 "Photo: Nathaniel LaRue")
The K-State football team, fresh off a two-game home stand, travels to Norman, Okla., to play the Oklahoma Sooners Saturday at 6 p.m.
The Wildcats (5-3, 3-1 Big 12 Conference) look to win for the third straight week Saturday but face their toughest test so far this season in the Sooners (4-3, 2-1 Big 12).
In his weekly press conference, head coach Bill Snyder noted the proficiency of the Sooner defense.
“Defensively, they have a very good scheme in place,” Snyder said. “They have been very dominating, especially against the run. They are a very athletic team that runs very well and plays hard every down.”
The Sooner defense has been great all season, holding opponents to an average of 10 points per game. While the defense has played extremely well, the offense has seen less production since last year, in part because of the injury to last season’s Heisman winner, quarterback Sam Bradford. After mentioning their defense, Snyder pointed to coaching and the ability to play through the struggles that injury can bring to a team.
“But what is most impressive to me is the ability that they have shown to overcome adversity,” Snyder said. “They lost Sam Bradford and his replacement [Landry Jones] has been playing lights out. He is becoming more comfortable now that he knows that the offense is his and since then, the rest of the team seems to have more confidence in him.”
Another problem for the Wildcats will be the home-field advantage that Oklahoma boasts. The team has a 27-game home winning streak, dating back to an upset loss against Texas Christian in 2005.
“Well they have a 27-game home winning streak right now, so that is obviously pretty impressive,” Snyder said. “It shows that they are a very talented team, especially at home. Bob [Stoops] and his staff have done a wonderful job down there, so I can understand why they have such an impressive streak going.”
Senior defensive end Jeffrey Fitzgerald was unaware of the streak at the press conference Tuesday, but said that the team will approach it as they do every road game.
“I did not even know about it until now, but we are getting ready to play our game,” Fitzgerald said. “Home or away, between those white lines, we just have to go out and play. We just have to try and not let the crowd be a factor.”
The Wildcats will try and end the Sooners’ streak with a physical running game that features running back Daniel Thomas. Fresh off a 145-yard performance last week against Colorado, the junior will have his work cut out for him against Oklahoma. Also needing to play well will be the Wildcat passing game, which starts and ends with the play of senior quarterback Grant Gregory.
“It is no different preparation-wise,” Gregory said. “It is going to be a tougher week since we are playing a better team. We have to prepare more to get better, but it is going to be the same preparation.”
Snyder and the Wildcats know the task before them and realize how tough the game is going to be to win. In the press conference, Snyder joked about not going to the game and even eliminating the first quarter altogether, as no Sooner opponent has been able to score in the opening period this season.
“Well we’re appealing the Big 12 Conference right now to see if we can start the game in the second quarter,” Snyder joked. “We’re just going to stand on the sideline until they run the clock. I don’t know what to do. You’ve got to hope you can hold your own.”
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