Oklahoma football: Can OU learn from OSU & WVU?

OU hasn’t faced an offense the least bit similar to Texas’. The Sooners have played the total-spread of Texas Tech and the battering ram of Kansas State. But that puts both teams in the dark. OU doesn’t know how it holds up against Texas’ mix of downfield running (including lots of Wildcat) and spread passing, but Texas doesn’t know how the Sooner defense will play.

Conversely, Texas has played OSU and West Virginia, two virtually-identical offensive systems which aren’t carbon copies of OU’s offense but aren’t totally dissimilar.

“We have a lot of similar concepts that Oklahoma State and West Virginia have,” Bob Stoops said. “To a degree, there’s some similarities there for sure.” Which helps both teams. “It also allows us to see what they’ve been trying to do” on defense, Stoops said.

“I imagine they’ll have some different wrinkles, sure. You can only be so different. You can’t change your whole defensive philosophy before one of your bigger games.”

Against OSU, in which Cowboy quarterback J.W. Walsh made his first collegiate start, Texas allowed 24 first downs, 275 yards rushing and 301 yards passing. But Texas made OSU kick field goals — from 23, 38 and 24 yards. That’s red-zone toughness that can win a game.