alamo Bowl when he carried the ball 10 times for 183 yards (18.3 avg) and scored one touchdown, and also caught two passes for 37 yards and two touchdowns.
• His 183 rushing yards were the most ever by a UT freshman in a bowl game, and the fourth-most by a Longhorn, regardless of class, in a bowl game all-time. It was the sixth-best rushing game in terms of yardage by a freshman in school history overall.
• His rushing yardage total is the best by a freshman in a bowl game in Big 12 history.
• Regardless of class, his rushing total was the best by a Longhorn since D’Onta Foreman tallied 250 yards against Kansas during his Doak Walker Award-winning season in 2016.
• He logged the third 100-yard rushing game of his true freshman season, the third-most in school history. Cedric Benson (5 in 2001), Earl Campbell (4 in 1974), Ricky Williams (3 in 1995), Vince Young (3 in 2003), Jamaal Charles (3 in 2005) and Malcolm Brown (3 in 2011) are the only other Longhorns to record at least three 100- yard games as freshmen.
• He joined Cedric Benson (twice, 2001) and Adrian Walker (twice, 1989) as the only Longhorns to rush for 150-plus yards on multiple occasions during their freshman season.
• Finished the season as the 11th UT freshman to rush for at least 700 yards.
• Broke the Texas single-season records for yards per rush average, averaging 8.2 yards per carry (703 yds/86 carries) this season. James Saxton (7.9 ypc)
set the previous record during the 1961 season.
• The Tucson, Ariz. native produced back-to-back impressive performances including against Kansas State on Dec. 5, as he carried the ball nine times for 172 yards (19.1 ypc) and three touchdowns. He also caught three passes for 51 yards out of the backfield.
• Robinson’s 172 rushing yards against the Wildcats rank as the eighth-most by a freshman in Texas history. His three touchdowns on the ground are also tied for the second-most by a UT freshman.
• He broke Gib Dawson’s 69-year-old school record for yards per carry in a game (min. 8 carries). Dawson averaged 16.0 yards per carry (9 for 144) against North Carolina in 1951.
• Robinson is the first Longhorn to record at least 150 rushing yards and 50 receiving yards in the same game since Cedric Benson vs. Kansas in 2001.
• On Texas’ first possession of the third quarter, Robinson broke a 75-yard touchdown run. It was the sixth-longest run by a freshman in school history and one of four explosive plays (20-plus yards) he recorded against K-State.
• Robinson also had runs of 27 and 30 yards, as well as a 27-yard reception from QB Sam Ehlinger.
• He scored his first collegiate touchdown on Texas’ opening possession, finding paydirt from 12 yards out on the ground.
• It was the second 100-yard game of Robinson’s young career, the first of which came against West Virginia on Nov. 7. That day, he carried the ball 12 times for 113 yards and caught two passes for 38 yards. It was the first 100-yard game of his career.
• His 9.4 yards per carry had been the best single-game average by a Longhorn against a Big 12 opponent (min. 10 carries) since Doak Walker Award winner D’Onta Foreman vs. Texas Tech in 2016 (10.3 ypc) until his performance against Kansas State.
• Robinson did not lose yardage on any of his 12 carries against the Mountaineers, with 11 resulting in positive yardage and one going for no gain.
• He was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week and appeared on the FWAA’s Fresh Four for the first time in his career following his breakout day.
• Robinson’s first career start came against Baylor on Oct. 24 at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. That day, he carried the ball 12 times for 55 yards, both season-highs for the Tucson, Ariz. native to that point.
• His second was a week later in a Halloween matchup at No. 6/6 Oklahoma State. Robinson carried the ball 13 times for a team-high 59 yards in the come-from-behind win over the Cowboys.
• He made his collegiate debut in Texas’ season opener against UTEP, carrying the ball five times for 38 yards and catching two passes for nine yards. Robinson broke off a 29-yard run late in the third quarter.
Iowa State Cyclones
THE LEAD
Iowa State (5-3, 3-2 Big 12) plays host to Texas (4-4, 2-3 Big 12) on Saturday. The Cyclones own a two-game winning streak vs. the Longhorns, defeating UT in 2019 on a walk-off field goal and winning in Austin last year on a UT missed field goal in the closing seconds. ISU has a school-record nine-game winning streak vs. Big 12 opponents at home, the league’s longest active streak. It’s been over two years (Oct. 26, 2019, OSU) since ISU’s last home league loss.
KEY STORYLINES
• Iowa State aims to bounce back after a 38-31 loss at West Virginia. ISU’s last four Big 12 losses were by one score and 11 of its 15 losses to Big 12 teams since 2017 were by seven points or fewer.
• ISU’s defense ranks in the Top 15 nationally in total defense (6th, 291.5), first downs allowed (11th, 129), fewest rushing TDs (11th, 6), yards per rush (13th, 3.1) & rushing defense (14th, 101.9).
• ISU has allowed 350 yards of total offense just once this season (West Virginia).
• All-American RB Breece Hall, the Big 12 leader in rushing (123.1) and rushing TDs (12), ranks in the Big 12’s career Top 10 in 100-yard rushing games (18, 7th) and touchdowns (46, 10th).
• QB Brock Purdy is fourth nationally in completion pct. (73.3 pct.). He’s completed over 80 pct. of his passes four times this season, the most in the nation.
• ISU is averaging 37.3 points and 458.7 yards of total offense in its last six games, recording over 400 yards in five of its last six contests.
COACH NOTES
Owns best career winning pct. in ISU history at .563 (since 1928).
• Led ISU to a first-place finish in the final regular-season league standings (2020, 8-1) for the first time in school history.
• Only coach in school history to defeat every league team at home and on the road.
• Set school record for conference wins (8-1) and tied school record for overall wins (9-3) in 2020.
• Owns 37.0 pct. of ISU’s all-time wins over ranked opponents. Campbell has 10 wins vs. rated foes at Iowa State.
• Led ISU to first-ever New Year’s Six Bowl win over Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl.
• Only coach in school history with four-straight winning seasons (2017-20).
• Owns four of ISU’s five winning conference seasons in Big 12 history.
• His 29 Big 12 wins is the most by a Cyclone coach vs. conference teams.
• Member of five Division III national championships as a player and coach at perennial power Mt. Union (Ohio).
• Two-time All-American (d-line) and Academic All-American at Mt. Union.
LAST TIME OUT
• Iowa State fell at West Virginia last Saturday, 38-31.
• Iowa State appeared to have tied the game at 38-38 with 5:27 left in the game, but an apparent TD by Breece Hall was ruled a fumble at the 1-yard line.
• WVU scored the final 14 points to end a three-game losing streak in the series.
• The Cyclones ended their 10-game streak of outgaining their opponent, as WVU had 492 yards of total offense to ISU’s 424.
• It was the first time ISU allowed more than 350 yards of total offense this season.
• Behind Hall’s 167 rushing yards, his 18th career 100-yard rushing game, the Cyclones rushed for 239 yards, their fourth 200-yard rushing effort of the season.
• Hall busted out on a pair of 50+ yard runs, including a 70-yard TD to increase his Big 12-record streak of consecutive games with a rushing TD to 20. It ties for the fourth-longest streak in NCAA FBS.
• QB Brock Purdy threw a TD pass and rushed for another.
• WR Tarique Milton caught a 68-yard TD pass, the longest pass play of the season and his sixth career TD catch.
• LB Jake Hummel led the team in tackles (8) and had a pick-six, returning an interception 24 yards for his second career interception return for a TD.
