Game Preview: UCF

We knew we eventually had to come down from the high of the win against Texas. And now that time has come. This weekend, the Sooners face off against Central Florida. While the most challenging game of the regular season has come and gone, this game will not be easy for the Sooners. Let's dive into what to expect on Saturday.

Photo credit to Sooners Wire.

Oklahoma

The Sooners are coming off a bye week after a beautiful 34-30 win over #3 (now #8) Texas. There were issues on both sides of the ball for the Sooners, but it was mostly a complete team effort that gave Oklahoma one of the year's most significant wins. Below are the statistical leaders from week six:

• Passing: Dillon Gabriel, 23-38, 285 yards, one touchdown.

• Rushing: Dillon Gabriel, 14 rushes, 113 yards, one touchdown.

• Receiving: Jalil Farooq, five catches, 130 yards.

• Tackling: Jaren Kanak, 13 tackles, seven solo, one sack, one tackle for loss.

Oklahoma finally had the breakout game they've been looking for with the offensive line. The running backs didn't do too much to emphasize that. Despite that, Oklahoma's offensive line handled business against one of college football's most dominant defensive lines. I'm expecting OU to run the ball a lot against UCF. The Knights don't have a good running defense, allowing 197.3 rushing yards per game. Tawee Walker and Marcus Major will likely have a field day against UCF, and I'm hoping to see Gavin Sawchuck and Javontae Barnes also contribute. The air attack for OU took a hit against Texas, with Andrel Anthony suffering a season-ending injury. Going up against a solid UCF pass defense, Oklahoma will be looking for other members of the receiver group to step up. Jalil Farooq and Nic Anderson are two receivers we know will answer the call. We will likely see quite a lot of Drake Stoops, Gavin Freeman, Jayden Gibson, and maybe even Jaquaize Pettaway receive extra reps. Overall, I would prepare to see OU have a 60-40 approach, with the run favored over the pass.

The OU defensive line, going up against a Texas offensive line that is up for the Joe Moore Award (best offensive line in college football), put up a dominant performance. They forced five sacks and 10 tackles for loss. The main reason for their success was bringing a lot of pressure and blitzes against Texas. Prepare to see even more of that against UCF. The Knights don't have an offensive line on the same level as the Longhorns, and Brent Venables will want to take advantage of this. Man coverage blitzes will be the go-to for our defense as they hope to let the defensive line eat up UCF. Our secondary has reached another level, with players like Billy Bowman and Gentry Williams leading the way. Our linebackers will likely be in the backfield more than they're in coverage as they hope to eliminate UCF's ability to run the ball. A one-dimensional offense is no offense, and our defense knows it.

Central Florida

The UCF Knights are also coming off a bye week but are looking for redemption after a 22-51 blowout loss to Kansas the week before. The Knights have not won a conference game since joining the Big 12. Below are the statistical leaders from week six for UCF:

• Passing: Timmy McClain, 12-15, 136 yards, two touchdowns.

• Rushing: RJ Harvey, 16 rushes, 133 yards, one touchdown.

• Receiving: Javon Baker, four catches, 85 yards.

• Tackling: Jason Johnson, eight tackles, six solo, one tackle for loss.

Don't let UCF's 3-3 record or winless conference record to this point fool you. This is a good offense Oklahoma is about to face. UCF is the #4 offense in college football, averaging 516.7 total yards per game, 270.3 yards per game through the air, and 246.3 yards per game on the ground. On top of this, they're expecting their original starting QB, John Rhys Plumlee, to return after a few weeks of limited play due to injury. This offense is about as balanced as it gets. They love to take shots down the field and run you into submission on the ground. Given Oklahoma's defense's struggles against mid-range passes, I would prepare for UCF to utilize these mid-range passes for at least 70% of their passing attack. We will likely see them pass more than they run. While Iowa State exposed some issues in the run game for OU, and UCF could potentially expose those weaknesses again, UCF knows they need to score often and fast to keep up with the Sooners. The run will be a big part of their offense, but I wouldn't expect to see it on more than 40% of their plays.

This defense is a confusing one to study. They allow almost 200 yards per game on the ground but keep offenses under 200 yards per game through the air. Their worst game of the season in pass defense was against Baylor, allowing 293 yards through the air. Making it halfway through the season and putting up these numbers against the pass is impressive. Include in there that OU lost one of their best speed threats, Andrel Anthony, and we could very well see UCF keep Oklahoma in check through the air. I would prepare to see some pressure, but not much. They put a lot of people in coverage to defend the pass. While that hurts them against the ground, the passing game has little success against them.

Prediction

On paper, this has the potential to be a really good game. Oklahoma is coming off a great Texas win feeling good, UCF is seeking its first conference win since joining the Big 12, and two of the top offenses in the country are facing off against each other. This should be a fun game to watch. But I doubt it will be for UCF. There is too much firepower on both sides of the ball for OU without accounting for the game being played in Norman. I'm predicting the Sooners will get a win in (semi) blowout fashion.

Score Prediction: Central Florida 17, Oklahoma 42

Oklahoma Yardage:

• Passing Yards: 250-270

• Rushing Yards: 160-200

• Total Yards: 410-470

UCF Yardage:

• Passing Yards: 150-200

• Rushing Yards: 60-80

• Total Yards: 210-280

I didn't know what to do last week with no OU football on other than watching USC get beat down (that was fun). Now, OU football is back. I am unbelievably excited to see them return for at least six more games.

All stats above courtesy of ESPN.