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Oklahoma-Kansas: One Big Thing

The Sooners have been a little schizophrenic recently, but were able to pull out two clutch wins as they head into hostile territory against the Jayhawks.

John E. Hoover

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LAWRENCE, KS — Will the real Oklahoma please stand up?

Which OU team steps onto Kansas Memorial Stadium on Saturday morning? The one that shocked No. 3-ranked Texas three weeks ago in the Cotton Bowl? Or the one that stumbled through a two-point home win over a UCF team that’s still looking for its first Big 12 win?

“We thought we were disciplined last week,” said Sooner linebacker Dasan McCullough. “Come game day, obviously not. A lot of stuff we have to fix with our eyes. It’s all little stuff. It’s all about us, not really our opponent.”

There’s actually a common thread that runs between Texas and UCF: in both games, when the Sooners needed it, the offense delivered a late touchdown drive — once against the Longhorns and twice against the Knights.

But other than the defense opening the game with four straight three-and-outs and the offense putting together clutch possessions, playing with precision and efficiency and a refined edge largely escaped Oklahoma last week.

Dasan McCullough - UCF
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Now the Sooners take their act into a hostile road setting. KU announced earlier in the week that the game is sold out.

Many times in the recent past, there were either more OU fans than KU fans in Lawrence, or the crowds were so lifeless the visiting team had to manufacture its own energy — which isn’t easy to do.

But that won’t be the case this year.

“Know it’s gonna be a loud environment,” wide receiver Jalil Farooq said. “Fans are gonna go crazy, so they’re gonna have the home field advantage. You gotta be able to tune out the sound, be able to make plays and be efficient.”

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John E. Hoover
JOHN E. HOOVER

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers. During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more. In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools. Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national "Beat Writer of the Year" from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma's "Best Sports Column" from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two "Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting" Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association. John holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK. Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.

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